Struggling to find the middle ground between survival mode and overspending. How do I build discipline now?
I recently got a stable job after being unemployed for months, and I’ve noticed I’ve been spending a concerning amount on food delivery only two weeks into the job.
During unemployment, there were times I genuinely had to stop myself from spending money on food even when I was hungry or craving something simple. Now that I can finally afford it again, I think I’m overcompensating for that period of deprivation.
The reason I’m concerned is because if I’m already acting this way now, I feel like this could become a much bigger problem in the future especially since I’m now earning more than I did at my previous job. I don’t want food spending and convenience habits to end up causing financial strain for me later on just because I finally have access to things I couldn’t comfortably afford before.
I’m also getting back into working out and trying to rebuild healthier habits overall, both financially and physically. I’ve been trying to stop relying so much on food delivery, but I keep falling short and slipping back into the habit.
I wanted to ask if anyone else here experienced this kind of rebound spending after a long period of financial stress or deprivation. How did you manage it before it became a long-term habit?