6 tips to manage emotions when trying to save money

Saving is much more than knowing how to handle numbers and detect from a rational point of view which expenses are necessary and which are not. And it is that in relation to money, it is clear that from the intentions to the facts there is a long journey, a whole process that is not always easy to face if we do not know how to handle it properly our emotions.

Therefore, in this article you will find a summary of The most effective tips to manage your emotions when trying to save money, so that you establish a healthy relationship with your lifestyle and your future financial plans.

How to manage emotions when saving money?

Many times it is said that money is just a social construct: a number in the account banking, which is also based on the invention of the idea that having more figures is better than have less.

This is partly true. Technically, if we have our basic needs covered, there comes a point where having more money saved does not imply that we are happier or live better, it all depends on our preferences. However, we must not lose sight of the fact that even if the money is based on a great agreement at the social level that gives value to coins, bills and large numbers in the bank, that does not mean that we do not have

a clear tendency to link a large part of our emotions to monetary issues. Just because money doesn't grow on trees or flow through rivers doesn't mean it isn't something very real, something nuclear energy in the daily lives of millions of people: in their habits, their plans for the future, their philosophy of life, etc.

Therefore, knowing how to properly manage our emotions is essential to know how to save money and do it efficiently, since, As human beings, we are not just computer programs or robots that manage figures.. Impulsivity and self-deception are very relevant aspects when it comes to explaining how people behave in relation to their money, especially in a society as consumerist as ours, in which very effective marketing and advertising strategies have been put into circulation for decades.

So, let's look at some tips to properly manage your emotions when trying to save money on a monthly or weekly basis.

1. Make sure you have not developed an impulsiveness disorder

If you notice that you have problems when trying not to spend too much money, it is advisable that you first ask yourself if the degree to which this affects you is so high as to suggest the existence of a disorder psychological. The advice that we will see here is for those who simply have problems saving due to a less than optimal management of their emotions, not for situations in which which go to the extreme of needing therapy for a mental health disorder (if the latter occurs, everything happens by following the indications of the therapist).

By pure statistics, it is most likely that you do not suffer from a psychopathology associated with impulsivity, but it never hurts to take precautions and, in case you have doubts, go to a mental health professional to talk about your case and, if necessary, make a diagnosis. Keep in mind that there are three psychological disorders that are especially associated with excessive spending: pathological gambling (i.e. gambling addiction, also known as compulsive gambling), oniomania, and the bipolar I disorder in his mania phase. But if you only have suspicions, do not worry or assume that you have one of these alterations; The clinical psychologist or psychiatrist who attends you and observes your case in a personalized way will be the one who best will clarify the root of your problem, or rule out the possibility that you have developed an affectation of this class.

• Related article: "What is impulsivity?"

2. Don't go to the supermarket hungry

It seems like an insignificant detail, but in reality, it has been proven that people who go hungry to stores where a wide variety of groceries are exposed tend to spend significantly more money on average. And in fact, there are also studies that suggest that this is not only the case with places where food is mainly sold. So, it is recommended that you have eaten shortly before going shopping.

3. Write down your excuses for self-deception in a personal journal

Another of the most useful tips to manage your emotions when saving money is to learn to quickly identify the recurring thoughts that come to mind in the form of self-deception and predispose you to buy things that are not really you need. For example: "it is a luxury product, but also an investment", "buying this is investing in my happiness", or "if I buy it now I will save in the long term". It is clear that the context says a lot about whether each of these thoughts are a form of self-deception, but in general, you must remember that If you have decided to save in the first place, it is because your priority is to create a "cushion" of money as soon as possible, and that this is not the time to invest or buy goods that you do not usually buy.

• You may be interested in: "Self-knowledge: definition and 8 tips to improve it"

4. Establish a schedule for your day to day

At present, it has been observed that many people turn to online shopping as a kind of hobby at times when they do not know how to use their free time. Therefore, it is advisable that you have your weekly schedule well defined, and that you also describe in advance what you will dedicate your moments of leisure and rest to. That way you will reduce the risk of feeling like you're wasting your free time unless you do something quickly with it, like buying things online, which is unfortunately a fairly common dynamic.

5. Inform others about your intention to save

Managing emotions is not always a purely introspective process, that is, a task that is based on being alone with our thinking and learning to "tame" it. Sometimes, it also consists of making changes in our physical environment, including here the behavior of those around us. So if you tell your friends and family that you've considered saving, you will expose yourself to fewer situations in which others "tempt you" to make unnecessary purchases.

6. Set a realistic monthly spending limit

It is important that you have some control of your money, but this it should be realistic and adjusted to your lifestyle and income level. If you're too picky about the restrictions you have to place on yourself, you'll get frustrated and end up forgetting about the whole thing. pretension to save, or you will even resort to impulse purchases as a form of self-sabotage in the face of the anguish caused by that situation.

6. If you have developed an addiction, focus on overcoming it

Addictions like him smoking are highly standardized, but not only do they seriously damage the health of smokers, but they also generate an expense significant that discreetly accumulates week by week and ends up generating large figures of expenses seeing it with hindsight.

Psychological assistance can help you save

As we have seen, the challenge of saving week by week and month by month is not only a process linked to the intellect and our ability to handle numbers; it is, above all, a challenge of emotional management. That is why, even if you have not developed a psychopathology related to mood or anxiety but notice that you have a lot to improve in the modulation of emotions, It may be a good idea to see a psychologist. A psychology professional can design a development plan for these types of skills linked to emotional intelligence, so that you can incorporate routines into your day to day that allow you to work on it and enhance it.

In this sense, if you are interested in having professional psychological assistance, I invite you to contact me.

My name is Thomas Saint Cecilia and I am a psychologist specialized in the cognitive-behavioral model; I attend in person and online by video call.