LIST OF SYMPTOMS OF OVERSPENDING
(From the book: Confessions of an Overspender, by Dr. Ben Carlsen
If you have some of these, you may have a problem:
--You run out of money
before the month ends
--You don’t have a
household or personal budget
--You have little
savings or investments
--You carry credit
card balances month-to-month
--You have high
interest rate or sub-prime credit cards
--You carry more than
three credit cards
--You don’t have a
“cash reserve” for emergencies
--You live in fear of
an unexpected expense
--You’re behind in
your taxes
--You aren’t able to
save at least 10% of your income
--You don’t contribute
enough to your 401k to receive your employer’s
“match”
--You have lots of
stuff you seldom or never use
--You pay late charges
or overdraft fees
--Your utility bills
are sky high
--Your car isn’t paid
for
--You drive an
over-size gas-guzzling vehicle
--You can’t afford to
make necessary home repairs
--You have lots of
gadgets and the latest products
--You have a mortgage
that’s bigger than you can afford
--You use your home
equity as a “piggy bank” by refinancing and borrowing.
--You’re a sucker for
advertising and marketing
--You’re a status
seeker
--You’re afraid to
quit a job that you hate because you can’t afford to
--You constantly worry
about bills and creditors
--You borrow from
friends, payday lenders, pawn shops, or others
--You’re in arrears, default,
penalty, foreclosure, litigation, on your debt(s)
--You skip buying
necessities like medicine or insurance because of the cost
--Your closet looks
like a branch of Macy’s
--Your home looks like
a Thrift Shop
--You have an
unnecessarily large (or expensive) home or apartment
--You eat out
frequently, and/or you patronize expensive restaurants
--You buy pricey
items, and don’t shop for bargains
--You’re overly brand
or label conscious
--You believe “you get
what you pay for”
--Shopping is your
“hobby”
--You have trouble
leaving a store without buying something
--You feel guilty or
remorseful about several or many of your purchases
--You’re a shopaholic,
an alcoholic or drug addict
--You can’t pass up a
sale or “bargain”
--You try to “buy”
friends, companions or lovers
--You visit
prostitutes or subscribe to porn sites
--Your FICO score is below 750
--You can’t afford to
send your kids to college
--You can’t afford to
take a vacation
--You can’t retire
It’s incredible, but this is only a partial list. It would be impossible to list all of the
reasons, emotional, psychological, behavioral and physical, symptomatic of
overspending and problematic personal finances.
Of course just because you have one or two of these issues doesn’t mean
you are an addictive overspender. But if
you see several items that apply to you it’s probably time to take notice,
acknowledge that you may have a problem, and resolve to take corrective
action.
i qualify on all your points. I fit your the overspender profile exactly.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't anybody come here? Its a great idea. I am
ReplyDeleteI am just coming to the realization, or at least coming out of the denial, that I have a spending problem. I have spent a fortune at thrift stores and online shopping. I have been quite compulsive in a few other areas including alcohol and other substances, of which I have recovered. I guess I just switched addictions in order to not feel my feelings. I'm going to start counseling next week. I have both a mental and cognitive disorder and I think my medications have increased or maybe even caused my extreme symptoms. I need help! Is there anybody out there?