• Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Disclosure

TeensGotCents

Why wait to live a centsible life?

  • Common Cents
  • Job Cents
  • Shopping Cents
  • College Cents
  • Mom Cents
  • Blog Cents

The Recovering Spender

by Charlotte Leave a Comment

If you have trouble controlling your spending, get your spending under control with Lauren’s book "The Recovering Spender". The stories she tells are deeply authentic and you will be able to relate to so much of what Lauren has gone through. By the end of the book you will have a solid plan on how to stop spending, pay off debt and get your life back.

$40,000.00 in secret debt is how Lauren Greutman‘s story begins in her new book, The Recovering Spender.

It isn’t pretty but her journey to become a ‘recovering spender’ is an inspiration and I for one am glad that she had the courage to share the ugly details, explain how she dug her way out of debt and how she has moved towards financial security.

Here’s what Lauren has to say about her book, The Recovering Spender:

“What you’ll find in this book is my story of how I found us buried in $40,000 of debt, and how I managed to dig us back out. I’ll walk you through what it takes for a Spender to go into “recovery” with her spending, climb her way out of debt, and live a life of financial freedom….Through trial and error (okay, mostly error) I’ve found what works to keep me from spending money….I am a Recovering Spender, and I hope to help you get into recovery as well.”

Seeing My Triggers

The entire book is full of great information, but one part – two pages actually, really stood out to me and made me reevaluate the way I think about spending money in a specific area.

It’s all the way back in Chapter 10, “Triggers and Your Money Personality”.

Lauren explains that it’s important to know your spending triggers and how to stop them in order to stop spending money. That makes sense to me, but to be honest, I’m more of a saver.

She goes on to talk about different types of shoppers. You know, the type of people who are emotional shoppers or a bargain shopper who can never pass up a good deal. Lauren admits that she is several of these types of spenders and even though she considers herself in recovery now she is still tempted to overspend just because something is a good deal.

Recovering Spender Been There

In learning what her triggers are she set up some ground rules for herself in order to avoid them. These boundaries described in The Recovering Spender have helped her stop the spending:

If you have trouble controlling your spending, get your spending under control with Lauren’s book "The Recovering Spender". The stories she tells are deeply authentic and you will be able to relate to so much of what Lauren has gone through. By the end of the book you will have a solid plan on how to stop spending, pay off debt and get your life back.

*No home-based parties. This one is really hard for me because I want to help my friends out who are trying to build a business! The truth is that I don’t have money budgeted for these types of purchases so I need to avoid going as well.

*No shopping at the mall alone. Very good tip for those of us who love to spend and need accountability!

*Cash only. Lauren only uses cash for personal expenses.

*Shop at thrift stores and online consignment websites.

*Do not buy from anyone selling something as a fund raiser. This one is tough for me as well. I sold cookies as a girl scout and I like to support the girls by getting at least one box every year. Again though, the truth is that I don’t need to eat a box of cookies and I don’t have money budgeted to support fund raisers, even when it’s a good cause.

*No expensive birthday parties for your children. Just think of all the stress and spending that will be reduced by having family parties only!

*Avoid home decorating stores. This is a huge trigger for Lauren so she stays away as much as possible.

Takeaways from The Recovering Spender

As a saver my tendency is probably to overspend at the grocery store because I always want to have a full pantry and fridge. Sometimes this is just not helpful especially when we end up throwing away outdated food because I have overspent at the grocery store.

the recovering spender

One way I try to counteract this is to make a menu list and stick to it very carefully. Sometimes I take advantage of BOGO sales but only if it’s something we use regularly.

If you have trouble controlling your spending I recommend you get a copy of Lauren’s book. The stories she tells are deeply authentic and you will be able to relate to so much of what Lauren has gone through. By the end of the book you will have a solid plan on how to stop the spending, pay off debt, and get your life back.

Share the Wealth!

You May Also Like These

They say that every little cent adds up, and as a teen who is always looking to keep the most of her money, I am starting to learn this major lessons. I save money on buying gum, shopping sales, and sharing meals with friends. But that’s not it. I’ve got 22 more ideas on how teens can save money. They don’t take much work and it doesn’t involve staying at home all day. What more could you ask from your money saving routines?25 Ways I Save Money!Thrift shopping can consume a lot of time but it's worth all the money you can save on your wardrobe. How much really can you save at a thrift store? Anna conducted an experiment and shows us if it's worth it or not!Should You Shop Thrift Stores or Retail Stores?Good shoes matter and not just for style, but they can be so expensive! Learn what to look for when you shop and how to find the best deals on shoes!Footwear Fallacies: There’s More to Good Shoes than Style

Join thousands of other teens on the path to a secure financial future!

Get my eBook Seven Days to Centsible Savings when you sign up for my FREE email newsletter!

< Previous Post Confessions of a Personal Finance Blogger
Next Post > Tips on a Successful Yard Sale

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published - required fields are marked *

Hi guys, I’m Eva!

Welcome to TeensGotCents, my name is Eva Baker and I founded this site when I was sixteen. I'm a complete money nerd and I love helping teens learn how money works. Also, I watch too much Netflix. Although I still have a lot to learn about personal finance I hope you will use my successes and failures to help reach your own goals whether you want to go to college debt free, get a part time job, work on a fun DIY project that will save you money or just read about ways you can learn to manage your money well as a teen. So glad you're here! Read more about my story here.

Become a subscriber

Get my eBook Seven Days to Centsible Savings when you sign up for my FREE email newsletter!

Be sure to check out these popular posts

Losing your wallet or (eek!) finding out that your purse was stolen can be terrifying and frustrating. If you find yourself without your cash, license, IDs, or credit cards, there’s a few steps you have to do right away. This article walks you through what you can do now to keep your money safe and possibly even get back what you lost or was stolen.

Lost Or Stolen Wallet? 7 Things To Do Now

Zan Campbell knows a thing or two about making a good first impression with the way you dress. As a helicopter pilot with the US Navy, he’s had to really work his way to the top, and one of the ways he did this is by styling himself in a way that was memorable and professional. Zan stops by the blog to give his best advice for teens who want to class up their looks and use fashion to their advantage.

Making A Good First Impression – by Zan Campbell

When you’re busy raising a teen, it can be easy to let money lessons slide. But one valuable lesson you cannot forget is teaching your teen how to save money. It doesn’t have to be too detailed or complicated. In fact, you can just sit down and have your teen promise to save a percentage of their first paycheck or put aside a portion, or even all, of their allowance. I cover some of the easiest ways to teach a teen to become a money saver with these practical and easy tips to get the conversation started.

Practical Tips – Teaching Your Teen To Save

A few years ago, I interviewed college student Tim Ciello about how he managed to land a full-ride scholarship to his dream school. Now, he’s back (and graduated) to talk about what life without student loan debt is like and what his scholarships ended up not covering. While he admits that he hasn’t exactly figured out money as an adult yet, he has learned tons of valuable money and life lessons during his time as a student.

Is Student Loan Debt Worth It?

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google Plus
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Disclosure

Copyright © 2021 Teens Got Cents  |  All Rights Reserved  |  Site Design by Emily White Designs