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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:
charliecat · 22/02/2007 10:57

Good grief, Im actually floating in front of the PC right now.
Tax credits have deposited a load of money in my bank...ha ha ..whether its right or not is a different story. But im going to clear my CC, that was about 200 that I was skrimping to clear before it started gaining interest and stick the rest in a savings account till they probably ask for it again in april.
I was getting £60 out the bank that needed to go in my jars...I was so shocked at the amount in the bank I walked away from the £60 and the woman behind me shouted me back

kirstygem · 22/02/2007 13:51

DDs nursery refunded me £60 today that I didn't even know they owed me, how happy was I when I looked in the envelope
Although now I have to decide whether to pay my Mum back or put it towards something else. Only 6 days to go til payday, thank goodness

Bananaknickers · 22/02/2007 16:28

Great news Kirstygem. If only you could just go out and blow it . Then thats what I would have done in the past , before I became all sensible.

nikkie · 22/02/2007 17:40

Spent far too much in Asda today
BOught myself a new jacket, dd1 needed more uniform and jeans (why do kids have to grow ) and bought a b'day present for a party at the w/e. So when added to food £80!!!!!!!!

charliecat · 22/02/2007 18:31

You will be raiding the back of the freezer then next week nikkie!!!!
I have just applied for an ISA to put this tax credits money in.
Dp goes back to work next week fulltime. But his wages get eaten up by CSA so I think we will be worse off than we are now....BUT we will see.

Helennn · 22/02/2007 20:33

Right - will post what else I can think of when brain is working properly. Half-term here and both ds1 and dd1 playing up have done my brain in today!!!
Firstly, I know it has been said before but get to know your way around moneysavingexpert.com. Go through all your direct debits and other bills and check if you can get a better deal on it, nearly everything can be got cheaper if you know where to look. Also, sign up for their weekly e-mails, keeps you in touch with the money saving ethos!! I recently looked on their insurance chat forum and found people talking about a deal through Quidco, sign up in February for car or home insurance, (or both), and get £120 back per policy, and you can also download a £50 M&S voucher. Some people were actually ending up in profit.
Quidco, only just started using it myself but would recommend joining up, (costs £5 which they only take from your earnings). Every-time you go to buy something on-line check if it is available through Quidco and you can save yourself a decent amount of money.
Hotukdeals.com I do my on-line food shopping at Tesco, (I live miles from any decent supermarket), I always check on hotukdeals web-site and get a discount code. I have hardly every had to pay for delivery as there are always either £5 off or extra clubcard points. They tell you all the other deals going and point out pricing errors etc. that you can make the most of.
Tesco clubcard points, always spend these on the clubcard deals to be found on-line. They are worth 4 times as much as if you spend your points on shopping. Will keep thinking and let you know.

GreedyGecko · 22/02/2007 20:42

Keep those tips coming Helenn.

We won't be eating for the next year! Half terms been a disaster,cost us about £300. Went up to North Wales to see ILs, major c* up, nowhere for us to sleep, so ended up staying in frigging hotels. Had to spend loads on petrol because of the travelling to hotels (20min drive from where they live). Car knackered up while we were up there, so had to repair it (fortunately only plugs & leads). So in total we've spent £150 on hotels, £120 on petrol, £25 on repairs, and about £25 on food. GRRRRRRR!

I've been putting off buying ds1 a new coat until the summer when they'll be cheaper, but found a decent one in an outlet Next for only £9. His last coat has lasted him 3 years, fingers crossed this one will be the same.

charliecat · 22/02/2007 20:47

GG. We had a holiday like that, took the car to Ireland to see the Inlaws and the exhaust fell off Cost more to replace than the ferry and the eating out etc
Hope things look up soon.

nikkie · 22/02/2007 20:56

Dd1 needs a coat as she has grown out of hers but don't wantto spend a lot as she'll need a new one agin in Sept.
At least with us all being ill 1/2 term is cheap as we haven't even been to the pictures!

Helennn · 22/02/2007 21:06

Few more come to mind. If you have decorating to do, check out the Dulux web-site, if you request colour samples of your colour choice you also get money off coupons. Also, if you use Pampers, sign up on their web-site and you get sent money off vouchers.

