Sometimes, obvious ways to curb our spending is seldom practiced because we feel embarrassed to try it. We read about them, laugh that it’s probably “just for fun”, and forget about them right after. Yesterday, my friend reminded me that while we might feel funny doing something unusual the first time, it is always the results that actually determine who laughs at the end of the day.
Friend: David, I freeze my credit card in order to stop myself from spending.
Me: You mean calling the companies to stop them?
Friend: No, I mean literally.
I was a little shocked once I realized she really did this. She even went a step further and have the block of ice at her boyfriend’s house. She then continued to tell me the benefits:
- No More Splurging – She used to shop all the time. Now that she doesn’t have a credit card, she doesn’t buy anything she doesn’t really need.
- Time to Think – When she wants to buy something, she needs to drive to her boyfriend’s house, thaw the ice and then take the credit card to the store. If she still wants to buy it after all that trouble, it is probably necessary.
- Still Have the Cards – My friend thought about canceling the cards but she would lose all the credit history by doing so. She also wanted to have the flexibility of using it in case she really needed it for some reason.
For those who want to try it, it is really super simple:
- Fill a container with water
- Put the credit card in there
- Freeze it
She told me that even the magnetic stripe at the back of the card still works so there’s no worries that it won’t work after being frozen and thawed.
Now that I think about it, I wonder if this will be a good birthday present for someone. A block of frozen credit cards (with no candle on top of course).
This post is dedicated to my friend Jenn, who taught me that not only is there absolutely no shame in doing something thats effective, it is actually quite admirable.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
A Creditsicle… Try freezing it in Fruit Juice, that way you can enjoy getting it back out.
..and if online spending is your problem (as I speak to myself), you might want to use some food-coloring or put foil around your card or something first…since reading it through a block of clear ice may not be too hard to do.
Good idea George! Doesn’t work if you shop online so much you’ve memorized the number
Anyway, my added suggestion is to use a metal container, so you can’t microwave it. The foil George suggested would work, too. That will give you added cooling-off time (or should I say, warming up?)
Good idea! You should host an interview with this friend next time. She sounds like a creative girl!
I have a set of cards frozen in my freezer now – they belong to my grown daughter, and she has NO clue where in the freezer they are – and she doesn’t want to know either
She asked me to hold on to them for her 
This is what I tell all of my friends looking for financial advice. They think I’m crazy.
The habit of spending can be very hard to break – so removing temptation while the new non spending habit develops is a good idea.
good post
How about this advice: Don’t have credit cards to ice your spending. I don’t think credit cards make sense, that why I don’t use them. Just do it the old fashion way, don’t get it if you can’t afford it.
Chiko, that’s great advice if you never want a bank/financial institution to lend you money for anything – EVER. Think about it, you need good credit (or at least SOME CREDIT) to buy a house or get a loan for a car…if you just ‘do it the old fashioned way’, you’ll be waiting a good 20-30 years (with really frugal spending/saving habits before you’ll be buying your first little starter home.
But then again, some people are content just renting their whole lives – which is great too, don’t get me wrong.
Heh, that’s pretty funny. Of course, I have a problem in that I know my credit card number off by heart and I know I can shop online! In fact, neither this or having my credit card in my wallet makes a single difference to my impromptu spending … it just doesn’t happen!
This is great. I am in the process of freezing of my credit card right now. It’s good to hear that I am not alone.