The Big One -My debt-free by 30 journey

SilkCutSilver

One of the things they did on the show and I find works for me (though I'm only one person but you can scale it up I'm sure), is to plan your meals in advance for the week or fortnight (get the kids involved in this? Be good to make sure they're getting things they like). Then plan it out on My Supermarket (link through from ipoints too to get the points!) and find where it is cheapest to get your shop - and DON'T add anything else.

Then spend half a day doing all your cooking and freezing ready for the week - then even if you're hungry when you get home all you have to do is defrost and you have no choice to eat anything else. I also find not buying branded unhealthy stuff like crisps and fizzy drinks etc saves a huge amount. There was a great thread somewhere on here about the cheapest meals people could make - some people got it down to £1 a head and still managed to be healthy. I also find the slow cooker is amazing for this -putting something in in the morning like a chilli and it being cooked when you get home often stops the temptation to order a takeaway etc and is super cheap to make.

how old are your children? This could be a great learning curve for uni/leaving home!

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

SilkCutSilver wrote: »

Electricity............................. 60 Half with flatmate but also including arrears from last year as Eon calculated our bill wrongly for the entire year and we had an ongoing dispute. Currently paying £60 monthly for dual fuel between flatmate and I. The rest is arrears which I pay with the old flatmate (complex i know!)

Gas..................................... Inc in elec - dual fuel see above

Hi SilkCutSilver

Sounds like you are making great progress despite some set backs. Thought it might help if I made a couple of suggestions where you could possibly save a bit on your gas and electric.

Is the billing sorted now? Make sure you are being charged to accurate meter readings.

Also make sure you are on the best tariff for your circumstances. There are added discounts for managing your account online and paying by Direct Debit.

Check we are offering you the best deal by putting your usage on one of the comparison sites to see how we do. :money:

The best way to cut costs is by reducing your usage. We have specialist people who will be happy to help with this.

Give our Energy Efficiency team a call and go through your appliances with them. Ask for a free booklet called 100 ways to save money by saving energy. This contains some really useful advice.

Check out the interactive house on our website. This has some great tips to help save energy. :cool:

Hope this helps a little. Give me a shout if you need more details or help with your E.ON account. Always happy to help.

Malc

SilkCutSilver

Hi Malc,

Thanks but I think we are almost sorted now. Following the incorrect reading (3K bill was lovely!) we agreed to pay back £60 a month which should take us a year (as we had no clue what to pay and we knew it wasn't 3K we didn't until it was resolved). I think the actual monthly payments of £60 a month are pretty high given I am never there and we don't use a huge amount of electricity or gas - no heating on for summer etc. But I have been told I can phone with some readings for the next bill and they can look to reduce it then. Fingers crossed for a reduction!

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi SilkCutSilver

Monthly payments generally cover both ongoing usage and any arrears.

Ongoing usage is worked out for the next 12 months and then spread over the coming year in 12 equal payments.

Usually you pay more during the summer than is actually used in order to build up a credit ready for higher usage over the winter months. The aim is to have a zero balance by the following spring.

Forecasts for the next year are based on previous readings. If these were wrong then it may be we have a false impression of how much energy you are actually using.

Really good idea to keep a check on the readings before the next bill is produced. This will give a better picture of your usage and it may be payments can be adjusted to reflect this.

Also, ask if the arrears can be spread over a longer period. This will reduce the amount of the monthly payments.

Hope this helps but don't hesitate to give me a shout if I can advise further. Best of luck clearing your debts. :beer:

Malc

Raquela

hello, thought I'd pop into your diary as you so kindly came to visit me! Lucky you having your dream job - as you may gather from my latest post, I'm still waiting for that one - I'm 33 next week, and it still hasn't arrived!

Re your spending, have you tried keeping an actual spending diary? I do this, and when I do it properly it definitely does curb my spending on things I don't need. I have fallen off the diary wagon lots though, but at the moment it seems to be sticking. Your job sounds like it might be difficult to take a lunch every day - I can find this difficult myself, mainly because some food can make me feel quite ill in the morning and new job doesn't have a microwave, so any food has to be cooked and Thermos'd in the morning if I want a hot meal. However, what I've started doing is keeping a stash of packet soup / noodle mixes, corn thins (just like popcorn, yum) and cheese biscuits at work, then I just take some humous or cheese in with me, perhaps with a bit of salad. If I don't have time to do anything I'll try and have a main meal at work (subsidized canteen), and then just have a lunch sized meal when I get home. Meal planning is always a great idea for getting grocery costs down, but yeah, not easy when you are going to be working away!

dottyanne

Morning, how are things today?

SilkCutSilver

So far so good today.
£2.03 on Quidco for buying our holiday insurance (only £10).:T

Went out with the team last night and despite the temptations of Weymouth carnival I managed to spend none of my own money. Total spend yesterday £2.30 (so in theory £2.70 saved from the daily allowance).

Hows you?

dottyanne

Good thanks, im like a bunny in the headlights though, since having like my million'th lightbulb moment again i keep going into shock at how big my debts are, then ok again the next min thinking 'well at least i have faced up to them'....lol

SilkCutSilver

Yes indeed. I keep getting annoyed with myself that I currently have no money but then I remember that I am not using any of my cards and I am reducing my overdraft - all be it very slowly - so I am making progress even though I have no actual cash!

Did you do your meal plan? I'm going to challenge myself the next time I am home (which will probably be in two weeks!) to make the most amount of amazing food for the minimum amount of money - I always fall of the wagon at the weekend with 'nice' treats. No more!

dottyanne

im seriously looking through all my cupboards, freezer etc later to see what i have or need to make up meals for 5 people for the week on the minimum amount possible, its got to be done now, no !!!!!footing around lol