Debt mutual support thread number 4 .... every journey starts with the hardest first step

[TalkinPeace]

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?
and my THIRD
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_money_matters/a2062902-Debt-Number-3-For-those-who-feel-they-are-drowning-and-want-a-way-out?msgid=48505428#48505428
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.
The long term results for you, your marriage and your children are worth it.

I tried the Eco balls. They worked for one wash.

I use washing up liquid for stains & the gloop & everything comes out clean.

I only wear things once though because I glow more than dh.

Co-op. own brand is all BUAV approved.

Snowie...it's not hard, honest :)

Hi All,

Not posted for a while but I've been reading most days. Bad you sound more organised with cleaning than me. I can get a little down hearted about it as my 6 and 2 year old make such a mess. I try to dry outside as much as possible but the dryer is on this morning.

I suppose that making your own detergent does save some money - I just can't seem toc

Sorry -

To convince myself to be thrifty in that particular way. I go through phases of doing a lot of my own baking but in not sure much money is saved there! It's a good feeling though :) flapjacks are good value. I've grown my own lettuce this summer thanks to TIP's advice.

I'm just ticking along. I should be able to pay off my smallest CC this month (the one with £167 on it) and also pay an additional £100 off my other Barclays CC which has £600 on it. Once this one is paid off there will be three debts to go:

Next Account: 550
RBS Card: 3800
Virgin Card: 4200

The next and final Barclay Card should be paid off by November and final two cards should be down to £7500 combined by December.

I find that the snowball method does appeal to me. I'll be saving an emergency fund too come the new year.

Such a lot of money going on debt. It's mad that I got myself into this situation. At least I'm focused. At this money I have no desire to buy unnecessaries at all.

Bad sounds good I find a lot of the problem is the clutter - I feel like I'm constantly moving "things" around the house ! I do try to do a clear out every now & then clothes are easy if they've grown out but v hard to get rid of any of DHs stuff. I also work fulltime so not much time/energy to clean (excuses I know I spend a lot of time on the couches looking at phone !). Once I start I can make some progress. We seem to have millions of books I can't blame DH as I love books myself but he won't get rid of any & we have no bookshelves apart from DCs rooms.

My golden notebook - sounds very manageable you caught it early keep going !

I tend to tidy as I go...bleach toilet at bedtime, wipe sink etc at same time...I try to deep clean 1 area/room every week. Enjoy a good declutter every month or so too which helps...DS messy nursery clothes were recycled at w/end (he starts school today :o(

Not being at work for 2 weeks I'm missing pouring over my spreadsheet lol I keep it on work laptop...but everything in track. X giving me half of DS birthday party and present costs. I've already paid it so can put money to overpayments. Once DS goes into school today I need to calculate up his lunch/milk/snack costs and get them budgeted for ...

Oh it's awful when they are off school...I try to not look too hard at the mess til they go back! :)
Storage is key IMO.
My boys have lots of stuff..like most kids now...and I have lots and lots of storage!
We have a pantry which helps keep the kitchen less cluttered.
We also have an overstairs cupboard and airing cupboard.
In the conservatory we have 4 ikea trofast units which are great for all the kids toys/craft stuff.
Also have 2 wooden toy boxes.
And lots of bookcases :)
I will do a toy cull after they go back to school...I will donate the stuff to the local children's hospital.
I am being very strict this year - only 10 gifts each for Xmas. They get so much!
Dh and I have discussed a budget for Xmas so that's sorted.
I am going to bake for the teachers this Xmas. I can't afford shop bought gifts.
I am going to ask for cash for my b day (oct)
No one will know if I don't spend it on myself!

Thanks snowie :)

I normally do 10 presents for Christmas (this includes small ones). DS is allowed to ask for three small things from Santa or one big thing. The other 7/9 presents will be books, educational toys etc. I'll do a small stocking with sweets,top trumps and some fun soap. DH and I will most probably spend £150-200 on DS and £80-100 on two year old DD which will include a Christmas Day outfit.

Blinking heck Christmas. I suppose we do all need to start planning it if we're going to stick to a budget!

20 Fridays til Xmas :)

Eeek Christmas indeed :o( the very thought!

That's him in his classroom...so proud I could burst

I do a ménage type thing at work that covers Christmas...money deducted from salary and I get a bonus 1pcnt on top paid in Dec wage so covers all presents/food etc.

I'll do a toy cull shortly too, DS birthday in Sept and he knows we need to make space...it will all get donated.

Not sure what we're getting DCs for Xmas yet they have a tablet so had been thinking DS2s but possibly no need for them & the games are so expensive compared to apps ! DS had mentioned an x box but he already has a wii he just wants an Xbox for minecraft ( which when already has on the tablet of course!). Harder the get them "big" presents the older they get the more expensive they are !

Wow - this thread is really active! Thanks so much for the welcome all, it's really lovely to be in a place where I'm not made to feel like an idiot for getting to this stage. I'm in quite a responsible job and sometimes feel like my situation would shock anyone who knew me professionally - it's nice to have a space like this.

Thanks to all your encouragement yesterday I took the plunge and have set out a repayments schedule for myself. I'm not going to extend one of my loans to try and cover this first painful month. Instead, the credit card is getting put into a cupboard for this month and getting paid of next month - the interest will sting a bit, but it's not the priority. I've been in touch with my credit union about taking a month off payments - they were receptive to extending my loan, so hopefully this as an alternative will be acceptable to them.

This month's challenges are clearing the payday loan and the loan that has one month left to go. According to the schedule I've set out (which looks reasonable to me), I could be debt free this time next year. That's something I sooo want to work towards.

