15 Common Reasons People Overspend

Understanding your motivation for spending too much money is the first step toward taking control of your finances.

Most people never take the time to evaluate why they spend money. While the following is not a comprehensive list, if you recognize yourself among the following common bad spending habits, you can take the first step to bringing overspending under control:

Can't buy happiness: This is an easy trap to fall into, since most advertising goes to great lengths to associate a product with happiness. You purchase things believing that doing so will make your life better. While the purchase itself may give you pleasure, the feeling is fleeting. You will have to purchase something else to find more "happiness." ...