To not know how to stop spending!

[SleepingStandingUp]

Ice always used shopping to make myself feel better, but got myself into a huge Mrs because off it.
Im better these days, but have no savings etc because I feel the need to buy stuff.

My son has far more stuff than hee needs because I like tearing him but I feel like I'm compensating too - he head a lot of time inn hospital in the first two years.

We have a modest income topped up with benefits, I don't work as I look after my son, which means I have more time to spoil him.

I also don't want to raise raise an entitled spoilt child but I really struggle with the will power..

Any tips for a more frugal life?

We do have a couple of family members who are doing that but I think him having just one Christmas present and one Birthday present for the rest of his childhood is pretty mean. I know he has too much and I am trying to cut down, he def got a lot less presents this year but I think banning all presents is too far x

SleepingStandingUp

That's first world problems. If you think having a couple of presents up to age 18, just wait until he reaches 18 and is broke as a kite and only wish he had some money to pay for his driving lessons or other things.
It's either pay now or pay later.
For me having a safety net is far more important than showing off to friends how much Christmas/birthday presents I have received.
I did not say banning presents, I said give him one decent present and bank the rest of the money. Start him off by having the option to make choices. His birthday is coming, you have a certain amount spend, ask him what he likes and work from there.
You are giving him the option to start thinking early, but let him know that he will only be getting one present.
Show him the bank account and so that he can learn from an early age that saving is very important. Once he sees how his money is growing, he will be very eager to save more.

I used to be the same op, and it was just silly little amounts on things that all added up.

I changed all of my direct debits to go out 1 day after I get paid, then set up a standing order for a set amount to go into Premium Bonds every month because it won’t be as easy to transfer the money back out of premium bonds as it would with a savings account with my own bank.

I don’t take my purse with me unless I plan to buy something, otherwise I just take some loose change for coffee (coffee is only 49p in Pret with a reusable cup!)

I changed to online supermarket shopping which helps me avoid impulse buying and makes meal planning easier, and I get a top up delivery from the milkman once a week, although the milk is more expensive that way it stops me popping to the shop midweek and accidentally spending £20, so it saves money in the long run.

In general I just avoid going to the shops, so I go to the park or soft play so I don’t feel tempted to spend.

marjorie25 here's 3 and non verbal with a slight delay so he won't be specifying any presents for a while. Like I said, here does have some family members who do that already and kids seem to increasingly get cash as they get older so I will be encouraging him to save some but I do think there's more to Christmas and Birthdays at this age than preparing for your future. For his birthday he got a slide, a Thomas Tank train set thing and a scooter as his big presents across us, grandparents and aunt, I wouldn't expect him to have to pick one when they're all good presents - one to pay in the garden with over the summer, one for the quiet days inside and the scooter well good help us but I'm hoping it'll improve his balance and coordination. He had impressively little plastic tat. He had cash that will be out aside for anything special he might want. He had books and clothes. So whilst I agree partly in theory, I certainly didn't reach 18 and think oh I wish I'd never had the doll I adored and all her associated paraphernalia, I wish no one had ever bought me books, or games that we played as a family etc.

Pink there's deff something inn the big shop. Not sure why I've fell out of habit of doing it, so now I'm the Spar nearly every day so toddler ore much more likely to end up with a snack and a magazine, or me pop etc. we'll still have to go inn once a week, they'll miss him lol.

I'll look into premium bonds.

I'm hoping that carrying cash and no card will help me to be more conscious of what I chasm and can't afford