What happened to the debt free thread? Can we start again? SICK of worrying about money :(

[Flamesparrow]

Huge huge huge overspend over the holidays, and now in sh*t again.

So angry with myself - I got carried away and bought presents for DH's birthday and took the kids on outings, what could I have been thinking??? Trying to enjoy life???

Close to tears.

I know it isn't terrible terrible, we don't have people banging on our door for money, but we do now have a bigger loan (it is a flexible one with cahoot and I have had to take some out to pay off the overdrawn overdraft iyswim).

I am sick of living like this. I constantly worry about spending too much, then when I try and relax a bit and buy the odd luxury we end up in sh*t again.

All jobs I could get would wipe out earnings with childcare costs. DH is miserable at work but cannot change jobs because he won't get the same level of pay due to experience. BumFluff is starting to get somewhere, but I have bills to pay from my start up stock, so it isn't going to help our finances for at least another 6 months.

To top it off, I'm not going to be able to go to MumOfMonster's wedding as I can't afford to get there and stay etc (that is more upsetting than the bill worrying and everything else)

I just want the debts gone, and life to be slightly easier. (Oh and 2 friends to move closer....)

So, I need to get back onto the whole debt free, living crappily again.

'All jobs I could get would wipe out earnings with childcare costs'

are you sure?/ have you looked at entitledto.com?
I thought the same as you but working tax credit means we're actually a lot better off if I work

also have you done the obvious carboot, ebay selling thing?
I'm sure MoM will understand by the way

I dream of being debt free too.

I am not as bad as some, but when things are so tight you are awake at night worrying about getting the bills paid, it's hard to work up the optimism to imagine a debt free life.

I am sick of never having treats too - I was the baddy at the weekend as usual with dp and dss put out we couldn't go out somewhere.

I don't know any mroe. I am a crap mother any way so he may as well be in nursery full time even if I don't earn more.

MoM's wedding - we have never met. I have known her for about 5 years now, love her with all my heart and I was finally going to meet her on the most special day of her life. Am looking at all I can ebay for the wedding.

What hours does your dh work? If 9-5 in the week could you work evenings or weekends?

Ok so what are you doing now ?

Shop at Aldi,Netto and Lidl.
Plan your meals for the week ahead.

I don't want to go on to much if you already do these things.

Yup, I need to get back to all of those things I have been slack.

I am much much calmer now. The world isn't ending (ok, it may tomorrow night ) and I can get through this

Have you tried doing the moneysavingexpert budget? I know it doesn't solve the immediate wanting to go to wedding problem (hope you can find sufficient stuff to ebay), but it might help avoid a similar problem in future, even if you can only put a couple of quid by every month for one off spends. Or if you can't afford to put some by, you'll be at least able to see where everything is going.

I really need to come up with some better advice than do a budget don't I? It's always my first response!

Hey Flame - what about an evening job?

I work in a village pub three evenings a week 7 till midnight and one lunchtime 11.00/3.30.

It fits in with the kids, don't do the lunchtime in the holidays (obviously don't get paid) but the money I earn pays for our holidays.

Something to think about?

Down grade your sky package if you have that.

Cap your energy bills.

Not sure about this but you could at one time get stamps for car tax.

Put all you 2p and spare change in a jar.
Most supermarkets have those coin changers and use it at Christmas.

Make a list of debts a the top should be the one with the highest interest rate work down to the lowest.
Pay the most of the highest and make minimum payments on the rest.

Have started a thread here, I could be doing with some support too!!! Not to worry though we'll all get through it!

I will get DH to call virgin tonight (it is in his name, and they won't talk to me even with the password ).

I am looking at part time jobs in the hospital now (DH works there, it is close, and there is a subsidised nursery.) I don't know if we will be much better off, but I will feel like I am doing something, and hopefully it would get us off benefits so DH could keep his annual bonus. I can't do evening work - I cannot function on little sleep (not as in I am being over dramatic, as in I get so exhausted and depressed I am suicidal), so working til midnight and then being up in the night with DS, and then being awake all day - it wouldn't work.

I am feeling like this is much more fixable today - I got on top of it before, I can do it again.

Thank you

I'm off to the other thread