How can I stop myself from spending too much money?
August 29, 2008
Q~T asked:
My husband and I had been living pay check to pay check for a long time. Now he makes enough that we don’t have to worry about money any more, but that doesn’t mean that I can spend as much as I want on whatever. How can I keep my spending habits undercontrol? I’m having a very hard time telling myself when enough is enough.
I HAVE A JOB!!!!! My husband is just the bread winner!
My husband and I had been living pay check to pay check for a long time. Now he makes enough that we don’t have to worry about money any more, but that doesn’t mean that I can spend as much as I want on whatever. How can I keep my spending habits undercontrol? I’m having a very hard time telling myself when enough is enough.
I HAVE A JOB!!!!! My husband is just the bread winner!
12 Responses to “How can I stop myself from spending too much money?”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
September 1st, 2008 at 5:15 pm
I leave most of my money at home and in the bank this seems to help me
September 4th, 2008 at 4:29 am
take 5-10% of EVERY paycheck and stick it in a savings account. spend the rest. that way you are saving some money every week and enjoying the rest
September 6th, 2008 at 7:05 am
You should schedule busy days for yourself away from stores…take up walking or cycling
September 6th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Give your self a weekly limt in cash, then don’t carry a credit card and you can only spend the cash in your purse. But if you save a little bit each week save in and then you can buy something more expensive another week.
September 8th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Come to my house and let me slap you. You need counseling. Most things people buy by impulse are because of low self esteem issues. You are not doing this because you care about your future or your relationships. You are obligated to spend wisely especially since you are mooching off of your spouse. Get a job or a second job and use it to buy stuff and invest what you get from your mooching source (husband). Buying fancy stuff makes you look like something to your friends but it is really just junk mostly. Invest in your future for when you get a divorce you will be prepared and won’t have to sue your husband and mooch some more. Figure out what your upkeep is and what it would cost if you were on your own right now and get a job that covers your upkeep. See if you can stand on your own without someone else. Try to be an equal partner not just someone with your hand out. Grow Up! Give what you waste to charity. Parasite.
September 11th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
You and the rest of America wants the answer to that question.
September 14th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
The first thing you need to do is sit down and work out a budget for the week, fortnight or month depending on when your husband gets paid. First look at your fixed expenses such as mortgage etc. You should aim to spend 60% on fixed expenses and 40% on variables. You should work on getting credit cards and other debts out of the way then allocating 10% for retirement savings. You can spend 10% on fun money. Your aim should be to get out of living payday to payday and be able to plan ahead.
September 16th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Spend all you can and keep the economy going. Live for the moment, don’t worry about the future. The gov’t will take care of you in your old age.
September 19th, 2008 at 4:40 am
Use the tool that you are now using when you’ve reached a limit — e.g. if you drink and drive, use the tool that makes you stop drinking before driving.
September 20th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
I suggest you to open a brokerage account.
Top 3 Answerer in Business & Finance. (Vote for me)
September 20th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Make yourself a reasonable budget that you can spend from each paycheck. Open up a savings account where you don’t get a card or checks or anything to make it easy to take the money out. Then get direct deposit from work (you and your husband) and have the rest of the money transfered there. That way you never touch it. You will only have the money you are willing to spend at your disposal.
September 22nd, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Go to your local library and check out “The Automatic Millionaire” by David Bach. It’s easy to read, and the advice will work, if you’re willing to commit to it.
Being automatic, you’ll start investing money without it have a chance to pass through your hands to be spent first.
I have no association with Mr. Bach. I just enjoyed his book, which I read at the “Costco Library” when I was unemployeed several years ago.
By the way, because I had my finances in good shape, I was out of work for 8 months, and it had NO IMPACT upon my financial life. My wife and I had properly prepared our finances to weather an event such as that.
The techniques discussed in Bach’s book were almost exactly what we’ve been doing for 15-20 years on our own. We did some on purpose, and some we hit by accident. (E.g., my bank’s mortgage was bi-weekly rather than monthly, so I paid off my “30″ year mortgage in about 20 years.)