What to do?

rchddap1

If you are making your own dinners...then definately visit the Old Style board. Huge bunch of people with recipes, and various tricks to both cut costs and eat better.

You know what you have to do on the rest.

lynzpower

I dont know if anyones suggested this in this thread, but a spending diary is an absolute must. I started off here thinking a lot of the suggestions were either impractical or unworkable, and once Id sat down and started "doing" Ive saved myself an absolute fortune. I started my spending diary a few weeks ago and I spotted fairly early on where that money has been bleeding to. Pack of crisps here and there, bottle of water ( £1) stupid spends that were showing me up to be spending about a tenner a day on nothing ( apart from fags....)Keep one. If its the only bit of advice you get from here, do that.

Think think think. Theres always something else you can cut out. I HAD a diet coke addiction - kinda thing and thinking, well im spending about £2 a day on Diet coke- £14 a week,
£728 a year!

if you arnt going out then do some dvd tarting and get the freebies from them. Go through quidco and you could get paid for taking out the free trials. I was spending 15 a month on my lovefilm - i came on here, everyone told me to cancel it, I refused, then 3 days later i cancelled it, and took on a blockbuster trial for 2 weeks, for free and got paid £25 via quidoc to do it. every little helps

Sell anything you dont need on ebay or car boot.

Bestthingsinlifearefree

Hi Sam,

Good to see you looking at the options available to you and see you taking control of your finances.

Certainly 0% CC seems worth investigating if you have a good credit rating.

Could you get a 2nd job for a while to clear the debts or could your GF get a better paid job or could you rent a room out in the flat or could you both go with out the car ???????

Just a couple of quick suggestions.

Good luck.Keep up the good work !!

illmonkey

hey.

I have applied for a virgin CC. 0% for 9 months. They will let me know in a few days, will proberly call tomorrow to hurry them

I am thinking of advertising in the paper for IT services/web design, my skilled area. But it comes with problems (getting spoted by the tax man, for one!)

Car is a must, GF drives to work every day. and dropps me at station, she could sell it, but wouldnt want to, she loves it too much!

lynzpower

Considering this is your GF's car, and she wouldnt be willing to get rid of it, why are YOU paying for it? Seems crazy to me

illmonkey

we both use it. I get to the station in it and we both use it at weekends.

it either comes out the joint account and she put more towards the flat, and i get to use it when i want, or she pays for it, puts less towards the flat and i have to ask etc!

lynzpower

Fair enough I see what you mean. If its coming out of the joint account I guess it doenst really matter whos names on the finance agreement