We all go through stressful times where we shop to help us cope; but there comes a time when we need to learn how to curb emotional spending and develop healthier habits to manage tension. Emotional spending is described as buying things when you feel a particular emotion very strongly. If you find yourself spending money in order to help make yourself feel better, check out these 8 tips on how to curb emotional spending!
Catching up with a friend and venting frustrations or concerns is a great way to relieve stress and it’s one of the ways to learn how to curb emotional spending. Many times we spend as a way to escape or temporarily make ourselves feel better, but as we all know, those feelings are very temporary. Talking over things with a pal is much more effective way to relieve stress and it can help build a stronger bond with your bud!
The next time you get the urge to shop when you’re feeling overwhelmed or upset, take it out on a treadmill! Exercising is so much healthier and more beneficial than emotional spending ever will be and you’ll finish up your workout with a clearer head! Look up some fun exercise routines online or pop in a DVD and work out those negative emotions!
Sometimes we just need to take a moment for ourselves and relax. When life gets hectic, don’t turn to shopping to relieve tension, do something relaxing like taking a long bath. When your nerves are fried, heading to a crowded shopping mall to spend money you shouldn’t be spending is only going to lead to more stress. Make yourself slow down and enjoy a relaxing bath, it’s cheap and super easy!
Occasionally, emotional spending is connected to certain things and they trigger us to shop. Maybe you shop when you’re with a particular person or after you get into a fight with your significant other. Whatever your triggers are, learning to identify them can help curb your emotional spending and you’ll be able to find healthier ways to deal with stressors.
A good way to curb emotional spending is to get out and get a nice change of scenery! The next time you get the urge to splurge, take some time to go out and get some fresh air. Getting outside can help clear your head and any negative thoughts or feelings that normally prompt you to shop could subside. Go anywhere you like to get a change in scenery, just steer clear of any shopping malls or shops!
If you want to get in control of emotional spending, it’s essential to get in control of impulse purchases. The next time you go out to pick up things you need, make a list and stick with it! Make the decision ahead of time that you’re not going to stray from your original plan of only purchasing items on your list. And no matter how little or cheap the item is, if you don’t need it, don’t buy it.
A good way to reduce your chances of emotional spending and help you be accountable for your spending is to always take someone with you when you shop. It might not always be possible to take a friend with you to the grocery store, but if you’re going to a shopping mall, be sure to buddy up to help reduce temptation!
Some people tend to look at emotional shopping as being cute but it can really affect our emotional and financial well-being. There are lots of people dealing with the same issue and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with asking for help! Look for a therapist who specializes in compulsive spending or look for a group to help support and guide you. Check out debtorsanonymous.org for more info.
Shopping is an easy way to temporarily get our mind off of things or rewards ourselves after a difficult day but the escape is very short lived. Try out some of these tips on curbing emotional spending and get in the practice of incorporating healthier habits! Do you have any tips to stop emotional spending?