|
Getting Support When Spending Less
by Kimberly Danger
Spending less isn’t easy, especially when you
try to go it alone. Your friends may wonder why
you don’t want to go shopping with them. Your
kids will undoubtedly protest your refusal to
buy them that extra toy. Your spouse may foil
your best-intentioned plans if he isn’t on board
with the program. That’s why it’s so important
to get the support you need in making peace with
your finances.
Come Clean
Explain to your friends just why living a less
materialistic lifestyle is important to you. If
you’re in debt, be honest about your situation.
Don’t let fear or the thought of shame prevent
you from doing this. You may discover that
friends feel the same societal pressures to keep
up, or are in debt themselves. You’d be
surprised how much support you get.
Get Your Spouse Involved
Your spouse is supposed to be your rock: the
person you lean on when times get tough.
Unfortunately when it comes to finances,
partners don’t always see eye to eye. Even the
most financially compatible couples have
arguments on how money is spent from time to
time. You both need to be on the same page when
it comes to your goals for the future and how
you will accomplish them. Sit down and talk
about your current financial situation, your
goals for the future, and how you plan on
accomplishing them.
Make New Friends
Take a look at your friends, people, and media
you surround yourself with. It’s inevitable
that you compare yourself to them in some way,
shape or form. Even while we all know we
shouldn’t do it, comparisons sometimes takes
place on an unconscious level: through the ads
you see on TV, the magazines you read, and just
by being exposed to certain situations every
day. If your entire social network makes more
money than you do, drives fancier cars or lives
in bigger houses, you’re more likely to feel
like a financial failure. If this describes your
situation, your circle of friends may be a
little out of whack. Seek out friends whose
situations may be closer to your own.
Look for Online Support
If you can’t find the support in your own circle
of friends, there is help online.
Mommysavers.com has their very own Spending Less
Group - a network people to discuss the concern,
struggles and challenges of ridding themselves
of debt or trying to live a frugal lifestyle.
Sometimes the anonymity of the internet gives
people the freedom to be more honest with their
situations.
http://mommysavers.com/boards/spending-less-saving-more/ |
