Tips for post bankruptcy.

december

Hmm my tips?
1. Keep a monthly spreadsheet to monitor what comes in and what goes back out again.
2. Budget for things like car tax, car repairs whenever possible, even if it's only a small amount each month.
3. Have any direct debits come out a day or so after you get paid, I then know that anything which is left over is ours to spend.
4. Have a look at the old style board in terms of saving money on food shopping bills.
5. Try own brand products and supermarkets like Aldi. You won't know if you like them until you try them (e.g I always used to have Daddys/Heinz ketchup until I realised the smart price version was £1 cheaper and actually it tastes less chemically)
6. Try a local butcher/veg shop. Often the prices are very competitive.
7. If you're looking at buying anything online then check out e-vouchers to make sure that if there's a discount available, you'll get it.
8. Quidco is fab when renewing house and car insurance, even pet insurance.

I can't think of any others for the time being

December

lifebeginsagain

We keep a spreadsheet so we know exactly how much money we have as co-op does take a while to update.

Budget for annual expenditure and transfer this to another account to keep it separate - co-op will allow you more than one account.

Keep a small amount of additional money in your co-op account in case you forget to account for something, that way you have a bit of a safety net, you don't want them closing your account over an accounting error.

If you enjoy reading - swap your books for the price of p&p on readitswapit.co.uk

If you have anything left to sell - sell it - and get yourself an emergency fund set up.

Try growing your own fruit & veg.

Use the Library.

Use quidco for Insurances and online purchases and check hotukdeals for discount codes.

Remind yourself daily that your debt free, not a lot of people can say that these days.

It's quite difficult when you've been stressed and worried for so long to get out of that mindset but the only way is up now, you have a future again and start to try and enjoy life:j.

beentheredonethatstilhere

We menu plan all our meals week to week and we do our orders online for delivery. I was chatting to a friend last night and she does hers on a type of spreadsheet which is brilliant and we will probably give it a go.

http://doodlespage.synthasite.com/resources/Ivykaty44mealplanner.pdf

tigerfeet2006

Bumping for all the newbies.

Feelingfoolish_3

This is a great thread! Thank you :-)

asbestos2008

Thanks for the tips, having a few problems with insomnia at the moment. Since the decision was made to go bankrupt, I have been busy budgeting and planning for the future. That has been done now, filing in the forms and panicking now

tigerfeet2006

Just bumping for the newbies

Tinytim

What a great thread

All I would add is to try and enjoy simple things in life again, like the smell of autumn evenings, a hot bath, crisp fresh sheets etc.

I know it sounds strange, but after years of working all hours to chase material things we made a concious decision to try and do the things we did as kids, but this time with our own kids.

We ride bikes, we climb trees, we get wet and muddy. We have a bonfire to burn excess rubbish rather that taking it to the tip, and all sit round chatting and making toast. I have time to read bedtime stories We walk whenever we can, even in the rain...I had forgotten how nice it is to come in from the cold and wet and warm up in front of the fire.

I know it might sound soppy, but I really wouldn't change life in the last three months, even with all the resitrictions and cutbacks for a single day of what went before

crowman19

Tinytim wrote: »

What a great thread

All I would add is to try and enjoy simple things in life again, like the smell of autumn evenings, a hot bath, crisp fresh sheets etc.

I know it sounds strange, but after years of working all hours to chase material things we made a concious decision to try and do the things we did as kids, but this time with our own kids.

We ride bikes, we climb trees, we get wet and muddy. We have a bonfire to burn excess rubbish rather that taking it to the tip, and all sit round chatting and making toast. I have time to read bedtime stories We walk whenever we can, even in the rain...I had forgotten how nice it is to come in from the cold and wet and warm up in front of the fire.

I know it might sound soppy, but I really wouldn't change life in the last three months, even with all the resitrictions and cutbacks for a single day of what went before

That's great inspiration for those of us who are at the start of the BR journey.

Thanks

philnicandamy

Tinytim you old softie :D

although I do agree...the simple things in life while your running around working all hours to cover your debts you do miss....its nice now to save for stuff & know i'm not waiting for the card bills to hit the mat every month...and mad as it sounds ? i've become addicted to gardening (well what I can) with my OH since being back together after my bankruptcy we've become closer now with each other since we've ever been...and I wouldnt change that for the world...after talking to a good freind here (HOOS hope your well??) looking at starting to grow a few bits of veg as well...

Not done the bedtime story bit yet.....although looking forward to that in the next 6mnths when our 1st child appears! :D:D:D:D:D:D