I notice that I budget well most of the time, but when I’m going through a lot of stress or dealing with difficult emotions, that’s when I overspend. Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips on how to manage emotional spending?
I can totally relate. One thing that helped me is creating a sinking fund for emotional or impulse purchases. When you’re doing well with your budget, save a little extra in that fund, and then when you’re stressed, you have something to pull from without throwing off your entire budget.
@brande
That’s actually a great idea! I never thought about doing something like that, but it makes sense to plan for those moments.
I’ve been there too. My worst was impulse buying a $1700 laptop just because I was stressed. The only real way I found to stop it was addressing the root of the stress or finding other outlets for it. Spending wasn’t making me feel any better in the long run.
@Orion
That’s a big one! I agree, sometimes the spending feels like a quick fix but doesn’t actually help with the underlying issue.
I used to spend a lot on things I didn’t really need either—games, perfumes, random accessories. One month I spent over $700 on stuff that didn’t add much value to my life. Now I’ve started being more mindful about what I buy. For example, I only get games when I want to play them right then, and I found cheaper alternatives for things like perfumes without sacrificing too much quality.
@Kai
I like the idea of being more intentional about purchases. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and just buy things without thinking about if you actually want or need them.
Sometimes doubling your budget estimates for emotional spending helps. It makes you more prepared for those times when you overspend.
Freddie said:
Sometimes doubling your budget estimates for emotional spending helps. It makes you more prepared for those times when you overspend.
That’s fair, I think I need to be stricter and maybe plan for those moments better.
You might want to look into therapy, especially something like Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). It helps address emotional triggers and teaches healthier coping mechanisms for stress.
River said:
You might want to look into therapy, especially something like Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). It helps address emotional triggers and teaches healthier coping mechanisms for stress.
That’s a good suggestion. I’ve heard of DBT, and it might be helpful to learn better ways to deal with stress instead of turning to spending.