A right old mess !

[Deleted User]

kittiej wrote: »

Don't forget to keep coming back to MSE to let us know how you're doing.

Also useful to remotivate yourself for the times when you feel like "what's the point"?

Good luck, (although is it wise to do the scratchies? Sorry just wondered)

Hi KittiJ and MyMess, I think you have a point here, take it from someone who knows that as soon as you log onto these websites, and you can open an "real" account you will put money on it - been there, done that. Maybe best to avoid. Good luck.

IcklePickle_2

my_mess wrote: »

Ok - I've taken on all that everyone has said and made a bit of a plan.
After hours of reading this forum, I have (or will be) doing the following:

- checking online banking daily
- keeping a spending diary
- do daily clicks on cashback sites
- sign up for survey sites
- do free scratchcards
- trawl the house for things to sell on ebay (I'm a terrible hoarder)
- dig out my slow cooker and make use of the recipes and tips on the OS board
- ban myself from gambling websites !!!
- small a small payment to my A&L card each day (in addition to the monthly payment)
- made a sealed box for odd coins (to be opened on my birthday in October !)

Not bad for a beginner.....right, now to get on with it

All sounds good!

Something that has helped me is joining a few challenges officially, adding my number to my signature and subscribing to the thread so that I get a Daily Email which summarises the posts that have been made. When I read what other people are doing, it motivates me to get my bum in gear! Also the email comes to my inbox so it means I don't need to rely on myself visiting here, which I tend not to do if I'm avoiding the debt or feeling de-motivated because I've spent something I shouldn't or whatever.

cantcope

Hi mymess. I noticed you found our gambling support thread but have posted that you've had enough and its your last post. Please either post on here or on the gambling thread. Look at my signature, i had roughly the same amount of debt as you all due to gambling. It can be done. xx

kimdegsidash

cantcope wrote: »

Hi mymess. I noticed you found our gambling support thread but have posted that you've had enough and its your last post. Please either post on here or on the gambling thread. Look at my signature, i had roughly the same amount of debt as you all due to gambling. It can be done. xx

Bless you Cantcope - the world needs more people like you in it.

rubyslipper

I agree mymess - don't give up! I know it all seems bleak but you're honestly not alone. You sounded so positive at the beginning of the thread. Now you've been given a little bump back up this forum I'm sure more people (like me!) will be along to offer words of support (if not wisdom).

Chin up hon xxx

my_mess

Thank you to everyone who has read or posted - I had no idea that people would respond in this way.

Bless you all for that.


Yes, I've had a whole heap of 'up' days..... but the last week has been hard going.

Thing is - I just can't see how I can pay off all this debt and still have any kind of life.
I have my son to bring up - and need to make sure he is well fed and clothed etc... but still try and pay more than minimum payments on debts (otherwise the whole payment will be sicked up by interest).

I have adjusted my budget as far as possible again recently -- it leaves only a tiny bit of room for overpayments.
Received a big bill for electricity - which is £200 to find on top of the direct debit amoutns I have been paying them.


Jeez, I so wish I could turn the clock back about 15 months !

Not sure what to do, really.

Hmmm...........

redstararnie76

keep your chin up - we all have weaknesses of one sort of another, and for many of us that is how we have ended up on this website.
While I know it can be depressing, just think how good it is going to feel when those figures start going down.
As far as your son is concerned, surely the most important thing is that he feels he is in a loving and secure environment, which is what you are seeking to provide him with?

cantcope

hi mymess. really pleased to see you posting. It's tough, we all know that but you can still have a life. Just not the one you are used to for now.
I rarely went out while i was paying my debt off but made sure i treated myself occasionally. Might just be a 99p face mask once a fortnight and a bar of chocolate in the bath but it made me feel special.

If you shop in tesco use your clubcard vouchers for a magazine subscription or days out vouchers for you and your son. Sign up to pigsback if you havent already. It's not as great as it used to be but if you do the signups (not the gambling ones) and enter the quizzes you could grab yourself some vouchers. a night at the cinema, a new top from topshop/dps, or a treat from boots etc

Your son doesnt need so many clothes that you spend £20 a month on them. if you do need to buy new clothes make sure you sell the old ones on ebay or at a bootsale.

Have you queried your electricity bill? If you are already paying £50 a month, £200 on top seems a bit strange. Is it just you and your son? My elec and gas combined is only £80 a month in the winter. (1 bed flat) but probably not using any less electricity than you.

Keep strong, keep posting. If you get used to the extra payments the debt will clear quicker and think about how much you'll have spare when you are debt free. You are building a better life for you and your son in the future.

xx

[Deleted User]

Hey MyMess

Sorry to hear it's been a tough few weeks, I know it doesn't seem like it now, but there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

Have you done your spending diary - this is where most people find where they are spending money on non-essentials and have you cut down your grocery budget, as that was another area you could make savings?

Not sure what to say about the electricity bill, I assume that this is based on an actual reading not an estimate?

Try and post regularly, even if it's not all about clearing your debts, as people are very supportive, especially if you are feeling down and/or unmotivated.

Good luck. x

rubyslipper

my_mess wrote: »

Thank you to everyone who has read or posted - I had no idea that people would respond in this way.

Bless you all for that.


Yes, I've had a whole heap of 'up' days..... but the last week has been hard going.

Thing is - I just can't see how I can pay off all this debt and still have any kind of life.
I have my son to bring up - and need to make sure he is well fed and clothed etc... but still try and pay more than minimum payments on debts (otherwise the whole payment will be sicked up by interest).

I have adjusted my budget as far as possible again recently -- it leaves only a tiny bit of room for overpayments.
Received a big bill for electricity - which is £200 to find on top of the direct debit amoutns I have been paying them.


Jeez, I so wish I could turn the clock back about 15 months !

Not sure what to do, really.

Hmmm...........

Thank you for posting again love - we were worried about you!!

I would definitely query the leccy bill - seems very odd if you're already making your DD payments on it. Worth a phone call for sure.

I think sometimes, posting on here about your troubles/issues is a great thing and can yield some great responses but occasionally it's just good to have a right old whinge so don't be afraid to do that. I think we all have those 'WHY ME????' days (I definitely do) and if it helps to vent on here then we're all here to listen.

In the meantime, you've done exactly the right thing with regard to cutting down your expenses and it sounds like you're a brilliant dad as you really do put your son first. I'm sure he's a very well-loved little boy so good for you for being strong for him.

In the meantime if you can chuck anything on ebay, definitely do. I've just started doing that and it doesn't yield much but it all helps. Plus it's so blo*dy time consuming it'll take your mind off things for a while!

Keep posting and no more disappearing acts, ya hear??

R xxx