Dr. Judith Gerhart, CFP
Certified Divorce Financial Analyst 
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Holiday Spending
December 17, 2008
1. Make a list of your purchases.
Make a list of what you want to buy, so you don’t risk overbuying, Benson said. Be mindful of those purchases. If you begin to see some purchases on your list, you’re moving into dangerous territory.
2. Use unopened purchases as gifts.
If you are an overshopper, it’s likely you have a closet of shopping bags filled with unused things that have the tags still on them. The holidays are a time when you can use those items as gifts, instead of spending more money.
3. Bring someone with you when you shop.
Talk with someone who understands your problem. Ask them to be your advocate and bring them along for the trip to make certain you so you don’t overdo it, Benson suggested. If you’re the spouse of an overshopper, “Go shopping with your spender.”
4. Take away the credit cards.
If they don’t have the cards, they can’t rack up a bill, Tessina said.
5. Get some help.
“Your spender needs to be in a Compulsive Spenders Anonymous group,” Tessina said. “You need to keep tight control of all the money as long as the compulsive spender is not following a 12-step program.”
By: divorce360.com
Posted by Judith Gerhart on December 17, 2008 | Permalink | Post a comment
Topics: Finance, Radio Show |
