How to get over OCD over bank account balance?

[AZgarden]

When my balances dip below what I want, I tie myself to a chair in my house so I cannot go out and spend.

[reneeh63]

I would try to set things up so they require as little attention from you as possible - that your bills are all automatically paid, of course your paycheck is automatically deposited, whatever savings are automatically transferred, etc. Some kind of overdraft protection would be good if your bank offers that.

And I would come up with a "cushion" of extra money in that account of say $1,000 or whatever is large enough that your monthly fluctuations in spending won't exceed that. That money is essentially "savings" because it will rarely ever be spent but the only purpose is allow you to know you won't be overdrawn.

The idea is to remove all "logical" need to keep looking at the account. Obviously you'll still want to, but you won't have reason to. Certainly if you do check the balance, it will never be close to zero and you won't have overdrafts if you've done all of the above.

If this type of thing doesn't help, then you may need to take other measures like a few very directed therapy sessions specifically for OCD.

[Riley.]

My sister will spend hours looking for a dime while balancing her checkbook.
I, on the other hand, have never balanced my checkbook against my monthly statements. The bottom line in my check register (yes, I still use one of those!!!) is what I have .... give or take a thousand bucks I've got a big cushion. LOL