compulsive spending

My son is a young adult diagnosed with  Tourettes Syndrome & Asperges.  He has  a fairly low IQ & now lives in the community with carer support.  His compulsion to spend is becoming a major problem -  his carers have  tried to help him budget but he usually argues & insists on shopping on the internet, & buying electronic gadgets & playstation games. 

Has anyone got any ideas on how to cope with this sort of compulsion?  He is now overdrawn & feeling miserable as now has no money to spend on Xmas presents & risks not being able to pay his rent & losing his Sky contract.  I am giving him a small amount to spend on family presents, but am very concerned that he will never break free from this cycle of constant craving for consumer items.

It would be so helpful if the banks could show some responsibility & limit the issuing of debit/credit cards to vulnerable people.  Does anyone know any helpful way in which obsessive spending can be controlled? 

 

Parents
  • I have an adult son with aspergers syndrome,  He started gambling on the internet.  He did internet banking and has his own bank accounts.

    After a lot of stress for everyone involved,  The solution was he has 2 bank accounts everything goes into one bank account.  He will be moving out into supported housing.  I have 3rd party on his bank accounts so I can see what he is spending and he knows this.  I do this through online banking.  To get 3rd party banking the person has to agree to this and they go to the bank with you to give their consent.

    When he moves out I will set up a standing order to put money in his other account for food, spending money ect.  He will have a cash card for this account which is also a debit card, so he can buy on the internet.  He cannot run up an overdraft,  This will give him control of his money but without the risk of losing it all.

    hope this helps, good luck

Reply
  • I have an adult son with aspergers syndrome,  He started gambling on the internet.  He did internet banking and has his own bank accounts.

    After a lot of stress for everyone involved,  The solution was he has 2 bank accounts everything goes into one bank account.  He will be moving out into supported housing.  I have 3rd party on his bank accounts so I can see what he is spending and he knows this.  I do this through online banking.  To get 3rd party banking the person has to agree to this and they go to the bank with you to give their consent.

    When he moves out I will set up a standing order to put money in his other account for food, spending money ect.  He will have a cash card for this account which is also a debit card, so he can buy on the internet.  He cannot run up an overdraft,  This will give him control of his money but without the risk of losing it all.

    hope this helps, good luck

Children
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