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Original poster

Debt Number 3 : For those who feel they are drowning and want a way out

999 replies

TalkinPeace · 25/04/2014 21:23

This thread follows on from Nerf's incredibly useful
FIRST www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_money_matters/1969188-Can-we-have-a-support-thread-for-people-who-are-massively-in-debt
and then
SECOND
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_money_matters/2011878-Debt-support-thread-2?
threads about realising you are in and supporting each other out of debt.

I am not in debt, any more.
Here is a link to some spreadsheets that might help
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_money_matters/1987219-SPREADSHEETS-for-Debt-Control-Budgeting-Mortgages-etc

and lots of people use this
YouNeedABudget

The important thing to remember is

  • yesterday is as past as the Crimean War
( we will not judge how you got into debt, but we will support you on the way out )
  • this is an anonymous forum
( we will not tell your employer, family or friends of the reality of your numbers )
  • this thread is about supporting people through the huge mindset changes needed to come out of debt
( feel free to offload all of the feelings that drive you to want to spend, that make it hard to save and that generally make life crap at times )

Join in, bare your soul and come out the other end.
Its worth it.
You are worth it.

OP posts:
Nerf · 02/05/2014 15:56

It's hard isn't it. I'm sure lots of people inadvertently break official company rules, don't realise it's wrong, assume it's not really job related etc.
maybe get him to read up on the policy in his lunch break, and go from there. Does he know if anyone gets them or is it a secret?

Jemster · 02/05/2014 16:05

He says he knows other reps get things too, not sure if its money though. I will see if I can find his contract. I just hate the thought of bringing it up with him again.

puffylovett · 02/05/2014 17:30

I think it's just a sales thing jemster.. They could easily take him out for a drink or meal, or take him to a footie march. If imagine the company may turn a blind eye to this kind of thing?

I know when I worked in sales it was just seen as one of the perks of the job. That was years ago though!

puffylovett · 02/05/2014 17:33

Not such a good week here. I had planned to reduce our overdraft down to £500 from £1200 this month.
BUT

We need a new flipping washing machine :(
Ds1 needs new shoes, football boots etc
Beavers term needs paying £44
And I have 3 birthday presents to buy :(

My dear old dad has offered to buy us a washer, as I know he'd rather we paid down the overdraft - but I really don't want to accept anything from them, they've already written off 2500 bless them. Although I might say if they want to help us, I don't mind them buying ds1 some shoes....

Original poster
TalkinPeace · 02/05/2014 17:38

Freecycle / gumtree / facebay
see if you can get something that will last you a year or two

pressies : check out the bric a brac in charity shops - you'd be amazed

OP posts:
frogs · 02/05/2014 18:47

Hi TiP, I've managed to download the budget sheet to excel, but since we budget monthly I want to get rid of the extra columns. How do I do that? In the header it tells me to just hide the columns I dont want, but if I try to do that then all the columns to the left of the selected one just disappear.

Help!

And yes, I have no idea how to use excel. [dur]

Original poster
TalkinPeace · 02/05/2014 18:51

Lol!
Right mouse click the column header (L for example) and it should let you hide ....
or just delete them ...
so long as first and last are there the sums should still work

and with Excel (and most software now) if in doubt, press "F1"

OP posts:
frogs · 02/05/2014 19:31

I have deleted now, it was the long cells at the top that was mucking it up.

I'm on a mac laptop, so can't right click or press F1. [sob]

frogs · 02/05/2014 19:35

Is the left-hand column (the one headed annual) meant to update automatically when you add figures in the monthly columns?

Cos mine doesn't.

I am such a dunce. Excel makes me want to disembowel myself with a rusty spoon.

Original poster
TalkinPeace · 02/05/2014 20:48

Frogs
it should BUT you can add the formulae back in ...
it will make you really think about it all

I'm allergic to all things apple so do not know about macs

OP posts:
frogs · 02/05/2014 21:49

I started again and did a new download, and I think it has worked this time. Fingers crossed

I'm allergic to all things excel, I fear. It makes me want to cry, and then kill someone. Blush

Original poster
TalkinPeace · 02/05/2014 21:52

frogs
if you can control my spreadsheet, you can control your debts
xx Tip

OP posts:
kazzawazzawoo · 02/05/2014 22:41

Really pleased- today I have paid £800 off our overdraft from the tax refund. £900 left to pay off. I may be able to pay off a bit more, but dh needs to take his car in for repairs, so it depends how expensive that is.

frogs · 02/05/2014 22:52

Hahahaha re debts/spreadsheets equation!

