{"id":1042,"date":"2009-08-25T10:11:31","date_gmt":"2009-08-25T18:11:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=1042"},"modified":"2013-08-20T14:16:52","modified_gmt":"2013-08-20T22:16:52","slug":"5-ways-to-break-your-spending-habit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/5-ways-to-break-your-spending-habit\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways to Break Your Spending Habit"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

<\/p>\n

Many of us have a tendency to spend money frivolously. I\u2019m not talking about the rare folk who run up insane credit card debts on things they just can\u2019t afford \u2013 but people like you.<\/p>\n

Maybe you always come out of the grocery store with a few things you don\u2019t need … and which eventually end up in the trash. Maybe you can\u2019t resist buying new books, even though there\u2019s a great library nearby. Maybe you end up buying things online when you\u2019re surfing the net in the evenings.<\/p>\n

Spending money unnecessarily is just a habit \u2013 but it\u2019s one that can be detrimental to your financial goals. Here are five things you can do to break that habit and take back control of your spending.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Always Use Cash<\/h2>\n

If you find that every time you go to the mall, you end up with a few more bags (and a few less dollars) than you expected, then stop putting things on plastic.<\/strong> Take out a set amount of cash before you go shopping \u2013 however much you\u2019re willing to spend that day \u2013 and you\u2019ll have a much better idea of what you\u2019ve spent. Once it\u2019s gone, it\u2019s gone.<\/p>\n

This can also be a big help if you ever find yourself struggling to pay off your credit card balance. If you use cash, you know you\u2019ve got the money there to pay for your purchases.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Make a List<\/h2>\n

Heading out for groceries or office supplies or materials for your DIY project? Make yourself a list of exactly what you need.<\/strong> Don\u2019t just go into the store with a vague idea in your head: you\u2019ll be much more likely to end up going for \u201cbargains\u201d that you don\u2019t need and perhaps can\u2019t even use. They\u2019ll just end up cluttering your home until you ditch them.<\/p>\n

Not having a list can also mean that you forget vital things \u2013 often leading to you making a second<\/em> trip to the store and spending even more money, since it never seems worth going for just one item…<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Have \u201cSpend-Nothing\u201d Days<\/h2>\n

A very powerful way to break your spending habit is to have \u201cspend nothing\u201d days \u2013 you could even challenge yourself to go a whole weekend without spending any money. Leave your wallet at home when you go to work: brown-bag lunch, and take a thermos of coffee with you.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve fallen into a pattern of always picking up a newspaper and a latte and a candy bar or two, this is a great way to jolt yourself out of it. Similarly, if your weekends tend to involve going out for meals and drinks, going to a movie, or going on a shopping trip, you\u2019ll find that it\u2019s perfectly possible to entertain yourself for free.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Keep a Spending Log<\/h2>\n

For two weeks, write down everything<\/em><\/strong> that you spend.<\/strong> Record the time, the place, what you bought and how much it was. This is a great way to make yourself much more aware of exactly where your money is going. There might be some nasty surprises (perhaps those \u201coccasional\u201d coffees and treats are more like a daily indulgence).<\/p>\n

Plus, the hassle of knowing you need to write down every single purchase can be enough to make you think twice about whether you really want to go ahead and buy that new book or DVD!<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Avoid Certain Stores and Websites<\/h2>\n

We all have particular stores \u2013 whether on the high street or online \u2013 that we\u2019re especially tempted by. If you know you can\u2019t browse without buying, then don\u2019t even start. Ban yourself from the store or website for a period of time. <\/strong>(I went cold-turkey on ebay for a month once…)<\/p>\n

If it\u2019s an internet store, you could even block it in your browser. This might seem a bit unnecessary, but it\u2019s so easy to spend money online without really thinking about it \u2013 and if you do find yourself \u201caccidentally\u201d loading up the site, the block on it will remind you that you\u2019ve banned yourself.<\/p>\n

Are you struggling to break your spending habit? When are you most prone to spending money unnecessarily? What tips do you have on making sure you think twice before buying?<\/em><\/p>\n

Don’t Forget To Follow PickTheBrain on Twitter<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Related Articles:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

11 Ways To Live Healthy and Save<\/a><\/p>\n

10 Money Mistakes To Avoid<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many of us have a tendency to spend money frivolously. I\u2019m not talking about the rare folk who run up insane credit card debts on things they just can\u2019t afford \u2013 but people like you.<\/p>\n

Maybe you always come out of the grocery store with a few things you don\u2019t need … and which eventually end up in the trash. Maybe you can\u2019t resist buying new books, even though there\u2019s a great library nearby. Maybe you end up buying things online when you\u2019re surfing the net in the evenings. Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":12790,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[22],"tags":[59,78,66,79,4629],"yoast_head":"\n5 Ways to Break Your Spending Habit<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Many of us have a tendency to spend money frivolously. 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