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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:
ratclare · 01/12/2006 09:21

im going to arrange for the child benifit to be paid in to a savings account, i usually just fritter it on rubbish anyway ( dont think its supposed to pay for wine anyway!) that way i will have money in september for school uniform/shoes etc and have some money for chrimbo. Pay for school dinners at beginning of month instead of weekly to avoid trips to cashpoint to get money and always end up taking out an extra tenner incase. Cut up m&s card,hide next catalogues in recycling bin. Pay off credit cards-slowly , hopefully before dh finds out how much i owe !

ska · 01/12/2006 09:35

saving money at work: for a while I commuted to central london and at first it cost me loads. So I took my breakfast in with me (yog and muesli in sep containers), took snacks for when I was bored (like an apple, or hummus and crackers kept in work fridge) and always took in a little bit of last night's left over dinner to micro or eat cold (like pasta as salad). & Took in teabags and milk. At first people were a bit sniffy but I NEVER spent any money at work as a result AND lost over a stone in weight! But then I had to buy new clothes....but everybody started to copy me. I used to say 'i come to work to earn money not spend it!' and then felt ok about the occasional trip to pizza express for a birthday lunch etc. And when I left I took in 2 huge home made cakes rather than the standard cream ones and everyone loved them (and I saved about £30!) Also , only read the metro or other free ppaers and look out for people's cast off mags on the train (I got In Style last week!)
OMG I probably sound really sad but it really saved me loads and we could the afford to go on holiday which was the point of the job.

I think it's about getting into the habit and not giving in if (childless?) people get a bit sniffy. they have no idea how much kids/the commute cost (my train fare was £17 a day and as I was only 3 days I couldn't save by a season ticket).

FLAMEinEckItsYuleAgain · 01/12/2006 16:31

God I'm crp at this!! I am starting to notice where my money goes - a coffee here, a treat for DH there I suppose the good thing is that I am* now noticing though.

I have adapted spreadsheets so its sort of a combo of mine and Capp's, and I am writing down EVERYTHING that our money goes on - if it is cash taken out, I want to know WHY. I should be able to see what's happening then.

charliecat · 01/12/2006 21:21

At least your working out where its going Flame. You need to stop the coffees, and have one as a TREAT
You will save a small fortune I bet

FLAMEinEckItsYuleAgain · 01/12/2006 21:23

The coffee is once a week in Macdonalds on a Friday... I have very limited expectations of treats already

charliecat · 01/12/2006 21:26

Your standards are higher than mine. I have a mint chocolate thingy for 39p at home brought from tescos LOL....once every 3 months or so

charliecat · 01/12/2006 21:27

I thought you were on 3.49 lattes with cream and chocolate and whatever else....now if you were, and you stopped, and saved the money, you would be well rich in a year!

JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 01/12/2006 22:03

BUt my cafe trips aren't lunch they are part of our lessons (this is a bit of a sore point!) and we have break in a cafe at least 2x a week and you can't take a flask in a cafe !Also have lunch out (as a lesson) about once a month. So even if I just buy a drink its £1.50ish a time(then I usually give in and buy snack too)

JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 01/12/2006 22:05

Thanks for the spreadsheet btw

ska · 02/12/2006 11:52

JOSNick - lessons? how? but if you have to do this then you need to factor it into your budget I guess and economise somewhere else. can you save money on fares instead - eg the oyster card saves money i think if you prepay and i try to buy my tickets online now to get the best deal.lol - never realsied saving money was such hard work.

JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 02/12/2006 19:10

Its a SN school-lots of social trips out.Its a sore point with lots of staff as we think if we don't get a choice (as in we can't get a drink at school/take a flask) school should pay(they just say well don't buy one then

I have just bought a car (well bought for me ) as I was sharing with my Mam but it was getting impractical as I was taking it to work (20miles/no public transport ) when she needed it.Car is not that bad to run though, £20 a fortnight for petrol and we still walk locally(determined not to let us get lazy )

fsmail · 02/12/2006 23:55

I will join too. It is my new motto, think before you spend!

FLAMEinEckItsYuleAgain · 03/12/2006 00:00

I am writing down every little thing - its definately helping me think about my spending. 2 days in and we're on target

ska · 03/12/2006 11:36

JOSnikk - could you all get together and put some money into a kitty for these cafe trips? if they really are part of your job then school ought to make some contribution - cafes don't allow you to sit there if you don't drink anything!

JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 03/12/2006 19:59

but the kids still would be buying and we are supervising we just wouldn't get a drink
Not really a way round it,just really bugs me!

FLAMEinEckItsYuleAgain · 05/12/2006 17:00

How's everyone going? I've been writing down everything our money is going on - its making me veyr very aware of our spending and I am seeing exactly where it goes.

CranberryJelley · 05/12/2006 19:17

I've opened a bank account for ds, and set up a small standing order.(I had lump sums when the dds were small to start their accounts off and I have nothing for him, so only he is getting it at the moment.

I've had lots of conversations with dp (the spender in the family)and he is coming round to my budget.

If I can keep his spending under control, we would be in a much better position.

I've also opened a "secret" account to try and save something for a buffer for future problems (empty atm, but I will start paying in after Christmas)

And I've backed out of my night out next week

asleep · 05/12/2006 20:08

i'm also keeping a record of all our spending. i can really see where it's going. i'm saving all spare £1 and £2 coins.

charliecat · 05/12/2006 20:12

I am still putting away all my pound and £2 coins when they are not needed else where.
I am not spending money on anything unless is totally necessary.
I left my ditzy mum in Tescos on her own today because I knew I would spend money I shouldnt if I stayed in there with her.
She lost £60 in notes between the till anhd the car...I felt really guilty

FLAMEinEckItsYuleAgain · 05/12/2006 21:00

Jas

CC - You weren't to know!

PinkTinsel · 05/12/2006 21:05

just seen this thread....... i definitely need motivation to sort out our money probs

the point has just hit home eith dp about the electricity as we've had a whopper of a bill so he's finally listening to me with regards energy saving but that just the tip of the iceberg!

will read through now and steal all your money saving ideas!

luckily i've just spoken to the landlord and he's not too pushed about the 2 grand in rent we owe so at least we won't be evicted over xmas.... lol

JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 05/12/2006 21:32

I have filled in the spread sheet and have found out I should have nearly £500 to buy food/clothes/pay off debt every month where the f**k does it go?

FLAMEinEckItsYuleAgain · 05/12/2006 21:35

That makes me feel better that its not just me p*ssing away our money

PinkTinsel · 05/12/2006 21:39

a good tip if internet shopping is out of the question for you.... go to aldi orlidl first and get everything you can off your shopping list there, then top up in your normal supermarket. you'd be [shocked] how much it'll save you

cappucchino, can you email me a spreadsheet too? i'n hopeless at doing them myself my email is dee_pinktulip AT hotmail DOT com

JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 05/12/2006 21:41

Grin Blush