People who tie their troubled finances to a habit of uncontrollable spending, most often create trouble for their finances that even cash advances cannot take care of. The impulsive or emotional shopper has to look further than a short-term loan to solve their money problems. Credit counseling will often help a shopper learn to isolate their behaviors in order to stop emotional triggers in their tracks.
Emotions can trigger many bad habits. When spending is one of them, a household’s finances will continuously be in jeopardy. It doesn’t matter what socio-economic background the shopper comes from. More income only translates into larger purchases with the same results, financial status run by emotions. Like with eating, drug or alcohol use, shopping can turn a person’s mood around and leave the person wanting more.
Online cash advances will not solve an emotional spending problem.
Instead of landing in financial difficulties, ruin credit or become dependent on online cash advances to make ends meet, it is a good start to recognize the problem.
- Understand the problem. Those with extreme shopping habits are even known to hide or even lie about their shopping escapades. The person will max out cards quickly and become obsessive with worrying about where to get more money or credit.
- Try to figure out why you like shopping. Is it a thrill for the best bargain? A desire for a certain product or brand? A yearning to keep up with the Joneses? If yes is your answer to any of these, dig further down to figure out why.
- What do you feel when shopping? Did something happen and your first reaction is to shop? Are you depressed, anxious, lonely or angry? Understand the emotional triggers which send you shopping.
- How much time do you spend shopping? Is it interfering with another aspect of your life? Do you spend time cruising online or through catalogs to help feed your desire to shop? What part of your life is being neglected because of all the time spent towards your shopping habit?
- If you find yourself worrying about your finances as you see your filled credit cards lower your credit score and begin using short-term cash advances to cover up spending seek help before the damage becomes too severe. Stop applying for new potential debt opportunities.
- Control your spending by beginning a spending diary. Each day log entries for any and all purchases.
- Avoid areas which will trigger your spending. Steer clear of malls or discount stores. Refrain from going onto the Internet if online shopping is too hard to control.
- Find an alternative to distract you from the urge to spend. Go for a walk or call a friend and change the way you are thinking.
- Get yourself involved in other activities to consume some of the time you would normally spend shopping. Volunteer at your child’s school or locally in your community to help keep your time spent more wisely.
- If you feel it is out of your control, seek help. A real emotional problem will be more than a credit counselor can handle, save their services to help you rebuild a budget. Look for a therapist of seek out a Debtors Anonymous Web site to find a meeting near your area.
Credit cards and online cash advances are helpful when costs are too much for an income. When they are being used to feed an uncontrollable habit, it is time to get some help. Work within a strict budget to rebuild finances and get out of debt.
