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Find financial and money saving discussions including debt and pension chat on our Money forum.

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Find financial and money saving discussions including debt and pension chat on our Money forum.

Money matters

Debt Free 2007?

551 replies

Flamesparrow · 28/11/2006 17:42

Keep thinking about this since yesterday...

Am thinking that my aim for 2007 is to be in a decent(ish) money situation next Christmas BUT I don't wanna take the swing out of the budgie's cage completely...

I need to work out how to save money, pay all the bills, but still be able to have the odd treat here and there.

I thinking:

Decent food budgetting/planning
uswitch (I think I am on the cheapest anyway)
s/o for savings AND a s/o for treats
Work out the birthdays that will be coming across the year and make sure I put aside enough each month to cover the hell months.

What else should I be doing?

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Flamesparrow · 28/11/2006 17:43

Oh, and does anyone wanna join me? Always good to have a "club"

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UCM · 28/11/2006 17:48

FS, I will join you. I have to make serious cutbacks in 2007. So I am up for it.

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Flamesparrow · 28/11/2006 18:02

Never be lonely.... never be lonelyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

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Flamesparrow · 28/11/2006 18:02

Sorry for the burst of song...

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Uwila · 28/11/2006 18:17

Do your shopping online. I always go way over budget at the store. It's just so easy to pile everything in. Then I get to the til and find my week's groceries is £170. If I shop online,it's more like £130.

Budget everything, and stick to it.

(I have no room to talk as I am drowning in a mountain of debt that is driving an unbearable wedge in my marriage, but hey I guess of learned from my/our/his mistakes)

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Flamesparrow · 28/11/2006 19:31

Ah yes, I do the online shop already, and need to set aside a proper budget for the extra milk.

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mustrunmore · 28/11/2006 19:40

I spend more on an online shop

But I do always:
Buy xmas cards and paper in the Jan sales.

Keep a list of birthdays in my bus pass, so every time I see a good bargain, I can check it matches someone and get it.

Wander round with a wheat pillow round my neck in the evening to save putting the heating on (kids in bed tucked up fleecy).

Get pressies for the boys from my Dad and then tell him/get the money off him. Else they'd end up with usless stuff from him.

Go in every charity shop we pass, just incase!

Get fruit and veg at the market (load up back seat of double and force ds1 to walk home).

Make a big chilli at start of week and freeze/keep portions in the fridge for during week.

Take own flask of drink for ds1 when out, incase we are forced to go in a cafe to wee/feed ds2 etc.

Sign up for anything that looks like it'll open up a world of free stuff and vouchers.

Mind you, we still cant afford contents insurance

Will have a think of other things...

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mustrunmore · 28/11/2006 19:40

Oh, and eat the grapes before you get to the till

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Flamesparrow · 28/11/2006 19:42

Oh PLEASE get the contents insurace Its really not worth NOT having it - ours is with direct line and is a really good deal.

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charliecat · 28/11/2006 19:42

Avoid the cleaning aisle/christmas/easter egg aisle, you will only buy things you dont need.
What about saving any spare £1 coins?
I owe my mum about ...er 3 grand. And im slowly paying her pack in wads of £1 coins and most recently £2 coins as well
Its money I would never have saved other wise. I have a HUGE tin, and when its full im going to give half to her and put the other half away for a holiday (havent ever had one with the kids).
Then start again!

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charliecat · 28/11/2006 19:44

If your going to shop online make sure you go through QUIDCO as they give you a percentage of your shop back and it all adds up quickly.

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mustrunmore · 28/11/2006 19:45

We owe my Dad £5000 he lent us to make up the short fall on this house. That was 2 years ago and not started repaying him yet...

Flame; dh got a little payrise a few months ago, and wewwere going to use that to get contents, but somehow it just got swallowed up. Were we going with Frizell/ London Vic/whatever they're called, as thats who our buildings insurance is with.

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charliecat · 28/11/2006 19:46

Oh yes and if you can get a Tescos credit card. Chop up the rest of your cards and spend only on it. You will earn clubcard points as your going along which can be swopped for deals which are worth 4 x as much as in Tescos itself.

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charliecat · 28/11/2006 19:47

Mustrun, get £2 saving. £2 a week over the years £600 even with a few weeks missed out!

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ska · 28/11/2006 19:52

FS I will join you. determined to get through 2007 with no overdraft - daren't say what it is at the moment. been like this since dd was born!
have been checking moneysaving expert website and they have good tips.

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mustrunmore · 28/11/2006 19:52

There is no way in the world i'll ever get a credit card.

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tinytotmummy · 28/11/2006 19:55

FS, I determined that 07 will be the year that I won't run up any more debt and cut up the credit cards once and for all. I'm proud of myself at the mo because this is the first xmas for three years that hasn't been bought entirely on credit, but I've had to go back to work full time to do it and stand a chance of paying anything back. I confess I'm a compulsive spender and always want the best of everything, but slowly I am learning that I don't need all this stuff to be happy and going back to work has helped me kick that habit - I don't have time to shop! So I'll def be in your club if that's ok?

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LoveMyGirls · 28/11/2006 20:04

i'll join you.

here's my tip, don't do your shopping online if your anything like me, i buy what i think we need and then a couple of days later i realise i've forgotten loads of stuff and then i go out and buy loads more plus i pay delivery on top! if i want to stick to my budget i go shopping ON MY OWN and add everything up as i go round - going round means i dont forget anything, adding it up means i can take stuff out i don't NEED and going on my own means i don't get distracted!

i agree with going to markets and charity shops though i hardly ever do it!

my aim for 2007 is to pay off dp's credit card and stay out of our over draught and then start saving so we can buy a house.

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asleep · 28/11/2006 20:06

i'd like to join!

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LoveMyGirls · 28/11/2006 20:07

mrm we said that about getting a credit card too but then we slipped into our od by £1000 and dp's car broke down beyond repair (head gasket) so he got a credit card and now we owe £2,000 on it he also bought a tv on credit last year and i only just realised he's taken it out over 6 yrs 6 bloody years so i'm going to make him pay that off with his credit card and then the aim is to try and pay off £400 a month so we can hopefully pay it off before the interest kicks in, in june!!!!!!!!!

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charliecat · 28/11/2006 20:07

Eat before you go shopping I buy loads of crap if I shop when Im hungry

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mustrunmore · 28/11/2006 20:15

We got rid of the car about 5 years ago as we couldn't afford it. Dh gets his bus pass with an annual free loan through work. We have freeview, as our lodger used to pay for sky for us until he went broke.The phone is on BT together, so I use loads of free calls.

We are currently working out our spends day to day ie not direct debits etc, so we can see where we can cut down. Think it'll mainly my fault; buying stuff when out and about

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asleep · 28/11/2006 20:17

i take DP with me for a big grocery shop. i spend a lot less as he moans if i go anywhere near the clothes, toys or toiletries aisles.

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Mirage · 28/11/2006 20:27

I'll join you.We have no debts as such,but I seem to spend more & more on food shopping every week.I can spend £100,then a few days later,go back & spend another £50.We waste such a lot of food in this house & it makes me ashamed.

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charliecat · 28/11/2006 21:15

Its not a bargain if you didnt need it....say that to yourself next time your out and about spending.
Try to limit the amount of times your in shops in the first place...less likely to spend.

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Flip

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