How to stop compulsive spending and wasting money on shit

[TwiggyCat92]

I'm a financial disaster (but trying to sort it out). My biggest problem is compulsive spending, I seem to waste all my money on stuff I don't need. Does anyone have tips on how to stop this and "retrain my mind". I really, really want to change. I've been wondering if maybe I do it to fill a void, loneliness, etc. :(

Are there things you can do to ease the loneliness? Is this very much Covid 19 related or was it there before? If it is recent hold onto the fact that things (in the UK) are a bit better and that SD won’t last forever and you’ll be able to meet friends and family.

I’m not sure what to suggest if it’s longer term as I have loneliness issues. Before I would have suggested meet-up groups or things around interests or children but I don’t know how I’ll make new friends through these or when they will start again.

Highly recommend Clare seal's book real life money to help find a way through. You can also find her on Instagram @myfrugalyear

Completely agree with @Coastercat. Dial it right back to basics for a month. Cleanse your financial palate. There's a book called "How I lived for a year on a pound a day" that I read every year and try to do. It helps you seek out and use up all the "stuff" you already have to hand (toiletries, food staples, cleaning products etc that you have in the cupboard, forget about, buy more of). A month is a good period to try - long enough to make a difference but finite enough that you know it won't be forever.

Can you switch to buying second hand? Or set yourself a limit eg 1 new item a month per child. Agree with leaving stuff in your shopping basket for at least a week to see if you still want it.

You could set up a separate savings account for yourself (or your children) and if after a week you decide you don't want to spend £9.99 on the new top in your online basket, delete the item and instead transfer that amount into your/your child's savings account. Once you start to see the money adding up this will encourage you on further.

Good luck!