First Month Without a Credit Card: What I Learned About Myself
- Robson Silva
- Aug 27
- 13 min read
Cutting my credit cards in half was one of the most difficult and liberating decisions I've ever made in my financial journey. After accumulating R$47,000 in debt, I realized I needed a drastic measure to break the vicious cycle that kept me in debt. This article is an honest, unfiltered account of my first month learning how to stop using credit cards for good.
If you're struggling with credit card addiction or looking for ways to improve your personal financial control , this experience can help you understand that it is possible to live without this "facilitator" that actually complicates our lives.
The Challenge: Why I Decided to Cut the Card (Literally)
The Last Drop
It was a typical Tuesday when I looked at my credit card statement and saw that I had exceeded my R$8,500 limit. It wasn't the first time, but something inside me said, "Enough." At that moment, I understood that the card wasn't a financial tool in my life—it was a crutch preventing me from standing on my own two feet.
Credit card addiction is real and silent. You don't realize it when you start relying on it for everything: from your morning coffee to purchases you'll "pay off next month." The problem is, the next month always comes with more expenses, and the cycle never breaks.
The Moment of Decision
I grabbed the card, a pair of scissors, and literally cut it in half. My wife looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "What if we need an emergency?" she asked. I replied, "Let's figure out other ways to handle emergencies that don't put us in more debt."
This decision wasn't impulsive. I had already tried to stop using credit cards in other ways:
- Leave it at home (but I memorized the number)
- Freeze in the freezer (I defrosted it several times)
- Give it to my wife to keep (I asked for it back countless times)
Nothing worked because the problem wasn't physical access to the card - it was my emotional relationship with it.
The Initial Fears
Before cutting the card, a series of fears haunted me:
- "What if I need money urgently?"
- "How will I shop online?"
- "What if I can't pay for something important?"
- "Will I look poor paying everything with debit?"
These fears revealed something deep about my relationship with money: I had outsourced my personal financial control to a piece of plastic. It was time to take back the reins.
Week 1: Desperation and Credit Card Temptations
Day 1-3: The Withdrawal Syndrome
The first three days were the worst. It's amazing how many times a day you try to use your credit card when it's simply gone. It was like discovering I had an addiction I didn't even know existed.
Situations that made me miss the card:
- Gas station (didn't have enough money on debit)
- Supermarket (cart full, bill greater than balance)
- Pharmacy (expensive medicine that I "needed" to buy)
- Delivery app (no registered card)
Each of these situations forced me to make choices I hadn't made in years:
- Put only R$50 worth of gasoline instead of filling up the tank
- Taking items out of the cart at the supermarket
- Search for the cheapest medicine at the popular pharmacy
- Cook at home instead of ordering food
Day 4-5: Anger and Frustration over Not Having a Credit Card
On the fourth day, I felt genuine anger toward myself. "Why did I do this stupid thing?" I thought over and over. The frustration of not being able to buy what I wanted, when I wanted, was almost unbearable.
I discovered that my relationship with my credit card was much more emotional than I'd imagined. It wasn't just a form of payment—it was my outlet for anxiety, sadness, boredom, and even happiness. Buying something gave me a temporary sense of control and pleasure.
Day 6-7: The First Insights
By the end of the first week, I started noticing interesting patterns:
Emotional triggers that made me use the card:
- Stress at work → online shopping "to relax"
- Discussions at home → "retail therapy"
- Boredom on weekends → shopping trips
- Anxiety about money → impulsive purchases (ironic, right?)
Practical findings:
- I spent much more than I imagined on small purchases
- I rarely checked the balance before purchasing
- I used the card even for small amounts (R$5, R$10)
- I had no real idea of how much money I had available
The First Moment of Clarity
On the seventh day, something revealing happened. I was at the supermarket, cart full, and when it came time to pay, the amount was R$180. My debit balance: R$120.
Instead of feeling angry or frustrated, I felt... relief. For the first time in years, I knew exactly how much money I had and how much I could spend. I took R$60 worth of items out of my cart, paid the R$120, and walked out with a strange sense of control.
