/ot/ - off-topic

I buy stupid shit I don't need all the time. It's sort of linked to my mental health though, I've had periods of low mood and really terrible anxiety bordering on agoraphobia. Even though i'm on meds and getting good therapy, getting little parcels every few days really lifts my mood. I always wonder what will happen when my health improves though, I don't want to be stuck with a shopping impulse out of habit.

>>160054
iono take up a different addiction, like heroin, heroin makes you stop having other addictions

Honestly it just clicks one day. You look around at all your things and you realize none if it is making you happy, and you probably aren't even using most of it.

I used to buy in excess and now I'm pretty minimalist. When you really start to write out how much money you're wasting, it kinda shakes you into reality.

>>160057
This. I had this realization pretty recently and it helps to ask yourself, "do you really need this?"

I've heard of people putting a set amount of "fun" money aside each week/paycheck and either letting it accumulate to buy an expensive thing or using small increments to buy little things you want. The point is only spending that set aside money on frivolous things so you don't waste money that needed to go elsewhere (rent, food, etc.)

A lot of my problem is that when I don't spend all my money on clothes and shit it ends up going to junk food, booze, and cigarettes. I'm extremely cheap when it comes to actually important things, so I accumulate so much random stuff that I don't remotely need.

I buy a lot of coffee. Even though I have coffee at home the convenience store makes it better than I do. So I find myself buying their coffee by the cup even though I have plenty at home. I messed up the cup I'm currently drinking. It's way too strong. If it wasn't so late I'd walk to the store and get coffee. Their's is better.

I can't really afford to buy lots of clothes and stuff. It's just really hard not to but that unnecessary coffee or those candies that will just rot my teeth someday. Oh look, there's a new seasonal donut flavor. Gotta try that even though I don't want it.

I waste money on cucumbers that I never eat too. Because I like cucumbers but never get around to eating them.

It's hard to not buy stuff that your head is telling you that you need. I used to buy clothes I didn't need back when I had more money. Now I just buy unnecessary foods that I often don't get to eat because I actually didn't want them. They just looked so good. And I hate wasting food.

>>160059
Have you tried setting up a savings account to tuck your extra money into? Sure, you can transfer money from savings directly into checking really easily with an app, but it's an extra barrier that might help.

>>160061
>>160059
Another option for anon (this is what I do). Check your bank account options. I have a "super saver", where you regularly deposit money and it gives you an increased interest rate. I set up an automatic payment to deliver the minimum amount from my main one each month ($20). If you take any money out, you lose all interest for that month. You can deposit more if you have quite a lot.
I have a few thousand dollars saved in it now!
It is very effective as I have it set aside as a special savings account and don't ever consider spending the money.

>>160061
>>160062
derp… not an extra option, but was just confirming that it is a good idea!

>>160061
>>160062
Another problem is that I'm on disability and it's actually illegal for me to save money. My bank account it monitored to make sure it doesn't get above a certain amount and I have to regularly turn in receipts for my purchases to prove I'm not hoarding the money somewhere. I guess it's to prevent fraud, but really doesn't lend itself to upward mobility.

how do you guys afford all of this shit?

>>160065
We have jobs.

>>160064
Huh, I can see them wanting to prevent fraud, but I'm not sure this is the best way to go about it (depending on how tight the limits are…

In that case, I'd sit down and think about long term goals for myself that are productive and not just buying frivolous things, and try to put money into that. I don't know what your disability is, but perhaps you might drop cash on some light exercise classes, or a better PT. If you own a house, you could put money back into that. If you have wanted to learn a skill or language, putting money into lessons for that would be more productive than shopping. I assume if you can't save then you can't invest either? My examples aren't great, but think about what you want for yourself in the future that you can start working on now, and try to put money towards all those goals each month before spending money splurge items.

>That pic
Anime people look so retarded from the side.