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Feeling brass skint the whole time

8 replies

PollyPelargonium52 · 21/06/2017 07:51

Does anybody else feel like this? This year has been awful for money. I am self-employed and was ill in April and May and what I earned in two months was what I can earn in one month only. This really put me in the crap.

I have a £3k visa which I can never clear either indeed it is impossible each month to pay much more than the minimum payment.

In January I had over £400 to find for the car. Now I have over £100 for fixing the toilet leak, £200 for the roof (ridge tile fell off in Feb and flat roof has something wrong) and £250 for the car clutch that needs replacing.

Over the summer I will need over £400 for the usual childcare for ds and she is cheap.

It isn't a question of cutting back either I don't pay out any more on direct debits than I actually need to and I go through everything with a fine tooth comb.

If I want clothes I have started going to charity shops or ebay only and this is the way I will keep it. It just feels so depressing.

Me and ds go to London twice a year for a few days to stay as one of his dad's relatives but other than that and a weekend in Norfolk every summer to stay with a childhood friend we never go away cannot afford a holiday whatsoever.

To be honest now ds is 12 I don't think he would want to do holiday activities anyway.

It just feels soul destroying this year it really does.

At least I am not ill anymore it was awful in April when I was just too fatigued to work (menopausal issues!).

I really do hope these endless unexpected bills stop that must be four of them now this year (car twice, roof plus toilet). My house needs redecorating and it never gets done unfortunately I am hopeless at decorating. Perhaps I will pay for one room a year later in the year or something.

Does anybody else feel like this or is it just me this year?

I really do hope I can bring the visa debt down too. IT hasn't even been my fault as I have been trying to clear it all year and got nowhere.....!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Seenoevil · 22/06/2017 16:01

Why don't you transfer the visa debt to a interest free credit card, that way your not paying interest and will make a dent in it slowly...

millifiori · 22/06/2017 16:23

If you are freelance, can you up your rates a little bit? Or find an extra strand to the work you do which pays a bit more than the current ones? Hard to know if this is possible without knowing what you do and what the going rate is.
Can you tout for one or two extra clients a month and spend that money on luxuries and fun - so you feel that you and your DC are being rewarded by your hard work, not just ground down despite it. And yes to finding an interest free loan that can cover the Visa bill.
Can you opt for a cheaper phone contract. Mine went down from £25 to £8 pcm when I shopped around. Simlar deals, just a less cool phone.

PollyPelargonium52 · 22/06/2017 18:02

I did try looking into the visa card and changing it to a different rate but I have a poor credit rating at the present. I did check on Martin Lewis's site to no avail but thanks anyway lol.

My mobile bills are tiny so that's ok.

I just think sometimes we all get a phase of endless bills don't we. Just have to bear with it for now!

OP posts:
prettywhiteguitar · 22/06/2017 18:06

What's your work op ? Are you able to up your rate or hours ?

prettywhiteguitar · 22/06/2017 18:07

Sorry just see that's been suggested Blush

PippaFawcett · 22/06/2017 18:09

Does your DS need childcare now he is 12?

PollyPelargonium52 · 23/06/2017 06:55

During the three months a year of half term and school holidays yes he does. It is very cheap and he has friends his own age there and he has been going for years.

I cannot put my prices up. I am a life coach.

I think being sick this year really didn't help the money.

I am finding I cannot even clear the visa down this year yet with endless setbacks but think it will pick up after the summer.

I have cheap tradesmen and at least don't get ripped off including the garage so must be grateful somehow in it all!

OP posts:
PollyPelargonium52 · 23/06/2017 07:00

I am also going to stop buying clothes online as half of them go in the charity shop. I seem to get bad buys. It will have to be TK Max or go without (or sometimes a rare find in the charity shops). I don't 'need' anything it is just nice to get one or two items monthly isn't it. .....

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