How Spring Fever Can Lead to Overspending

After another long, dark, and snowy winter, Canadians are more than ready for spring. You might be so excited about the warmer weather that you feel it as a physical sensation. 

Some people would say you’ve come down with a case of spring fever. It describes the excitement, restlessness, and even anxiety that come with the change of seasons. 

Think of it as the opposite of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which describes the depression many Canadians fall into during the winter months when they don’t get enough exposure to sunlight. 

While it might feel more invigorating than SAD, spring fever can be just as disruptive to your life. It can affect your mood — and your finances, too!

Spring Fever’s Affect on Hormones, Spending, and Debt

Spring brings with it warmer and brighter days than winter. An increase in daylight does wonders to your body. It causes a biochemical change in your brain, flooding it with serotonin.

Serotonin is a cheery neurotransmitter that is integral to mood regulation. Enough of it can banish those winter blues and make you feel happier and more energetic. 

There’s also a good chance you will become more motivated than in the winter. You might feel ready to take on anything, which is why so many Canadians decide to clean their homes from top-to-bottom in spring. 

Plenty of Canadians also take advantage of the good weather by sitting on patios, going on vacation, updating their wardrobes, or taking on household improvement projects. All these things cost money.

If you aren’t careful, you can fall into a habit of spending due to another neurotransmitter: dopamine. With every drink you have on a patio or new clothing item you buy, your brain releases dopamine, the “happy hormone.” 

Dopamine reinforces the good feelings that come with the latest purchase, and it can make you want to keep spending, even if you can’t afford it. Some people may even put these unnecessary splurges on a line of credit. 

While a line of credit may be a useful financial tool, it shouldn’t accompany you while you shop for the non-essentials. That’s according to the line of credit experts at Fora, who call a line of credit a safety net to tap into in times of need. 

Why? Because you will accrue interest and fees on any outstanding balance on this financial tool. In other words, your shopping will cost even more if you can’t pay it off in time. You also run the risk of running up your balance so high that you don’t have any more funds to withdraw in an emergency. 

How to Avoid Springtime Debt

There’s no harm in celebrating the change of seasons, as long as you know your limits. Here are some tips to ensure your springtime splurges fit your budget. 

• Make a budget to understand how much money you can safely use on treats, experiences, and renovations. 
• Wait three days before making big purchases to determine if you really need them. 
• Use credit cards like cash, charging planned expenses that fit your budget and paying them off right away.
• Keep your line of credit on standby for emergencies only. 
• Track your moods this spring to understand what motivates your spending. This can also help you identify triggers that make you spend recklessly.  
• Better yet, focus your extra energy on how you can pay down your debt. 

The Takeaway:

Spring fever isn’t a cause for alarm, as long as you don’t get carried away with spending. Follow these tips to help you greet the warm weather without blowing your budget.