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Original poster

Can I throw myself at the feet of mumsnetters and will you help sort my finances out?

145 replies

peckarollover · 06/01/2006 15:57

Not sure if anyone can remember my How Do I Tell Him thread of last year?

Basically I overspend massively (its probably fair to say Im a shopaholic), also far too generous with loaning money to family/friends etc.

Gave up work to be at home a year ago so survive mostly on one income though I do now childmind too.

Im sick of turning a blind eye and even though Ive done it many times before I really do now want to sort things out.

I have improved slightly as dont hammer credit cards as much as I did.

I am wasting small fortunes in bank charges not because we have no money but because its in a different bank or I have cheques mounting to hundreds of pounds sitting in the drawer.

HELP ME please

OP posts:
fairydust · 09/01/2006 16:23

can u not swap to t-mobile - dh got me one for xmas on the u-fix one for only £25 a month if you require any more you do it like a pay as you go.

noddyholder · 09/01/2006 16:24

get rid of mobile and shop at lidl.Try to negotiate all cards and loans into one and then scrap cards.We have similarish outgoings and a bit more coming in and I think it is too tight so I think you do need to do something

Original poster
peckarollover · 09/01/2006 16:24

reluctant to swap to t mobile as all friends and family on 02 so would cos tme more

OP posts:
fairydust · 09/01/2006 16:25

the minuties and texts are any network

Original poster
peckarollover · 09/01/2006 16:26

ooo will look into that

altho still have to pay the 30 to o2

OP posts:
fairydust · 09/01/2006 16:26

I get 100 any network minuties and 50 texts for £25.00 a month

fairydust · 09/01/2006 16:26

when does 02 run out?

Original poster
peckarollover · 09/01/2006 16:28

not for another 9 mopnths

OP posts:
charliecat · 09/01/2006 16:28

Use the mobile as little as possible, if with bt and its the 6p an hour at night thing , use the phone then.
I am with bt and my 3 monthly phone bill is 150 including BB by not using the phone and using MSN instead.
Anyway.
My bad maths add it to be outgoings of
2278 and income of 2122. If you add on unexpected bank charges to that then it goes very wrong but with penny pinching it could be solved.
Need to get the CCs cut up i would insist. No more spending on them.
And it doesnt look like theres any spare cash for luxuries AT ALL.

fairydust · 09/01/2006 16:28

could you not have your calls capped at a certain amount then pop a pay as you go in?

fairydust · 09/01/2006 16:30

could you not get your loan / cc all put on to one?

seb1 · 09/01/2006 16:31

could you get cheaper broadband?

Original poster
peckarollover · 09/01/2006 16:35

i need to do everything its so overwhelming

need cheaper bb
cheaper mobile
take ds out of his 1 day a week nursery
cancel sky
try and sort debts out
sort bank accounts out

dont know where to start

OP posts:
Original poster
peckarollover · 09/01/2006 16:35

do you think o2 would do that if i ask them to bar and peak time calls?

OP posts:
charliecat · 09/01/2006 16:38

Theres no harm in asking is there?
Do that now

Original poster
peckarollover · 09/01/2006 16:39

forgot to mention

im very phone phobic! if i cant ask/do it online i tend not to

hate hate hate ringing people lol

now why do i have such a big mo9bile bill i ask myself lol

OP posts:
Original poster
peckarollover · 09/01/2006 16:39

just realised that makes me sound v sad! talk to friends whenever its companies i dont like ringing

OP posts:
charliecat · 09/01/2006 16:42

Hey thats some phone bill for someone will a phone phobia LOL...pretend your someone else and just do it. The people on the end of the phone will be pleased to have a pleasant customer on the end of the phone not some raging loony maoning about something daft

seb1 · 09/01/2006 16:42

would this bb be enough for you

virgin3

and sky are doing 0% credit card till 1/1/2007 on there website it is call skycard

Original poster
peckarollover · 09/01/2006 18:32

some progress being made

have spoken to gas and electric suppliers. they had changed my payments to 120 a month because of a previous mistake in our direct debit. The man went through our bills and agreed it was excessive so it has been reduced to 61 that is almost 20 pounds less than i put on the list before so a saving of 20 pounds!

Have also emailed o2 asking if they can block peak rate numbers.

OP posts:
charliecat · 09/01/2006 18:33

Well Done. What about seeing about getting the debt into one payment?

Gingerbear · 09/01/2006 18:42

get yourself onto uswitch and find the cheapest suppliers for all sorts of stuff. - Electricity, gas, water, digi TV, broadband, phone, loans. etc.
Transfer CC debt to a 0% deal
see if you can find a cheaper loan
look for cheaper car/ house insurance.

Are you on a fixed rate mortgage? If you are on Bank/ Building Society Standard Variable Rate, get it switched asap - you will save loads.

Original poster
peckarollover · 09/01/2006 18:44

Yes am on fixed rate mortgage

Dont think I can get all debts into one payment they are all with different companies.

Our luck has run out with 0% deals, have started getting refused

OP posts:
Gingerbear · 09/01/2006 18:47

make sure you have cancelled all the credit cards you no longer use - it goes against you on your credit score. What about a low rate for life of balance card? some are about 4% or thereabouts.

Gingerbear · 09/01/2006 18:48

Can you have a declutter and sell your stuff at carboot/ebay? I have loads of DD clothes that I keep meaning to, but never get round to doing it.

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