Always out of money? - You're a consumer junkie! (2024)

As a consumer junkie who’s always out of money, I’m sure you can live well.

A nice big new car, a condominium or a house and the latest, hottest fashion and beauty articles. All these are reasons why a consumer junkie builds up more and more debts every month. But so what, with a current 0% financing this is no longer a problem, right?

Somebody will pay for it, you think.

Oh, someone from your friends has a new cell phone. Then you need a new one! But a much better one. You have to keep up.

Look, next week the neighbors are flying in the sun and you have to stay here in the rain. Nothing there, off to the travel agency and take the next best offer south. You only live once and you can pay this later, too, including interest on planning or loans and other fees.

Does that look familiar to you? Do everything on credit and want to keep up everywhere and not think about tomorrow.

The result can be told to you today already once, one day the big bang comes.

Always broke? Then check your expenses!

Shopping in the supermarket is on the agenda and what do you take with you? Plenty of sausage and cheese, bread and branded drinks, 2-3 crates of beer for the evening, a few more bags of chips and other snacks, frozen pizzas and ready meals, packet soups, canned soups, branded yoghurt, milk, cornflakes and 2-3 packs of spaghetti with sauce. Finally, you must add a banana so that people don’t think that you are completely without a healthy meal.

The first 2-3 days you might still eat one or the other and then it starts. One evening we go to the fast food restaurant around the corner, the next day we go to the pub in the evening and the following days we eat something to take away. And then you throw your groceries from the supermarket back into the trash little by little, because they have expired. The obligatory banana must have already had hair during this time and ran away on its own.

So you could have thrown the money right in the trash 1:1. Too bad.

You see something and you have to have it now? Take it directly to the checkout in the shop, draw out your credit or debit card and take it with you right away. I know that too, but that is one of the problems that led to your “permanent bankruptcy” condition. This does not mean that you should always give up everything you like. But still, before you buy, ask yourself if you really need this item right now.

Change yourself and your behavior, otherwise nothing changes

What do you always put in your shopping cart? Do you always have to keep up with everybody? Does it always have to be the newest of the newest? Do you even need what you like about shopping or is it not only your inferiority complex that lets you buy it again just to make you feel satisfied?

These are all questions you should ask yourself so you don’t go out of money all the time.

How often do you buy unnecessary things that you sell, give away or even throw away after a while? In retrospect, these spontaneous purchases cost a considerable sum.

Don’t be disappointed when others afford what you want. Don’t move on here, but be happy for them and stick to your point of view of not spending money unnecessarily just because you feel like it.

If you’ve changed your consumption patterns, it’s time to look at the household book and cost overview to finally get a list of your finances. There are certainly also some expenditure items under discussion here.

Once you’ve got your consumption habits and finances in shape, it’s time to think about ways to save money. An example would be a time deposit account, an ETF portfolio or something other.

Now it’s your turn!
Are you in control of your expenses?
Have you ever calculated the amount you spent on unnecessary things?
How often do you overdraw or take out loans and how do you deal with them?
I appreciate your feedback and comments.