The Overspending Support Center

Every person is unique, but when you face a challenge like overspending, you are never alone. Countless men and women have faced the exact same crisis and have survived and thrived. The following guide is designed to help you navigate your way to managing your spending with the best information and resources that helped other survivors when they faced the same challenge. 
 
TSC has scoured the Internet and assembled links to the very best resources about overspending: articles, blogs, forums and tools that can help you make better decisions and take action to overcome the range of physical, emotional and other challenges that you face.

As you’ll see, we always welcome your ideas and suggestions to make this Overspending Guide even more helpful to survivors like you.   

 

JUST FOUND OUT 

Survivors Say: Best Resources for Overspending

• About.com: Examine the Roots of Overspending
• LifeTips: Understanding Spending Triggers
  

The Big Picture

For many people, spending money makes them feel good but they forget about the motto "everything in moderation." Overspending is a big problem and it doesn't help that in our consumer economy, there are countless things to buy everywhere around us. Just like drugs and alcohol, overspending can be a serious addiction.

4Therapy.com: What is Spending Addiction - And How Do I Know If I Have It?

Your Overspending

Always getting new credit cards. Spending money you think you have coming in before it arrives. Sound familiar? Fighting the spending urges is your daily battle. Take these quizzes to see if you can win the battle.

• Bankrate: Are You Financially Self-Destructive?
• Spenders Anonymous - Are You a Spender?   
  

What if it isn’t you that has the problem, but your spouse?  Here are some suggestions on how to deal with your loved one: 

MSN Money: 9 Ways to Rein In An Overspending Spouse

Your World

Why are you overspending?  What is causing you to do this kind of behavior? By understanding why, you'll be able to regain control. 

About.com: Financial Planning - Break Your Overspending Habits by Understanding the Cause

Overspending Myths

• "I don't have a spending problem if  I buy it on sale or at a thrift store."
• "My tax return is like 'found money,' so I can spend it with no worries."
• It's not a good idea to 'pay myself first.'"

Information and Recommended Links for Survivors

• About.com: Frugal Living - Money Management
• eHow: Stop Addictive Shopping, Spending

Types of Treatment

Make a budget

Learn the basics of what it means to make and maintain a budget.

CNNMoney.com: Making a Budget

Stop binge buying

Follow these tips to help you stay away from overspending and binge buying.

The Digerati Life: Stop Overspending Now! 14 Ways To Conquer Binge Buying

AllBusiness.com: Keeping Your Credit Card Spending Under Control

Creating a Support Circle

• Set up your TSC Survivor Profile
• Join support groups of other survivors or set up your own
• Interact and provide updates on your profile or our forum

Resources to Find Support Organizations or Professionals

There are some good organizations that can help you curb your spending and debt issues, and deal with the underlying problems. 

WebMD: Mental Health - Debt/Overspending

Books or Survivor Stories Survivors Recommend

• Overcoming Overspending: A Winning Plan for Spenders and Their Partners by Olivia Mellan
  
• Currency of Hope by Debtors Anonymous
• Born to Spend: Overcoming Compulsive Spending by Gloria Arenson

Dealing with Overspending: Information for Co-Survivors

How You Can Help

• Sit down and talk to him about his overspending habits and reasons for them.
• Help her create a budget.
  
• Set a timeline with goals and review your progress as you approach those goals.
• Make sure emergency savings is included in your financial plan.

What to Say

• "Let's set a date to talk about our family's financial goals."
• "I know this problem seems insurmountable but it's not."
• "We'll take this one step at a time."

What Not to Say

• "You should be ashamed of yourself."
• "Just like a woman (or man)."
• "I like to shop too."
  

During recovery, it is important to talk to friends and families, stay out of situations where you're likely to spend money, and stick to your budget!

Gather Little by Little: Becoming a Saver When You Like to Spend

Regularly attending meetings and staying active in support groups will help you ward off temptation.  Debtors Anonymous and Spenders Anonymous have 12- step programs you can follow to help with your recovery.

• Debtors Anonymous
• Spenders Anonymous
  

A new study shows that consumer overspending is the biggest cause for personal bankruptcy filing. If you keep on spending, filing for bankruptcy may be your only option. If much of your debt is on your credit cards, you can work with a credit counselor to help you deal with your creditors and lower your debt. 

• Kiplinger.com: Finding Credible Credit Counseling
• WikiHow: Filing for Bankruptcy in the United States
  

If you're deep in the hole, two tools in your arsenal are using cash instead of credit to make purchases, and making -- and sticking to -- a budget. If you stay out of situations that create the urge to spend, you;re more likely to save your money for things you really need.