How can we do it??

DancerSupreme

Right we have tried and tried to get things sorted but myself and my husband have a little problem...it seems we are addicted to spending or something.

We know how we can reduce our out goings and we know what a better position we can be in yet we still don't pull our fingers out.

What can we do?

josephine82

I think its a case of wanting to sort finances out, and wanting to be debt free more than wanting to spend the money on other things.
As everyone says here its about your lightbulb moment- that moment when you realise you can no longer carry on the way you are going.
I guess it can seem hard when you have a large amount of debt but you really can make a lot of differences and still enjoy yourselves and do things.
I still enjoy spending money but I also think about the long term- yes it would be nice to have a Starbucks coffee everyday but I want a deposit for a flat more, so I limit my coffee to once every couple of weeks and just deal with it....you get used to accepting that maybe you don't need things as much as you think you do!

Are there particular things you spend on more than others?

Josephine x

DarkConvict

The key tip i hear to do to keep a rein on your spending is keep a spending diary, write in everything you spend every day so you can see where it is going.

I am assuming you know your income/outgoings but seem to be losing money somewhere.

DancerSupreme

We are weak with takeaway so we have already agreed to keep food in the freezer for take away nights like curry etc.

It seems like food is our biggest weakness.

We always have money left over each month and the bills are being paid so its not that we are struggling but I know we are wasting money that we could be making overpayments with and it is infuriating. I think its my hubby who spends so I guess I eed to rein him in without controlling him.

josephine82

Hi Gem

It sounds like as all your bills are paid and you have money left over then some small changes could really help your overpayments- which is great!

Maybe it would be useful to look over a month on how much money you guys spend on food, and then try and shave a little off it each month?

How about having a separate budget for takeaways to make it more of a treat and kind of a 'when its gone its gone' kind of idea?

Or maybe instead of getting 2 takeaways, go out for a nice meal instead?

Can you set up a small amount on a standing order to put aside each month i.e £20 to start with to try and reduce the amount of money left in your account and cut down on the mentality (I really struggle with) that when there is money left in your account once the bills are paid you can spend spend spend!!

Its tough, but I really think small changes might help you a lot- cutting down my food budget and forcing myself to put money away at the start of the month really helped me.

Good luck!

DancerSupreme

josephine82 wrote: »

Hi Gem

It sounds like as all your bills are paid and you have money left over then some small changes could really help your overpayments- which is great!

Maybe it would be useful to look over a month on how much money you guys spend on food, and then try and shave a little off it each month?

How about having a separate budget for takeaways to make it more of a treat and kind of a 'when its gone its gone' kind of idea?

Or maybe instead of getting 2 takeaways, go out for a nice meal instead?

Can you set up a small amount on a standing order to put aside each month i.e £20 to start with to try and reduce the amount of money left in your account and cut down on the mentality (I really struggle with) that when there is money left in your account once the bills are paid you can spend spend spend!!

Its tough, but I really think small changes might help you a lot- cutting down my food budget and forcing myself to put money away at the start of the month really helped me.

Good luck!

Yep this is it!! We are such swines for doing that. I forgot about it until you mentioned it.

I think me and hubby need to sit down and discuss it together but I need to bide my time as he only gets grumpy if I bring it up too much.

Thanks Josephine!!

Antoinette1976Totton

Also - if you do save the eating out as a treat there are loads of places that do two meals for a tenner, vouchers on here etc.

Am sure that it would me more motivating if you both got to get dressed up and go for a meal once a month rather than ordering a takeaway thats delivered...

And NO that isnt an excuse to buy new clothes! :-)

DancerSupreme

Antoinette1976Totton wrote: »

Also - if you do save the eating out as a treat there are loads of places that do two meals for a tenner, vouchers on here etc.

Am sure that it would me more motivating if you both got to get dressed up and go for a meal once a month rather than ordering a takeaway thats delivered...

And NO that isnt an excuse to buy new clothes! :-)

:rotfl::rotfl:

The reason we don't eat out is because we have a 6 month old and no family around o babysit so we tend to havemore nights in