Week 2: Discovering Emotional Triggers
The Connection Between Emotions and Spending
The second week was when I truly began to understand the depth of my credit card addiction . Without the ability to spend impulsively, I was forced to feel the emotions I'd previously "bought" away.
Monday: Stressful day at work. Normally, I'd buy something online to "reward myself." Without a credit card, I was forced to deal with the stress in other ways. I took a walk, talked to my wife, read a book. The stress subsided naturally.
Wednesday: A fight with a friend left me upset. My impulse was to go to the mall for a stroll (which always ended in shopping). Instead, I called another friend, we talked about the problem, and I resolved the situation maturely.
Saturday: Total boredom. Weekends were my downfall—I always found something to buy. Without a credit card, I discovered free activities I'd forgotten about: reading, walking in the park, cooking, watching movies I already had at home.
Mapping the Triggers
I started writing down in a notebook every time I felt the urge to use the card (which no longer existed). The pattern that emerged was frightening:
Emotional Triggers Identified :
1. Stress → Online shopping as "therapy"
2. Boredom → Shopping as entertainment
3. Anxiety → Impulsive shopping for "control"
4. Sadness → "Retail therapy" to improve mood
5. Happiness → Shopping to "celebrate"
6. Guilt → Shopping to “compensate” for something
7. Envy → Shopping to "not be left behind"
I realized I used my credit card for practically every emotion. It was my universal response to any uncomfortable feeling—and even the comfortable ones.
The Most Shocking Discovery
Halfway through the second week, I made a shocking discovery: I no longer knew how to manage my emotions without spending money. I had outsourced my emotional well-being to consumption.
When I felt anxious about money (irony of ironies), my response was... to spend more money. It was like trying to put out a fire with gasoline, but I couldn't see it while I had the card in my hand.
Developing New Strategies
Without the card as an outlet, I needed to develop new ways of dealing with emotions:
For Stress:
- 15-minute walks
- Breathing exercises
- Talk to someone you trust
For Boredom :
- List of free activities prepared
- Personal projects postponed
- Reading, movies, podcasts
For Anxiety:
- Meditation (free apps)
- Physical exercises
- Home/life organization
For Sadness:
- Chat with friends/family
- Write about feelings
- Activities that genuinely do me good
Week 3: Creating New Habits
The Mental Turn
The third week was when I felt the first real shift in my mindset. Instead of feeling deprived because I didn't have a credit card, I started to feel... free. Free from the constant anxiety of not knowing how much I was spending, free from post-purchase guilt, free from the dread of opening the bill.
New Financial Rituals
Morning Ritual: Every morning, before leaving the house, I checked my debit balance. Not to limit myself, but to guide me. Knowing exactly how much money I had available gave me a sense of control I hadn't felt in years.
Shopping Ritual: Before any purchase over R$50, I implemented a rule: wait 24 hours. If I still wanted/needed it the next day, I would buy it. Result: 70% of "urgent needs" disappeared within 24 hours.
Nightly Ritual: Every night, I wrote down my daily expenses in a notebook. Not to judge myself, but to get to know myself. What were my patterns? When did I spend the most? What types of purchases brought me true satisfaction?
Discovering the Joy of Planning
Something unexpected happened in the third week: I started enjoying planning purchases. Before, with the card, I'd buy on impulse and worry about it later. Now, I researched prices, compared options, and waited for promotions.
Practical example: I needed a new pair of sneakers. Before, I would walk into the first store and buy what I liked, regardless of price. Now, I searched for a week, found the model I wanted at a 40% discount, and the satisfaction of purchasing it was much greater.
The Power of "I Can't Right Now"
I learned the difference between "I can't" and "I can't now." Before, the card gave me the illusion that I could do anything, always. In reality, I couldn't do anything—I was just pushing the problem into the future.
Now, when I saw something I wanted but couldn't afford right away, I'd write it down on a list. Often, when I finally had the money to buy it, I no longer wanted it. Other times, the wait made the purchase more special and conscious.
