Smith 
{Hi there! I’m Alex from HaveaRichMarriage.com, and I used to be a spendaholic. I loved the thrill of spending—new clothes made me feel stylish, renting Corvettes felt like living the James Bond life, and I felt the world owed me something. But I knew I had a problem. Every time I tried to cut back or stick to a budget, I’d last two weeks before binge-spending again. My bank account was shrinking, my credit card debt was growing, and I knew I had to change something fast. I felt powerless and frustrated, thinking spending less should be easy.
Six months ago, everything changed. I began spending less without obsessing over a budget. I learned two key things: first, information alone isn’t enough, and second, sometimes you need to change one behavior to impact another. Here are five strategies that really worked for me, and I believe they can help you too.
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Your Mind Is Holding You Back
Handling money is a lot like sports. It requires skill but is mostly a mind game that needs determination and a positive attitude. Many people think the lack of financial education is why we struggle financially, but most of us know the basics—we’re just not acting on them. It’s all about mindset. For instance, my spending on clothes and cars was tied to wanting status. Understanding the ‘why’ behind your spending is crucial. -
Find Your Beliefs
Ask yourself "Why?" repeatedly to uncover the real reason behind your overspending. For example, I realized I was buying clothes to get compliments. Once I knew this, I could find new ways to satisfy this need for validation. -
Acknowledge and Rewrite
Accepting your true wants without guilt is vital. For example, I wanted compliments, so instead of buying new clothes, I’d change my hairstyle or facial hair to get noticed. I even started complimenting myself in the mirror daily. It might sound silly, but it boosted my confidence and reduced my urge to spend. -
Work on Your Spending Indirectly Through Habits
Developing good habits can positively affect other aspects of your life, including spending. For example, when I began waking up early, I naturally spent less money going out late. Charles Duhigg calls these ‘Keystone Habits,’ which create a positive ripple effect. Find a highly emotional habit you want to change and work on it. The positive changes will likely spill over into your financial habits. -
Spend With Intent
Cut back on spending in areas you don’t care much about so you can spend on things you love without guilt. For example, I reduced dining out expenses because it didn’t matter much to me, and redirected that money towards buying clothes, which I enjoyed more.
Takeaways
Just having information isn’t enough. Often, our spending problems are linked to deeper beliefs and behaviors. Changing one key habit can create positive ripple effects in other areas of our lives. These five strategies helped me control my spending, and I believe they can help you too.