Actually we don't really have debts as such, other than the mortgage. But I have erratic income from self-employment, and have been off work for illness recently. Plus we've just had big capital outgoings for building work, so I really need to get all the figures into a form where I can see a year's worth of numbers laid out in front of me.

moneyone · 03/05/2014 06:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mum4Fergus · 03/05/2014 10:27

Planning NSDs today and tomorrow...reviewed budget last night and on track to reach payday (20th) with envelope budgets and emergency fund (500) in tact, and not to accrue any additional debt.Food budget tight but manageable,any excess will go towards repaying OD.

Had letter through re shares and have opted to sell them Hmm however will allow me to repay OD in full.I plan then to take a wee break from the debt and treat myself to a new (and long overdue) bedroom carpet.

I've redecorated it fully within my budget so carpet is a real treat. Then I'll go full pelt at repaying CC2 which I'm targeting repaying in full by December!

Nerf · 03/05/2014 12:33

Excellent Mum. That sounds like a plan.
Dh has agreed to stop using cc1 as cc2 has 800 free on it which he needs for expenses . Cc1 has a balance of 2500 which I am planning to get rid off in ten months. If not by christmas. So am excited.
In other news I have given up wine in order to pay for my hair to be coloured every six weeks. It's grey and short and I feel like cr*p about it now I've actually done it! So have booked an appointment today and have stopped my 7pm glass of wine. Don't miss it, it was more habit than anything. So debt neutral .

ishesingle · 03/05/2014 19:15

Nerf - giving up wine sounds like a big sacrifice to me! When I did dry January I realised it was just the habit of having something at certain times and after faffing around with various juices etc, I found that Twinnings fruit teas worked for me. It's only 5p a drink and despite it now being April, I drink tons of them and definitely less wine Grin

Original poster
TalkinPeace · 03/05/2014 20:55

nerf
hair colouring is so low down my priority list, I am proud of my grey stripe - but then at 49 its the way things are heading!
BUT
giving up something that is bad for you to keep something you really want is an excellent attitude

OP posts:
Nerf · 03/05/2014 21:26

I'm 40 - and now am very blonde. Thank you TIp and single, it's a real shift in attitude since these threads actually. Rather than 'everyone gets their hair done' or 'we earn enough and I should get it' it feels so much better to give something up to justify it. Interesting about tea. I have also given up coffee and tea out in a cafe is so insipid that I am no longer tempted to stop for coffee anywhere.
I think it's a bit about making shifts in thought patterns as we live (south east) in a really materialistic, disposable era.

Mum4Fergus · 03/05/2014 23:34

I've cancelled last 2 planned hairdresser visits, at £79 a turn I couldn't justify it. Colourant from Tesco has done me fine...though will need to shell out for a trim in next month or so...getting a bit wild lol.

IAmTheGodOfTitsAndWine · 04/05/2014 00:49

Hi all, this is definitely the place for me!

DP and I are about to go for a Debt Relief Order (one each). We went to the CAB and it's the best solution for us. We have council tax arrears and I have a CCJ, with another one pending. Apart from that, we have no other priority debts. We don't drive so we don't have a car, we rent our house and aren't in arrears. Utility bills and everything are up to date too.

We just need to find the £180 fee for the DROs which is going to be a struggle. Has anyone else been through similar?

Nerf · 04/05/2014 08:40

Mum - I do feel guilty about the hair, if it was any colour but blonde id do it myself. I have worked out how to do it with a nil effect on our overall budget. Bloke cut it for free!
Tits and wine - welcome. I haven't been in exactly that position but I have been trying to scrape together money in the past. If it will make life easier in the long run do you have dc savings to borrow from? That you could replace? Or a relative you could pay back at x per month? Could you save it and do the order in a cple months?

northender · 04/05/2014 10:07

As predicted, our debt rose slightly in April due to several big one off bills. However we've still reduced it by £3000+ over the year so far and May should be the best month yet for debt reduction (fingers crossed) as we both were paid for extra hours worked.

The debt reduction and frugal living is quite addictive in itself I think. Once our debt is gone it will be all about building up savings so no change really.

Nerf · 04/05/2014 10:08

YY to your last paragraph.
3000 is amazing.