Lets get debt free and start living a little !!!

[mamadiva]

Well thought I'd start this becaus I'm in debt and am sure others are too so come on lets support each other!

Get those bargain ad budget ideas in ladies and gentlemen!

We will soon be debt free and be able to start living a little without the worry of overspending!

Well I have small debts admittedly but debt none the less.

It's more that we don't earn enough really that seems to be the main problem, paying out every penny we have so literally nothing left for anything!

I have a £1000 loan

£350 overdraft that I'm seriously struggling to get out of but am currently on a reduction plan so it goes down £50 a mnth until it's gone.

I also have catalogues of about £150 I think.

Currently our only debt (other than the mortgage) is the overdraft. But we do seem to struggle to claw anything back and it is approaching £1K by the end of each month. DH has ordered a bike though that will cost £500 and is putting it on a 0% credit card and paying it off at £50/month.

Oh dear it is horrid when you feel as though you are trapped by the bank isn't it?

Hopefully you will manage to clamber out of it

I'm having a very refined christmas this year 1and making a;ll the cut backs I can otherwise.

Well not sure it is the bank's fault. On paper we have a reasonable income and should be able to live within our means, but appear not to do so! I do a budget each month but always forget something.

I do that too.

I use moneysavingexpert.com a lot they are quite good.

Am currently trying to budget better and not forget anything so that there are no unexpected costs LOL.

I wish I could be arsed to search for the old debt free thread, there was a huge list of things to try.

We have a loan, credit card, and hoooooooooooooge overdrafts

I will go find the original thread to c&p the info

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!!!

If you sell your house and move into rented the money made invested in a bank will pay the rent.

If you are trying to get out of debt, don't take out anymore.
It might sound obvious but alot of people try to get out of a hole by digging deeper.

Just to add;

re the coppers/pound coins; Don't use the machines that charge. Set up a basic savings account and simply pay them straight in.