Can't stop spending

Strawberries said:
I love buying clothes and things. Love shopping. Makes me happy.
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Yeah I hear ya - but you can also do stuff that is fun that is free!!
Go to the Museum of Modern Art - free day out, great fun.
Use that car youre paying for and get out in the countryside and find interesting places to visit. Drive to Howth (or similiar) and go for a walk along the pier. Drive to places of interest in the next county. Look up whats on in the local area that you could go to for free.
I get himself to come feed the ducks with me and we get a great laugh of of it for an hour on a sunday afternoon - only costs us some bread.
Borrow a bike and go for a cycle.
Get out and enjoy the world around you instead of sitting in looking at your purchases and being bored.
 
We just get so bored sitting at home.
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Maybe you need to get a new boyfriend!!!

Personally I agree rent is dead money & if your parents are kind enough to let you stay (is it rent free)....you should be saving at least some of what you'd spend on rent.

You are young and you should be enjoying yourself....just don't do it with a "L'oreal" attitude (because I'm worth it). Save and then buy....you really do appriciate things more that way. I had a friend who got a large loan to buy an almost new car...had a few dings within a few months & spend 4 years paying off a car she no longer felt was worth it.
 
Next time that you and your boyfriend go to the shop get him to cough up!
If he realises that he is going to have to pay every time you go he might just want to stop going and then you will save a fortune there!
 
I have earned about 19800 since I started my job and only have €3800... all that money... gone.
My boyfriend is no better, he is about 9000 in debt and he also lives at home. He spent about 5500 on his first car (mine was 600 but I had to tax it). I suppose thinking of his situation makes me feel better.

It sounds weird but I think we might actually save money by renting a room together. We are both bored to death with our lives and really need some change. The boredom makes us go out to the cimena, shopping, etc etc. I know it sounds very strange.

I am also looking into making my own clothes rather than buying them- would be cheaper and keep me occupied.
 
net64 said:
Next time that you and your boyfriend go to the shop get him to cough up!
If he realises that he is going to have to pay every time you go he might just want to stop going and then you will save a fortune there!
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LOL
We go halves or just pay our own way.
 
Strawberries said:
It sounds weird but I think we might actually save money by renting a room together. We are both bored to death with our lives and really need some change. The boredom makes us go out to the cimena, shopping, etc etc. I know it sounds very strange.
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But how would moving out and renting make you less bored? You'll still be in the same situation except you'll be living in a different house..
 
I’m in a similar situation as you Strawberries salary wise. I had my honeymoon period with the jump in income too and have recently re-assessed my spending. I found a lot of interesting tips from threads here.If your only spending €20-€25 a week on petrol you’re obviously not driving very far and I can’t justify a new car in my mind. I drive a car that’s 9 years old, I spend the same as you on petrol and it’s not a “banger”. It only cost me 2k initially and I’ve never had much trouble with it. There’s a lot of value in the second hand car market and it’s easy for the savvy consumer to get a quality car with all the luxuries only it’s reg plate says it’s older. I’m not sayin sell your car and buy something ancient like mine but you’d be surprised how much you’d have saved if you bought the same car second hand.

You can easily afford the loan I’m sure but is it worth the trade – off. You’ve answered a lot of your own questions already without realising it. I think you just love your luxuries and we’re all entitled to them, but on our sort of money we can’t have it all, yet. My advice would list your needs and wants. Budget for your needs. Prioritise your wants and have another look at your situation. Cut back and save will be the general opinion here I’m guessing, but you seem to know this already yourself.
 
You say in you initial post that you want to travel and in your last one that you are bored! there is your answer.You have no debts apart from 1500 for the car.My niece when she was your age had been to south america ,germany,croatia and all over Europe.If you have no ties and want to do it,save and go! You are only 22. do it before you reach your mid thirties and regret that you did nothing!
 
Have you considered just time bounding it? I specifically took my first year of working after college and spent it all. Now I didn't get in to debt, but my objective was to enjoy what I had.

I was in a slightly different position in that I was living and working abroad at the time, and knew I was coming home after the year, so it was easier to make that cut off. But during that year, I travelled, socalised, shopped - you name it I did it. I had a ball and still think back to how much fun that year was.

After that I saved and bought an apt about 2-3 years later. But that first year - that was my fun year. There was no guilt associated with it, I worked very hard, played hard for a year and then settled down.

Do which ever you want, once a conscious decision on how you're spending it.
 
