My new and improved SOA!

littlepinkstars44

closed wrote: »

So, have it, now, otherwise you may end up bankrupt.

Budget
Spending diary
Spreadsheet
Sell things
Plan ahead.
Make sure you have enough money when bills are due
Stop saving
Stop spending - you don't need anymore toiletries or clothes for 2 years.
Ask for money for your birthday instead of more stuff you don't need.
Pay off debts with any spare cash, highest apr first.

if only it was that simple

savingmummy

littlepinkstars44 wrote: »

if only it was that simple

what worries you about this?
It is very hard having these £££ hanging above you, but they can be stopped by doing these things. Even just one at a time can help you. x

littlepinkstars44

I meant, to have a LBM you can't exactly force yourself to have one

pink_numbers

can you list the changes you've made since starting this thread?

littlepinkstars44

pink_numbers wrote: »

can you list the changes you've made since starting this thread?

I've paid more than just minimum payments to a few debts, and i declined a night out tonight (something i would have never done before)

pink_numbers

Well done It's good to see you are making positive steps.

zigmeister

Good to see you back at least trying to make a new start. It's obvious that there are plenty of people who are giving great advice and are willing to help. But I agree with others, I don't think you've had your proper LBM yet.

I posted on your last thread, in particular I mentioned setting up a direct debit. I know you have said that you can't because you get paid on a different day each month. Well I do too and I manage it. It just takes a bit of organisation. Work out how much the direct debit will be (it's roughly the same each month) and then just keep that amount in your account and don't touch it.

I think I remember you mentioning that your Mum had some debt? I could be wrong so ignore me if I am. But I think (if you can) you should send back the xbox. It saves your Mum money, and it saves you money on games. If your brother has one too then could you not use his?

I think it's quite difficult for people to help when you say all the right things but then are reluctant to sell your belongings/stop buying stuff etc. I know it's difficult, but it's possible!

Uni is very hard, hopefully all the warnings and advice about how much harder it would be than college helped! You had some fab advice from someone about your assignments - use it. Talk to the student advisers, they're great.

One last thing, definitely do a spending diary. I only did one for a while, but it's a huge eye opener as to how much you actually spend, rather than what you think you spend.

Sorry, epic post. Good luck, but you need to want to do it - other people can only do so much.

TotallyBroke

You can force yourself to have a lightbulb moment many of us have. Some because the only choice they had was bankrupcy. Some because the bailiffs were banging on the door.
Others like me because they found themselves pregnant, single and almost becoming homeless.
You have hardly any debt so the quicker you force yourself the better it will be and maybe in a couple of years you will find you are advising someone else in a similar position.

poppy_f1

10 years ago i was in my 4th year in uni and a few grand in debt (mainly due to my folks lending me the money to buy a car) it was manageable on my student loan and wages from my part time job
in the June of 2000 i started working full time and thought it was brilliant, still paying off debt but slowly getting into more as i liked buying pretty things and going out drinking
no point going into too many details but due to a few dodgy mistakes my parents bailed me out on a few occasions however it didnt make me learn i still spent money like it was water

im now coming up on 33 and due to be debt free at the end of this month its been a hard slog
luckily due to my mum giving me money for a deposit on a house i should be in a position to buy this year

the point im trying to make is unless you sort this out now then its possible like me you will end up in a endless cycle of spending what you dont have and with things much harder these days its not something i would recommend

littlepinkstars44

Thanks everyone. I get my student loan in tomorrow, now i am just deciding the best way to split it, and what to pay the most to.