Comfort instead of bidding?

[Foofoogal]

Just wondered what anyone else does to not bid or spend more than they need or should.
I want a sweater so bad but am not going to spend more than I already have for one day. :eusa_doh: :eusa_doh: What do you do?
I am a sweaterholic. Why in the world do I love sweaters so much. I know it reminds me of my mother for one who always had one on. usually with a cameo on it.
I just keep making me my comfort food which is hot tea interspersed with homemade vanilla with large strawberries Blue Bell ice cream.
What do you do. Go for a walk? etc.

 

[KittyT]

I look at my $300 heating bill and heave a sigh.

 

[Smuterella]

I spend way too much money, but I just about earn enough to cover it. its space that is my problem, where to put all the purchases...

I feel a clear out coming on

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

Heh, I look at my £200 heating bill and £125 TV license reminder and also sigh!

 

[Paisley]

I now get rid of something comparable for everything I buy. If I were to buy a sweater, I'd get rid of another one.

If I do decide I need something, I see if I can find something I like better at Goodwill. I usually don't get around to going, which shows just how much I needed whatever it was that I just had to have.

 

[Aurora]

I'm afraid I just bid, and panic about the bills later... Very immature I know, but I NEED that 1940's gab dress, I do, I really really do!!

Just spent nearly £200 on 3 items, my debts come to £2901.98 - I'm no good with maths, but it's not looking good

 

[Lotus Leroux]

Most of the time I just stay off of Ebay if I know I do not have money to spend. That way, I am not even tempted!

Also, to curb bidding/spending I pick up a crochet/sewing project. Making
something new usually curbs my desire to buy something new.

 

[deadpandiva]

I just spend. I can manage my debt but I have no savings and often I skimp on groceries

 

[The Shirt]

I rarely will up my bid on anything. I truly think about something for days, then decide what I think its worth and put my bid in near the end. If I'm outbid - I definitely think that it wasn't meant to be.

I also try to suppress my need for yet another dress by bidding on smaller items that would make me happy as well, perhaps a bargain of a purse or a pair of gloves. Gets the shopping kick out of me while salvaging my $. Or I paint my nails. Generally I don't want to touch anything after I do them for an hour or so - that means no typing either!

 

[Josephine]

I'm very good at being able to talk myself out of anything I want to buy, sometimes to my detriment when my shoes are falling apart and I actually NEED to buy a new pair. I just hate spending money.

 

[ShooShooBaby]

my finances have been such a disaster since i got out of college. partially because of the obsession i had several years before that of HAVING TO HAVE this or that particular vintage item. there's more to my debt than that, but it definitely set me up to not have any savings in my 20's and thus the credit card came out for everything a savings account should have been covering; hence now i have a lot of debt. that deters me pretty quickly from spending! that, and the fact that i'm not happy with my current weight so i don't want to buy stuff that doesn't fit, nor do i want to buy stuff that (hopefully) won't fit in a few months.

i do go on ebay a lot, put tons of things on my watch list, and then... don't bid on them. i have a lot of fun looking, though!

seriously ladies, watch your money, though. i would give up all the vintage goodies i've ever purchased if it made my life a tenth less harder financially in the past three years. /sermon

 

[Miss Neecerie]

seriously ladies, watch your money, though. i would give up all the vintage goodies i've ever purchased if it made my life a tenth less harder financially in the past three years. /sermon

Here here!

I am slowly digging myself out of a mess....its a very long process and not really all that pleasant to wonder if you have enough money to get to work....etc...

Credit in general is a bad thing....spending money you don't actually possess....on the hope you will later somehow miraculously have more money....hahah....

 

[~*Red*~]

Most of the time I just stay off of Ebay if I know I do not have money to spend. That way, I am not even tempted!

Also, to curb bidding/spending I pick up a crochet/sewing project. Making
something new usually curbs my desire to buy something new.

Yup, that's me! I learned that if I go on ebay I will be guaranteed to find something I need (want). So if I don't have the funds, I don't go. But when I do, watch out!lol

 

[kamikat]

My husband and I worked really hard to pay off all our debt before buying our house. We haven't had a credit card in nearly 10 years. If we don't have the cash, we don't buy. However, I do like to look on eBay. I currently have 13 items on my watch list, but chances are, I won't bid on a single thing. I like to look and I like to see what things go for. Occasionally, I'll fall in love, but I know more lovelies are always turning up.

 

[dhermann1]

This is definitely not a strictly female issue! There was a beautiful 1949 Dobbs hat on Ebay that I passed up because of various circumstances in my life right now. A very unusual hat that I may never see again. Nearly killed me. I have not been able to console myself except by remembering the aforementioned circumstances. Sigh . . .

 

[ShortClara]

The Secret!

Not to get too touchey-feeley, but I find that if I'm yearning for a blue sweater say, or a new novelty dress, I usually just put it in my head that I will find one, fitting me, for an incredible price. I bide my time and you know what, I usually attract it or something similar enough that it scratches the itch.

 

[reetpleat]

I look at my $300 heating bill and heave a sigh.

I suppose you could justify a sweater by buying it then turning your heat down a couple of degrees.

 

[NoirDame]

I'm between jobs right now, so I have a mental wish list, but I can't get anything right now. It's tough.

 

[TessTrueheart]

Oh, I'm glad I'm not the only one! I just had a large unforseen expense and it suddenly struck me that I don't have a buffer of savings to take me through economically worse times. Why am I not prepared for stuff like this? And what have I spent my money on? The answer to that last question is of course clothes, accessories and make up. So as from last friday I have challenged myself. I've put myself on a "clothes diet". I am not allowed to buy any more clothes this year. Not a thing. No exceptions. I can only use the clothes I already have. And believe me, there is enough clothes in my wardrobe to last me ten months... Wish me luck...

 

[Snookie]

I like to look and save pictures for my files, but I've wasted enough money on buying things that don't fit that I'm no longer interested. I'd rather pay more money in a store, than get a "deal" on Ebay that turns out to be worthless for me. In the end I spend less.

Not looking if you don't have the money/willpower is the best tip. We skip the vintage shows if funds are low.

And Kamikat's right, there's always lovelies that show up.

The way we save money is to put it away before we realise it's there. Automatic transfer to a savings account, and you only allow yourself to spend out of checking, etc. I save for splurges by holding back cash each paycheck and putting it aside in an envelope, and then when I look at my checking I don't have enough money to buy impulse items. When the money's all grouped together it's WAY too easy to spend it all now, forgetting the long-term goal.