Nerf I am looking forward to joining you all in the cheering when I pay off a debt! I bet it's a great feeling.

Thanks for the encouragement Snowie, and Talkin, you've basically inspired my new plan, so thank you. Fluffy, frugality is my new mantra! I was at Lidl last night and well impressed with my loot of bread, lemons, a lettuice and onions for 2! (roasted a chicken that was languishing in the freezer, sandwiches are this week's lunch)

I really am going to crack this. Do we have a determined smiley? I need it now!

I am, however, hiding from all mentions of Christmas before September...

Debt update: 13/8/14

CC1: £4692 £4595 £4532 £4467£4342.37

CC2: £3781 £3675 £3659 £2,859 £1,774 £1,395.17 £0 GONE GONE GONE (and will be closed asap!)

Car hire purchase: £3764 £3108 £2,780

DH Old Student Overdraft: £1940 £500 £0 GONE & closed

CC3: £1692 £0 GONE & Closed

CC4: £1405.49 £0 GONE

Total:17,274.95 £13,944.54 £11,799 £10,335 £8,642.17 £7,122.37

Peonies...well done!
I think I might put up a door curtain up this winter....I have one my sister was throwing away gave me and I have an ikea gift card I could buy a pole with. Does it make a difference?

If you have a draughty door or a door comprising a lot of glass, even double glazed, it does make a big difference.

Badvoc it made a huge difference to us, as did lining our curtains with removable thermal liners - we moved from a flat with double glazed windows (and a flat above *& below, so we got lots of residual heat) to a 3 bed house with inconsistent double glazing and an old, draughty door, but the curtains meant our bills were actually lower than last year.

I have curtains at all windows and external doors. I bought a load of thermal blankets/fleeces from Ikea at 3pnd each and lined them all...makes a huge difference...

mum4 now that is true frugalista fabulousness. Our door curtain was a remnant from previous tenants who left long curtains on the patio windows, which we repurposed into front/back door curtains. But I bought the thermal curtain linings from Dunelm Mill.

Just back from consultants and looks like I will (hopefully) be admitted to hospital tonight or tomorrow for investigative laparoscopy with surgery if needed - he suspects the surgeon who took out my appendix actually left a bit of it in...

Mum4 - intrigued about the thermal ikea blankets please tell me how you did it ? Did you make attachable thermal curtains with curtain tape etc ?

Missa...gosh, hope it all works out ok for you!
I can get mil to sew the 2 curtains together to make a wide enough one and they are lined.
That's decided then!
Just sent Dh to shops with some change from my purse for treats for whilst we watch GBBO :)

I just attached using that Wondaweb stuff, the iron in thing for hems ...

Good evening

May I join? I need a boot up the arse pronto. Or maybe just a gentle hand squeeze...I'm feeling a bit delicate

Recently fell way behind with my finances and just stuck my head in the sand about it all. I kept delaying paying my council tax because I didn't have the money, which resulted in lots of letters that I ignored and two men from the sheriff court showing up at my house with official paperwork. It was bloody scary and not helped by the fact I was stood in nothing but a towel having raced out the shower to answer the door. Anyhoo, I called the repayments place and have set up a repayment plan, which is now costing me more than my council tax would have done with all the additional charges they've thrown at me. Such an idiot! I'm so angry with myself.

Remainder to pay for council tax £875.00. Will be making another payment of £125.00 on Friday so that will bring it down to £750. Then just another 6 to go.

Repayment plan for old student overdraft is £25.00 a month. I think I have around £650 left to pay and I would really like to try and clear it faster than I am, but I need to hammer my Very account before I get stung for interest.

Very account £1,131.75. Sigh. Broken down:

£306.65 to be paid by 24/10/14. Planning on paying £150 off of it this Friday, followed by the final £156.65 on the 29th of this month.

£190.60 to be paid by 21/11/14. Planning on paying the first £100 off on 12th September followed by the remaining £90.60 on 26th September.

£445.50 to be paid by 13/02/15. I have no fucking clue how to even approach this one with Christmas coming up. Might have to be £100 a month October - January followed by the final £45.50 at the beginning of February.

£189.00 to be paid by 03/07/15. Not even thinking about this one just yet.

I have a student loan that is probably nearing £5k because of the interest it's been gathering, but I work part time and earn a pittance. Until all the other crap is out the way, I can't do much about it at all. Fortunately they don't chase me for anything knowing that I earn well below the limit for repaying right now.

Good news is my mobile contract finishes in November and I'm going to go down to the cheapest sim only rate that I can, which will save me in excess of £35.00 a month.

I generally live quite a simple, inexpensive life compared to a lot of people. I shop very carefully and bargain hunt like a mad woman, but my problem is the volume of bargains I just have to buy. It's just fucking bonkers. And there's no need for it. At all. I've been on a massive house de-clutter recently because the place is bursting with shite and I have wanted to slap myself at every turn. I have wasted so much money. On shite.

New plan of action: Buy nothing. I'm hoping to remove enough money from my current account each month to tide over my food shop, and other than that, I cannot be touching my bank card. I switch everything atm and it's no bloody wonder I'm in the hole that I'm in. I never see my money - I just spend until it runs out. No good.

Vino...no one here will slap you!
But here...have a hand squeeze x
I know what you men are bargains....I only ever seem to buy stuff in sales or on e bay but of course it still all adds up.
I congratulate myself on getting a bargain but then buy more!
August has been a bit if a nightmare tbh as we are off on hols tomorrow (paid for by my mum) but once ds2s b day is out of the way on sept I am on a major cutting back project!

Oh, and I nearly opened a very account last Xmas!
So glad I didn't!