1. Get Support
Getting support from a trusted friend or family member is essential to beating the shopping compulsion. This trusted group should be able to talk you down during those times when you feel weak and want to surrender. They should be able to gently prod you into sticking to your goal of buying only what you need.
2. Go Public
Holding yourself publicly accountable can offer some of the strongest incentives to maintaining reasonable spending habits. People hate to be embarrassed, and there are many cases where people take their struggles online, setting themselves up with a challenge that would shame them if they were to fail. If you don’t have a blog, you can use social networks, such as Facebook, to announce your goal and report your progress. Potential failures can help you stay focused on your budget.
3. Plan and Stash
Design a plan and stick to it by taking only the cash you need to buy the gifts you want. Are decorations necessary? No, they’re not. Christmas is about connecting with friends and family. If your house is missing five extra strings of lights on the roof, come up with something different that will enable you to stick to your gift-giving budget. Forgo everything else until you have the money to pay for it.
