2009 diary - time to make changes!

Shoe_Gal

sarahb123 wrote: »

Hi ShoeGal, apprentice shoobeedoo on call:D I think the 4 day planning weekend is a great idea, I have a few ideas but as Hollyberry says, I hope these are not ideas you have already thought of, it's so difficult to know how other people approach things. Anyway,

• definitely open a new account away from Lloyds if you can, then set up a dd, just for a small amount to start with while you tackle cc, to reduce and then clear overdraft.
• have you put up an SOA on the main board, the people there are fab and will have loads of suggestions you may not have thought of.
• part time weekend job, not forever, just to tide you over.
• have you done the payment a day thing? Lots of people on here are doing it, sometimes just £1 a day, it all helps to reduce interest
• ebaying?
• a spending diary?
• taking money out of the cashpoint to last the week and when it's gone its gone.
• remember you are fabulous:D

Hope some of this is useful, sorry if I am repeating anything you have already thought of. xxx

Thanks Sarah

There are some good ideas there, some I hadn't thought off. Thanks for taking the trouble to type them out, that in itself means a lot :A

I actually feel a bit tearful from all the kindness people have shown tonight, I am feeling better already

Thanks everybody

SG x

sarahb123_3

Shoe_Gal wrote: »

Thanks Sarah

There are some good ideas there, some I hadn't thought off. Thanks for taking the trouble to type them out, that in itself means a lot :A

I actually feel a bit tearful from all the kindness people have shown tonight, I am feeling better already

Thanks everybody

SG x

I had to help, the quicker you are all paid off, the quicker you can get back to the shoe buying:D

Karen_30

Hi SG,

How are you feeling today? Hope you are feeling better.

Some great ideas from sarahb123 :A - I'm thinking of taking some things on board myself. Def going for the money, lifestyle sort out this weekend. I'm going to aim to get on top of everything, paperwork, housework, plan of action and try and start Tues after the bank holiday with a new positive plan for everything.

Hopefully we'll all be positive after a nice break and a bit of time to think about things

Take care, x

Hollyberry

Hiya to the Fabulous Shoe Gal and the Fabulous shoebeedoobees

Just dropping in to see how your Wednesday has been. Just one more day to go, then four days of freedom... Hope today has been kinder to you. :A

I'm thinking of taking Karen's sorting out comments to heart, and using these long weekend days to gut and sort out the study. I have so much stuff that needs eBaying, it's unreal. Not even sure if the mighty Turbolister is man enough for the job. :cool:

Shoe_Gal

Hi everybody :hello:

Thanks for all your kind messages and helpful suggestions. I am feeling a bit better today, still a bit down. I know I need a plan and to make some changes just not sure what that plan should be :rolleyes:

Did a bit of internet research about a part time/weekend job but being realistic I'm not sure if I've really got the time to take enough hours on to make enough money for it to be worth it. I cannot risk jeopardising my main job. If I under perform and make myself vulnerable to the redundancies that have been happening I would be much worse off as I'm not confident another job would be easy to find in the current climate

I have definately discounted moving for the time being. Although I could probably reduce my rent and petrol costs my moving closer to work I don't want to isolate myself from my friends and family just to save money - unless I really have to!

Am looking forward to the weekend and am going to spend some time sorting out and trying to make some plans. Hopefully I will feel better if I am working to some sort of plan

sarahb123_3

Am definitely not here so I can put off the tidying:D

I think you are right about the second job, there is no point if it will affect your main job in any way. Also if moving will leave you feeling isolated it's not worth it, you will probably end up spending as much on petrol going back to visit people anyway and it will be time consuming and stressful at a time you don't need any of that.


So, if you can't do either of those big things you need to concentrate on the small things which may make a difference. Remember, none of these are forever, just for a while so you can do some champion debt busting.:j

• Would definitely recommend a new account with no overdraft away from your bank, and paying off the overdraft bit by bit, you can set up a dd and forget about it.

• I would attack the smallest debt you have first, throw everything at it and then close it, you will feel better for having one less debt and that will be one minimum payment less each month. Forget all the other debts, you can deal with them later, and just focus everything you have on one until it is busted. Then repeat with the next smallest debt.

• Can you get a season ticket for bus/train to work, it may work out cheaper than buying petrol.

