I'm an emotional spender.

If I have a shitty day at the office, I'll stop off at Sephora to splurge on facial resurfacers and energizing serums. I feel bad about myself when all my favorite outfits are in the laundry, so I hit the mall for a wardrobe refresh. When I burn my toast, I go stiletto shopping.

Ok, so it doesn't take much.

Whether I have money, or I don't, I can always justify a purchase if I know it's going to make me really happy.

So of course, with my life being the 20-something-single-girl-in-a-big-city rollercoaster that it is, my month usually ends in a last minute flurry of budgetary constraint.

Like, uh...right now.

We're nearing the end of the month, and I'm on cash lockdown. I had more than enough to go around on the 1st, but here I am again, living like a monk until the next payday.

It shouldn't be this hard. I shouldn't be living like this, right?

Stop Being Crap: Money trees are a cruel, cruel joke

I'm a grown-ass woman. I should be in control of stuff like this. So why do I keep wasting money?

Time to look a little deeper into my spending habits.

I spend because I'm just an impressionable little girl that like pretty things

Last week, I saw a picture of a beautiful blonde model sporting a pair of Victoria Beckham's designer aviators. Frames in rose gold, with a gorgeous rose hued gradient on the lense; these were the kind of sunglasses you sold your first born puppy for. And, surprise, surprise - they checked out at $775.

Of course, if I was impulse buying items like that - I'd be in serious trouble.

Nope. Fuelled for my sudden passion for aviator sunglasses, I hit the online shops, scouring the pages for the perfect pair, and whipping out my credit card to buy the first option that looked remotely like those Posh Spice originals.

In the space of twenty minutes, I'd seen the sparkly lure, taken the bait and gone hook, line and ca-ching.

I spend because I there's always something bigger and better than what I already have

I buy a pair of smoking heels. I take them home, smother them with love and Scholl's gel pads and display them in my bedroom to adore on a daily basis.

Weeks later, I find myself back in the store, perusing the shelves for that next big sling-back, forgetting about the untouched pumps sitting in my room, dismissing my brief love affair with them as a matter of lust.

As soon as I have what I want, I want something new. It's a vicious cycle. Like a rabid, blood-thirsty toddler on a trike.

I spend because new things make me feel better about myself

Like I said - I'm an emotional spender. If I'm not feeling great about myself, or my situation, a little treat goes a long way.

I get ideas in my head about needing new stuff. Like; I need this mauve lipstick, because I'm not doing enough to highlight my lips. Shock, horror. Or, I need this new handbag because the one I have doesn't make me look very professional in corporate situations. Or, I need this new dress otherwise no one will notice me at that party. Boo. Hoo.

Being needy is an expensive hobby.

Making the spending stop

I've decided it's time to take charge. If I'm going to makes some progress in life, I feel like I have to get control of my finances right about now.

I'll be able to travel more, make investments (like buying designer handbags instead of knock-offs...right?), start saving, and give myself the flexibility to do what I want!

• Start with a goal - Deciding what you want to achieve with your money is a good place to begin. Maybe you want to save up for something special, or perhaps you just want to eat right up until payday; having a goal in mind will make meaningless purchases a thing of the past. Whether you want to be able to buy drinks out with your friends every night, or you want to buy a house, if you're focused on your goal, you'll pinch pennies everywhere it doesn't matter to get it.

• Take stock - Get a proper look at where your finances are at. Go on - it might hurt a little, but it has to be done. Check out your credit cards, see how much debt you've got to deal with. Think of your credit card debt as a juicy intestinal parasite. It's eating up your money from the inside, and the more it eats, the bigger it gets. You won't be able to move forward until you're doing something about it. Like getting some antibiotics for godssake, that's disgusting!

• Set a budget dammit - I hate budgeting. Which probably has something to do with why I'm so broke all the time. Don't be like me. Get a pen and paper out, write down what you earn, and what you spend every month. Figure out where you can cut back, how much you can save/put towards your goal, and how much you can put toward any debt you have. Stop freestyling, and start planning. It's the only way to take back control!

• Have your iPhone keep you honest - We can set a budget, but sticking to it is another thing entirely. There's an app for that. I downloaded ExpenseTracker - and it's a good, easy way to watch what I'm spending. I can add my earnings, and my outgoings, and it calculates how you're doing as you go, so you can't hide from your bank balance, as much as you might like to. If an iPhone is not your style, you can always just get a little notebook to write it all down. Just the process of noting the expense makes you more conscious about it, and that has to be a good thing!

• Sign up for a financial advice newsletter to inspire you (or just make you feel bad) - I thought I'd give this a go after a friend suggested a particular site to me. Also, as a side note: when a friend starts suggesting shit like that to you, you kinda know you've got a problem. Anyhoo, check out Daily Worth (specifically designed for women) or I Will Teach You To Be Rich (not nearly as spammy as it sounds), and sign up for their newsletters. They're both pretty easy to understand, but are good at giving you a little kick up the butt, keeping you inspired to be proactive with your money. 

I'm the first to admit it. I've always been terrible with money. The only time I managed to get a handle on it was when I had a boyfriend doing my budgeting for me!

Argh. God, that sounds even crapper when I type it out loud. 

But it's time. I'm going to take control, finally, and start a new chapter in my financial existence. 

*hyperventilates*

No, but seriously, this time. I'm going to do it.

Seriously.

*hyperventilates a little more*

Seriously, though.