How to pay off debt when you're a natural born spender

Natural born spenders seek out the latest fashions, explore new restaurants, try out latest gadgets, and so on. They thrive on new things in life and for that, they are ready to pay their entire paycheck if required.

How can you spot a natural spender?

Natural born spenders are the ones who live for finding that perfect skirt or stiletto to look drop dead gorgeous even though they owe money to others. They love to spend money on the things they don’t really need.

Just think about your colleagues. I’m sure you can pick at least one person who keeps buying something or the other every day. This person loves to have lunch at expensive restaurants, wear new clothes every week, travel in good cars, buy fashionable shoes every month, and so on. You’ll find that this person always finds money when he wants something. He uses his credit cards, buys whatever he wants, pays what he can; and the cycle continues every month.

This person is a natural born spender.

Natural born spenders have a habit of spending money unnecessarily. They would not hesitate to borrow money from others for buying that perfect cellphone or a jewelry. It isn’t that these people don’t know the perils of being a natural born spender. These people know that they are gradually getting engulfed by debt but can’t do anything to stop their habit of spending money.

Unable to cope with their debts, natural born spenders declare,

“Ah, I’m already screwed. I might as well enjoy myself.”

How can natural born spenders get out of debt?

Most natural born spenders land in debt because of their reckless spending behavior. My cousin brother is a burning example of that. He ends up spending his entire paycheck on new clothes, accessories, eating out and gadgets every month. Needless to say, he has no savings or an emergency fund. Whenever he is in financial trouble, he uses his credit cards to overcome the crisis.

My cousin brother is not the only one. There are millions of people in our society who are natural spenders, and they play a big role in increasing the consumer debt in the country.

You already know how to spot a natural born spender. If you know someone who is a natural spender, ask him to read this article for his own benefit. It’s not a sin to be a natural born spender but it’s a stupidity to keep nurturing the habit of spending money on having the perfect outfit or home decoration.

The below-given tips can help natural born spenders to get out of debt and become a financial adult in the truest sense of the term.

1. Distinguish between your needs and wants:

Create a list of your ‘needs’ and ‘wants’. Be honest and practical. The perfect coral lipstick shade can’t be your need. A cup of your favorite latte from Starbucks can’t be your need. These are just your wants. Your need is a home cooked meal at dinner, but the takeaway food is not. Understand the difference. A cab ride to office is a want but public transport is not.

2. Follow a reverse budget:

Once the list is done, it’s time for calculations. Calculate how much you have spent the last 3 months. If you’re a natural born spender, chances are high that you have spent more on your ‘wants’ than your ‘needs’. It’s time to stop that habit. Cut your expenses on your ‘wants’ and spend the bare minimum on your necessities.

3. Increase your income:

When you stop spending time on shopping, returning items and partying, you’ll get some extra time. Use it for thinking about the ways to increase your income. You have enjoyed a lot. It’s time you do some hard work. You can create a new blog and start earning from it. You can get a side gig to accelerate your income. For instance, if you’re good at baking, you can supply Christmas cakes to the local bakeries and make money.

4. Go for a spending freeze:

This is tough for someone who is a natural born spender. But you can do it. Go for a spending freeze for 2 weeks. Spend bare minimum on necessities like rent, electricity and utility bills. Stop spending a penny on your wants. Stock foods at home in advance so that you can avoid buying meals outside. You’ll realize how much money can be saved every day.

5. Start blogging:

Create a blog and start blogging about your efforts to cut expenses. Your blog would help you stay motivated and accountable. When you speak about your debt publicly and how much it affects your life negatively, the very idea of spending money unnecessarily becomes unappealing.

Blogging gives you a chance to interact with many people on one platform. You can share your experience and ideas with so many new people. You’re accountable to them. If you get an inclination to start spending money like before, they will rebuke you and bring back on the right track again.

6. Develop an emergency fund:

It is demotivating to watch balances going up when you’re trying to pay off debts. But emergency situations come up in life. You have to be prepared for those occasions. Save $500 for covering your unexpected expenses and keep your credit card balances under control.

Conclusion

Life without debt is beautiful. You feel happy and free. Life without debt is a life without shame, worry and stress. If you’re a frugal person and lead a debt-free life, then you know what I’m talking about. But natural spenders don’t know that feeling. They don’t know the flavor of a financial life that is more than covering minimum balance every month.

If you’re a natural born spender, follow the aforementioned tips to get out of debt. Stop feeling like crap about yourself and the mess you have created for yourself. Be desperate and determined to make sacrifices to clear your debts. Nothing is impossible in life. So you can do it.

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