If you are a heavy buyer of books try this web-site, readitswapit.co.uk. Not used it myself but sounds a good idea to swap books rather than pay the extortionate price of new ones.

Would encourage anyone who really wants to get rid of the debt to sign up on the debtfree wannabee chat room on moneysavingexpert. Put in your current situation and they will tell you what you ought to do. When you realise what you are paying in interest every month it might make you determined enough to forsake the takeaways!! Just think, when you have paid off some of the debts you will have the interest you have saved to spend!! Could you move some of the debt to a lower rate balance transfer credit card?

Maybe go for a 6 month hard-core money diet, where you only spend what it entirely essential and do all you can to earn as much as possible to pay off as much debt as you can. Set yourself a target and see if you can beat it.

Sorry if this is like telling you all to suck eggs!?!, I know some of you might be living as frugally as absolutely possible, but I know some of my friends who claim to be broke, (one is having to sell his house because he can't afford to live there), and still have a holiday in France, takeaways, bought a new parrot, goes to all the afterschool clubs going. It is miserable being seriously hard-up, but cut back on all non-essentials, pay off as much debt as you can and you should get there in the end. We did, and it makes so much difference not having to pay credit card interest every month. Hope I don't offend anyone. .

GreedyGecko · 22/02/2007 21:10

lol @ cheap week nikkie, because of ill LOs (not lol that they're ill of course )

There is one good thing though, , got our offer from Barclays whle we were away. We asked for £445, they've offered £230. I know we could get the whole lot back, but i can't be arsed. If it was a difference of £1000, then I'd do it.

nikkie · 22/02/2007 21:28

I use RISI , very good, just have to remember not to swap loads at the same time!
Have been lurking on MSE!

Bananaknickers · 22/02/2007 22:17

how does Quidco work then?

charliecat · 22/02/2007 22:24

You sign up to quidco..usual name address DOB nothing too bizarree
and then before you do your shop at tescso or carphone ware house or whatever you go to quidco, sign in...email addy, password and then search TESCO...it come up, you go thru that link to tesco and you get 3% of your shopping total back in your account.

charliecat · 22/02/2007 22:25

www.quidco.com

nikkie · 23/02/2007 14:58

Haven't seen that one before thanks CC

charliecat · 24/02/2007 16:24

Had another resuly with tescos points today...the trolley I picked had 64 unused points on the reciept, and will another 1 from anpother day I got 85 points...which is about 3.60 in deals..............Sad bugger, made my day

nikkie · 24/02/2007 17:06

Yay!
I fogot to use my card the other day but still have the receipt so will have to do it later

Aloveheart · 24/02/2007 18:19

CC lol. i had 2 green points today cause i got some big bags to take shopping.

nikkie · 25/02/2007 18:46

Those green points bug me .Quite often I don't use a bag at all when I buy only a couple of things and you don't get them then and I never use a bag for toilet rolls/kitchen rolls etc and don't get them.

GreedyGecko · 25/02/2007 18:54

I always take lots of bags with me, and just tell them that I've used them all. And you can get 100 (I think) green points for old printer cartridges.

nikkie · 25/02/2007 19:30

Done the printer thing before
DOn't shop in Tesco that often, tends to be that I pop in on the way home from work or I shop online with them.

charliecat · 26/02/2007 16:31

Getting completely carried away with my tesco points today, got 150 extra for buying cat food on a till spit...and 75 for buying typhoo tea which I got on her behalf and nicked the point for

kirstygem · 27/02/2007 09:43

Got really excited at work today as my two ink cartriges ran out and so can get 200 Tesco points . In my life of trying to scrimp and save money wherever possible little things make me happy. Also made £30 on Ebay last week. And payday tomorrow . Hope everyones week going OK

charliecat · 27/02/2007 10:03

KirtyGem...Yay to the ink carts
My cat wasnt right and ive took him to the vets and hes got diabetes...which in money terms is 90 today and 25 a month forever.
Thankfully dp starts full time work this week and gets paid a month in advance...or I would be borrowing that..or taking it from the tax credits lump sum.