Debt help please!

10past6

distressedpleasehelp wrote: »

I've called the company, O2, already and been told I have to wait another few months to reduce tarriffs

They want the most money out of you, there's always someone on here with more knowledge than those in a CC (No offence to CC employees)

Don't take O2 word for it, post in the forum I gave above see if you can make any progress

distressedpleasehelp

hi insider 66

I'm trying hard to get a new job, I'm bored at home.

I don't know what those things are that your talking about. this has all just happened to me with being just two months behind. My savings didn't last very long!

What do you suggest in my case?

distressedpleasehelp

Having homemade vegetable soup for lunch/supper today. that's another thing we only have breakfast and then one meal per day as the children eat at college/school.
I do so want to change these silly habbits but I have tried already I always buy the cheapest product and hardly ever buy brand names.

rugbymum

Well done for posting your SOA:T I did mine a couple of days ago.
Firstly tell your kids NO. To everything!:eek: That bit is going to be hard but bite the bullet and go for it. Explain, if you want to the need to cut back. Challenge THEM to find ways of saving money.
No electricity?
No more new clothes, from tesco or anywhere else. See what you already have and make it last. EXCEPT SHOES. I know what teenagers are like.
Sell anything that isn't nailed down.
I know you've included EVERYTHING in your tesco bill BUT it is still unbelievably high. Mine is 300 and that is for 5/7 (including 3/5 teenagers , and I know I can cut that with effort. No more snacks/ready meals/stuff advertised on the telly etc.
Welcome aboard the debt free wanabe train, it's going to be a bumpy ride but we'll try & help you have fun on the way!:j

rugbymum

DMP= debt management plam
CCCS= one of the debt counselling charities that will set up a dmp

rugbymum

distressedpleasehelp wrote: »

Having homemade vegetable soup for lunch/supper today. that's another thing we only have breakfast and then one meal per day as the children eat at college/school.
I do so want to change these silly habbits but I have tried already I always buy the cheapest product and hardly ever buy brand names.

Have you kept any receipts from recent shopping trips? It may help to go over some of those (now that you're in the dfw frame of mind).

insider66

distressedpleasehelp wrote: »

hi insider 66

I'm trying hard to get a new job, I'm bored at home.

I don't know what those things are that your talking about. this has all just happened to me with being just two months behind. My savings didn't last very long!

What do you suggest in my case?

Hi distressed

Even if you don't know what the things are I listed, I hope you will take some comfort in knowing there are solutions to your situation.

You are in a better position than a lot of people, as you definately have some money to be able to offer your creditors, and will be able to find more with the help here.

I wouldn't advise thinking about a Trust deed or Bankruptcy just yet, probably best to get on a DMP (debt management plan) with one of the free services such as CCCS, CAB or payplan

good luck with it all, and don't panic - it's only money!!

distressedpleasehelp

Hi rugby mum,

OOOPs i don't keep reciepts but I will doand I will make a spending diary.

I'm going to do this.

Thanks for your help and friendship!

distressedpleasehelp

Hi insider 66,

What does a DMP invlove?
My friend has recommended a trust deed, but thta's drastic isn't it?

And thank you too for your help and friendship!

MyLastFiver

Dunno how we do it really, although I definitely have a routine (I do the shopping). We plan a weekly menu then multiply it by 4 to know what to buy, so for example:

Mon - pizza
Tues - spaghetti
Wed - stew
Thurs - stew
Fri - fish
Sat - curry
Sun - roast

...and this forms the basis of our monthly shop. I buy a load of tinned toms, a load of chick peas, a load of lentils, then a ton of veg - whatever they have in which is organic. We don't eat much meat (chicken/beef on a Sunday, fish on a Friday), so I get a couple of fish and a couple of chicken cuts. Also a big packet of rice and a big packet of pasta.

We get 4 boxes of cereal, 8 cartons of juice (there's always an offer in Tesco), 4 packs of various cheese (again there's always an offer), a few packets of Ryvita then peanut butter, marmite, butter, jam, frozen quiches for lunches, a few bars of soap, a bottle of Mr Muscle, her toiletries (posh shampoo, tampons) my toiletries (ordinary shampoo, razors), bin bags & cloths, big box of washing power, big box of dishwasher tabs, blah, then a big box of nappies, big box of bogroll, a few packs of baby milk & other baby bits...

Plus a few treats for me: 4 cans of Wifebeater and a magazine, and for her: a bottle of wine and some chocolate.

OK it's a bit anal of me to be able to reel off my shopping list like this but this routine means that, give or take a few quid either way our shopping always comes to £200. Then throughout the month be spend a bit more on milk, bread and fresh veg.

This is why I do the shopping on my own (with the baby) - I know what we need, and how much of it. It's like a commando raid - in and out as quickly as possible! If my wife comes then it throws out my routine :-)

Anyway - I've revealed too much - anyone on here posher than me will be thinking "slob"!!! The contents of your shopping basket say a lot about you, and in our case, we're common as muck :-)