To have a whinge about money

[Ummofumbridge]

We're skint and its not looking likely that ill get anything this year for christmas or my birthday.
Normally I'm not that bothered as I get bits for myself year round but this year every penny has gone on dc - rightly so but I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself. My roots are down to my ears, my split ends are insane, I'm using teenage dds make up as mine has all gone and I recently dropped a dress size which was great but now all my jeans are too big and I can't afford to replace.

Oh and the screen is cracked to death on my phone.

I am very grateful for everything I have and I know there are millions worse off...

Tell me iabu but I needed a bit of a moan. Sorry. Thanks. Feel free to join in shameless moaning.

[samithesausage]

Sorry OP I came across a bit moany there! I will go to poundland because there's amazing stuff there! It's great cos I can spend a tenner and it looks like the kids have loads of presents! On the plus side the second hand toys and games I've actually saved about 70 pounds, and they don't have any packaging either!

My favorite thing at the moment from the 99p stores is 5 litres of washing up liquid.

I will however maintain the tradition of being drunk in charge of a christmas dinner! Lol! [Wine]

[Rudolphstolemycarrots]

Can you get your hair done cheaply at your local college? Usually they have training beauty therapists and hairdressers.

Sainsburies for jeans?

[Ummofumbridge]

Missmowgli, I will look into that now actually. The fact is, my uni is a fair drive away and costs me about £10 in petrol per journey so I'm finding myself skipping lectures to save money (or simply because my red light is on). This upsets me more than anything because I love my degree and it means a lot that I do well. So yes, I will ask them. No harm in it I suppose!

[MissMogwi]

OP could you apply for the Access to Learning fund at your university?

Final year, mature and parent students are amongst the priority groups for this fund. Might be worth speaking to them?

[Sokmonsta]

Oh poundland and 99p stores are great. I get my refills for soap from there (saving £2) and the poundland drain unblocker is great. Big bottle and I can buy 4 times as much as blooming mr muscle.

[Purple2012]

Have you looked on money saving expert for tips? We have just changed our bank accounts to halifax and got £100 for switching. This is on until 2nd dec. The terms are you must pay in a salary of at least £1,000 an month and have at least 2 direct debits. You also get £5 if you dont go overdrawn. We opened our own accounts and a joint account. We pay £10 a month for the joint account which is offset by the £5 a month each that we get from our own accounts, and then we get free mobile insurance, travel insurance and breakdown cover, along with a couple of others. I have worked out it saves over £500 a year for us.

Theres loads of tips on moneysavingexpert that could help if that isnt for you. They tell you the best banks/energy companies etc. It is a pain switching things but sometimes a little bit of hassle saves you lots of money.

Hope you get things sorted.

[Ummofumbridge]

Thanks there. I'll have a look at the 'moneysteps' thing with DH.
You've all been so helpful.

[therewearethen]

Not sure if anyone's already mentioned this but I can't speak highly enough of the help I've had from national debt line. Obviously I don't want to say too much on here but I wrote my debt off, I think my situation is different to yours in that I don't/can't get a mortgage but they can still give you independent FREE advice based on your personal situation.
Even if you didn't want to speak to anyone you can still contact your creditors and arrange to pay them a little less each month, include an income and outgoing sheet, in my experience they prefer to accept something than nothing at all.

www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/

It's a freephone number to. Good luck OP.

[brighthair]

I think I broke it. If I PM you then you can reply?

[Ummofumbridge]

Nope still not clickable

DS is applying for jobs but nothing so far. Dd1 is only 14 so it's harder for her. We have a hefty mortgage. I do obv care a bit about credit rating but were not planning on changing anything so in the short term I wouldn't mind as much if it meant we had more disposable income.

[brighthair]

I think I've changed it

[hermioneweasley]

Hi Umm. Sorry to hear things are tight at the moment - it's shit isn't it? At least you know it is through a positive choice that you are making an investment in your future and it will get better as soon as April.

I don't know if they already do, but could the teenagers get jobs? anything you could do part time to earn some cash - even taking in some ironing could get you £20/week.

