Obsession With Saving Money

[KevinMao133]

I might die soon, I might not

I’m struggling in something: being frugal

See, most people struggle saving money. I’m the opposite, I often have a lot of money but feel bad for spending

Today I spent 30 dollars on food, that’s the most amount I spent in years. Because of this, I probably won’t eat for the entire day tomorrow, just to make the numbers look good

I read somewhere that I have OCD. Can’t say for sure as I’m scared to do a diagnosis

I don’t feel safe talking about this since I know people will ridicule me, if I do decide to confess

I don’t know where this came from and I certainly have no idea if this is treatable or not

 

[Judge]

Believe it or not, some day this may just come in handy to you.

Trust me. I know.....

When it becomes a problem is when you fall in love with someone who is pretty much the opposite when it comes to money. I know that too....

 

[Jumpinbare]

Beling frugal is almost never bad. Benjamin Franklin advised "always live below your means". Being miserly is taking frugal to extreme. Having a reserve in your finances may save you serious difficulty.
Is your frugality impacting your health (by not eating right or skipping meds)?
If not, relax

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I'm waiting for the price of property to drop can think of giving it to one of my sons so he could build a house and shop on its market value is too high, he would be forced to pay capital gains on it. Fortunately, the bubble just broke.
it had risen in value 20 times what I bought if for had good instincts when I bought it. Now I want to help my son and granddaughter. Being on the spectrum I just saw the deal, could not get anybody else to join me in buying other properties in this town. They are all kicking themselves now.

 

[tree]

Today I spent 30 dollars on food, that’s the most amount I spent in years. Because of this, I probably won’t eat for the entire day tomorrow, just to make the numbers look good

You won't eat tomorrow because you spent 30 dollars on food today.

This wasn't general groceries you're talking about, was it?

You mean you spent this amount on a single meal and feel guilty now,
so by skipping eating for a day that would bring the average amount
spent to 15 dollars over the two days?

 

[Aspychata]

It seems you are opening up more and really talking about your feelings. Who cares what others say. These are your feelings, and that's what matters. Some feel being frugal is a blessing. Do you feel you are obsessive about this? Yes, there are ways to treat this.

 

[KevinMao133]

You won't eat tomorrow because you spent 30 dollars on food today.

This wasn't general groceries you're talking about, was it?

You mean you spent this amount on a single meal and feel guilty now,
so by skipping eating for a day that would bring the average amount
spent to 15 dollars over the two days?

That was just regular meals

Yes. I usually only spend 15 a day even though I can afford to spend more

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I got through college by being frugal. I bought property as my wife buys clothing saw it as better investment long term. I'm not a clothes horse

 

[Suzanne]

Wouldn't feel worried about that!

I can get into an obsession with saving, once I have a bit of money and VERY reluctant to spend it.

However, I have to say that not eating, is really bad for your health.

Very soon, I hope to be confirmed as disabled and if that is the case, I will be able to negotiate our finances better ie me have a little bit of say, in how the money is spent. In fact, I have already organised what it will be spent on ( will be a money amount).

In the climate we live in, it is wise to be frugal. So celebrate it!

 

[Slime_Punk]

Honestly I'm one of those people who thinks that having less and doing with less breeds happiness over the long-term, so I'd say that as long as you're eating and surviving, imposing limits of this sort might actually be spiritually satisfying to some degree -- even 'elevating'.

Some of the most frivolous spenders I know are deeply unhappy, possibly even in search of happiness through material possessions, whereas the frugal people living somewhat below their means always seem satisfied. I don't think any of this is a coincidence whatsoever, either.

I think we all deserve to eat, though. Just putting that one out there

 

[Progster]

I can relate to this. It's kind of an obsession with numbers - not letting the balance fall below a certain amount, or not spending more than a certain amount. Watching numbers go up or down. It's good in that I have no debt and I'm unlikely to get into debt, but bad in that I get too stressed over it. One shouldn't have to worry about basic needs such as heating and keeping warm, though I know that for some, even that is a luxury. A balance is good. These banking apps with statistics don't help - I worried a lot less in the days when I just got a statement through the post once every month, or I had to go to the bank to check the account.

