I get a buzz from spending

[beelegal]

Pay day has just come around and, as usual, I feel a strong urge to spend. I get a kind of high from buying things, mostly clothes and accessories, but also gifts for others. Even if a birthday is months away, I feel tempted to buy something now. Sometimes it is small or even unnecessary items, like a novelty sign for the fence.
I do not have debt, I earn well, and I have some savings, but I keep buying things I do not really need. How can I stop this urge?

It sounds like you get a dopamine hit from it. Google that.

First answer nails it!

Yes, it's dopamine.

I get it too. ADHD.

I have trained myself to be a bit more sensible, but it will always be my natural go-to.

Same. I’m a lot better now. There was a time when I’d buy say a jumper that I liked and would
then have to go back and buy every colour, even colours I would never wear. I dread to think of the amount of money I wasted. A huge change in my circumstances meant I couldn’t do it even if I wanted to so I had to find other ways to get the hit. Exercise is a good one. My kids are the same. It’s difficult.

Me too. For years I was like this . And had an excuse as was furnishing a house , had kids to buy for . Now I am at the stage where I have so much more than any person needs . So it is a case of wanting things just because . A few financial issues and the threat of not having an income did stop me . I now indulge it by buying presents , etc throughout the year for other people . I never got into outrageous purchases but then I look back I could have saved so much money for my future . If it is getting to be a problem or you are sacrificing important bills it is time to have a serious look at your finances.

On how to stop it...I do something else that gives a dopamine hit:

A small chore I've been meaning to get to for months.
Tidy up/organise a shelf, cupboard or drawer of my favourite things.
A quick walk or a bit of exercise.
Embroidery works well to keep my hands and mind busy for a while until the urge passes. Anything creative is good.

I do too and got myself into a LOT of trouble with credit cards some years ago.
So now I do all the usual online shopping but just leave everything in the basket without checking out and it seems to be enough.
I have a few health issues now so hours of walking around Shops isn't as much fun as it used to be either so thats helped too

I’m like this. Go shopping every single day. Luckily I have DD and DS so it isn’t all spending on things for me but they children have more stuff and clothes than they will ever need!

Thank you, this sounds like a plan that could work.

Dopamine. I'm the same..The buzz is from the choosing and buying and more than anything the anticipation. When it arrives it's a quick buzz then anticlimax.

I think I have ADHD as it runs in my family big time. I've been on Mounjaro for a couple of months and it killed my dopamine seeking wine and chocolate habits stone dead on day 1 but sadly hasn't stopped the online shopping buzz.

I want to swap the habit for the buzz of exercise but I can't get myself organised for it.

But exercise is the solution you seek.

Yes me too - I have ADHD. I don’t really know what to do about it.

Reverse it and get a hit from watching your savings grow instead of buying useless articles, then when you need to replace a large kitchen appliance you can buy it outright with the savings

@beelegal set up a NS&I account and when you get the urge to spend pop the amount you would have spent on Premium Bonds they start at £25 and there is a chance of winning a prize too.

I’m also the same and have ADHD. I’ve found a credit union account helpful as you can’t just instantly take out the money so there’s a bit of time in between putting it in your basket and withdrawing the money (can take up to 24 hours and is only sent to you Monday to Friday working hours) which gives you time to think about if it’s worth the faf!

I am the same OP - ADHD, binge eating, and currently a really terrible vinted habit. It comes and goes.

I am on the warpath to get a grip on it. Good ideas on this thread.. I like the credit union account idea @CoralGraceRow

Don’t get me wrong I still spend what’s in the current account but put some money in quite regularly so the credit union account is building up. So far I’ve barely touched it and never for impulse purchases because it’s not instantly accessible!

I am exactly the same. I have to leave my bank card at home when I go out or go to work

Hello OP,

I don't exactly feel the way you do but I do enjoy getting stuff for my DC (a lot more than I care about getting stuff for myself !) However, life being more expensive, I have to cut down on unnecessary crap.

The best way for me is to still indulge in browsing, but if I see stuff I like I save it or favourite it instead of buying. Sometimes I go back and actually buy it, but mostly by the time pay day happens I'm over it and realized I didn't actually want or need it !

Same here.
What helped me was Covid when I had time to declutter the house, realised how much stuff I got. Sold it on eBay and Facebook marketplace and put this money in savings, it was much larger amount than I thought and that was an eve opener.
Since then I got NS&I, stocks and shares ISA and savings account and I get the same hit from investing and saving. I get a lot of satisfaction from having zero debt and watch my money grow. In a funny way, now when I can afford anything I want I don't actually want to shop. I think twice before I buy anything that is not essential. I also budget.

My partner is the same as you, I’m the complete opposite. Obviously we keep our finances separate.

What worked for me is allowing myself "pocket money" to spend on what I want. I allow myself £100 a month. That covers impulse purchases and anything unnecessary house or clothing wise. So if say I needed a new kettle as mine broke, I won't take that from my spending money, I will cover that from my normal funds. But if I just fancied a new mug, that would come from my pocket money. If I want a piece of clothing I don't actually need, again it needs to come from my spending money. If it's a more expensive item, I might do it with Klarna or whatever but the payments need to come from my £100 p/m. As there's a limit, I am more careful on what I buy.

I'm not willing to cut out all unnecessary spending. I don't spend money on other things that other people might, say beauty treatments or eating out or whatever. So I figure I'm allowed some fun!