Also, you do need to care about your credit rating - assuming you don't own your house outright it will impact on mortgage cost/ renting.

[Ummofumbridge]

If anyone is a size 18 tall I can offer some next jeans!

[Ummofumbridge]

am actually overwhelmed.
I can't pm you. Your name isn't clickable? Or am I being an idiot?

[brighthair]

Well happy birthday! I also have some Next leggings 3/4 length size 14 with tags. So PM me your address and I will send you some stuff and that's an instruction!

[Ummofumbridge]

:( Sami. I think the pound shop is the new place to be! Ours is always heaving and I know I love going unknowing I can actually afford anything in there :)
I've got some amazing things second hand. Even shoes which I would never do normally but it's been fine. Dds 3 and 4 are less than a year apart so poor dd4 just gets hand me downs on everything! But I did that when I wasn't skint!

[Ummofumbridge]

Bright hair you'll make me cry!! It's my birthday today and I'm sitting here feeling sorry for myself watching mr Tumble :)
I didn't post wanting anything at all! But I'm not in the position to say no so thank you so much.

[samithesausage]

I'll join you moaning. For the first time ever I have had to buy some second hand charity shop toys for the kids. There's nothing wrong with them and I'm sure they won't notice but I still feel ashamed! I'm constantly worrying about christmas! I've been buying second hand boxless DS games for the older boys off amazon (75% cheaper), and I may have to go to the pound shop to buy stuff for other relatives! I've never been like this! I don't drink (regularly/buy it myself) or smoke so money doesn't go there. I don't buy clothes for myself ever! Everything has gone up! I hope things get better next year for everyone!

[brighthair]

OP - I might have some suitable stuff that I would be getting rid of anyway..
I know I have a pair of jeans size 14 Tall topshop that are doing nothing.
Would you let me post you something? Think of it as a Secret Santa

[Ummofumbridge]

And down - thanks for that pov. It's a very good way of looking at it. You are absolutely right.
I give not a shit about our credit rating. I'm never getting credit again! Will sit down and speak to DH tonight.
Tjanks

[Ummofumbridge]

Awwww thanks :)
You nasty nest of vipers you!!
Am an awkward size in that I'm a 14 but 6ft so need at least 33' leg length. I tend to live in leggings and long tops (hides from style & beauty).

Getting debt management is something I may look into. DH is very reluctant due to his job. Don't want to out myself but he's in the financial sector and would lose his job if we ever went bankrupt so he's wary of going down that route. He thinks we can manage but he's at bloody work 12 hours a day! I appreciate that's hard but I'm the one who has to scrabble around for loose change so teens can get the bus to school or get lunch. His solution is to say it will get better soon. It will get better soon! We will have paid off 2 things in April and like I said, I graduate (finally) in the Summer so can get a decent job if I can find one!!

It's just difficult in the interim.

Sorry to hear others are struggling. My dear friend who I was whinging to yesterday has offered me a hair dye she had lying around so ill get that tonight and at least will feel human again!!

[DownTheRabidHole]

I got myself in a pickle throwing all my money at debts and my therapist put me straight. He explained that I didn't need to be a martyr to the cause - worlds will not tumble if you give a tenner less next month and buy hair-dye and hippy instead.

Don't take the money from the food budget, take it from the creditcard payment budget.

If you say there's no flexibility with payments and that you're struggling this hard and only making minimum payments then you need to restructure your debt or consider going bankrupt.

Getting in debt doesn't mean you need to put yourself in the gulags, nobody is going to chip into your headstone "numpty with cash in 2009"!

[MyGoldenNotebook]

Sorry to hear things are difficult at the moment. What colour do you dye your hair? I have a chocolate brown kit (brand new) that I don't want. I could send it to you.

[Sokmonsta]

Have you got loyalty cards for places like boots and Superdrug for when you can afford to buy hair dye/makeup? I find when I'm absolutely skint I've usually got enough points then to get about of makeup. I know how you feel though. When you've got nothing that fits and can't even feel like you look good, everything else is magnified. What make-up do you normally use? I don't mind popping a little birthday treat in the post for you.