Avoid overspending when unwell
Here are some tips that other people have found helpful.
- Confide in someone you trust about your triggers and warning signs, so they can help you.
- Try giving your cards to someone else or putting them somewhere difficult to access.
- Make it more difficult to spend money online. Don’t save your card details into websites. Search for free online tools to help you to limit online spending.
- Find ways to delay purchasing. You could tell yourself, “I will buy this tomorrow if I still feel like it then”. You could take photographs of the things you want, or write them down in a wish list (on paper or on your phone). This might feel reassuring.
- Distract yourself with something else that makes you feel good. Go for a walk, call a friend or watch something that you enjoy.
- Consider telling your bank that you have a mental health problem so they can take this into account. They may be able to add a note to your file to look out for unusual spending.
- Some people find it helpful to avoid credit cards completely.
Gambling and addiction
While gambling isn’t always a problem, it can become an addiction. This may leave you in serious debt. Addiction and mental health are linked and can trigger each other.
Some banks may offer ‘gambling blocks’ that let you turn off gambling transactions on your bank cards. Speak to your bank to find out what they offer.
