Too scared to work out what I owe

skintchick

moozie wrote:

Thanks everyone re the weekend away post.

You are right, a couple of weeks ago, everything would have gone on the CC or OD and we wouldn't even think about it twice.

This morning I have tried to get an idea of what to expect cost wise. I can't budget precisely but this is the closest I can get to the cost just for us:

1. Hotel incl breakfast £145
2. 2 dinners incl drinks (restaurants already booked), 2 lunches £250
3. Petrol £25

So we can expect £420 to be spent. I tell you, typing that was painful :sad: But I had to see how much it's likely to be or I am worried I will fall back into the 'head in the sand' attitude.

We don't often go away, possibly 2 - 3 weekends a year but pricing it up like this it's easy to see why our finances are in a state as we never budget or save up for these costs - they just get absorbed by OD/CCs. Things are definitely changing though!

On a more positive note, neither of us are buying new outfits as we would normally do. Small grace I know

Hi Moozie - been away for a few days and come back and you have done so much I can hardly keep up!!!

Do you have to stay in a hotel? Could you stay in a B&B instead?

When you go out for meals, why not only have two courses rather than three? (Or one rather than two!) and no alcohol?

And why not say to your friends that you are very skint at the moment so you hope they don;t mind but you need to keep it cheap as possible, so they understand? I'm sure they will if they are real friends, and if they're not, then maybe you don;t need to go at all??

xxx

moozie_2

goon wrote:

I read your discussion last Wednesday after it was in Martin's tip, and like many others here, was really moved and inspired. When I was out for a walk at lunchtime (free exercise, stops me spending at lunchtime!) I found myself wondering how you're getting on, and came back to my desk early to have a look.

Congratulations on the first steps, especially on getting OH involved. I'll be checking back again soon to see how you're getting on. It even struck me that your story is so compelling that you could potentially get some cash for it from one of those 'real life' type magazines. Not sure if that's the best idea though, but at 13,000 views and counting, you've obviously hit a pretty major nerve!

Good luck, I'm rooting for you!

Hello goon

Funnily enough I have been going for walks in my lunch time recently. Fresh air, exercise and away from the temptation of either lunch at the pub or mini spending sprees!

What I have leartn through this thread and this board in general is how many people are in the same situation as me. Using CC/OD to get, ignore the statements and hope that it will all go away. Before I started posting on here, I really thought I was on my own. As far as I could see, all my friends have plenty of money and no worries. Only in the last few days have I noticed how many of them pay with credit cards for a round of drinks or even hardly ever carry cash around. I know that's not proof they are in debt but I never carried cash around if I could put anything on credit/OD.

This is a bit too 'real' for me still to contemplate a magazine feature but thank you for suggesting it. Who knows...

Keep in touch, it really helps.

Thank you

moozie_2

skintchick wrote:

Hi Moozie - been away for a few days and come back and you have done so much I can hardly keep up!!!

Thank you very much! It feels like I've been on here ages now.

skintchick wrote:

Do you have to stay in a hotel? Could you stay in a B&B instead?

Normally we would stay in a B&B and just have ordinary meals, not in expensive restaurants. This weekend is a special occasion for my friend. She's going to be 30 and she has booked the hotel and restaurants ages ago. So it's our fault that we haven't budgeted for it I don't want to ruin her special occasion by changing anything but fully intend to hold back on the drinking and the number of courses.

We're just going to have to bite the bullet and get cracking with our debts again on Monday. It will be a celebration for us too - of finally coming to our senses about our finances!

Will report back next Monday on how it all goes

serena

Hi Moozie,

go and have a great time! There will be no point spending the money if you don't enjoy the weekend.

I am sure you can keep a bit of an eye on the spending without spoiling your stay, and I think you are absolutely right to see it as a celebration of your lightbulb moment. :j

It might be a bit like having a birthday meal when you're on a diet - you should still enjoy it, but you don't need to eat everything in sight!

Have a great weekend.

TurnaroundSue

Hi Moozie

Don't know how you normally pay for a meal when you go out with another couple, but we usually just split the bill between us all. Don't really mind this if we are all having much the same, but if you are watching the amount of courses that you eat and the amount of alcohol that you consume and your friends have the full monty (as it is her birthday, she might think 'let's go for it!' then it might be an idea just to ask if they would mind if you paid separately for what you have - but maybe you do that anyway..... just a thought!

Have a great weekend, Moozie - you really both deserve it!

D&DD

Hiya Moozie things like that happen, I forgot I had a shopping day booked with a friend next month and we haven't had time to get together for months so I don't want to cancel it but have told her its a window shopping day only this time and lunch is on her LOL...Have a great time I'm sure you'll come up with a way to recoup the money when you get home and you'll be more refreshed.My overdraft mission is going well so far I made nearly £200 this week on ebay but have not even put a dent in my selling pile yet :eek: Have you got round to listing anything yet??I have another £450 to go but with my savings on shopping this month I reckon I'll do it..my bank manager will probably die of shock :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

moozie_2

D&DD wrote:

Hiya Moozie things like that happen, I forgot I had a shopping day booked with a friend next month and we haven't had time to get together for months so I don't want to cancel it but have told her its a window shopping day only this time and lunch is on her LOL...Have a great time I'm sure you'll come up with a way to recoup the money when you get home and you'll be more refreshed.My overdraft mission is going well so far I made nearly £200 this week on ebay but have not even put a dent in my selling pile yet :eek: Have you got round to listing anything yet??I have another £450 to go but with my savings on shopping this month I reckon I'll do it..my bank manager will probably die of shock :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Hey D&DD

Sounds like you are doing REALLY well, despite forgetting your shopping day next month. You are right in not cancelling and glad your friend is treating you - whether she like it or not

Your ebay profit sounds superb and long it may continue! We have got a pile of stuff to go on it now but have not gone through the DVDs/CDs yet! Got plenty to get started though and we have an 'appointment' with the OH to put 10 items on ebay on Thursday. It should be fun. Must pace ourselves or we'll run out of postage money

Feeling quite good today. 3 more days and I can take off my sole OD and B/card of the list of debts :j My spending money challenge is going great. We are doing really well on the food shopping budget too! I got a bit worried when OH came home from the supermarket last night and could not stop talking about all the BOGOFs and deals he got

So everything is going according to plan in week 2 of the rid the debt journey

Continue shocking your bank manager, he deserves it :T

southernscouser

Moozie, congratulations on winning the thread of the month! Well deserved! :T :T :T

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=1662759#post1662759

D&DD

:beer: WOW!!!!!!!! Brilliant news well done Moozie!!!!!!!!!!!! :beer:

loubie_lou

£50 woooooooooooooo wooooooooooooooooooooo! :beer: