New Year Still Broke

suzzybabe

slummymummyof3 wrote: »

Have you thought of ebaying some of the stuff you don't use anymore Imelda Marcos?

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

slummymummyof3

Yes but 18 years, that is the rate you are currently paying it - don't forget you have already cut down on your socialising expenses. You are not adding to your debt and therefore may have some more cash to throw at it.

What are your culinary skills like? Do you have a freezer? Start to cook some bits and bobs like chilli so that you have some cheap meals and you will save even more.

You didn't answer the other day about whether you have Aldi or Lidl nearby - they are shed loads cheaper than the 'big' supermarkets.

suzzybabe

slummymummyof3 wrote: »

Yes but 18 years, that is the rate you are currently paying it - don't forget you have already cut down on your socialising expenses. You are not adding to your debt and therefore may have some more cash to throw at it.

What are your culinary skills like? Do you have a freezer? Start to cook some bits and bobs like chilli so that you have some cheap meals and you will save even more.

You didn't answer the other day about whether you have Aldi or Lidl nearby - they are shed loads cheaper than the 'big' supermarkets.

I don't do kitchens

Best I can manage is chicken ting

The ting is when the microwave ends

There is a Lidl which I have never been in

Most of my groceries are from M&S ready meals, fruit etc.

fiveyearplan

You could learn to cook, start small and you'll find it actually tastes much better, is much healthier and you might even enjoy it! When (if?) you are considering having a family, you can't feed them on ready meals only - its far too expensive and salt content etc far too high.

fiveyearplan

suzzybabe wrote: »

I did a snowball calculator on all of my debts and paying at the rate I am at the min It will take me eighteen years to pay off all my debts What a horrifying thought

I will have to wait and see what the CAB suggest

Suzy xx

You'd be surprised to see how that 18 years falls with even small overpayments.

InaPickle

suzzybabe wrote: »

No drinks tonite and home coffee

You are right I could get used to this economising

Suzy xx

Day three

If you think you want to get involved in any more cost-cutting enterprises, just let us know: we have LOADS of ideas!

InaPickle

slummymummyof3 wrote: »

Yes but 18 years, that is the rate you are currently paying it - don't forget you have already cut down on your socialising expenses. You are not adding to your debt and therefore may have some more cash to throw at it.

What are your culinary skills like? Do you have a freezer? Start to cook some bits and bobs like chilli so that you have some cheap meals and you will save even more.

You didn't answer the other day about whether you have Aldi or Lidl nearby - they are shed loads cheaper than the 'big' supermarkets.

suzzybabe wrote: »

I don't do kitchens

Best I can manage is chicken ting

The ting is when the microwave ends

There is a Lidl which I have never been in

Most of my groceries are from M&S ready meals, fruit etc.

Put it this way Suzy: I did a snowball of my debts at the rate I was paying them off and it said it would take me 10 months. I sold a few bits on Ebay, added a few pounds that I could spare here and there, and suddenly it's gone down to 6 months with not too much effort. Small things really add up. I'm likely to have a small surplus in my bank account at the end of the month so I'll pay that off my CC as well. Imagine if your debts came down at the same rate? That's 7.2 years less for you, and there are loads of other things you can do to reduce it even further. I bet, if you put your head down to it, that you could get rid of your debt in about the amount it would take you to go bankrupt, except you wouldn't have the problems associated with it, and get to keep your car. Start with a student cookbook for the basics. Ir you are really useless I would recommend 'Cooking for Blokes' (even though you aren't one) as it tells you what impliments you need as well as how much food. Start with spag bol etc, then work your way up. Cooking is not rocket science, nor does it require advanced degrees. Even pretty stupid people can do it. If you are serious about reducing your debts, start there: you could practically halve what you spend on food, if not more, then throw the remainder off your debt.

tigerfeet2006

Suzzy, if you are cutting back then you will have more to through at your debts.

The thing with the snowball is if you work out all your repayments and then start paying them and pay extra off one of the debts, the usual recomendation is the one with the highest APR but as a start you could start with the smallest balance, then as that is paid off you use the payment you were paying towards that to pay extra on the next one you want to get rid of. So for example you have 10 debts and you pay minimum payments on them all, say £5 except one you pay £10. When that is paid off you then will take that £10 and add it to the payment of one other debt so it gets paid off at £15, when that is paid off you go to the next debt and you would be paying £20. On top of this you try to find and save other money by doing some of the challanges on the DFW board to make extra payments. You will find that 18 years will come down dramatically and the more commited you are the more it will come down.

Also get yourself on to the Oldstyle Moneysaving board and ask for some simple recipes that you can start to learn to cook. There are loads on there. I have a brain problem due to an injury and it means I have difficulty organising things logically but I have learnt a few recipes from there. I started with one which I cooked untill I got it right, then found another simple one and did that one till I got it right, so I had 2 recipes I could do, then I added another one, till I had a repotoire of about 10 and now I am learning to adjust those to suit. It has taken me about 10 months to get this far but it is worth it for mine and my childrens well being.

Waspeze

InaPickle wrote: »

Start with a student cookbook for the basics. Ir you are really useless I would recommend 'Cooking for Blokes' (even though you aren't one) as it tells you what impliments you need as well as how much food. Start with spag bol etc, then work your way up. Cooking is not rocket science, nor does it require advanced degrees. Even pretty stupid people can do it. If you are serious about reducing your debts, start there: you could practically halve what you spend on food, if not more, then throw the remainder off your debt.

Agree with this

Single 37 year old bloke, very fussy eater!.. few years ago all I could do was cold beans on bread

Now I actually enjoy cooking (got one of those cooking for student type books) and try something new each month.. may not sound that much but from my starting point I actually have a very varied diet now ! (love my roasts on a sunday )

slummymummyof3

Right, next time you need food you need to resist the strong gravatational pull towards m&s and head to Lidl. Once you get your head around Lidl, you will become more and more adventurous with what you try. Make sure you take carrier bags with you as they charge for them. You will also need £1 for your trolley.

You will save a small fortune on your grocery bill!