kittibear33

Just out of curiosity, how do spending habits differentiate when an alcoholic is drinking vs recovering? For you, anyway. And was there anything that helped? Anything from simple to complex helps. Example: carrying cash vs carrying a card.

Threshold

I did this. I put a moratorium on purchasing anything that was not consumable. No "stuff". That helped me a lot.

Just food, clothes that were absolutely necessary, books (only from the thrift shop).

Simplified things. There was no "justifying" purchases. It was either a direct consumable or it didn't get purchased. No online purchases.

Really simplified my life. I had to stop it for a short time when I moved to an apt and needed some household items.Now I am settled again and have put it back into force and it truly helps.

kittibear33

What about carrying cash vs a card? Did that matter at all?

Threshold

Well, actually it makes a HUGE difference, but in the opposite way than it seems to for others. If I have cash in my pocket...it feels like free money and I am way more likely to impulse buy or generally just blow through it than I am with a debit or credit card.

I guess also, I am less likely to buy those little few bucks here, few bucks there purchases that really add up, if I am only using a card. If I have a few bucks in my pocket however...sure, 4 bucks for this or that, no problem....but I am less likely to pull out my card for small purchases.

Apparently most people work the other way.

kittibear33

I was thinking, if a person suffering alcoholism tends to frequent bars, most don't take cards. At least not where I live. But some are "grab a pack and go home" types. I wonder if it helps at all there.

matt4x4

Freeze the credit card into a block of ice. Setup a couple accounts at the bank, one no ATM access where all the cash is.

Riverbird

I seem to "binge spend". I am poor enough right now that my ONLY purchase outside of bills that are already set amounts is food. Sometimes I'm really good at shopping sales, only buying exactly what I need, going for sustenance rather than favorites, etc. Then, usually when I've had a bad day, something will happen and my grocery store run turns in to chips and junk food...stuff is pricey and has very little food value in return. All my careful budgeting goes straight out the window. Or I'll start getting more take out food or pre-packaged stuff (also more expensive) because i'm exhausted/overwhelmed and cooking and preparing stuff just seems like a lot of work. Once I get into the negative cycle of junk food and take out it's easy to get lazy and super hard to get back out of it. In that sense I think I shop like an alcoholic because I try for a long time to do the right thing and then before I know it I'm back in the bad habits with no idea how I got there. One little splurge (a candy bar or something) suddenly turns into a cart full of stuff I don't need and multiple trips worth of expensive favorites.

matt4x4

Make a budget, put cash into jars labelled, groceries, utilities, clothing, entertainment. A dozen shows on TV now suggest this, could probably google it. Google is the way of the world now. Just GOOOOOOOOOOOGLE.

tomw

While drinking my spending habits were compulsive, gambling, spur of the moment and reckless. Made several bad decisions/purchases and tried to make up by returning items and reselling. In the end .....I ended up with nothing. Lost all sense of reasoning. I actually banned myself from local casinos to stop the madness.

While recovering my reasoning has improved, I'm less compulsive and much more prone to think before I pull the trigger. I've always been somewhat a compulsive spender but alcohol made it much worse. The negative effect alcohol had on my life...had no end. Just another of the multitude of reasons I needed to stop drinking.

LMH77

I charge everything to my credit card and pay at the end of the month.... I tend to make too many "small" purchases for myself that add up in a big way. When I keep checking the balance on my card and seeing it go up, I limit myself to only necessary purchases. For me, it works, but I can't say it would for everyone. Seeing all my fixed expenses piled in one bill really shocks me into how much it costs to live and how little I really have to spend on extras.

Carol Star

I ask myself do I want that or need it? If you don't touch the item you are not going to buy it. I also made a list of stuff I will never need because I bought so much already- packaged soaps, dishes, silverware, kitchen stuff, clothes, etc..... the list was kindof fun......will never need more curtains, artwork, garden tools, towels and washcloths......etc......

KateL

Amazon is the worst for me. 'ooh that looks nice' ping!! xxx

Carol Star

I am getting better at thinking things all the way through- like- no I don't need that- I need new shingles on my roof.......

Joe Nerv

Not completely clear on what's being asked....

But, when I was drinking I had no money, and whatever money I could beg, borrow or steal went to alcohol and cigarettes.

When I initially got sober, I had no clue what to do with the little money I did had. Buying clothes and things was a ridiculous idea, and total waste of money.

Now that I have money I buy bass guitars and music equipment . And travel. And go out to eat, probably too much. Oh yeah, and I pay all my bills. On time.

Regarding the card thing vs. cash, I had no bank account when I was drinking. I had nothing to put in it. It was a different world back then too though, I think debit cards and cash machines were just becoming commonplace. Or at least as far as I knew.