Just a short note to let you know that I'll be taking the weekend off from posting to spend time with my family.

Over the weekend, we'll also be making the move from Blogger to WordPress and making some tweaks to the site in an effort to improve your experience at Northern Cheapskate.

Have a have a safe and happy weekend!

We all know about emotional eating.  I think I'm the queen of using chocolate to curb my frustrations.

When I was in college, I was an emotional spender, too.  I'd buy things on pure impulse just because it felt good to do it at the time.  Eventually, I realized that if I continued to be an emotional spender, I was going to be in big financial trouble.  I've had to learn that while it's okay to buy fun things, it's much better to have good control over your discretionary income.  It's much better to reign in those impulses.

Here are some strategies you can use to stop emotional spending.

Pay close attention to the things you buy. Some people shop out of boredom. To avoid this, only shop when you really need something and keep a track of what you put in your cart.  Make a list and stick to it!

Try not to overindulge in fantasies. Stop worrying about what everyone else is thinking. It’s ok to want to impress a friend with an expensive dinner or wow everyone at work with a really nice new outfit, but don’t act these out because it can become costly.

Beware of small purchases because they can quickly add up. You may feel less guilty about buying something that’s cheap, but then you may feel like it will be ok to buy more cheap things.  It's quite easy to "Dollar Spot" yourself into the poorhouse if you can't walk right by the temptation.

Treat yourself every now and then. If you plan ahead for a special treat, you will be less likely to impulsively spend large amounts of money. If there is some new tech gadget you want to get, save for it. You’ll feel much better about it and it won’t mess up your financial security.  To me, this is why I am frugal - so I can comfortably afford to treat myself to something special every once in awhile.

Acknowledge the feelings that make you want to spend more. If you notice the emotions that are making you feel the need to buy things, you might be less likely to act on them.  Hmm.... that sounds like emotional eating, doesn't it?

Always keep your priorities in mind. There will be no shortage of bad days, but rather than seeing material things as a way to make you feel better, try focusing on your more important goals. If your goal is to get out of debt, then look at making senseless purchases as an obstacle in your way of achieving that goal. If you want to make a large purchase like buying a new car or paying extra on your mortgage, take the money you would normally spend frivolously and squirrel it away.  I know one friend who puts money into a travel jar every time her family avoids going out to eat and cooks at home instead.  They've made their family vacation their priority over the brief enjoyment of a restaurant meal.

Stay away from retail situations. Try to avoid going to the mall, shopping on eBay, or being drawn in by catalogues. All they want is to get your money and it’s so easy to overspend in those situations.  This is somewhat easy to do when you live in a rural area... but remember that internet shopping can be just as dangerous to your budget.  When I'm feeling lousy, I stay away from any sites that share the hottest online deals - it's just too dangerous.

Take the scenic route, or somewhere that doesn’t involve you traveling through a strip mall or near any place you would normally enjoy shopping.  And if you do have to drive near places you like to shop, don't look at their signs.  They're always having a sale, so just forget about stopping.

Try also to come up with your own unique solutions. You could try reading a book to get you through a boring day rather than shopping. You could also just have a friend or two over and watch some shows or movies. There are many ways to have fun or get through the rough patches without wasting a penny.

Curbing your emotional spending is not easy.  It's just as hard as curbing your emotional eating.  If they were easy, we'd all be skinny and rich.   The key is to stop yourself before you splurge and question your motivation.

When I first started reading Enjoy Your Money! How to Make It, Save It, Invest It, and Give It, I was a little put off by the format.

This personal finance guide, aimed at young people ages 16 to 30, is totally different than most books like it.  Rather than tell you the information directly, author J. Steve Miller has created a cast of characters who learn about money and life over the course of a series of breakfast meetings.

It has a bit of an "After-School Special" feel to it, as the characters face love, money, and drama, while learning about the ins and outs of personal finance.

While I was put off by this style of writing at first, I grew to tolerate it (and dare say, even enjoy it a little) by the time I finished reading.

The reason that I grew to appreciate Enjoy Your Money! is that the personal finance information in this book is fantastic.  Miller does a phenomenal job of weaving the knowledge of the experts in with good, solid, money-saving advice.

The book covers investing, saving money, making money, and enjoying your money. Throughout the book, there is additional suggested reading to help you learn more, and each chapter contains discussion questions and homework assignments so that you can sharpen your personal finance knowledge.

This book covers all of the things I wish I had known about money when I was in my 20s.  It would make a great graduation gift, wedding gift, or a book club selection.  I could easily see this book used in a classroom setting or as part of an employer-led workshop. 

As a mid-30-something, I found a great deal of value in reading this book.  Enjoy Your Money! takes a lot of complex financial topics and presents them in an interesting and accessible way that inspires you to become a better steward of your money.  

Disclosure: While Wisdom Creek Press sent me a complimentary copy of this book to review, please know that the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own, honest reflections based upon my reading of the book.  This post also contains affiliate links which help support this blog at no additional cost to you.

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The following is a guest post by Sarah Leonard of  Online Nursing Degrees.

You’ve recently bought into the idea that eating healthy is a good thing, but as soon as you started looking for alternatives at the grocery store, you realized that eating better could put a substantial dent in your budget.

You used to snack on chips at $3-4 a bag.  A small bag of natural nuts costs just as much and you only get one fourth the product!  You want to cut out sugary juice drinks and soda, but some waters are even more expensive!  And filling your cart with brownie spell murder for your workout, but with deals like two boxes for four dollars, you get a lot more fulfillment than you would from apples and oranges.  

Okay, stop right there!  You can find all kinds of excuses to talk yourself out of eating healthy, but the truth is, you can’t really fall back on the old budget line if you follow these simple steps.

Buy produce at your local farmer’s market.  It’s bound to be homegrown, organic, and fresher than anything at the supermarket.  The kicker?  It’s already cheaper, but if you buy several items, you can often haggle for an even better price.
 
Buy dry goods in bulk.  Ditch the chips and opt instead for items like beans, rice, and pasta, which are both more filling and more nutritious.  They are also often available in bulk, which can significantly reduce your cost.

Go generic.  Give up on the pricey brands (even on sale they cost more than generic) and go for the market brand.  You could save more than half on products that are similar or the same just by peeling the name off the box.

Eat whole grains.  Sugary cereals taste great but offer little else.  Consider granola or oatmeal as an alternative.  You may have to go the health food store if you want to purchase it by weight instead of pre-packaged, but that’s the best way to get a deal.  And add a little honey or vanilla soymilk to make it just as tasty as (and infinitely more healthy than) the sugary cereal you gave up.

Ditch the sodas AND the bottled water.  Are you really willing to spend money on water?  Sure, most city-dwellers don’t dare drink from the tap, but with all sorts of filtration systems available, you can save a ton of money and still get the chlorine-free water you want with only a small initial investment.

Eating healthy can certainly cost a lot, if you let it.  But like anything else, a little time and effort will produce results, in this case, serious savings.  And isn’t it worth clipping a few coupons and taking the time to comparison shop if it gains you a healthier, happier life?