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Original poster

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?

OP posts:
Original poster
Flamesparrow · 29/11/2006 07:32

Oooh yay! Loads of us! I'm thinking that if this is going to be an ongoing thread, I'll keep a list of all the tips, and we can start each new thread with the list? Can also post the tips every now and then so they are all combined.

I'm pleased that something good has come out of the charity thread We haven't used our credit card in 4 months - cleared it with a much lower rate loan, and have cut up all but that one... I can never remember the pin number so I can't use it out and about, it really is there for dire emergencies (and Christmas is not a dire emergency - I mean eviction or starvation).

Will be back in a bit with a list...

OP posts:
Jelley · 29/11/2006 07:40

Can I join in too?

My biggest moneysaver recently is menu planning (thanks to mumsnet)and a weekly shop with a list. No extras.

Our weekly shop has gone down to £60 ish with extra milk and bread from the happy shopper (costs more but no temptation so I spend less)

Jelley · 29/11/2006 07:42

I have also discovered that money off vouchers are accepted at tesco self service tills wether you bought the item or not! (Not dared try it with regular tills, but have had money off with vouchers for all kinds of baby stuff I would never buy this way)

mustrunmore · 29/11/2006 08:09

You mean you dont get tempted by the range of delights in Happy Shopper

I had a dream last night, the gist of which was that we had infact got our contents insurance ages ago, with the building insurance people. So now even though my head knows he havent got it, I'm still full of self doubt/vain hope and will be going to look through our paperwork later

Original poster
Flamesparrow · 29/11/2006 08:11

Ooh that sounds good! They've actually bothered to put in the chip and pin machines there now too - before you didn't need a pin number

OP posts:
munz · 29/11/2006 08:12

can I join as well?

we're hoping next year to have all but one debt, (at eh minute we have about 5 on the go) so we're looking at another 3.5 years and then completley debt free

always looking to save money thou if I can.

one tips - for next xmas, i'm using a xmas club to save each month with my cousin, but alos, we have a normal bank account whic I'm planning on puttin a little in each month if we can spare it for emergancies - and basically giving the card to mum so I can't spend any of it

Original poster
Flamesparrow · 29/11/2006 08:13

I dreamt about your insurance last night too, but mine was a fire Worrying about it lots, and its not my house

OP posts:
mustrunmore · 29/11/2006 08:15

Well, at least someone dreamt about me

Original poster
Flamesparrow · 29/11/2006 08:35
  • Decent food budgetting/planning
  • uswitch
  • 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.

SHOPPING
*Shop online if you make a comprehensive list (it will cost more if you miss lots off)
*Menu plan ? easier to make a stickable to shopping list

  • Use Quidco to get money back on shopping
  • If you can be trusted to pay it all off before the end of the month, do your shopping on a Tesco credit card to get the points to use elsewhere
  • Eat before you shop
  • Buy extras like milk and bread at the corner shop ? what slight extra you pay for the milk, you save on not seeing tempting offers!! (4 pts of milk is actually CHEAPER at my corner shop than Tesco Express)
  • Sign up for anything that will send you free vouchers
  • Pay at the self service machines in Tesco as they accept all vouchers regardless of purchases
  • Avoid gift/cleaning aisle in shops ? you buy things you don?t need FOOD ? Menu plan! It can be a 2 or 3 week mix n match type thing, but have some plan to help you shop ? Work out which foods can be economised on, and which are just not worth it ? value mushrooms are just an odd shape, value mince is more fatty, but if you strain it it is fine, but frozen mince tastes like disintergrated cardboard ? Cook bulk meals and freeze ? 2 packs of mince can often make 3 meals, where as 1 pack makes 1 n a bit ? Bulk meals out with lots of veg ? again, a Bolognese sauce goes a lot further if its filled with peppers, grated carrots etc ? Take drinks out with you so you are not forced to buy ? Get Fruit and Veg at markets

GIFTS
? Keep a list of birthdays with you so you can buy presents as you spot bargains
? Save for Christmas NOW ? Use a club or a separate savings account with a standing order - don?t wait and see what you can afford at the end of the month ? you won?t be able to

GENERAL
? Save up spare £1 coins and coppers etc ? You can get it changed at most Sainsbury?s in a machine ? it does take some of your money in a charge, but I never get it changed if I have to take it to a bank, so it makes more sense.
? Claim back you bank charges if you have them
? Cut up credit cards ? If it is not a matter of starvation or eviction, it is NOT an emergency
ITS NOT A BARGAIN IF YOU DIDN?T NEED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!

