when did you find your will power?

Pinky15

I think the worry has certainly helped me stop in my tracks when I want something. We were turned down for a loan end of 2008 and that is when I realised how much we owed and that actually we couldnt afford to do the loft conversion we wanted to do anyway. After recieving a letter which also showed the interest we were paying I nearly died - I truly had no idea. The amount of money we have wasted over the years make me feel ill. But now I have had my LBM I think that has been the turning point. I now avoid shopping if I dont need anything and if I need a treat a fiver at the local car boot sorts that one out lol - I have had some fab bargains!

Positive

Chasingmytail wrote: »

Hi Dreamer2010

You are doing well. You have made a start. Keep going. Need an incentive. Take a look at me. Took out my first credit card probably about 30 years ago when they first came out and bought a coat, it was quite expensive, but what the heck, I would pay it up at bit at a time. Well here I am 30 years later, total now of 8 cards and still paying for the coat and may have to sell my home.

My words of wisdom to you youngsters. Ditch the cards. They don't bring you happiness. Friends do. And friends are the ones who will encourage you to keep going.

Yes you'll have bad days and you will fail some days but just pick yourself up and start again.

Good luck.

Amazingly put. My best advice would be to cut up your credit card and then you'll have to live within your means.

You can do it! Cut it up!

penelopedee_2

Hi Dreamer, as the others have said, put the credit card away and only take cash with you. Its true everything feels more expensive when you've got to count the money out. Also if you've run out of cash then you can't spend - simple.

You'll soon get inventive regarding meals when there's no more money to spend or you want to spend it on something more interesting than your belly. Perhaps do a massive batch of curry/spag bol or whatever at the weekend and then freeze it in smaller one meal tubs. Then you only have to get bread/salad etc in to have with it.

You are doing well, at least you are on here 'confessing' and not burying your head in the sand.

You can do it.

Butti

Hi Dreamer,
How well are you doing! (Better than me!)
Can you break down the various 'problems' into little issues to tackle.

You need some delaying tactic between seeing something and the credit card. Stick a white address label on it with something pertinant 'Do I need this?' or your debt free day or what you are likely to have to sacrifice if you spend on it. If you need more time put it in a mug of water in the freezer. That gives you several hours to think.

Make sure you use vouchers and gift cards just for those things you see that you would really like.

Cook at the weekend and freeze stuff. Plus get stuff in that is freezable when it is on offer- pizza is a good one. When you really can't be bothered then plan healthy meals - fish finger butty with peas, omelette, beans on toast.

B

williamD1964

When gave up smoking, I had so many people, family and friends telling I wouldn't be able to do it. The anger I felt carried me through the first few weeks. I then realised I didn't WANT to smoke. Anger is an energy and can be used as a positive emotion.

Good luck

Foolish_spendthrift

Hi Dreamer

Well first off, don't get annoyed at yourself, because you are doing really well - look at what has already been cleared, even if some of it was from money owed (at least you didn't see it as 'free money' and go and blow it). Channel your anger at the amount of (wasted) money you're paying out in interest every month. Once you keep that in the front of your mind, it will act as an incentive to leave the cards at home and not 'treat' yourself to the things you don't need but think you want.

But, we're all human and you really musn't let a setback get to you, as there's a danger you'll throw your hands up in despair and think 'zod it, why bother?' What you need to do is keep a spending diary of everything - and I do mean everything - to show just where you're going off target and cut back, even if a little at a time. You'll get a huge sense of achievement from succeeding at lots of little things, rather than having a huge great mountain looming up in front of you casting your whole life into shadow.

When I feel a 'wobble' coming on I set myself a challenge, which may be to allow myself a little something, but a) it must be paid for in cash and b) there will be a fixed budget I cannot exceed. It works for me, and I often find I decide I don't want to buy anything after all, which gives me a great buzz.

It's great that you've realised life on credit is a Bad Thing, and you are young enough to make real and lasting change to your financial health, so give yourself a break, realise you will not have this debt forever, and imagine how much better you'll feel debt-free, knowing that when you're paying for things the money's already there and the price on the ticket is all it'll cost.

Best of luck.

Cloudy456

I keep a spreadsheet showing all of my debts and a grand total, which I update on the same day of each month (so its a fair comparison) then have a column at the end showing how much I knocked off since last month. And I have turned into a massive geek, but I find it is a massive motivation to see my progress in black and white. So when I have those moments of temptation I weigh up buying the thing, or seeing that much whacked back onto my total. And I (usually) leave it where it is.