Stress and spending are definitely related. When I get stressed out, my apartment gets messy, and the mess leads to more stress. But since it's messy, I don't want to spend any time there, so I go out to eat or to get coffee or to the store. This past weekend I cleaned up the apartment and it's gorgeous once again, now all I want to do is sip my home-brewed coffee on the couch and enjoy it!

I am well aware of the impact stress can have on the pocket book. One of the things I really regret is taking a good paying job that turned out to be extremely stressful. The result was a period of time when I spent a lot of money on stuff I now am trying to sell, for way less than I paid.

The fact that I can sell it means it really didn't matter much to me or that the stuff was not really needed. The act of shopping and acquiring gives a short term pleasurable feeling but in return it meant more credit card bills which meant it was harder to leave that good paying job.

I also have been involved in different types of collecting and I see the stress buying things causes in people. One is having too much and then trying to deal with it. Another is when there is competition for limited items. People do crazy things. And I see people buy things when they are going through bad times, only to turn around later to sell the item. So spending too much can cause stress, and stress can cause people to buy too much.

What I do now is I try to really think about buying something. No impulse buying. And I try to think about how the money should first go to paying credit cards and such. I also try to relieve my stress by thinking of ways to deal with whatever is stressing me. Instead of using something non-productive to relieve it. It's difficult at times, I need to find ways to pep talk myself. But the result is worth it I hope.

The best way I have found to manage stress and spending is by planning. For example, in the mornings if I do not have a lunch ready to go I will either have to (a) make something (which stresses me out because I will be running late) or (b) I will get a frozen entrée or eat out (causing me to spend more money). When I plan the week well I can make healthy meals I know will have leftovers and put them in containers ready for lunch. I have found that when I plan, I can avoid stress and save money… it’s a win-win!

Try not to go out and shop when stressed. It is true you will spend more and think you need more when in reality you don't.

Stress and spending are connected.

When I get stressed out, I tend to fantasize about purchasing an iPhone or other types of consumer goods. I know this about myself, and rather than shopping I thinking about my simple living philosophy and how I truly want to spend my life energy.

Also, doing yoga, running or other types of physical activities help ease my stress levels and consumer wants.

I know shopping is not the answer to happiness. :)

I have some money budgeted for "fun" each month so I don't feel deprived on the financial side to want to indulge for pleasure when I'm stressed. I also don't feel deprived with the foods I eat so I also don't tend to overeat when I'm stressed. I'd agree with the earlier poster that I tend more toward clutter when I'm stressed.

If I'm feeling particularly stressed, I'll allow myself a small treat (like a fancy coffee that I normally don't buy). Small treats every once in a while keep me sane and keep me from splurging. Don't let the little treats creep into habits though!

I know I am a little backwards from most, but I tend to avoid spending when I am stressed. I do think it is a vicious cycle, because when I stress that there is no money, I mentally compose lists of money that "needs" to be spent, but I do not spend a dime. I drive by stores and wonder how anyone is able to spend money, but I do not stop. I avoid stores when I am stressed. It is after I am feeling like we will be okay with money that I start spending again. Once I know there is money, I feel okay about spending it, but the mental lists I was making when stressed? They go away. Those things seem very unimportant once I have a cushion again. I wonder why that is....

I allow myself small indulgences when I'm stressed---a chocolate nugget, or an ice cream cone here and there. It always helps me to take a deep breath and remind myself how fortunate I am. Sounds corny, but it works for me.

Stress doesn't make me spend (I'm not an emotional shopper), but having spent too much definitely causes me stress! When I had a pretty large amount of credit card debt I had many stress-filled days and nights, scrambling to pay bills on time. It's a terrible way to live, always worrying about money and not having enough. Rather than go shopping if I'm stressed I like to go for walks or play with my dog, take a nap, take a bubble bath, read a good book/magazine, or watch a funny TV show/movie. Those things help me unwind without racking up any debt!

I think of some very cool Nuns I used to know. They were highly educated, rarely complained, lived in a small private room, and had two winter dresses and two summer dresses. The happiest people ever have less spending stress.

