Right now, I'm in a really bad place financially. I had a horrible day: melted plastic in the oven, I was trying to put a glass tree topper up and it fell and broke, then the bank calls me, saying I owe them $400. I have a consultation for dental surgery coming up for $130 and the surgery is $800. I only had $350 saved up in my savings account and I had to use that to pay the bank, plus I'll be paying them the remaining money with my pay check on Friday.

I also have to cancel Buddy's vet appointment (again) because the money is just not there.

I have a spending problem. I buy shit I don't need, but I want it so bad, that I just buy it. I don't know how to stop spending. I need counseling for that.

If I had a bottle of wine, I'd be drinking the whole bottle.

I just want to cry right now. My mom said that all of this is my fault. Yes I know, she didn't have to rub it in.

My current life in a nutshell.

That situation really sucks. I know how you feel though. I feel like I never have any money to do anything important, but I always manage to find money to buy something stupid like a snack to take to work or fast food because I don't feel like cooking. I wish there was something that I could do to help, but being not so super well off financially myself, I really can't. I don't know why your mom was being such a jerk about it though. That feels really unnecessary. Our parents are supposed to help us in situations like this, not make us feel worse. :(

I was in a similar situation to this when I was a teenager living on my own. if you can't afford counselling to help with the addiction (sorry it sounds like a scary word, but working in psychiatry that is what we call it) then I would suggest going to the bank and cancelling all of your credit cards or meeting with a financial advisor to get you on a payment plan, if you can do that then you can avoid filing for bankruptcy. I was drowning in interest, my interest payments were so high i couldn't even pay off my balance every month, only the interest. I have a ton of advice on shopping for food clothes etc. if you are not living at home, if you are, you're already in luck because your parents most likely pay for your foot and board so you just have to worry about your own spending habits. cut the credit cards up if you have them, that's my biggest piece of advice, this way you only have cash. if you do live at home, as your parents to take "rent" from you every month that they store into a retirement savings plan or tax free savings account for you so you CAN'T TOUCH IT. you will then have less money on hand to buy stuff you don't need, and you will be saving for your future retirement/home/school. Do not live outside your means, it is such an awful thing to try and get out of. If you need any advice for food etc. just message me, i've been on my own since 17 and learned EVERYTHING the hard way!!! Good luck xo

I'm on my own. Have been now for 7 years. My credit card debt has been moved to my Line of Credit where the interest is much lower. I got rid of my Visa, but my Line of Credit is 5k. I had almost got it paid off and then I went on a spending spree. I need to make a budget.

My mom sees it as "You got yourself into this mess, so it's your fault". It was also my fault when my friend forced himself on me back in 2009. Yup, everything I do is my fault.

I'm so sorry you're going through this right now. I have a similar problem with spending, but it's mostly with micropaying on this app I use all the damn time. I know I shouldn't be paying $.99 here and $4.99 there, but I keep doing it. I hate myself when I do it, but I enjoy the damn game so I keep doing it. It's like a drug habit. I want to just delete the app, but I can't make myself do it.

I wish I could help you more than just commiserating, but I'm in a shitty financial situation myself. I have the aforementioned app problem and then two credit cards to pay off, not to mention my GD student loans. I really hope things get better for you from here though. They have to. You don't deserve this crap. hugs

I'm really sorry, hon, that situation sucks. :( Its really not fair of someone to blame you for everything that happens in your life, especially when it was obviously not something that you did by choice. Hopefully, things will get better on that front one day. It drives me crazy when someone's parents want to blame them for everything. I have been living on my own since I was 18 (and I'll be 28 tomorrow, so pretty much anything I could have possibly screwed up in my life, I've probably already done it) so if there is any advice I can give you, I would be glad to try to help.

Oh, lord, student loans and microtransactions. I've been there. It is so easy to rationalize spending $0.99 on a game, and then before you realize it you've spent $20 and it's only be a couple of days. And I have like $60k in student loans, and I feel like I am just drowning in debt from it. I'm actually sort of glad to know that isn't just me.

Oh sorry I thought you were living with parents since you had mentioned your mom butting in. That is so smart to get a line of credit and pay that off, way lower interest. Budgets are key too! I have a friend who budgets her entire life on an excel file but she is slowly chipping away at her debt. Flyer shop as well, like buy food thats on sale then go to pinterest and find meals with those ingredients. Don't ever buy anything thats not on sale. Also, if you're in Canada, I can send you tons of counselling and medical info. Elsewhere, I'm not sure how it works, but you could call your local hospital or community center to see if they have counselling at cheaper rates. Or maybe someone who is in school for psychology/social work could offer you free counselling as experience for their residency etc. I know that overspending is usually a symptom of underlying depression, anxiety, trauma etc. I know it was from my own experience, and with most of the people we see coming in. So maybe in order to stop the spending, you would need to invest in counselling (although i know, it's more money, vicious cycle!!) I'm really sorry you are having such a hard time, and without your moms support, i know it must feel like you're barely above water. You've already proving you are making decisions to get your life together and back on track, so I know you've got this, it's just so many long baby steps it might feel like nothing is working but you will get there.

I'm in Ontario. There is a place for addictions counseling in my city, but I don't know what it's all about. I'm thinking it's probably more alcohol and drug related.

I've already had counseling for what happened in the past. I honestly think that's what started it. I had so much money saved up in 2009, my dad forced me to invest it and I lost it all. When I had more money saved up, it pretty much dwindled because of this douche bag.

It was such a big blow when I saw I only have $5 left in my savings account.

Are you in Canada?

I also work ONE shift a week. I can't live off a $58 paycheck. The new girl she hired in January gets anywhere between 2-4 shifts a week. I've been there for four years. Like, wtf.

I also live in Ontario, I am in Ottawa! I can tell you the best ways to use that OHIP to your full advantage I will private message you on my lunch!! 58$ paycheque dannnggg omg i would be stressing out too!!! It's too bad seasonal hiring season is over, unless you go in and talk to a manager you can see if they need extra help somewhere thats busy around the holidays like a mall or chapters, shoppers drug mart etc. I will message you in an hour or so!