Spending Withdrawal

I think I'm having spending withdrawal. What do I do with myself now that I am not spending money? I usually find myself at the Home Depot or other store on the weekend, but not this weekend.

For years, I have been telling myself and others that I don't like shopping and that I don't spend much money. After this weekend, I realize my statements have been totally false. I have been in denial. I do like shopping and I do like spending money. Now that I am refraining from such activities, I miss them - at least I think I do.

Maybe I just don't know what to do with myself. I'm sure it will get better, but I realize that this is just the beginning of a very long and difficult path for me. In my attempt to find something to do without spending money, I went on-line looking for inspiration. I found a blog by a person writing about her own financial habits. She recommends using a credit card for everything in order to earn air miles and then paying off the balance in full each month. She had a lot of positive responses from readers who felt inclined to respond. I was so surprised at the responses because they were not anything close to what I was thinking. Her words scared me.

I am even more determined to never engage in such reckless behaviors again. As silly as it may sound, I'm not sure how to spend responsibly yet. That will come later. Now, I need to focus on eliminating my debt. I suppose I did, after all, get the inspiration that I was seeking.