Diary of a Poor Person aged 46 1/2

mrscmr

So I am sitting here when everyone else is sleeping and I am worrying about the rediculous state of our finances. Before i start listing our debt... yes i know its bad, yes we only have ourselves to blame, yes, we spent the money - no one else did. Yes, we dont know the value of money...

squink

Hi - am 45 and 11/12th's (god now everyone knows) and feel better after reading your list of debts, mine being in the region of £160k (peanuts really....:eek: ) - or did you make yours up to make others feel better? Neat trick - only kidding - being on here so late is curdling my brain....oh and you being older than me is also chuffing (well we have to get our boosts where we can ).

Can't you sell a house???

Do you have good jobs???

For me it's neither of the above - but carboots are fun and it's amazing what you make by selling tons of stuff for peanuts (charge low - people won't pay much at carboots - stick to your price and you'll go home with it). Do you have a garden? I split up and pot my overgrowing plants - best sale last year made £130 !! What are you selling? (being nosy now)
Want to go into business and make a killing? I do but can't decide what to do....am talking absolute drivel now, so night night - and good luck

mrscmr

Morning Squink

thanks for you kind [i think] words.
well i didnt make this up... its happend for several reasons. oh and i have good jobs, we could get credit easily with nice large credit limits. selling house - tricky in this time and we still have to live somewhere. its a fine balancing act. each month we are paying out £5800 in payments to mortgage, bills and credit repayments. i think we are a financial nightmare.

i posted this to show people that even if you think u are well paid and money isnt an issue then i have shown that you can get into big debt very very easily. its probably becos we are greedy, and needy but since nov 08 we have cracked down on spending and working to knock down debts.

my own personal spending was way out of control and i would think nothing of spending 600 on a saturday, buying all the new games for the kids and not thinking about it. i dont do that anymore though! nothing.

i hope that my example shows people that anyone can be in debt doesnt matter who you are.

have great day
mrs cmr

Be positive and get out of the negative!:o

beanielou

Love the tittle of your diary
Glad I dont have your debts though!
Pop up a SOA if you feel it might help.

mrscmr

thanks beanielou.
i know that by 2013 we will be debt free - just as long as we dont add more or some dreadful catastophe hits us. we are not the luckiest of people and some times i think we are a bit simple and need to wise up.

i prob will do a SOA though. im sure people dont believe my thread and the amount of debt but its really real. i dont think we are bankrupt we have assets worth 900k but cant sell either of them so we sit and stew.

mrs cmr

squink

mrscmr wrote: »

Morning Squink

thanks for you kind [i think] words.
well i didnt make this up...

I was teasing - I go a bit daft that time of night, especially if I've been on this site (just have a quick look, still on 2 hours later....) - frazzles the brain:).

Can't even get my head round the lifestyle you sound like you have, but guess the same principles apply - if you've taken a grip and clamped down then you can pat yourself on the back for trying even if something happens outside of your control.
Are you working to a debt management plan of some kind, if you have a target date for solvency? Good to have a light at the end of the tunnel. I know what you mean about feeling you're a bit simple - we can all be clever at some things and amazingly stupid in others - I can tell other people (my kids! ha ha) what to do with money but am hopeless myself (amazing they haven't sussed me yet).
What's an SOA? (don't know any of the jargon).
Went to a business training workshop today and the guy said something like "luck is for those who work hard" (meaning few successful businesses come from luck, it's the grafters who are "lucky" in being successful). Sounds like you're working hard to get it right - good for you. Now it's my turn....:wall:

mrscmr

the thing is this.. from the outside people would look at us and think wow they are so lucky to have all this.. but if they only knew that it was all held together by the most fragile of bits of string and financials are finely balanced they would be shocked.
soa - state of affairs as in finances!
this website is addictive i agree. i still think people are not taking me seriously on here. as for a plan, only the plan that i have put together to get out of this mess, head down work hard, cut back, and wait till 2013. im no different to anyone else on here other than my debt is size of a small country.
still - its sunny day and we are all still here!
thanks for ur reply!

jayss

Wow, well done for writing it all down and controlling the spending.

Your list makes it easier to see how people get into huge debts, I know I could be in a much worse place if used all the credit available to me when my earnings were at their peak.

Good luck.

[Deleted User]

But what is the value of your assets? Is it more than your debt, if so, great!

epsilondraconis

mrscmr wrote: »

thanks beanielou.
i know that by 2013 we will be debt free - just as long as we dont add more or some dreadful catastophe hits us. we are not the luckiest of people and some times i think we are a bit simple and need to wise up.

I guess its a fine balancing act between having a nice lifestyle and being happy, whilst ensuring that you don't end up worrying about it because the debts are too large. The happiness soon disappears when you can't sleep at night.

The main thing is that you've begun taking steps to curb the spending. Keep posting anyway.

Remember that kids are resilient and that they will adjust to the new spending habits. I'm sure they have enough toys / games to play with for the time being!

lilac_lady

mrscmr - it seems as if you've had what we call a "lighbulb" moment. From now on you'll feel different about spending money so you're on the right track. Keep readind and posting here and you'll find the motivation to keep going on your debt free journey.