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.

Precious, regret ye not...dig it all out and get it on Ebay/Gumtree/FB selling page...good for the soul and the debt repayment. Alas I've nothing left to declutter/sell lol but it was good while it lasted

I am planning to do just that when the dc go back to school :) having a major cull of stuff!
My sis puts stuff on FB for me.
I might try e bay too.
I have 2 almost new next bags I might list.

you really don't need to take off the leather.

you're still in a "this needs to have money spent on it" mind frame!

don't spend money. if you haven't got a counterpane, then charity shpp.
yes, you can use upholstery pins to attach it.
my mum has put new covers on chairs in such a way

badderz, if you're going to use a sewing machine, then do it.
BUT not nany people do.
I use my machine loads, but it's my mum's old machine and it's ancient. it's also really good.
I really want a new machine because things keep going wrong with it, but whenever it's mended I love it again.
I have already taken about 8 years to choose a new machine because I need one that's perfect.

my point is, I think, that unless you are going to sew a lot , it's something that can wait. especially as shop-bought things can be so cheap these days (especially charity shops or sales)

Nickelbabe where do the pins go in at the front ? This is where I'm lost I don't think they would hold fabric to leather cushion base :)

Bladderz I got an ikea machine & taught myself to sew first - made a few creations ! It's fine for beginners but only works v well on good fabric eg 100% cotton anything else it's at tension & I would end up hand sewing as faster than rethreadibg ! I just invested in a Janome 2200XT can't wait for it to arrive as I plan to recoup the spend by making shift dresses for work. :)

That's what worries me...I am returning a food processor I bought last November that I have never used.
I worry about a sewing machine going the same way!
I buy most of my clothes from e bay/sales anyway....

Ah a food processor is different I have a juicer I've used twice :) the satisfaction you get when you've sewn something is great :)

Ditto here ! Weight gain & zero clothes budget. I used to pick up bargains / charity shop finds by using my grocery budget. See if you can underspend some weeks & really try to bargain hunt. Make a list of items you really need for work & buy them in order.

Disaster looks like our 10+ yo washing machine is on the blink. Question - should I fork out for a repair call out of min. e100 before parts or just buy a new machine at e240+... Dryer also on the blink :(

Ime it's often cheaper to buy a new one :(
I am very impressed yours has lasted 10 years!
Kind last about 2 years before they kick the bucket (
I hate my dryer.
That's why I love dry weather so I can get it all out on the line...
I found a top I have been after for weeks yesterday for half price
I am thrilled.
There is no way I would have paid full price for it.
I am trying to lose some Weight ATM - for health reasons - but most of my clothes will be ok if I lose a bit.
And if not, there is always e bay :)

I have to say if has been brilliant it's an indesit I think I'd get one of those again if I can ! Try charity shops if you have in your mind what you want eg dress, shoes etc you can often find something !

Hi all, just popping in between gaps in internet to see that you are all keeping going.

Nerf FAB news on the jobs : its an attitude thing you know, you act positive and positive things will happen.

Badderz
Get some cheap throws and put them over the sofa an roughly fold to fit then hand stitch - needle and thread - those bits of fabric together and you have made a really simple loose slip cover
charity shop curtain sections are GREAT for the fabric

MyPrecious
You are banned from buying new clothes until you are 50% of the way through the debt.
Look at what you have - can you mix and match
If its not useful, sell it on ebay
buy clothes on ebay or your local facebay or charity shops : go to a naice market town or trendy area and you'll find lots of nice stuff.

I found this for a sofa cover m.youtube.com/watch?v=SNqd9E46gCg

Bugger. Painting some of my wooden windows this week and one, maybe two, appears to be rotten beyond repair

Have someone coming to look tomorrow - they are upstairs and while I can sand/paint from the inside I can't sort out the rot but am hoping a proper maintenance man might be able to from a ladder/platform.

If not I guess it will have to be upvc. House is part done anyway so won't look odd. Don't want to spend the money

How much do upvc windows even cost? I am clueless.

tintin
UPVC : HAGGLE and again HAGGLE
I got my whole house including a conservatory for £10,000
and that includes two huge bays ....

be willing to take a price and walk away - all the "offers" shite is them just dropping down to the 'real' price which is around 1/3 of the initial one

take all you anger with your creditors out on them and get a really good deal

but never, ever, let them make you sign till you've sent them away to think a few times

snowie
that link is very sound : make do and mend is the way to stay out of debt

The individual units are really cheap, you just need to fit them & put insulating foam in the small gaps.

sn

sno

sorry tablet takes too long to load.

snowy don't put pins in front, just lay the fabric in sych a way to take the shape and pin wherever there is wood.
you might find that you'll have to jiggle and end up with a loose bit, but you could sew that by hand if you don't like it

washing machine. we hsd to buy a new one as the repairs would have cost too much, and it was really worth it!
we got a bosch excel 8, which has got a standard 1 hour wash and loads of other useful features. it's a lot more efficient and we can do 3 loads in one day, and it has a 8kg drum which is massive.
we played with powder quantities and can get a better clean with less powder than the old machine, even with the bigger load!
much better economy.

washing machine. we hsd to buy a new one as the repairs would have cost too much, and it was really worth it!
we got a bosch excel 8, which has got a standard 1 hour wash and loads of other useful features. it's a lot more efficient and we can do 3 loads in one day, and it has a 8kg drum which is massive.
we played with powder quantities and can get a better clean with less powder than the old machine, even with the bigger load!
much better economy.

Fluffy - I don't think I could manage it myself. Both are in a really hard place to access, which is why they haven't been painted in so long and therefore why they are rotten.

Thanks TiP - think I'm going to try local companies - won't have much bargaining power on just two windows but want to replace the rest gradually over time so in their interests to give me a reasonable price and do a good job.

I actually made the sofa cover today on my ikea machine (bless her). It's not perfect but sits a lot better than just a sheet ! Got the sheet in charity shop ages ago for about e4 (and washed the heck out of it). Was so excited I made 2 cushions too. Using another sheet & cut out shapes for appliqué (this is a lot easier than it sounds !). So glad as that old sofa was just screaming "working poor" everytime I looked at it now its screaming "eclectic tastes" lol. My other 3 & 2 seater are 18months old from ikea but the cushions all battered to bits from the kids standing on them. Never mind !

I've been following the threads for a while but have found it hard to make a start tackling our finances for one reason & another. I finally feel like I'm making some progress thanks mainly to the ideas in these threads.

With July's pay I've got my o/d down to £200 and will be able to clear it next month. Today I went to the bank and asked them to reduce the limit from 650 to 250. I really felt good that I was taking control. Not sure if I should ask for it to be removed altogether once I've cleared it or keep it as a safety net?

I have also set up several savings accounts and budgeted money to go in each month for car, holidays, xmas, clothes etc. I can see them all clearly on my online banking on my phone and it's great to see a bit of money in each one.

I recently inherited nearly £2k unexpectedly and have put this into a savings account. This would clear my £1000 credit card debt and my remaining o/d but dh has suggested we should keep it in savings for a car as mine is getting old now and costing us more. I'm so undecided on what to do for the best. I can't help thinking it would be wrong to use it on my mistakes/debt and it would be a good amount towards a newer car. What would other people do in this situation?