Let’s face it we live in a consumer driven world. People want what they want when they want it. Instant gratification runs rampant in our society. Think fast food, think drive-thrus for everything from food to money and prescriptions. Self-control could be headed for extinction in our society if shoppers are not careful. If you are one of those people who love to shop and do not know when to stop, you could find yourself in credit card debt or worse yet dealing with debt settlement or credit card settlement. Yikes-a-roni!
To avoid credit card debt, try the following things to curb your spending:
1. Make a conscious decision not to impulse buy. Give yourself a time frame of a week or two before committing to purchase something. Often you will find the desire to get the item has diminished, saving you money.
2. If online shopping is a problem area for you, unsubscribe from all online store emails so you do not receive notifications of their sales.
3. Keep purchases to needs not wants. Buy only what you need. Period.
4. Avoid the syndrome of “keeping up with the Jones”. Just because your friend got the latest Apple product doesn’t mean you have to too. Or if your sister got a new car, it doesn’t mean you should.
5. Budget your spending and live within your means. Make a budget and stick with it.
6. Stop using credit cards. That may seem drastic, but it would certainly help you in the long run if you used cash or check instead of credit cards.
Even if you start with one or two of these things, you should see a difference in your bank account over time. The key is to plan for your financial success and to avoid credit card debt, which could lead to those aforementioned things of debt settlement or credit card settlement. Not the place most people want to find themselves, so be careful when shopping and with your spending. If you are a shop-a-holic, get professional help.