 

[Au Naturel]

I might die soon, I might not

I’m struggling in something: being frugal

See, most people struggle saving money. I’m the opposite, I often have a lot of money but feel bad for spending

Today I spent 30 dollars on food, that’s the most amount I spent in years. Because of this, I probably won’t eat for the entire day tomorrow, just to make the numbers look good

I read somewhere that I have OCD. Can’t say for sure as I’m scared to do a diagnosis

I don’t feel safe talking about this since I know people will ridicule me, if I do decide to confess

I don’t know where this came from and I certainly have no idea if this is treatable or not

Reminds me of a woman I know. She has millions in net worth, is 70 years old, and can't bring herself to spend any of it. Always talking about worrying about money. She's still working in HR (6-figure annual income) and can't bring herself to quit. Her pets have a 100K trust fund in case she dies.

She realizes it is abnormal and causing her to miss out on life, but she's only paying lip service to working on it. It meets some fundamental insecurity. She grew up in a working-class family, and both parents came of age in the Great Depression era. It is probably some kind of OCD, and it is only getting worse as she ages.

I'd say, see a therapist. Save money prudently but not obsessively. Enjoy life now because you may not be able to later in life. That's my go-to advice now. Nobody wants to hear me talk about Zen or Stoicism or Epicureanism.

 

[Forest Cat]

One important thing: Eat food. Money comes and goes, health is more important. You shouldn't deny yourself food tomorrow because you spent money on food today.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I might die soon, I might not

I’m struggling in something: being frugal

See, most people struggle saving money. I’m the opposite, I often have a lot of money but feel bad for spending

Today I spent 30 dollars on food, that’s the most amount I spent in years. Because of this, I probably won’t eat for the entire day tomorrow, just to make the numbers look good

I read somewhere that I have OCD. Can’t say for sure as I’m scared to do a diagnosis

I don’t feel safe talking about this since I know people will ridicule me, if I do decide to confess

I don’t know where this came from and I certainly have no idea if this is treatable or not

That's actually called being financially responsible. It's not a pathology, it's what we are supposed to do. I am eating one meal a day, occasionally two, but mostly one meal a day in order to have myself some money. Figure some $5-10/meal x 2 meals x 7 days a week x 4 weeks a month = $280-560/month or about I am saving per month that I can use to pay off debts or use to buy stocks or silver bullion. The bonus is that I am feeling healthier, as well.

There's a phenomenon where people with little money don't want to be seen by others as having little money, so they spend outside their means in order to project, somehow, that they are "successful" and/or gain acceptance. Some of the poor do this. Most of the middle class really does this. Most of the middle class are in debt up to their eyeballs.

What I have learned in my life, from my parents who lived outside their means, to myself, starting from literally nothing, having made mistakes with credit cards, and then finally learning how to manage money and attain some semblance of wealth has put me in a position where I can have some perspective on this topic. Once your actual "needs" are met, everything else is just "extra". That extra, well, you have some decisions to make. Is it spending to "upgrade" your environment? Is it travel? Is it investing in your future? What I have learned and passed onto my children is to pay yourself first, THEN decide how much you can afford to live on. Which, when I was poor and ignorant, was not a thought in my head, but it definitely should have been, as I would be significantly better off right now.

At this point in my life, it's investing as much as I can so that I can live comfortably and travel in my retirement years.

There's nothing wrong with being frugal.

 

[Fino]

I feel like most people didn't thoroughly read your post. Not eating out of guilt isn't "frugal" and it isn't healthy.

 

[SusanLR]

I agree @Fino.
Not eating because you feel guilty isn't healthy.
But I certainly know that feeling of not wanting to spend and being frugal.

Some people binge spend thinking it will make them feel good.
Perhaps in the second they are doing that, it does.
Then they look back and ask what have they done when the bills come in.

Others have plenty of money but just can't let go of a dime.
Something inside prevents them.

Then there are some like myself that certainly aren't overly blessed with money
but have enough to get something I want or need and just find it hard to
let it go.
I have a habit of when shopping online, I just put it in the cart and wait until the next day to buy or not to buy.
I think this is a way of making sure it is not just an impulse thing.

I've done this in stores too.
Find something I like and feel I just don't want to spend the amount of money to get it even if I can.
Come back the next day if I still want the item.
Sometimes it is too late and the item is gone.

 

[Fino]

Being frugal isn't bad. Let's not use the term 'frugal' to describe symptoms of OCD.