Give a Girl a Little Money

Posted on May 9, 2008
Filed Under Spending, Uncategorized |

I have money!!! I have money in savings, I have money in checking and I have money in my pocket! It’s not a lot of money but I feel like celebrating! I feel like the weight of the world has lifted off my shoulders.

I have also found that I am much more likely to succumb to impulse spending. I have spent the last six months congratulating myself on being frugal and now I find that as soon as you give this girl a little money those impulses come right back. This has been a recurring theme with me. I can be as frugal as the ultimate cheapskate but when I have a little money come in, I end up with a little more going out.

My main goal over the past six months has been bare survival. Really. When there isn’t enough, you get down to brass tacks and make decisions based on what you have to have to get through the next month and priorities are pretty easy. In looking over my spending in the last week, I have found that I have made several impulse purchases.

Now don’t laugh because these are going to seem pretty trivial. I bought a hair clip ($6.50), I went out to dinner last night ($11.95), books ($17.99), and then I have bought sodas and snacks ($8) several days which adds up to enough to the minimum payment on my credit card.

I would much rather have spent that $45 on paying down my debt or putting it into savings to pay for fuel oil this winter or to pay off my tax bill. There are so many uses that I NEED to put money towards that I really cannot afford to fritter it away.

I’ve Paid For That Twice Already has some great tips to avoid impulse spending. I have found that being accountable to my readers is a big incentive not to buy things on impulse but also because writing this blog keeps my finances at the top of my mind. I also really try to know exactly what I want when I walk into the store. If I don’t know where it is, I ask someone and go directly there so that I avoid temptation.

Some other things that I have found help me are:

Not using my check card. I keep a limited amount of cash and use it. It keeps me mindful of how much I am spending and what I am spending on.

Using lists. I guess because I have ADHD if I don’t have a list, I don’t get anything done so having shopping lists fits right in. It keeps me on target and if it’s not on the list, I don’t buy it.

Waiting to purchase. If I see something that is not on my list, I tend to hold off purchasing it. If I decide that it would be a smart purchase, I will go back and buy it later.

What have you found that helps you avoid making impulse purchases? Does getting a little extra money cause you to go on a spending spree?

Help keep me awake to write by buying me a cup of coffee! .

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Comments

4 Responses to “Give a Girl a Little Money”

Mrs. Micah (19 comments.) on May 9th, 2008 9:09 am

The waiting game works really well for me. Unless I decide that I can’t wait. But most of the time I feel comfortable giving a book something like a week or two.
Katie Gregg (1 comments.) on May 12th, 2008 8:32 pm

These are great tips. I struggle with this aspect of frugal living, too…every time I feel a little more financially secure, I decide I want to go out to eat!
Lindsay (17 comments.) on May 14th, 2008 11:16 pm

I am very frugal compared to most people. But my biggest problem is eating out. It’s something I like to do on weekends especially. Any suggestions?
marci on May 22nd, 2008 12:21 pm

I use that list idea. Any major purchase (over $100) goes on the list. If it’s still there in a year, and I still need it, I’ll buy it. Sometimes in that year spacing I will find the item at a garage sale… greatly reduced… then I’ll buy it at the garage sale immediately. Amazing how almost everything ends up at a garage sale in that year’s time… over 90%… has saved me oodles