Changes in Relationships
It's interesting how **stopping using credit cards** affected my relationships. I started suggesting free or inexpensive activities to my friends: hikes, picnics, game nights at home. I discovered that many of them were also tired of always spending money to have fun.
My relationship with my wife has also improved. Without the constant stress of credit card debt, our conversations about money have become more constructive and less confrontational.
Week 4: The First Victories
The First Financial Victory
At the end of the month, something happened that hadn't happened in years: I had money left over. Not much—just R$150—but I had some left over. For the first time in a long time, I spent less than I earned.
That R$150 represented much more than money. It represented control, discipline, and personal growth. It was proof that I could live within my means.
The Emotional Victory
More important than the financial victory was the emotional one. By the end of the fourth week, I realized I no longer felt that constant anxiety about money. Not because my financial situation had improved dramatically, but because I finally knew where I stood.
Uncertainty was what killed me. Not knowing how much I owed, how much I spent, how much I could spend. Now, even with little money, I knew exactly where I stood, and that gave me peace.
Consolidated Behavioral Changes
Before the challenge:
- I spent without thinking
- I used a card for everything
- I didn't know my real balance
- I bought it out of emotion
- I avoided thinking about money
After 4 weeks:
- I thought before each purchase
- I only used the money I had
- Check balance daily
- I bought out of necessity/planning
- I faced financial reality
The Discovery of Needs vs. Wants
One of the biggest revelations of the month was understanding the real difference between needs and wants. With the card, I transformed all wants into "urgent needs." Without it, I was forced to be honest about what I really needed.
I discovered that I really needed:
- Much less clothes than I imagined
- Much less delivery food
- Much less "little things" for the house
- Much less paid entertainment
And what I really wanted:
- Financial security
- Healthy relationships
- Quality time
- Peace of mind
Reflections: What I Discovered About My Relationship with Money
Money as an Emotional Substitute
The biggest discovery this month was realizing that I was using money (via credit cards) as a substitute for unmet emotional needs. I was trying to buy happiness, security, self-esteem, self-love, and social status.
Credit card addiction wasn't about the card itself—it was about using consumption to fill emotional voids. It was a form of self-medication, just as other people use alcohol, food, or drugs.
The Illusion of Control
I realized the card gave me an illusion of control. I thought I was in control because I could buy whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. In reality, it was the opposite: I was completely out of control, controlled by my impulses and emotions.
True control came when I stopped being able to buy everything. Paradoxical, but true.
Money and Identity
I discovered that I had conflated my identity with my purchasing power. I felt "less than" when I couldn't buy something, as if my worth as a person was tied to my credit limit.
Without the card, I was forced to find other ways to value myself: relationships, skills, contributions, personal growth. I discovered that I am much more than my consumption capacity.
The "I Deserve It" Trap
One of the phrases that hurt me the most was "I deserve it." I worked hard, so I "deserve" these expensive sneakers. I had a hard day, so I "deserve" this dinner at the restaurant. I paid a bill, so I "deserve" to reward myself with a purchase.
The problem is that I always "deserved" something, so I always had an excuse to spend. I learned that deserving something doesn't mean I can afford it now, and that there are other ways to reward myself that don't involve money.
The Myth of Emergency
I discovered that 90% of my "emergencies" weren't real emergencies. They were desires disguised as urgent needs. The real emergency was my financial situation, caused precisely by treating desires as emergencies.
The Freedom of Limitation
Counterintuitively, having clear financial limitations gave me more freedom. Freedom from anxiety, guilt, and uncertainty. When you know exactly what you can and can't do, decisions become simpler.
Next Steps: How I Intend to Continue
Keeping the Card Cut
After this transformative month, I have no plans to apply for a new credit card anytime soon. Perhaps in the future, when I've developed more solid personal financial control , I'll consider having a card just for real emergencies. But for now, I'm fine without it.
