Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Money matters

Find financial and money-saving discussions including debt and pension chat on our Money forum. If you're looking for ways to make your money to go further, sign up to our Moneysaver emails here.

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:
JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 11/12/2006 19:24

Click through the nectar card site too, I have an AMEX nectar card and you get a bonus for taking one out (again only any good if you pay it off monthly)

ska · 11/12/2006 19:33

I'm eating our way through the freezer - amazed at how much food we've got in there. Haven't done a shop this week apart from a few odds and ends (and our veg box). Saved loads! Next week it'll be the turn of the tins cupboard, I bet that could be the basis of lots of meals too.

FLAMEinEckItsYuleAgain · 11/12/2006 19:49

I was amazed at how much food (especially meat) I didn't have to order this time because our freezer has loads!!!

JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 11/12/2006 20:38

I'm doing that atm too!

ska · 11/12/2006 22:04

yes, not sure how old some of it was though, but no-one's complained yet!

FLAMEinEckItsYuleAgain · 13/12/2006 22:11

How's it going peeps?

The spreadsheet is working well here (sort of a mutant form of my own and capp's) - I am sort of curbing my spending, but at the same time able to see where the money trickles too. I am very very positive that we can do this!!

Oooh the fruit and veg came tonight - its gooooooooorgeous. I am very very lucky!

PinkTinsel · 14/12/2006 09:39

still haven't done up the spreadsheet as i have the sinking feeling i have more outgoings that in. think i'll wait til after xmas to see the full horrors of the mess we're in. problem is all our outgoings are unavoidable so theres no where except the food budget to cut back on...... bugger!

must say though there's some relief in knowing i'm not the only one!

CranberryJelley · 14/12/2006 09:44

As I suspected, I can't use the spread sheet. Thanks for sending it though Flame.
It's down to me having a mac, and no computer knowledge. I really should find out how to sort this as it is a problem I've had before.

We too spend more than we have coming in some weeks.

I will follow up more of the tips after Christmas as my theory is that every little improvement must help.

FLAMEinEckItsYuleAgain · 14/12/2006 12:43

When the numbers all go in it does help to be able to see it clearly.

ska · 14/12/2006 15:23

moneysavingexpert has a spreadsheet soemwhere in it and i think they do too versions. worth a look? did anybody see the Money Programme prog about getting your bank charges back on tuesday night? somebody had £15,000 worth of charges to claim and a woman got £5000 back? It's really made me pleased I'd made my request last week, they'll be inundated! Gives me hope tho'. now back to the depths of the freezer to see what we can all eat tonight....

asleep · 16/12/2006 09:11

jelley, i have a mac too. cashbox is quite an easy, FREE and good programme.

CranberryJelley · 16/12/2006 16:50

Thankyou, asleep. That is just what I needed.

ska · 17/12/2006 19:01

any new ideas?

JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 19/12/2006 20:23

Errrrr....
Don't look at boots?you'll only end up buying some....4 pairs
IMD I needed some and they were all i the sale (£70 for 4 pairs?)

JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 19/12/2006 20:24

I had Christmas money as well

charliecat · 19/12/2006 20:24

4 pairs
Good grief..

ska · 21/12/2006 17:27

ok, so have finished my christmas shopping and spent a bit to much BUT feel quite pleased that it is mainly using the money I have saved by being really frugal in the last few weeks!

CranberryJelley · 21/12/2006 20:59

I bought a money tin from a pound shop, and have found the slot is so tight that I won't be able to use a knife to sneak any of the £1 back out. The only way will be to tin open it and admit defeat, so I'm hoping to save a bit for next Christmas, (or summer holiday outings if I get it filled )

charliecat · 21/12/2006 21:05

I have been the tightest arse in the world this Xmas. Including the dds and the food and the relatives that MUST have pressies(the others I said I wasnt doing for this year), I have spent about £150.
And by the time the bill comes in the end of January I will hopefully have saved enought to have my credit card at 0.
Im in a Just Enough to Live On, providing noone needs anything or nothing breaks down budget!

CranberryJelley · 22/12/2006 10:39

I've copid this form further down, so the links are missing, but I've been directing people over here and a couple want the spreadsheet (Which I accidentally deleted)so......

A round up of a lot of the tips/links so far:

  • Decent food budgetting/planning - Email Flamesparrow at gmail dot com for a copy of Capp?s spreadsheet! (Didn?t want to tell everyone to CAT you Capp unless you wanted them to )
  • 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.

BUDGET
Work out a spreadsheet for your monthly/weekly spending. Spend a couple of months tracking every penny you spend ? you will be able to see where your money trickles away to!!!

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 (have discovered that DH works next to the people who supply the organic veg box people ? we are now getting organic veg for less than basic tesco veg prices

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!!!

ska · 23/12/2006 13:55

well done charliecat! I'm really impressed. Just took my dad out shopping and that put my budget a bit out!lol. Now just looking forward to the lovely rest and being with the family. Happy Christams everybody and see you in 2007 for debt free push (I got all my 6 years worth of bank statement through and am planning highlight all the charges when i have a spare minute).

FLAMEinEckItsYuleAgain · 24/12/2006 22:25

Well I have looked, and we have gone about £100 over my allotted food budget this month, BUT this month was the not trying one, it was the one to see where our money goes to...

Turns out it goes to the nice people at the chinese takeaway, and the other nice people at threshers .

With all that though, we still have managed to put money into savings. Very optimistic for 2007.

charliecat · 25/12/2006 22:41

OMG the sales have started. I keep seeing online sales...going to them...putting a couple of things in the basket then closing the page down. I DO NOT need anything. And Im not really a shopper or someone thats into clothes....
Really no spare money, not even a pound.
However, I will indulge in a couple of very very very cheap bras in M and S when everyone else has returned what didnt fit and they are £2-3 each
Still putting my pounds in my tin..Its HEAVY.
I think theres between 2-3 hundred pounds in there

JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 26/12/2006 21:59

I need clothes but can't shop for them online, too much searching!
Will brave the RL shops and get put off spending money by the crowds

JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 28/12/2006 20:25

Did quite well in the sales bought 8 new tops for £30 so don't need much now and hopefully can try and save a bit now!

Swipe left for the next trending thread