When I get stressed out I try only to go for rock bottom bargains & only shop in bargain/discount/dollar stores and thrift shps - but it can be dangerous even there - So step #2 is to go on a $ diet and avoid any shopping AT ALL.

I recently had to pick up someone's hours at work along with my own, indefinitely, so I am finding myself in this stress-spending dilemma as well. One thing that is helping is excusing myself from housework. It can wait or hubby can do it. So it's imperfect, but I can put it out of my mind and relax, read, or take a nap. I've earned it anyway. If I find money burning a hole in my pocket, I use it for small treats: like the ingredients for a curry, or blueberry yogurt, or organic fruit. It's a healthier way to treat myself and it ends up saving money in the long run. Who has time to shop anyway? My real spending hazard is boredom and depression. When that happens I spend my retail therapy at thrift stores.

I don't shop that much except for necessities. Most of the spending is done by my wife and for our kids. I still have the same shirts that I was wearing 3 years ago, maybe I should get a new one every now and then...When I do shop then I stress over if I really needed the item or just wanted it and have about a 50% return rate.

I actually don't have a connection problem between stress and spending. Mine is more between stress and eating and also between spending and then depression (about the spending). I'm sure there are areas of overlap, tho :) Mostly I try to stay focused and not let myself get stressed out about things like I used to. It helps that my focus can be on reducing spending and meal planning, all things that help me avoid pitfalls.

Depending on the source of my stress, I may either spend some or not.

I sometimes spend to buy myself something to make me feel better or to cheer myself up. This is usually the case when it's work/school/etc that's got me down.

Or, I'll just hoard all I can into savings. If I stress about spending money, this is what I'll often do. If I feel worse about keeping the money than spending it on an item, then I figure that it's important enough for me to buy and I'll buy it. (Very little buyer's remorse here!)

... to breathe in and out slowly ... pray if you have one to pray to; or, meditate and think of a wonderful and peaceful place to go for a minute or two ...

remember that "things" are not "who" you are... breathe ... relax ... just for a minute or two ... and remember who you are ... and how strong you are...

Eventually you can go back and seize the day. Godspeed!

I have to say that stress really (in my opinion)can be closely related to spending as a whole particularly in it's addictive style. I have seen many people who simply cannot afford to buy things because of a job loss or previous mounting debts that they have said where out of hand and yet they were charging up sometimes what seemed useless items. This has left me to think that because of the stress in their life spending seems to be almost like a medicine at that moment because all seems okay when they walk away with whatever was bought. Yet it all is a vicious cycle with one relapse after another.
I think stress just shows itself in many forms and spending is definitively for some a momentary relief.

I have been thinking about the connection- perversely, I spend foolishly when I'm stressed out about debt. I mentally throw up my hands and find myself spending money I don't have on things I think I may need...in case of absolute financial disaster! For instance, I'll pass on the single roll of 39 cent Walgreens toilet paper in favor of a 12-roll pack, even if I only have 39 cents in my wallet. Or I'll fill up the gas tank and overdraw my account to do so- or kite a check to make sure the refrigerator is stocked. It's clearly a fear-based reaction to living paycheck to paycheck in an uncertain time, but it winds up costing a lot in overdraft fees and the like. It doesn't make any sense! However, writing down everything I spend (per my new budget counselor) and "white-knuckling" it through the lean times is helping mightily.

I feel much more tired when under heavy stress, so I don't have the energy to hit the department stores for "shopping therapy." But I will be more open to spending money for quick, convenient food if I am too tired to cook. My method of combating stress food spending is to cook and freeze batches of food over the weekend that I can reheat for dinner during the week. I also cook a lot of rice so there's always the option of making quick fried rice from it, eggs and whatever leftovers or frozen vegs are at hand.

I just try to tell myself that, in the time it takes me to drive to the fast food store, order, wait, and drive home, I coudl have gone home and prepared a meal.

