5 Reasons We Overspend (and How to Overcome Them)
1. To keep up with the Joneses
Humans are naturally social creatures who want to blend in with their surroundings. When people who seem to be in the same financial bracket as we are can seemingly afford another pair of designer shoes for each outfit, we should be able to afford them, too, right?
Break the cycle: Learn to keep your eyes on your own wallet and to ignore how your friends or peers choose to spend their money. And remember, keeping up with all of the latest trends is expensive. Make sure to ask yourself “do I really want this, or am I just trying to fit in with everyone else?”
2. We don’t have a budget
A recent survey shows that 65% of Americans don’t know how they spent their money last month. When all of our spending is just a guessing game, it can be challenging not to overspend. We can easily assure ourselves that we can afford another dinner out, a new top and a new pair of boots — until the truth hits and we realize we’ve overspent again.
Break the cycle: Create a monthly budget covering all your needs and some of your wants. If you’d rather not track every dollar, you can give yourself a general budget for all non-fixed expenses and then spend it as you please. Another good habit is checking your account and credit card balances often. If you’re seeing your spending, you’re more likely to stay to your budget.
3. We’re addicted to the “Shopper’s High”
Retail therapy is a real thing. Research shows that shopping and spending money releases feel-good dopamine in the brain, just like recreational drugs. This explains the addictive quality of shopping that can be hard to fight. When life gets stressful, or we just want to feel good, we hit the shops or start adding items to our virtual carts.
Break the cycle: There’s nothing wrong with spending money to feel good, so long as you don’t go overboard. It’s best to put some “just for fun” money into your budget so you can make that feel-good purchase when you need to without letting it put you into debt.
4. Misuse of credit
Credit cards offer incredible convenience and an easy way to track spending. But they also offer a gateway into deep debt. Research shows that consumers spend up to 18% more when they pay with plastic over cash—most likely due to the fact that we aren’t seeing the exact amount of money leave our hands.
Break the cycle: When shopping in places where you tend to overspend, use cash and you’ll be forced to stick to your budget. You can also use a debit card with a careful budget so you know how much you want to spend.
5. Lack of self-discipline
Sometimes, there’s no deep reason or poor money management behind our spending. Sometimes, we just can’t tell ourselves — or our children — “no.”
Too often, we allow our immediate needs to take precedence over more important needs that won’t be relevant for years — such as a retirement fund or our children’s college education. We simply lack the discipline to not exchange immediate gratification for long-term benefit.
Break the cycle: Define your long-term financial goals. Create a plan for reaching these goals with small and measurable steps. While working through your plan, assign an amount to save each month. Before giving in to an impulse purchase or an indulgence you can’t really afford, remind yourself of your long-term goals and how much longer your timeframe will need to be if you spend this money now.
Your Turn: What makes you overspend and how do you work to avoid it? Tell us about it in the comments.
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