![\"5](\"https:\/\/www.sands-trustee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/SA_16_Infographic_AvoidSpending_R1-01.jpg)
<\/p>\nWhether or not you can afford it, sometimes spending can get out of hand. Spending issues don\u2019t tend to go away on their own and left unattended can create big problems with debt. If you find that avoiding the urge to spend money is a particularly difficult challenge, try our top five tips to help you avoid spending money.<\/p>\n
Unsubscribe from retail emails<\/strong><\/p>\n The periodic emails from your favorite shops promising rewards and great sales can lead to uninvited temptations to spend. Unsubscribe as soon as they hit your inbox!<\/p>\n Ditch your debit card<\/strong><\/p>\n Leave your debit card at home when you\u2019re headed out so you don\u2019t have a means to purchase. You can also try sticking strictly to cash purchases \u2013 you\u2019re much more likely to consider purchases when parting with cash.<\/p>\n Pay bills before going out<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re out for a night on the town or a coffee with friends, pay any bills you have and check your bank account balance beforehand to help curb the impulse to splurge. Forgetting about a bill or not realizing where your chequing account is at can mean inadvertently overspending.<\/p>\n Borrow or look for freebies<\/strong><\/p>\n Before purchasing an item you\u2019ll need infrequently or temporarily, see if you can borrow one from a friend or family member. If you still feel you\u2019ll need your own, check online sites such as Craigslist or FreeCycle first. You can often find exactly what you\u2019re after, and only need to arrange to pick it up!<\/p>\n Don\u2019t charge it<\/strong><\/p>\n When you are<\/em> spending money, avoid using credit \u2013 while it is money you have access to, it\u2019s not really money you have. Unless you\u2019re able to pay the balance in full, you\u2019ll also be stuck paying the interest. Consider how much more expensive a $200 item could become after a few months of interest has accumulated.<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s to boost savings, pay off debts, or free-up everyday budget funds, it\u2019s important to reflect on why<\/em> you\u2019re trying to stop spending. Keeping track of your goals as you move forward will help to keep yourself on-track when you\u2019re tempted to give in to spending!<\/p>\n Is debt the real issue? Sands & Associates has been helping BC residents get a debt-free financial fresh start since 1990. Contact us<\/a> today to book your free, confidential consultation<\/a> in one of our local offices.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sometimes spending can get out of hand and unchecked spending habits can lead to problems with debt. If avoiding the urge to spend money is a challenge for you, try these five tips!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":6065,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[261],"tags":[38,39,74,44,37,117,120,50,204,35],"class_list":["post-6064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-debt-free-living","tag-bankruptcy-bc","tag-bankruptcy-trustees","tag-bc-debt","tag-budgeting","tag-consumer-proposals","tag-credit-counselling","tag-credit-counsellor","tag-debt","tag-licensed-insolvency-trustee","tag-sands-associates"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n