Strategies to Keep Going
1. Maintain the Developed Rituals
- Daily balance check
- 24-hour rule for purchases
- Recording of expenses
- Wish list to evaluate later
2. Develop the Emergency Fund
- Save at least R$100 per month
- Initial goal: R$1,000 in 10 months
- Use only for real emergencies
- Replace immediately after use
3. Continue Self-Knowledge
- Therapy to work on emotional issues
- Reading about the psychology of money
- Support groups for people with financial problems
- Journaling about my relationship with money
4. Continuous Financial Education
- Courses on personal finance
- Books on investments
- Podcasts about financial education
- More sophisticated control sheets
Goals for the Coming Months
Month 2: Consolidate the habits developed and start saving money
Month 3 : Create a basic emergency fund
Month 6: Have R$500 saved and be paying off debts faster
Month 12: Have R$1,000 in emergency funds and have paid off at least 30% of debts
Preparing for Relapses
I know it won't be easy. There will be moments of temptation, difficult situations, social pressures. I'm preparing for this:
Plan for Difficult Times:
•List of people to call when you feel like spending
•Alternative activities for each emotional trigger
•Visual reminders of my goals
• Regular review of progress achieved
Warning Signs:
•Start to rationalize unnecessary purchases
•Feeling jealous of other people’s purchasing power
•Stop recording expenses
•Avoid looking at your account balance
Sharing the Experience
I intend to continue documenting this journey, not just for myself, but to help others who may be going through the same thing. Credit card addiction is more common than we think, and talking about it can help break the taboo.
Conclusion: What You Can Learn From My Experience
If you've made it this far, you've probably identified with at least part of my story. Perhaps you're also wondering how to stop using credit cards or how to develop better personal financial control.
The Most Important Lessons
1. The problem is not the card, it is our relationship with it.
2. Unresolved emotions manifest in impulsive spending
3. Clear limitations can be liberating
4. Small daily changes generate big transformations
5. Self-knowledge is the basis of any lasting change
Signs You May Have a Credit Card Addiction
•Use the card even if you have money on debit
•You don't know how much you owe on your card without looking at your statement
•Feel anxious when you can't use your card
•Use the card to deal with emotions
•Always pay only the minimum amount of the invoice
•Have multiple cards at the limit
•Hides card expenses from spouse/family
Practical Tips to Get Started
If you want to try to stop using credit cards, you don't have to be as radical as me. Start gradually:
Week 1 : Use only debit for small purchases (up to R$50)
Week 2: Extend for purchases up to R$100
Week 3 : Use card only for purchases over R$200
Week 4: Try a full day without using a card
Alternatives to radical cutting:
•Leave the card at home
•Remove from all apps and websites
•Ask someone you trust to keep it
•Use only for a specific category (e.g. gasoline)
The 7-Day Challenge
I want to propose a challenge to you: try going 7 days without using a credit card. Just 7 days. Use only the money you have in your checking account or in cash.
During these 7 days:
•Write down every time you feel like using the card
•Note what emotions are behind this desire
•Find alternatives to deal with these emotions
•Celebrate every small victory
After 7 days:
•Reflect on the experience
•Identify the main challenges
•Recognize the benefits felt
•Decide if you want to extend the challenge
Share Your Experience
If you decide to take on the challenge, or if you've been through something similar, share your experience in the comments. Your struggles, victories, and discoveries. Let's create a support community for people who want to develop a healthier relationship with money.
Remember: you're not alone on this journey. Many of us are learning to better manage our personal finances, and every story shared can help someone just starting out.
One Last Reflection
Cutting up my credit cards was just the first step in a much larger journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Money is simply a reflection of who we are—our fears, desires, values, and priorities.
By changing my relationship with my credit card, I changed my relationship with myself. I learned to manage my emotions in a healthier way, to value what truly matters, and to find satisfaction in things that can't be bought.
If you're struggling with financial issues, know that the solution may lie not only in earning more money, but in better understanding your relationship with it. And sometimes, the best way to gain control is to accept our limitations.
The first month without a credit card was difficult, but it was also the first month in years that I ended feeling like I was on the right track. And that's definitely priceless.