Bipolar Support Group

I can't seem to go a day without buying something major. I have destroyed all credit cards except for the one I must rely on, and it's with this card that I'm getting into trouble. I think I'm feeling sorry for myself or rationalizing that I have money from living in a psych hospital for a month. I think: Well I've already gone down the rabbit hole, so one more purchase won't make a difference! or Look how close I come to dying -- I must live now and screw the future!

Shopping makes me feel so happy but I gotta stop! Any ideas?

Thanks, Zadie (poor, poor Zadie $$$)

I don't carry any money with me and got rid of all my credit cards. I have been able to do that for the last 6 months but who knows what I will do next. I say this alot but I try to use distractions when I get that urge to spend money. It takes practice and seems to be working.

What do you do when you need to pay gas, buy food, etc.?

Get a gas card and grocery store gift cards. Use those instead of cash or major credit cards.

Does anyone know if you can call the credit card company and ask for a temporary spending limit for the month?

Is your shopping due to a mood state or is it compulsive/comfort behavior (like comfort eating is for some)? If it's episode related then maybe your meds aren't working despite the recent hospital trip. You might want to explore the possibility of shopping being a compulsion/comfort with your doc.

In the meantime you need something more immediate... I would suggest taking out the money you need for a set period of time (living expenses for a few days or week) and asking someone else to hold your card for you during that time period. That forces you to budget the money for a short time.

Personally, I keep my everyday spending money in cash because it keeps me from spending as much as I would if I used my bank card. Doing that also gets me out of the habit of using the card and forces me to really consider bigger purchases since I don't reach for my bank or credit cards out of habit anymore.

Both -- mood state and compulsive / comfort. I see my pdoc this Friday and will discuss it with him.

As for withdrawing cash -- Well, there is none in the bank until the first of February -- I'm riding on my credit card. I realize as I write this how ridiculous my situation is. Plus, why am I always buying clothes when I never go out?

I feel like a red hot, pulsating neuron.

Zadie

I let my wife handle the money...I don't like it but it works.

Yorkie - i like your idea - keeping the gift card will let me have some cash but limits it - it will help with impulse buying at grocery stores too

I've been told that I don't overspend the way most bipolar people do, and so I can't imagine the stress some people are under from it if it stresses me out! I've known for a long time that I suck at budgeting and avoiding impulse buying, so when I applied for my credit card, I took the lowest limit I could get. That way I had enough to make some online purchases or book a hotel room, etc, but I couldn't do thousands of dollars in damage to myself with it. Is it feasible to call your credit card company and like was mentioned above, either ask for a temporary spending limit or ask them to cut your card limit altogether? I'm not sure what you rely on it for so that may not be an option, for me it's only to pay my phone bill which seems to be unable to be linked to my bank account since I upgraded my service and miscellaneous stuff, so a low limit was a good idea.

Also, I 'hide' small amounts of cash ($5-$20 occasionally a $50) in various places, (in a pair of socks, a dresser drawer, tucked in a jewelry store ring box in my jewlery box, in my car's ashtray...) out of sight really is out of mind for me and when I come across it again it's usually needed more than it was when I hid it. Problem is staying away from it until it slips your mind.

I've always hated using my debit card, I prefer cash luckily, so when I go out I take no money, if I know I'll need to stop for gas on the trip, I take only $40 or $50 with me it usually takes between those two to fill my car and so at most I'm left with $10 to blow. The thought of running out of gas on the side of the highway is enough to keep me on the straight and narrow with gas money.

Grocery shopping, I either take a list and the exact amount needed for the list so I have no ability to buy extra or I ask somebody else to go. I'm not a big eater, but baking is a huge weakness for me, I love it, and baking supplies add up fast!

If it's really bad, I stay home and away from shopping sites (there are several I can never go near, even not manic because they're huge triggers for me to overspend hugely).

I hope you can get this under control. Life is stressful enough without this illness bringing money concerns with it!