by Hope
I failed last month. And I’ve failed even more this month. I was so, so close to paying off my Amazon CC. And then I maxed it out again. I’ve got to do something different.
I had my Amazon CC down to $750 last month, had paid off half of it. And now, it’s back to $1,450. I had debated the wisdom of prioritizing this card, knowing my propensity to use it if there was available credit.
As a result, I’ve changed the order of CC priority for paying things off. And moved my Wander card up the list. I have destroyed that card, cannot use it in Apple pay, and it’s not tied to any of my reoccurring bills. There is absolutely no way I can run up the balance any further. So when it’s paid off, it’s gone.
What to do?
I’ve been trying to figure out what to do about the Sam’s Club CC and Amazon CC. The Sams card is paid off, and I’m not tempted to use it very often. Plus the benefits of cheaper gas when I do get near a Club, free delivery on Sam’s Club purchases with my Plus membership, and that the kids use the membership too, I am planning to keep this card open. But be very diligent of either not using it or paying it off every month. Both, really.
But my Amazon CC…just too temping. Those emotional scrolls via the app. The shopping urge at my fingertips. It’s too much. I was really proud of myself when I got rid of Prime a couple years back. It definitely curbed me some. But after finding out about free shipping on orders over $35…well, it’s still a problem. And having my Amazon CC just compounds that.
So I am cancelling my Amazon CC this week. I’m going to make it as difficult as I can to shop there. And to be honest, it’s not like I need anything that I can’t get locally.
Sidenote: I believe this move will hurt my credit score as this is my second oldest card. But that’s okay, I don’t really need or want any more credit at this point. 🙂
Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager helping clients grow their business and work more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, & tech solutions. She’s recently become an empty nester as her 5 foster/adoptive kids have spread their wings. She lives with her 3 dogs in a small town in NE Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She struggles with the travel bug and is doing her best to help each of her kids as their finish schooling and become independent (but it’s hard!) She has run her own consulting company for almost twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the Spring of 2015 and feels like she has finally in a place to really focus on making wise financial decisions.
I’m confused as to why a branded card would make you spend more. You could just as easily buy anything on Amazon with any card. It’s the emotional and immediate shopping response you need to curb. Not the physical card.
I’d suggest uninstalling the Amazon app from your phone. Stay logged out of Amazon on any of your devices. Better yet, change your password to random characters (and don’t autosave in your browser) to one that you have physically written down somewhere. That way you have to wait until you get home, walk over to the drawer with the post it note, then go to Amazon to finish your transaction. That’s a lot more hurdles that create chances where you can decide that you don’t actually need what you’re going to buy.
Delete all shopping apps off your phone. Now.Use the parental control features on your phone to lock down the app store so you cannot re-download these apps. Use parental control features to block the websites (so amazon.com, etc) so you cannot access them on your phone.
Repeat as necessary for all internet-connected devices in your possession. This would include your laptop/desktop, tablets, etc.
If you do not know how to do this, ask one of your kids to do it for you. There are also filtering apps/software that are available if parental controls can’t keep you in check. Even if they cost something, it’s not $700/mo. You’ve just admitted to being a compulsive spender, and quite frankly with your history, you need to be protected from yourself.
Your children do not want or need to support you financially. Everything you do, and have done for YEARS is leading them to supporting you financially as you age. I don’t know how to keep this at the top of your mind, but you need to repeat it to yourself every time you go to buy something.
You do know you can go back and return some of those items? I would definitely go back and reevaluate which items were impulse purchases and send those back (if still return eligible)
It’s very difficult to follow your journey or have this community give you any valuable advice when you’re not giving any details. What are you buying? You make it sound as if you’re making great strides in paying off debt in one post and then saying you’re maxing out a card in another post. It’s very confusing. Until you’re willing to at least share your spending and start tracking what you’re actually buying, it doesn’t seem like you actually want to make any changes.
I assume this happened after she shared her last spreadsheet with us. Hope has never said she was remotely good at any of the financial stuff, ya’ll gotta give it a rest! I am not surprised she kinda had a setback, somewhat disappointed. She does want to change I am sure, but maybe her upbringing and other life issues play into who we see posting here today.
Give it a rest? All I asked was what did she buy. And she’s said in the past she was going to start a daily tracking of what she spends and share it here. The spreadsheet that is currently shared here only shows current debt totals.
She has shown many a time that she struggles, nothing new! I just get tired of people complaining at her – this is just a blog, folks act like she is personally hurting them by not doing things correctly. She’s only hurting herself – and if it’s annoying, just move on or ignore her. All the other gals are dong well, champion their successes.
Let’s get this straight. It’s unfair to expect Hope to be able to use a spreadsheet, despite her advertising herself as a virtual assistant, office help, etc, and while posting on a financial site. Yeah, sure.
As for “she does want to change”: WHEN? she’s been doing the same ol’, same ol’ for ten years now. People who want to change TRY ro change.
Are you actually Hope? Why do you always come to her defense?
Yes, I am Hope – you got me! If you guys don’t like her behaviour, why not just stop reading the blog! I never said she didn’t use a spreadsheet properly – I am saying, the Amazon stuff seems to be AFTER she posted her most recent budget. Hope has a problem with spending and saving, that is NO surprise. So why people come to get snarky with her I don’t understand – I think it makes folks feel good to lord her mistakes over her – nothing she does, good or bad affects anyone who comments here but ya’ll sure act like it.
Deleting the amazon app, changing the password to something random is a great idea.
Also – I think you have to look at your underlying “why” of what happens when you are buying things you can’t afford. Until you do that you won’t solve your problems. Are you trying to feel a certain way, or avoid a feeling? Are you distracting yourself from something? These are things to ponder when you look at your impulse purchases. If you have access to low cost therapy it would be helpful to unpack some of this.
In response to the comment about Debtors Anonymous below – that’s a great idea and maybe better than a random therapist. It looks like there are many virtual meeting options.
You say you need to do something differently but what you’re talking about now is, in many ways, more of the same. Confronting and getting to the root of your behaviors might be the change you need.
https://debtorsanonymous.org/meeting-search-virtual/?mytz=Y&myoffset=-4
If you can, return some of it. $700 is a lot of shopping in one month, and way, way too much for someone with as much debt as you have. Delete the app, cancel the card, and if you need more motivation keep your debt spreadsheet handy to look it anytime you have the urge to shop. I don’t know what else the commenters can say to get through to you. You’ve mentioned several times where your family has loaned you money. They will not be able to do that forever, and your kids shouldn’t have to support you in your old age. Which is what will happen if you keep this up. I would also encourage you to look into debtors anonymous, or something similar. I don’t have any personal experience with the program, but it sounds like you have a shopping addiction and it might help.
The Debtor’s Anon is a great idea – I am sure folks have recommended therapy before but maybe she will look into it now.
If you can, yes please return the unnecessary items. Remove the app, and don’t look for it on your browser either. Why not cut up the card in the interim? Pay it down/off before you decide to close the account. Otherwise, I understand keeping the Amazon account open but definitely remove the app from your phone for a start.