Shughart
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2013
I am sitting here wondering what the heck I'm going to do all weekend, though, without running errands picking up things I really don't need. It's becoming more and more clear that for me, spending is more about the entertainment of it. Going out (alone, which I love), listening to my favorite pod casts in the car, finding just the thing I "need", etc. Time to work at finding a replacement hobby!
I could have written this VERBATIM. I am still a SAHM, my kids are in school but my husband's job is high pressure and demanding. So I have to be around 24/7 for the kids because I never know if I'll have help with them or the house. Number one way to keep busy? Go to the store(s). Since I'm out, I need lunch! Before you know it I have spend $100. Repeat 1-3 times a week.
Here is what is helping me, YMMV because our hobbies/interests may differ but maybe some of it will help you...
-Load up my library hold list with books. I was a book buyer but had a rude awakening when I donated a ton to the library after none sold at a garage sale (like 50 books, all less than 3 years old). I have saved so much by not buying anymore. Reading keeps me out of the stores.
-I love the Sims on my laptop. I've played it since I was 14 and it's kind of been my guilty pleasure. I don't play it often. But I'd rather sit and play it 2 hours when I get the urge to get in the car and go to Hobby Lobby.
-Delete shopping apps from my phone (for me it was amazon, eBay, ali, target)
-Remove shopping bookmarks on my browser
-Remove stored cards from shopping sites (probably good for safety reasons too!)
-Remove all my credit cards from my wallet and put them in a manila envelope and put them in my bedroom where my husband can see them. I only carry my debit card.
-Make a list of things around your house that need to be done. Whether it's home improvement, to do, cleaning, etc and start.
-Learn to be bored. Honest. There's nothing wrong with it. If I had learned to deal with being bored in the first place I probably wouldn't have spent my way here. Granted not all this debt is boredom. Some was dental work. Some was car repairs. But the boredom made it unmanageable. It made it stressful.