Help me, I'm addicted to shopping

[MyGastIsFlabbered]

Seriously, I love any excuse to buy anything. I got excited when our can opener broke.

I've had to quit my job because it was costing me over £100 a month more in childcare than I was earning so basically I'll have no income other than child benefit. My spending has got to stop.

Can anyone help?

[Lushlush]

I know what you mean it really gives me a boost when I buy something to wear for example. I have been buying more clothes for ME this year which has been a breakthrough as my wardrobe is more than boring.

Trouble is it seems to start up a need to get constant retail treats then so I think all these years of not buying clothes kept me blissfully unaware......

Now I just want to shop and go mad lol.

[Funkytown]

I have no help I'm in the same boat , I'm not happy unless I'm buying things I try to justify it for example I finished my Christmas shopping in July not because I wanted to be organised but because I had nothing to buy so I did that, I've just finished my children's summer wardrobes for next year
It's ridiculous and I know I need to get a grip on it so I will be watching this thread for ideas

[nogoingbacknow]

Yep I am there too. Online shopping though... like christmas when i get in and parcels are on the doorstep/annoying the neighbours.... i always over-order and do return alot of stuff but easily put £1k on my credit card last week.... will only keep about £200 worth of it but i am single parent and can't afford it. :(

[MTWTFSS]

OMG I was just about to start a post pretty much similar to yours!!! I am absolutely addicted!!!

At the moment I am leaving my debit card at home and only carrying cash which is working great, except then at home I have internet shopping and that truly is my weakness :(

[MTWTFSS]

chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/website-blocker-beta/hclgegipaehbigmbhdpfapmjadbaldib?hl=en

I have started to use this website to block shopping websites :)

[SavoyCabbage]

My MIL is addicted to shopping I'm sure. Her face lit up when she found out we didn't have a ladder. On and on she went about ladders. For weeks. She doesn't care what is being bought as long as it's something.

We emigrated and my mum comes to see us once a year. MIL can't afford to as she spends all her money on bath mats.

[Lushlush]

Yes although I always buy with cash in real life the lure of ebay at home is always there and that leads to weekly purchasing!!

[MTWTFSS]

Lushlush Use the add-on to block the eBay website :)

[Jumblebee]

Funkytown you can start on my wardrobe now if you want?

I am the same kind of, only not with shopping, more takeaways and food, eating out etc. I always feel guilty buying stuff my myself. I always go into a shop with the intention of buying something because I need/want it, and then feel guilty and think 'can I REALLY afford this? Do I REALLY need it?' And then put it back :-/ although today I bought myself 2 kimonos, a pair of jeggings and 2 belts (mine literally broke in half IN the shop!)

I reckon I'd feel less guilty buying clothes and stuff if I added up how much money I waste on said food treats and cut them out!

[Jumblebee]

Although (just to add) I don't get Internet shopping! I like to try things on (because they'll normally look terrible) and resent paying to send them back/travel costs to the shop. I always end up with 1 or 2 things in my basket and then closing the window down!

[Lushlush]

I wouldn't be without Ebay though it is so handy.

[Downtheroadfirstonleft]

Plenty of advice on Money Saving Expert for those who really want to change their behaviours.

Sounds like most of the posters above are quite proud of/ find funny their overspending...

[MTWTFSS]

Yesterday I had a NSD.

Today I am buying the weekly groceries and that is it!

[Eminybob]

I am exactly the same too. I'm on maternity leave so any excuse for a trip into town to get me and DS out of the house.
And when we do stay in its internet shopping. It's so dangerous, anything that just pops into your head you can just go onto your phone there and then and its with you in a couple of days. I've had to remove the buy with one click option off my Amazon app.
My full maternity pay is about to finish so I really really need to nip this in the bud now!

[spababe]

I tried the MSE tip of freezing my credit card in a block of ice so I could access it for emergencies but had to really think about using it. It was great - it did stop me using it.
We use a debit card for everything and YNAB to keep track of all spending.

[MyGastIsFlabbered]

I don't think it's funny & I'm not proud of it, I wondered if anyone had been through the same thing & managed to change things.

[MTWTFSS]

My NSD has turned into a £3.25 spend :( I know it isn't much but I am still disappointed in myself that I had to spend something.

[MyGastIsFlabbered]

What's YNAB?

[Iggly]

Yes yes this is me. It is linked to my moods - feeling low, spend. Feeling in a "sod it" mood. Spend! I love a reason to spend e.g. kids need new clothes etc then I'm online spending.

Ironically I don't buy clothes for myself which I really need. And new shoes... Or a haircut.....

I've been mentally tallying stuff up which stops me. Or going as far as browsing and putting stuff in the basket then leaving it. So I've resisted buying advent calendars because they're on offer, buying stuff for dd's birthday (which is in 6 weeks) and extra uniform for ds (he doesn't need it - it just makes my life easier with less washing!)....

Every now and then I add up all the small monthly spends to shock me - and it is a lot. Part of the problem is that DH leaves it to me to buy everything for the kids so I end up combining "essential" spends with frivulous.

[MTWTFSS]

I'm feeling empty this morning... definitely in the mood for shopping :(

• So shopping is a no go.
  
• I can't drink as it is only 08:12 in the morning and I don't want to become an alcoholic out of this!
  
• I don't comfort eat- actually just eating 3 meals a day is a complete struggle but I do eat them for my kids.
  
• New episodes of The Big Bang Theory and Jane the Virgin will only be available to watch tomorrow morning.
  

Any tips for cheering me up?

[lilacclery]

ynab - you need a budget, budgeting software.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_money_matters/a1833077-Does-anyone-use-YNAB-You-Need-A-Budget-and-fancy-a-support-chat-thread

[spababe]

Yes that's where I found out about YNAB and it's brilliant. We don't go overdrawn now and as money comes in I allocate it to each category
So you know how much you can spend on clothes etc without blowing the food budget

[MTWTFSS]

It has only been 2 days and I have already installed an alternative internet browser on my computer to bypass my blocking app... I am so beyond pathetic!!! :( On the plus side, I didn't buy anything :)

[MyGastIsFlabbered]

I downloaded it last night but couldn't get my head round it at all . Will try when my head's a bit clearer.

[spababe]

You need to watch the tutorials but basically it's like having envelopes for everything and being paid and putting money into each envelope. So you have a mortgage envelope, an electricity etc then petrol, food, and create a shopping envelope (if you want) but only spend what is in that envelope