Why We Often Overspend While Treating Ourselves
"As good as it feels to acknowledge that we deserve something special, there are healthy and unhealthy ways to go about it.
The Psychology Behind “Treat Yourself”
A Journal of Consumer Psychology study found not only that shopping makes people immediately happier but also that making purchase decisions reduces lingering sadness. The study showed that the act of making shopping-related choices, which included rejecting what they didn’t like, made people happy.
In a study published in Psychological Science, researchers found that when people were sad, they were willing to pay up to 30 percent more for a product than if they were in a neutral mood.
Self-Care Is Not Selfish
- Psychological: Self-compassion, self-affirmation, self-forgiveness, and growth and learning
- Physical: Nutrition, hydration, exercise, sleep, health care, and moderation of substance use
- Lifestyle: Time management, work-life balance, leisure/hobbies, solitude/reflection, unplugging from technology, connecting with nature, and a positive home environment
How to Treat Yourself Within Your Means
- Use the 50-30-20 rule. Track and divide expenses into needs, wants, and savings or debt. It’s a simple way to see where your money is going.
- Splurge intentionally. Don’t splurge on everything. Instead, splurge on certain aspects of your life.
- Take a good look at what you’ve got. You can sell what you don’t use or wear anymore online or at a consignment store.
- Shift to a mindset of self-care, balance, and holistic wellness.
- Redefine success. I recommend a holistic definition of success that includes positive mental and physical health, connected relationships, and work-life balance.
- Be mindful. Mindfulness can help clarify values and recognize what is meaningful, thereby reducing impulsive financial behavior, such as charging frivolous items on credit.
- Save your money. There are psychological perks to saving your money. It can also be therapeutic if you save for that reward rather than buying something immediately with a credit card."
Read the complete article available at Psychology Today!
Reflection:
Are you prone to splurging when you feel 'sad' or 'stressed'?
*I definitely do this. I am really into fashion so whenever I'm stressed or sad, I tend to go shopping and it can be quite inconvenient for my savings when I do*
#Shopping #Spending #SelfCare
Lovely topic! This is something I've definitely struggled with in the past. It took me a lot of self discipline and to first take accountability for my problem. I began to realize I had things to be grateful for that money can't buy, and that I need to deal with my stress with more healthy and creative ways. Thank you very much for this contribution 🥰 They're always welcomed.
I have the opposite issue i never spend on myself then get mad when for example spouse buys things for himself.
It is not really a money issue but i talk myself out of items down to something that is next to nothing...... i am trying to remedy some of thta but a learned habit of talking myself out of it is hard to break
