King for a Day « The Debt Dance

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool.”
Richard Feynman

I got paid last week. I get paid once per month. And this was our first pay day since Christmas so it had been a long, thin stretch. I had carefully planned where the money was going. But…it didn’t quite work that way. Groceries cost twice as much as what I had planned on, mostly because the cupboards had run so bare. But we also got hit with that deadly condition:

RICH FOR A DAY

We went out to eat three times…I had planned on once. And we just spent extra here and there. We had that misguided feeling that we had lots of money. After all we had just gotten paid! A nice sized check went in the bank. That false sense of euphoria surrounded us. At last, after waiting four and a half weeks we were feeling extremely deprived. The answer, I immediately took control again, shifted things around, but kept my priorities. Keeping a flexible budget is one of those key factors to our success.

Emotional spending is usually a significant problem for people in debt. We can rationalize buying just about anything:
•“I’ve never seen one like this…if I don’t buy it now I’ll always regret it.”
•“It’s such a great buy.” or “It’s on sale.”
•“I’ve been working so hard I deserve this.”
•“I’m so depressed…stressed…happy…tired…(just choose one) and it’s such a rush to buy something. I’ll surely feel better.”
•“I have always wanted one.”
•“My neighbor has one. I should have one, too.”
•“It just feels so good to buy something.”

What my family and I have been doing is learning to step back and ask ourselves if we really need this item or do we just want it. I want ice cream every night. I love ice cream. But I definitely don’t need ice cream.

And we’re not perfect with this but it is better. We also have learned to avoid situations where we could be tempted. We have several favorite stores where we can go in and get trapped with bargains and things we’ve always wanted.

Compulsive spending can sometimes be so extreme that the person needs psychological help. It could be part of a bi-polar disorder or a true obsessive compulsive disorder. People with these challenges have been known to charge hundreds of dollars of truly inappropriate items, like little girl clothes when they don’t have a child.

If this sounds like you help is available.
In our Sales Emporium you will find a resource that may help you: Stop Me Because I Can’t Stop Myself : Taking Control of Impulsive Behavior.

Now Here’s One of My Favorite Funnies:
Holy Prostitutes
A man is driving down a deserted stretch of highway when he notices a sign out of the corner of his eye….It reads:
SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS HOUSE OF PROSTITUTION – 10 MILES
He thinks this is a figment of his imagination and drives on without a second thought….Soon he sees another sign which reads:
SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS HOUSE OF PROSTITUTION – 5 MILES
Suddenly he begins to realize that these signs are for real and
Drives past a third sign saying:
SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS HOUSE OF PROSTITUTION – NEXT RIGHT
His curiosity gets the best of him and he pulls into the drive. On
the far side of the parking lot is a stone building with a small sign next to the door reading:
SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS
He climbs the steps and rings the bell. The door is answered by a nun in along black habit who asks, ‘What may we do for you my son?’
He answers, ‘I saw your signs along the highway and was interested
In possibly doing business….’
‘Very well my son. Please follow me.’ He is led through many winding passages and is soon quite disoriented. The nun stops at a closed door and tells the man, ‘Please Knock on this door.’
He does so and another nun in a long habit, holding a tin cup answers the door… This nun instructs,
‘Please place $100 in the cup then go through the large wooden door at the end of the hallway.’ He puts $100 in the cup, eagerly trots down the hall and slips through the door pulling it shut behind him.