I am 20 M and i just quit my job due to having to relocate/move. I have less than 1k in my bank account and keep spending on DoorDash and other frivolous things. I need serious advice i feel trapped in consumerism. Any advice would be appreciated I know we live in a consumerism society but I refuse to spend all my money and go broke. I feel like in your 20s its easy to justify spending on things because i have no kids what i do only affects me which still isnt good.
How to stop impulse/overspending and justifying it? I am not in a position to do any impulse purchases.
byu/RevolutionaryLoan753 inFrugal
Posted by RevolutionaryLoan753
11 Comments
Do you budget at all? That helped me keep track of every single dollar and give it a purpose. I recommend trying a free budgeting app first and get in the habit of checking/updating it as much as possible. I personally use You Need A Budget and I love it. It helped me buy my first house. It does have an annual fee so maybe save it until you find another job.
Simplify your diet temporarily. Chicken, beans, and rice can last you a long ass time and save you tons of money. Tell yourself it’s just temporary until you can find a new job.
You’ve got this!!
First of all, delete ALL delivery apps. If you need food, you go to the grocery store and pick up some cheap easy options. If you have no income, you can’t be spending like that if you want to survive.
Switch to internal locus of control. Right now you have an external one – ie consumerism is making you do something. Shift your mindset so that you control your spending and habits. Honestly, not spending on impulse comes down to self discipline.
I just went through my banking to shock myself…. Roughly £500 a month on fast food/take away (Does include 3 boys but still too damn much! 😭)… Almost had a heart attack!
Yeah I went from making a lot of money to no money in my mid-30s and I’m still figuring it all out. But part of what has helped me is finding ways to save money that I enjoy. Like, I’m actually really enjoying cooking instead of ordering in (it helps that I moved from London to the middle of nowhere so there IS no delivery service!). Look really carefully at your subscriptions/other outgoings, because often those can go. I also wish someone had told me that being broke is really kind of boring. These last few days at the end of each month are especially dull because I try to avoid going out where I will inevitably spend money on stuff I don’t need. I have ADHD otherwise I’d join a library and sit and read books, but instead I need a new activity every 10 mins 🤣.
I hope you find your way, love. Good luck!
Delete all the apps and cancel all the subscriptions. If you don’t want the food bad enough to get up off your butt and go get it then you didn’t want it.
I used to think cooking was a chore. these days it’s something I enjoy doing. Saves me a lot of money and I get to tweak the food to be exactly the way I want it
Capitalism relies on consumption. Paying fees on top of the cost is usually about convenience which, most people really can’t afford. Restaurant food and fast food is also bad for your health (sugar, sodium, calories) compared to eating food you prepare. Cheaper clothing, fast fashion. All of it is destroying the environment and having dire impact on third world countries.
You could do a little research about capitalism and consumption to become better informed which can lead you to want to change your habits. There are several documentaries about it.
Remove your cards from your phone. Remove your cards from websites that are not basic bills like rent and utilities. Remove all shopping, ride share, and food delivery apps from your phone.
Make it more annoying to buy things. The added friction can give you time to reconsider. It’s why my wallet is normally not stored in my living room or office.
You need to face the reasons you’re always looking for a dopamine hit. It’s not an easy journey, but I started by taking small steps. You may need to look at mental health, because mine has been a huge factor. I became addicted to anything that felt good, and impulse buying was definitely part of that.
I do reccomend reading about Buddhism. Some of the basic principles can help reprogram your mind to be content with less, while being more decisive with what you do buy.
You want to be happy. It isn’t materialism that fills the holes in our lives. It’s depth, perspective and structure. There’s a lot of angles you can look at:
– vagus nerve exercises; about reducing stress in the body.
– social conditioning
– consumerism ; there’s even documentaries that show how we’re programmed to want more, and it’s marketed successfully.
– psychology: helped me to understand my reactions and drives and where they come from.
If you’re spiritual. There’s a lot more shadow work based stuff to look into. Prayer. Devotion. Purpose. Faith. Energy.
Along with the obvious advice like deleting those apps; deeply internalize that your frivolous spending is ultimately going to make your life worse, and you’ll suffer for it. Repeat that thought consistently in order to fight off the impulsive ones.
If your self control is that bad, there are ways to enforce a passcode in order to install apps and you can have your trusted family member for example set it up so you can’t reinstall it unless you know the code. That’s what I did when I was having trouble and it worked wonders.
Remove temptation. No easy reaches. Set a meal plan, buy only those things, and do not deviate. If you put things in an online cart, hold off for a day or two before hitting buy. You may find that the moment has passed. Or an expense will come up during that time, reminding you that life is full of these sudden expenditures.
It’s not a reassuring thing that these choices only affect you! Yes, it’s cool that no one else is being harmed, but your stability matters. Having the funds to keep yourself sheltered, fed, clothed, and to afford transportation to get to work or other places is of great importance!
These overspending issues can follow you beyond your 20’s. Remind yourself that it’s not fun to scramble for money for a sudden car repair or medical co pay. It’s not fun when your housing costs increase. And when you are romantically attached or have a family or pets, it WILL affect them.
I know you know it needs to be addressed, hence the post. But the purchases are continuing because you’re not reminding yourself of the consequences, or of the many, MANY, sudden twists and turns of circumstances that can and will happen.
You can do this! Good luck. It’s just willpower and budgeting. You’re young, but you are 100% capable of sticking to the plan. And in 10-20 years, you will be in a much better position than some of your peers. Money in the bank. More than 1k. Impulse buys scratch an itch, but the good feelings are temporary!
What you need is stability and security. Not to stare at that account balance and wonder how everything is going to work out. Finances are something that can break spirit and relationships. You’re thinking ahead. Quality of life.