Hi there,
firstly, well done... You've spotted early whats happening, and now want to do something about it, if you check a few more posts you may appreciate that a lot of people don't see the issue until a few more years and a few more grand!
My personal advise, set up a savings account (preferably one you can't access easily), make sure 10-15% of your take home goes there each payday. You'll feel the pinch the first month, but as easily as you get used to more money, you also get used to slightly less.
Or if you want to go the full hog and plan it, decide what that travel will cost, then work out how much you can afford to save and how long it will take to save it (€6k for example, €250pm and in 2 years you can book it).
By the sounds of it, boredom is your biggest problem... have you considered ways of adding something more into your life (a lot of us find we are liing to work, not working to live).
For example, if you want to head off to travel in Asia, why not consider doing an evenign course in Chinese/Japanese or a TEFL qualification. A photography course, so that when you are off on your grand adventure you take the best photos you can... Try a new sport, Karate / horse riding / archery / mountain climbing.... Yes they normally will cost you something, but maybe this small investment will pay off in helping eleviate the boredom.
 
Skinny Posh said:
I'm curious, is this an insult or a cautionary tale for the girl!?!?!?!
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I'm thinking cautionary tale of where the OP might be in 4 years time, if she doesn't take appropriate steps now. Not meant to be insulting to anyone, the OP or the OP of the linked thread I would imagine.
 
Strawberries said:
I love buying clothes and things. Love shopping. Makes me happy.
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So maybe you simply value (instant?) self gratification over saving etc.? If so and you are not getting into debt but just spending what you have then what's the problem? If that's your choice then so be it. If, however, you actually want to save etc. then obviously you have to balance your shopping against this.
 
ClubMan said:
So maybe you simply value (instant?) self gratification over saving etc.?
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Yes, completely. I am a very impatient person. I am also a compulsive planner and worrier. I am trying to convince myself that trying to plan years ahead is ridiculous because you just never know what's around the corner. However, obviously this is neccessary with things like travelling etc.
 
Well you need to prioritise what you want to do - e.g. if you want to save then you need to put plans in place to do this. But if you want to keep blowing your money as is your prerogative then you can continue as you are. It's up to you. But you cannot do both or at least you have to strike some balance between spending and saving. There are lots of resources (e.g. in the key posts section) dealing with how to track/manage expenditure if you are interested. In relation to your original post nobody "deserves" a new car or whatever no matter how hard they have worked. If they want one then they need to plan towards getting one.
 
Skinny Posh said:
I'm curious, is this an insult or a cautionary tale for the girl!?!?!?!
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It's certainly not intended as an insult to either of you; I sincerely apologise if it came across that way. I was just trying to point out the possible consequences of the 'I love buying clothes and things. Love shopping. Makes me happy' approach.

Skinny Posh said:
I'm exhausted of stressing and i'm completely fed up!!! Its never ending and I don't know how to get rid of it....
I need help.
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Perhaps it's because i'm older (lets say 12 more than you) and although young was aware of the lack of money in the eighties. I had a very poorly paid Saturday job before college but leaving college and having money made me realise all the things i wanted to do and what i could now do because i could finally earn and save money. I spent my first whole months pay cheque but after that i started saving, i wanted to get a car, travel and save for a deposit for a house. As i watched my savings growing and eventually achieved each of these things i got a great satisfaction and felt like i deserved them because i had actaully saved for them and done without the instant gratification to get them. I really feel you have to decide what you want the most - if you have things you want in the future then you have to choose between saving for them or spending all your spare cash now. It's as simple as that. It's just most people can't have everything so they have to decide what they want the most. It also doesn't mean you don't have a life in the meantime its just a balance. Nobody else can talk you into that or change how you want to spend your money, it's sometihing you have to think about and decide yourself. I travelled alot in South East Asia in very poor countries where the average wage is a dollar a day. I suppose what really impressed me was how materialistic we have become and for me anyway how hollow and shortlived the happiness from buying new clothes/ more stuff can be. Especially (confessional) when you find yourself decluttering and giving into the charity shop clothes with the tags still on them.
 
hi strawberries,
you sound like my little sister! She's 22, earning 50,000 and not a penny to show after a year working, but having a ball. She's decided to start putting a certain amount into a credit union every week. In her favour she's got great job security and qualifications.

I think you should give some thought to job security. Why not educate yourself further so you'll benefit in the future and will be in a position to borrow more. It'd keep you occupied wouldn't it, increase your employability and opportunites.

I wouldn't beat yourself up too much either, you're not sunk in debt. I wouldn't get a credit card if I were you though!
 
Strawberries said:
I love buying clothes and things. Love shopping. Makes me happy.
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Strawberries - there is a shopping rule called 'the three day rule' which might help

Its basically if you see something you like and want to buy, walk away from it. Return to the item after three days and ask yourself if you still want it. It takes away the instant gratification of impulse shopping and you might be surprised at the number of things you decide you didn't need /want to buy after all.
 
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