Money Sense 201: Lesson 5 - The Poverty Pendulum: Feast, Famine, Repeat: The Poverty Pendulum: Feast, Famine, Repeat
People who grew up in scarcity swing between extremes. You're not inconsistent. You're trying to regulate emotion with cash.
The Poverty Pendulum: Feast, Famine, Repeat
People who grew up in scarcity often swing between extremes: Save everything → break → spend everything → freeze → repeat.
It's not a discipline issue. It's an emotional release cycle.
You're not inconsistent. You're trying to regulate emotion with cash.
Why the Pendulum Swings
Deprivation Creates Pressure: When you restrict yourself for too long, the pressure builds. Eventually, it explodes.
Scarcity Brain Craves Relief: Your brain says: "I can't keep living like this. I deserve something good."
The Release Feels Like Freedom: Spending feels like rebellion, relief, reward. "Finally, I get to enjoy life."
Then Comes the Crash: After the release, reality hits. Guilt, fear, shame return. You vow to "never do that again." The cycle resets.
The Pattern:
- Restriction Phase: "I'm going to be so good with money. No more mistakes."
- Pressure Builds: Life feels joyless. You're exhausted from saying no to everything.
- Breaking Point: One bad day. One stressful moment. One "I deserve this."
- Release Phase: Spending spree. "I'll deal with it later."
- Shame Phase: "What did I do? I'm so stupid. I'll never be good with money."
- Restart: Back to restriction. Repeat.
How to Stop the Pendulum
Normalize it. You're not broken. This is a coping mechanism from childhood deprivation.
Small releases prevent big explosions. Allow yourself small, planned pleasures regularly. Don't wait for breaking points.
Separate need from want. Ask: "Am I spending to meet a need or to soothe an emotion?"
Practice: The 60-Second Micro Reset
When you feel the urge to spend impulsively:
- Pause (10 seconds): Stop. Don't click. Don't swipe.
- Breathe (20 seconds): Take 5 slow breaths.
- Ask (30 seconds): "What feeling am I trying to fix right now? Is there another way to address it?"
You're not trying to stop yourself forever. Just buying yourself 60 seconds to choose consciously.
The Micro-Win
You understand the pattern. That's the first step to breaking it.
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