OP posts:
jessicaandrebeccasmummy · 29/11/2006 08:53

I need to join!!!

A tip if you want to transfer money on each payday to another account for savings.... use a kids account to do it -higher interest rate!

Agree with menu-planning! And also agree with going to your parents house for tea at least once a week!!!

Original poster
Flamesparrow · 29/11/2006 09:13

Forgot

*Put on another layer rather than turning up the heating

OP posts:
mustrunmore · 29/11/2006 10:11

We'd look like Michelin men if we put on any more layers Its freezing today!

Original poster
Flamesparrow · 29/11/2006 10:36

lmao - There is a limit to layering We have the thermostat set so that it only comes on if it is x amount cold.

Done my adding up - where the hell has our money been going??? I think mice have been eating it - we really shouldn't be anywhere near as screwed as we have been.

Now very at just how much of a mess I have gotten us into...

OP posts:
Jelley · 29/11/2006 10:40

When I put it down on paper, we should have extra. No mice, just dp. He takes moneey out at the machine in the pub (£1.50 each time), and comes home saying "I'm just going to lend XXX£10/£100"....but never tells me when he gets it back

I'm going to have another talk to him tonight, and see if I can get him to stick to a budget and give me his card.

Jelley · 29/11/2006 10:40

When I put it down on paper, we should have extra. No mice, just dp. He takes moneey out at the machine in the pub (£1.50 each time), and comes home saying "I'm just going to lend XXX£10/£100"....but never tells me when he gets it back

I'm going to have another talk to him tonight, and see if I can get him to stick to a budget and give me his card.

Original poster
Flamesparrow · 29/11/2006 10:54

Boy isn't allowed to take out money

OP posts:
asleep · 29/11/2006 10:56

i've been writing the tips down.

another thing i find is that i go shopping out of boredom. so i found myself a hobby.

Original poster
Flamesparrow · 29/11/2006 11:09

I have a hobby... reading... bookshops are my problem

I now tend to let Psychomum buy books and I just read hers

OP posts:
charliecat · 29/11/2006 11:35

Swop bookshops for charity shops/jumbles sales Flame.
Get a buzz out of paying 50p for a book instead of 7.99.

asleep · 29/11/2006 11:53

or go to the library!

LoveMyGirls · 29/11/2006 12:45

when i do our budget it says we should have spare but we're always going overdrawn! and neither of us spend alot of money i stick to the budget but things throw us like needing to get something done to the car or presents or the girls needing something so we say well we need it so we'll have to buy it.

I'm hoping one day we will have enough money for nice things or even so i don't have to walk around with 1 set of clothes that i keep having to wash! the jeans i currently live in have a big hole in the back of them (pocket just incase you think im walking round with my bum showing!) and i have 1 fleece jumper i wear day in day out i sometimes buy new tshirts for a few quid but only to replace ones that are just shameful! the bad thing is that i have clothes upstairs that are lovely, hardly worn but i bought them just before i got pg so i'm now waiting to get into them and im 2 sizes too big for them at the minute. it will be christmas soon and hopefully i will get somemoney and be able to get some new clothes in the sales.

asleep · 29/11/2006 13:11

when the shampoo or shower gel i use is on BOGOF (usually every 2 months in our tesco), i stock up. i have enough bottles in my bathroom cupboard until it's on BOGOF again. and i use fixture ferrets

ska · 29/11/2006 13:21

FS for books which are my weakness (ie i think it's educational) I now use this to swap books on. It costs the price of the postage (around £1.39) but means you get books you want! Kids books on there too.

finefatmama · 29/11/2006 13:44

I'm in but we won't be debt free for another 7years.

When dh and i earned over £50,000 with not kids, we were overspent by £750 on a good month, £1000 usually. Now we earn half of that, have two kids and are trying to get rid of the last £70 overspend.

In January, we had unsecured debt of £83,580 and have managed to reduce it to £39,500. needless to say, debt repayment accounts for over half of our outgoings.

Original poster
Flamesparrow · 29/11/2006 13:56

Oh FFM It'll be a slow process but will gradually go down.

I won't be debt free either - loans to pay back. More a case of getting into an able to handle things state iyswim.

Just set up a load of s/o based on the budget spread sheet... we'll see how it goes!!

Some great links being given - thankyou

OP posts: