Time for a Spending Ban. That I Stick Too

Hope you've all had a good Easter and are enjoying the Bank Holiday.  My family are coming to visit us.  Yay!

After last week's post about potential changes at work, we've picked through the bank statement, identifying things that could be cut back on.  Apart from the mortgage, we've got no credit card debt. I learnt that lesson the hard way.  We've always saved, but adding some more whilst the process goes on can't hurt.  

It's easy to make spur of the moment purchases, but these are often things I don't really need.  

I also comfort shop and buy things when I'm feeling worried or down. But buying stuff won't make the problem go away or me a better person.  It works for a day, but the feeling soon wears off.

I need to be very careful at the moment so it's time for a spending ban.  I've done these successfully before and here are my tips for making them work:

• Avoid temptation.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you apparently.  I've unsubscribed from emails from my favourite stores, deleted the shopping apps and won't be going window shopping - or any sort of shopping.  Except for essentials like food.

• Set limits.  Normally when I do a spending ban, it's because I've noticed that my purchases of particular items are creeping up or I have too much of something already.  It's a way of resetting my spending habits or use things up.  The ban is just for item x. This time, it's no holds barred!  

• Motivation.  If I want to succeed at something, I need a good reason for doing it.  Something I can remind myself of when I'm not feeling very motivated or temptation strikes.  Needing a bigger savings pot, just in case, is my motivation this time around.

• Wish lists.  I'm putting the waiting back into wanting by using wish lists instead of purchasing them straight away.  Usually when I look at them later, I realise it's a want not a need and delete it.  

• Shop your stuff.  Instead of buying something new, I use what I already have and rediscover old favourites.  Whether it's makeup, clothes or books, I usually find that I've got something that will do the same job as the new thing I'm eyeing up.

• Just rip it up and start again.  If I slip up, I forgive myself and start again.  And take the item back as soon as I can.  The temptation when things go wrong is to give up completely, but that's not helpful so I dust myself off and carry on.  

• After the stick, the carrot.  At the end of a spending ban, I usually give myself a treat / reward.  If things go well at work, I can do that.  If they don't, then the spending ban will remain in place until I find a new job.  

As a blogger I need to be responsible too.  Blogging can be very materialistic and enabling - buy this, try that, must have ...  That's not necessarily a bad thing, but at the moment it's time to be more considered.  I want to take that forward as well so I don't lead others into bad ways.  

If you have any other tips for sticking to spending ban, then please share them in the comments.  I need to stay motivated.  Thank you.

Sharing with all these great Linkys