Going on a spending 'diet'

[TrueFriendsStabYouInTheFront]

Slightly premature with my thinking, as it's the most expensive time of year, but has anyone ever attempted a sort of spending diet?

I am in quite a lot of debt (although I have a plan of action to tackle this) but I want to change my spending habits for good. I don't have much disposable income (it's spent repaying cards!) but what I do have, plus the cards, get used constantly - just spend spend spend!

How do you get out of the habit of this? Any tips, mantras, general assistance with this stupid annoying habit! It causes me a good deal of worry but I still keep doing it. Buying this and that for the DC, way over spending on people's presents for Christmas etc. I'm really irresponsible with money and desperately want to change

I should add - I never buy anything flash or expensive, just loads of pointless crap!

Try to write down everything you spend, maybe here, maybe in a notebook.

Aim for non spend days where you can.

I did a good few years back. I got out cash on payday and hid my card so I couldn't use it. Worth a go?

I get Competitive with myself. How much can I have leftover at the end of the month.

I do no spend days. Usually about 15 a month. There is someone I know who has managed about 130. If you would like inspiration there is a great ted talk on YouTube called a no spend year.

I have a bit of an online shopping addiction, but 80% of the time send the stuff back, that way i have the excitement of shopping and receiving my parcel... then take it to then post office on the way to work! It’s a great feeling getting the money back in your bank account...

Getting cash out sounds great actually, simple but I think if I saw it physically vanishing, that might shock me a bit?

Will definitely check out the Tedtalk!

Luckily I'm not that keen on online shopping as I get bogged down by reviews! Small mercies haha taking a walk around town is another story entirely though!

@darkriver19886 130 days in a row?!

Yeah apart from food and petrol. Many people who attempt the challenges have a list of essentials. She has such will power.

@darkriver19886 wow I'm so impressed that's amazing!!!

I started YNAB which seems to be working quite well. It's annoying that you need to pay for it but they do offer your money back if it doesn't work for you. Also most people save more than it costs. You get a slightly longer than a month's trial, and then you have to pay for it.

It's a philosophy as well as a software so what I would recommend is using the rest of December to read up about how it works, watch the tutorials, plan out your categories etc on paper or spreadsheet, then start a couple of working days into Jan (give balances from the very end of December time to clear).

I did this for Nov/Dec and got off to a very smooth start. What I like about it is it's not prescriptive (no do this first, do that first, spend this % on X, that % on Y), it's just a way to organise your money so that you can prioritise it on what's important to you.

Take a photo of the items that attract you, go home and then decide if you really want/need to buy them. If you do, you can go back to the shop to get them.
Most of time you'd just rather stay at home!

Three questions to ask yourself
Can i afford it?
Do I need it?
Can I buy it cheaper elsewhere?

Use cash for a while, it makes spending more real.

I’m doing this in January. Need to get a handle on my spending.

If it think I need something, instead of rushing out to get it right away I'll wait until tomorrow, then decide I didn't need it after all. Im an impulsive shopper. I would to to ikea to get a book shelf, and a trolley full of other stuff, because there's a pile of books. Where I could have cleared a space for them really.

Yesterday there was an incident involving a rabbit and a cable for a fish tank filter. I was all set to rush to the fish shop and buy a new UV filter for £60,but I didn't and this morning found my dds electric keyboard cable works with it. I'm now trying not to look for a new keyboard.

Freeze the credit/store cards.. literally. Tupperware dish of water add cards n freeze. Makes it impossible to instantly use any of them. And you feel like a twat with the hair dryer trying to get at them.

Only take cash budgeted for what your doing.. so not lifting your wage and having it all with you but taking £20 out for lunch and essentials on the way home.

Envelopes can work too like a food envelope, fun, clothes etc.

Remove payment details from your browser/phone etc. If you actually have to go and find your wallet, you spend less online.

You say you don't really online shop so you physically shop a lot?
Look at how you shop. If you're travelling into town when you don't actually need to buy anything - stop and ask yourself what your going to buy/do you need it today/at all? Etc. Are you going out on your lunch break? - make a packed lunch and stay in work so you're not tempted.

As previous people have said, a good starting point is taking your card details off amazon/ASOS etc and off your phone. Delete the worst of your shopping apps off your phone too as it's just too easy to open and then before you know it you've impulse bought something you had no intention of buying or any need of.

Look at your friends too, sounds daft but I have one who is the worst influence when it comes to spending! Are you goaded into buying anything by other people? If I tell her I covet anything she'll come out with all sorts of YOLO/go on it's only x amount/just buy it/have you bought it yet?/why not?
And she also tries to get me on a lot of spendy nights out too, they add up!

Avoid the shops! Do something free when you would usually browse the shop. Library, park or stay at home. My downfall is buying lunch out at work, coffees and takeaways. Did better last year but still room for improvement. A bit of planning and some ideas for nice lunches helped. Work out some free treats that you can turn to instead of buying something like a relaxing bath, good podcast, book out the library (watch for fines though!) Raid the cupboards and see what you already have a new can use up instead of buying new.

I'm really interested in this. I buy clothes every month. Not expensive brands. Mainly supermarket. I can't resist buying a jumper or a top while doing my shopping and I tell myself, "It's only £15", even though I have plenty of clothes at home. I like buying/having something new which is the wrong mentality to have when the things I already own are perfectly good. I have debts to pay off which I could do a lot sooner if I was more disciplined. I'm also really bad at going to Sainsbury's to get one thing and walking out with a bag of snacks. I meal plan but there are days when I don't feel like cooking and we'll order a takeaway and then I feel disappointed that £25 could have gone towards debt instead. I'm completely an impulsive shopper. I really need to be more disciplined and I'm going to stop just "popping in" to the shop and walking out with an armful of unnecessary stuff.

This year I've used cash envelopes (look up Dave Ramsey) and implemented 10 no spend days a month, minus food and the like. I also write everything down that I buy. And I do mean every little thing. It's sobering. And as PP - create a budget down to the last pound. It really does help, just remember to include an amount for 'fun money.' I didn't when I started out, and it was tough. Mostly though, using cash has really helped me curb spending.

Only ever use cash,, take out what you think you need for the week -£5, use a ledger every day and save any left at the end of each week