If you go out, you see advertising telling you how to fell, what to do, etc.
When you were a kid, nobody ever told you how to be happy, yet you most likely were, because you lived in the moment, and you have small quantity of external stimulus.
Now it is different, and when you start acting upon the external stimulus, you forget the internal part, and when you remember it, then you stress out...
So, stop the external stimulus, and act on your internal mind, which very likely will tell you that family and friends are the important part of your life... Everything else can be obtained thru faith in the universe. Someone will help you, someone will tell you the right direction to solve some of your problems, someone will remind you of your inner child, and when that happens, you will feel complete and things will flow your way...

A written spending plan or spreadsheet keeps the urge to spend at bay. If I stay with the pre-determined "plan"; it takes away the stress. (especially for Christmas Shopping)

Stress and spending are an angel/devil kind of thing with me: angel wins: I exercise; devil wins: I buy junk food.

Usually, its my time that's in short supply, so I buy more expensive things to compensate, i.e. ready-to-eat meals or take out as opposed to cooking from scratch. Or, if the place is messy, because I haven't had time to clean, it seems more fun to go out & invaribly I end up spending. And then I do feel stressed because the bills are high, and I feel the need to spend more time working to make more money. So, what I do is I take my take home pay (after retirement, taxes, etc are subtracted), divide by a 40 hour work week & get an actual hourly rate for what I earn. Then I decide if whatever I'm going to buy is worth X number of hours at work of my time. It takes me 40 hours/month to pay for the house--one week a month to pay for something I live in 100% of the time--that's reasonable. 40 hours for some gadget that I'll lose interest in after a year or so? 3 hours to pay for a fancy dinner that lasts 1 hr? Nah, not so appealing now. 30 minutes or less to pay for a 2 hour movie? Sounds good!

With the actual $/hr rate, I don't stress over smaller items & it makes it clear on larger items if its worth the costs.

I am one of those who is actually stressed out by spending money at all. I used to stress-spend, after I got my first job but before I had to worry about things like rent, car insurance, or student loans. Now that I do have all those things to worry about, my budget is much tighter, so I keep careful track of my money with a spreadsheet; whenever I'm at the store I have to actually tell myself that it's OK to spend money sometimes, even if I'm only buying necessities at the time.

I am, however, an emotional eater, so I definitely understand how stress can bring on the urge to spend money, which then creates a vicious stress-cycle.

The relationship of stress and spending is called my therapist, for some reason the more stressed the higher the bill. I think it has something to do with the broken furniture I find myself replacing, and for her own therapy bill. Jeans and shoes are my xanax... I find the sound of plastic being dragged through a machine very soothing. ATM button beeps? Could lull me to sleep. I spend much more when I'm stressed. I always tip more too, people who don't even need it. When I'm stressed and I tip I always feel like I just made that persons day...which usually makes me feel better. And finally Starbucks! Starbucks is legal crack for those of us who go through 9-5s like zombies. I'm a junkie and when I'm stressed I stop eating, I replace real food with somewhat-dessertlike-extremelybadforyou-butalwaysmakesyoufeelsupperior-venti cinno. Why the hell not? So yes when I'm stressed I spend what most people spend on college tuition on things I don't need. Bad? Maybe. Connection? Def!

stress causes impulse buying in my opinion.

If you feel you must spend to relieve stress then buy for someone else. The gratitude you have for that good deed will out weigh the stress you will have for spending money you didn't have. Be good to yourself, you deserve the Praise.

Oh, Yea! I believe stress attacks in some form or other. I am not shopper so, I don't go out and shop. What I do is smother the ones I love. I will bake cookies from scratch in the middle of the week or create fabulous meal. My relief for stress is cooking. My children think they did something wonderful because they get special treats or unique food. The reward is my family praises me and tells me how marvelous everything was or is. This is relief. I am receiving praise and gratitude for something I couldn't control - stress. So, I say find an outlet for your stress and make sure it gives back. Your emotions will appreciate the gratitude and the praise you receive from doing something for someone else.
After years of doing the cooking stress relief, my children have finally caught on that Mom is freaked out about something and they come in and talk to me about everything.