I think I might have a spending problem

[NooNooHead1981]

I am not massively in debt but I am always frittering money away on crap I don't need. I always seem to be in my overdraft and have to be bailed out by my parents (at the age of 36!!) on almost a monthly basis. I only earn £600 a month on a retainer as a freelancer so am pretty much broke after I've put my share into the joint account.

I think I might be very depressed about a lot of things - past / current health issues, movement disorder, ectopic pregnancy, brother has cancer etc but I don't know what to do. I feel very scared about how I can't control my spending and how it is possibly the only way I feel in control (ironically) by buying things to boost my happiness.

I feel like this has been a vicious circle for years, but has got worse recently. Working at home on my own with access to shops down the road doesn't help either. I'm lost for a way forward. :-(

I also struggle with this, seeing a treat as a short term way to lift me out of a black mood, fear, loneliness etc.

I have no very useful advice unfortunately apart from logging everything I spend using an app called 'money' in my phone.

If I don't do this my spending gets even more out of hand. It's pretty bad even using this but at least it helps me exercise some restraint. I also often take things back after I've had a buying spree as I will come crashing down after the initial high and realise I don't need the things I've bought.

One other thing I noticed helps is that when I do spend, try to make it on an experience it trip, rather than an item as thus lifts my mood more (although still costs money.. :(. )

Will be watching this thread and hope someone else will come along to advise. In the meantime, sympathy - you're not alone.

Thank you for your advice and for listening - I feel like I can't talk to my husband about it as he knows what a spendthrift I am and how bad I am at budgeting. If it wasn't for him running the household bills, I don't know I would cope.

You'd think I'd be better on control of things by now, but I have a feeling there are lots of underlying issues that my spending is actually masking and I don't like to acknowledge. Maybe I really do need a good therapist... :-(