General Chat

And BOY did they hurt !!!

Bleedy silly thing to do as it's a daft way of borrowing money really but I didn't mean them to add up so quickly...... I let them take over........

Sorted it now and am on a real economy drive.

Any suggestions about how you've saved money or on own brand food that is as good as others most welcome

So far I've saved on internet provider, phone bill and mortgage.....next stop you switch for gas and electricity xx

there is a good web site done by martin lewis whos a real wizz on things like that put his name in and see what happens if not pm me your email and i will forward it on to you

julia x

Thanks Julia. I will do xx

Hi Muffy

It's an awful wake up call isn't it, when it gets out of hand like that? I know cos I have been there done it and worn several t-shirts.

This time I swear is the last time - it's my last chance.

Anyway - try shopping around for everything you can to get a better price - insurances - utilites etc

Do you have a water meter ?? that can cut the cost on supply and waste bills if you have one installed.

Food economy is prob more difficult if you have children to feed cos they are more fussy - me i just live on pasta and fish mostly and of course the invaluable mince lol

But I do buy tesco value chicken and frozen fish which are okay.

I shall watch your thread for more ideas for myself .............. lol

And well done you for taking control - it takes a lot of courage to admit to and do something about credit card debt xx

Oh yeah - have a sort out of anything you can sell at either a boot fair or on ebay :O))

I run several bank accounts Muffy - goes back to the days I used to have to budget a lot harder than I do now - but worked for me so still use the same system.

My salary goes into one current account - I pay X into joint current account each month from it - the joint account is only EVER used for household running - mortgage, bills, food, utilities etc..... you can work out what this is almost to the penny as it shouldnt vary much month to to month so that account should never go OD if you pay the same in each month - I try to keep an extra £50.00 to a hundred in there just in case over the cost of bills.

I am then left with X in my current account. I have a set amount I put away for savings - what used to be emergancies. That leaves me with a regular figure - I divided that by four and every friday pay myself by standing order into a savings account with a cash card.

If I want smokes, shoes, hair, make up etc ..... its all paid cash with that savings account. If I want something in particular I save a few weeks money in that account.

To be fair I do use cards as there are some advantages but come home and pay them off the same day.

This method helped me when I really needed to knuckle down when I was younger and I still use it loosely to this day.

A keyword in saving money is "Banter". Whatever you are buying or whatever services you are paying for, talk to your suppliers and negotiate downward !

Thanks McAnne.

I feel a bit ashamed of myself really but I know it's happened to lots of others so am trying not to beat myself up about it too much. Up til now I've always been very sensible with money...... I just don't know how I did it really !!!

I'm going through all my direct debits one by one and working out whether or not I'm overpaying or not. If I am they go on the list of *must do's*

Ebay is my new friend as are all the bogof offers at the supermarket lol xx

Muffy, BOGOF is not always the cheapest !

I know LD I do watch for that !! They can be very sneaky ...... sometimes though you DO get a great deal.....it's just keeping track of what you usually pay and making sure you do your sums.

Other week at Tesco they had a buy two get one free deal on some wines.......

But only ones that were hiked up by an extra two quid a bottle !!! cheeky wotsits lol xx

Muffy dont beat yourself up - you are facing up to what is a problem thats shows a lot of courage.

Also think about what you bought and why? Was it necessity or was it a want?
If your cooker went and you had to buy a cooker - well thats life - if you bought shoes and clothes you need to think about why?

We all love you just as you are and I am sure you will get a lot of support and advise.

You havent buried your head and bought more to take mind off it - you are working out a financial solution which is admirable.

If you have a large freezer that is well stocked, every so often have a freezer week, eat from the freezer not the shop, stock up the freezer when you get spare cash.

Save 20p coins, you wont miss them and they soon mount up.

Ann
Glos

Muffy, typical example, Ambrosia Rice 47p BOGOF, shops own brand 17p !

i got bitten by me credit card wen young luckily dad paid it of me and i paid him intrest fee over 2 years lmao

swore id never get one again
hence im not far from me limit on me new card now

yes see i learn so no use asking me muffy lol

When I'm in town and see something I want to buy I walk round town a while then go back to it, then decide if I really want to buy it - saves a lot of impulse buys and money too.
When food shopping, each week try a different own brand and see what you think, see if you can tell a difference.
When shopping decide if you really want it, do you need it, can you afford it - if you answer no to any of those then don't buy it.
I don't use a credit card any more, have never used a debit card, I stick to spending cash only.
I put all my small change into a coin sorter and every so often bag it and take to the bank into a savings account - mounts up to quite a few pounds over a few months.
I must have saved myself a small fortune over the past few years. I have no debts and now have some savings - not a huge amount but growing slowly.

Asda used to sell smartprice noodles for 9p that made good snacks or part of a meal. I practically lived off them at uni.

Don't beat yourself up too hard. You recognised the problem and are now doing something about it. My parents got sucked into a spiral of debt when I was a child. It was only really with my budgeting help when I was in my twenties that we got them out of it.

I've every confidence in you that you will get out of it. Budget, make a list of all your out goings and balance it with your income. Don't buy anything that isn't essential. Bogofs are great but be sure you only buy ones that you would anyway.. don't buy them just because they're on offer.

When you find yourself looking to buy something, ask yourself if you *need* it. If the answer is no... don't buy it. If you smoke and don't think you could give up then cut the amount in half... limit yourself to a daily number of ciggies. Same with alcohol make it a bottle of wine a week if you must have a drink (although if you must have a drink I'd be worried about other problems).

Like McAnne I've being there, done that and got the t'shirt. Don't beat yourself up Muffy it's easier to do than you realise. You buy something that costs a small amount here, there and somewhere else too and it all adds up before you realise it.

Thanks for all the support....... I know I've been a daftie and I feel a bit teary. about how kind you're all being. I kind of behaved a bit like a spoilt brat for the last year or so. OH got a better paid job and I just closed my eyes to the interest etc. I've bought lots of really cool stuff lol lovely new mattress for my bed........ furniture for the house........ loads of bits for the kids......but I went OTT.

Last time I got into debt I was 18...... and it shook me....... I thought I'd learnt my lesson but ......hey ho...... bad combo....... hubby working long hours on nights.... me home alone and bored with a credit card on the net lol xx

Next time your bored Muffy PM one of us and see if we are about.... Ill be happy to chat about the weather or whatever if im about and it helps to stop you shopping :)

Its easily done but your half way to fixing it. Now go find those scissors.

Muffy - no wonder you feel teary - it's damned scary to be overwhelmed by debt that you can no longer manage ........ i seem to have been on the same merri-go-round for the past 7 years since i stopped working in London ...

My average income is half what i used to earn - but after 20 years of big money and easy credit, it's hard to readjust.

I like Maddie's method of the two bank accounts system - think I might try that myself :O))