I did this tactic for a bit when I first started trying to cut back on my insanely out of control budget categories.
I annoyed myself.
Every time I put something I KNEW wasn’t a necessity in my grocery basket, I asked myself it it was necessary.
Each time I saw a cute pair of shoes and was about to try them on for the sake of pretense, but in reality, was about to snap them up in any size that fit, I asked myself if it was necessary.
I essentially annoyed the hell out of myself to make myself get into an automatic, less annoying mindset of checking what I bought, each time I went to buy it.
Sometimes, I told myself to STFU (Er..”Shut the…Fuzz up”).
Other times, I listened to my annoying self.
Gradually, I started doing it out of habit, and now, 3+ years later, I have got it down.
When I pass by a patisserie (fancy French word for store that displays fattening-irresistible-buttery-concoctions of flaky pastries oozing of deliciousness in a glass window), I get an instant craving for a croissant or a pain au chocolat (chocolate pastry), and I ask myself:
Do I really want to spend the $3 now?
Or do I want to save it, see how my spending goes for essentials and in a week or two, treat myself to a sushi lunch or dinner once I have enough to pay for everything plus tip?
Sometimes, I buy the pastry, but more often than not, I opt for the sushi lunch.
This goes for everything I pick up, but the best part is that though it may sound like a hassle, a mental prison or just super annoying… it doesn’t feel like that at all.
I feel empowered and free to really make the choices I want to make for what I actually want to spend my money on, and not letting my inner impulses run rampant on my bank account.
Now, I know that if I want to spend a hunk of money on something, it means that I’ve really though it through and I know I have the ready, debt-free cash to do it.
(There are mini bouts of guilt when it goes over $500 or $1000, but those usually dissipate into excitement.)
There are other options of gently annoying yourself into not spending:
- Passive-aggressive Post-It notes in your wallet, or on your cards
- Freezing your cards into a big block in your freezer
- Making a pact with someone to run big purchases by them
- Studying your budget & marveling over the free $ in interest from saving
- Starting a blog (hoo boy did this one ever work!)
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.
I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year.
Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about 
Maybe annoyance is just the insurance you need to actually make progress on your savings. We each have our buttons and maybe that’s yours. If it leads to looking out for yourself more then it’s worth it.
I have to say one major comment on this story and your personality: I like you.
You get how to save money and how to get the task done and I like that.
I don’t know if it has just been bad luck, but I have run into a few
money blogs, as of late, that all they can talk about is how they bought
a bunch of shoes and a big house and blah blah blah and how hard it is
to knock down $100,000 or more in debt and still use credit cards. Makes me want to throw up a
little, because I just don’t see how anyone could spend that much EVER.
I definitely do these things! And I agree – starting a blog is helping me already. 🙂
Oh, this is so true. I hate the psychological banter that goes on in my mind every time I’m contemplating a purchase. But at the same time, I love it for when it helps me resist frivolous purchases.
Oh, this is so true. I hate the psychological banter that goes on in my mind every time I’m contemplating a purchase. But at the same time, I love it for when it helps me resist frivolous purchases.
Oh, this is so true. I hate the psychological banter that goes on in my mind every time I’m contemplating a purchase. But at the same time, I love it for when it helps me resist frivolous purchases.
Oh, this is so true. I hate the psychological banter that goes on in my mind every time I’m contemplating a purchase. But at the same time, I love it for when it helps me resist frivolous purchases.
I do this all the time! I ask myself if I *really* want to add x amount to my spending spreadsheet and spending recap… most of the time, it’s enough to help me curb my spending.
I’ve also switched to a banking plan that offers only X debits a month (makes me not want to use it and rack up charges) and buying things with cash-only (under my debit limit; over and it goes on my credit card but I transfer the money right after the purchase). Along with the “annoying” questions and taking a LONG time to shop, I’m less likely to fork over the money!
Love it – your blog is great! My 2012 goal is to get on top of this budget once I finish studying! Love reading your advice! Thank you 🙂
A combination of frugality, jobs and generosity mean I have decent savings. The realisation of how easily money passes through your hands and how easily it can accumulate when you’re careful keeps me motivated.
This is exactly how I’ve been staying on track in recent months. I still want to buy ALL THE THINGS, but when I look at the money saved versus the value of the purchase, I rarely follow through. This is especially true when i see a future goal or financial need in my future (e.g., do I buy another maternity shirt with a month left in my pregnancy, or would that same money be better spent after pregnancy to buy clothes that fit my new body?). I’m not always perfect but it’s about 90% effective.
I was reading this thinking “what does she mean?” until the very end when I saw your examples and went “OH! I do that all the time!”
The ice block was super helpful at controlling me when I hadn’t regained my self control yet. You’re also so right about the starting a blog one. It’s amazing how much you pay attention to your money when you write about it frequently, and have others holding you accountable for it.