• Shopping late in the evening so you can get the best reductions.

• Do you do Quidco/Pigsback? It's free money, I have been on them for a year and made £400 and a £20 amazon voucher. If not, you definitely need to research them. It's free money!

• Can you ask any of your cc providers if they have any life of balance transfers available at the moment? If they do, you could try transfering the money off the card and back on again, so it qualifies for the lower rate and will reduce minimum payment. *just checked you sig, Barclaycard are always sending me life of balance cheques, could you see if you can get one and get some of the Lloyds card on it?

• Do you have any storecards? If so the APRs will be awful, can you transfer any to your credit cards?

• Have you tried the Old Style thread for ideas for cheap meals?

• The Boots thread on Grabbit has lots of great ideas for getting make up and toiletries really cheaply.

• The Freebies board sometimes has free make up and perfume samples, it's nice to get little freebies through the post:D

• Read papers and magazines online, it's not forever,:D just to tide you over

• meal planning, make a list and stick to it.

Phew *mops brow* this has turned into a long post:D Looks like some of the moneysaving tips on here have actually sunk in.;) I know some of the above ideas may only save little amounts but they do add up and you can throw all the little amounts at your smallest debt, every little bit over the minimum payment will help.

Karen_30

Evening guys,

SG - glad you are feeling a bit better. You'll get there, we all go through those times when everything just get on top of you. I always find chocolate and bed help

Sarahb - your suggestions are great, I am taking them on board. Thank you :T

Well off for an early night, have a nice 5am rise and and early 2hr + commute to London tomorrow...joy....sad thing is I actually volunteered to go in and work at a jobs event thingy.....why??? It seemed a good idea at the time

Night all, x

P.S - I went for a run this evening :eek:

makeup

Hi Shoegal

I'm a bit late to add my 2p worth and I don't know that I have too much to offer but you should definitely be pleased with the way you have managed to reduce your debts - I mean you've completely cleared one of your cards :j

I tend to find that I am really savvy about spending big money - you know vouchers for any meal out, sales shopping only for clothes and certainly anything like a holiday I will def get best value out there. ..... but I have a big problem with taking out £20 from bank and 2 days later it is gone but not really on anything. Just things like fizzy pop & choc from sandwich man, odd magazine, random lunchtime shopping...you know the thing! If I was to add all this up I'm sure I'd be horrified!

I'm really thinking about joining the NSD thread as I think that would help me a lot.

Maybe this weekend while doing your big sort out you could work out which area is your weak spot and think of a plan to solve it?

Have you considered doing a bit of mystery shopping? It is a bit of a faff but you often get to keep the things you buy and they can go towards presents or treats for yourself and you do earn a little bit.

Try not to get too disheartened, just think how bad things could have been if you hadn't had your lbm?!!

Keep with it and keep us updated on here!

Shoe_Gal

Well, so much for my early night :mad:

I think putting my masterplan in place over the weekend may well involve letter writing so I decided I need to try and sort Word out. Anyway - many hours later, I'm no techie , I think I have managed to download a free equivalent (from one of Martin's articles :money:) Thanks!

Thank you everybody who has left lovely messages and suggestions on my thread :T, it's much appreciated :A

Am going to spend some time over the next few days trying to get a DFW plan together. I don't think I can make any major changes, job, moving etc, but, with the help of all your suggestions, I hope to make a plan to squeeze the best out of my budget and start making some progess

I already feel more positive just thinking about making a plan - if that makes any sense!

Lula-Hula

hi hon,

hope you're feeling a bit more positive now :grouphug:

Sarah is very very good at organising finances & the 3 things she mentioned that I would second are :

- change bank account from Lloyds ASAP

- pay off smallest debt - only £260 odd & will definitely give you a morale boost

- change from monthly payments to either payment a day or weekly - it does make a difference to the interest . I originally started paying my CCs weekly as I get paid weekly so it was easier & less noticeable than in one scary chunk but I've noticed that by doing it this way, since January the interest has dropped by £8 & the minimum payment by £8 also ( although I am paying over the minimum). I found that by paying monthly my payment often hadnt cleared before the next months statement was sent out so they were just getting even more of my money :mad: now I play them at their own game