I can't stop buying clothes for dd... Need advice/help!

[Glastogirl]

I can't stop buying stuff for my DC. I haven't got the money to be doing it but I can't stop.

I love buying them pretty dresses from the USA, it's not a style you can get over here and at first I just got one or two but now I've got about 25.

Some have never been worn and most only get worn once... I don't know how to stop. I get excited like a kid at Christmas when I hae a new outfit coming in the post and can't go more than a few days without buying something.

I have a hefty overdraft on my current account which I have spend every penny of and have about £500 on the credit card.

Please help me to stop spending, I don't know how and I know I must stop as I can't afford not to.

I think things have for worse since the summer holidays as I'm not at work... I've just bought them a new play kitchen even though we already have two... I just can't help myself.

:(

Sell it all on ebay and use funds to pay off debts.

Then it's just willpower I'm afraid!

Hard not to spend I know. :(

www.theguardian.com/money/2006/jan/22/creditanddebt.observercashsection1

This might help. Good luck!

I don't think it's just down to willpower. Is there a reason you are like this? Did you not get what you needed when you were a child?

Your best bet is to either cut up your credit card, or put it in the freezer, so you can't use it. Perhaps try just living on cash for a bit because then you can only spend what you have got.

Then you need to think about why you are doing it, or you won't ever stop.

Yes you're right Velvet. Willpower sounded a bit flippant of me. I didn't mean it quite like that... its just having been 26k in debt at one point I think the key is to setting a budget and taking out only the cash you need for the week and not spending anything else. Online shopping in particular is deadly because it doesn't seem like you're really spending anything. But yes absolutely exploring the reasons for spending are crucial in overcoming it.

Bizarrely I always had enough as a child except one thing that my dad didn't let me have and I always wanted. They don't make it anymore so I can't even get it now. Maybe there's some part of me that is trying to plug the gap I felt for not having it or trying to make sure my DC never feel like that! Might be nothing to do with that though! No idea!

Uhh I would cut your credit card up and ask your bank to zero your overdraft, if you really aren't able to stop then having that temptation there won't be helping you.

You cannot afford to spend like this (based on what you've said), these days people look and think it's not really spending and I want it now. If you haven't got the money either from savings or just from that month then I'm sorry but you can't have it.

On a more softener note, looking at the reason why you spend is important it sounds like you enjoy the high of the new thing. I think everyone can relate to that, but you must be realistic with yourself :)

Return stuff that hasnt been worn/played with.
Sell stuff that isn't needed/grown out of on e bay or FB selling pages.
Cut up your cc.
Ask your bank to lower your OD limit. Mine was £800 at one point, have got it down to £250.
Good luck