My SOA. Shocking (and long sorry!)

lynzpower · 26 August 2006 at 7:06AM

I agree with Calley

Yes, I mean that you are spending 220 too much, ie that you are getting in 220s worth of debt every single month and thats without all the other incidentals that you have missed off.

I agree with Calley, Im not sure your lightbulb is flickering that brightly, I hope my posts, although blunt as per yesterday ( just woke up again

) I think this is important as if you continue spending like this you will owe a further 2640 in the next year, if not significantly more.

Best of luck
Lynz
xxx

calleyw · 26 August 2006 at 7:14AM

oops sorry can't add up good job I am not accountant.

That should be a saving on just food and clothes of £400 a month :eek:

Which means you should be back in the black and be able to snowball your debts with the spare.

Thought I better correct it before anyone else does :rotfl:

Yours

Calley

laughing_cow · 26 August 2006 at 1:23PM

I know how you feel about the clothes and hair because I'm a girl who likes those kind of things too. I've not managed to cut back on my hair costs, but I've cut down in other areas so I can justify it to myself.

Re the clothes - I used to spend this kind of money, often more. If I look in my wardrobe I've got all the basics, plus outfits for occasions/weddings, a good selection of bags shoes and accessories etc. If you've been spending £250 per month, your wardrobe will probably be equally well stocked. Consequently you don't need any more for now. I know it's tough - I've just chucked my Boden catalogue in the bin and stopped buying Grazia magazine because the temptation of pretty things is too much! I've decided to go 'cold turkey' on £20 per month - enough to buy essentials like socks or knickers, or a cheap top or some jewellery if you really feel you need cheering up. I'm not planning to spend the money this month but save it up to buy something nicer. I think you value your purchases much more when you do this.

Another thing you could do is EBay some of your old clothes to fund the purchase of new ones. I went through my wardrobe recently and I've got a shocking amount of stuff I rarely wear that I'm going to sell - including some items I've never worn at all with the labels still on

Or you could have a clothes party with your mates where you all bring the stuff you don't want to swap.

It's strange, because I love clothes, but I'm finding the decluttering and buying less of them quite therapeutic - it seems to declutter the brain too.

Re the amount spent on food. Do you have a fridge at work? If so, buy some stuff for salads/sandwiches etc from the supermarket and make your lunch at work. I do this and find it much less hassle than making a packed lunch and carting it in each day.

Good luck!

kerryhoney · 26 August 2006 at 1:50PM

Thanks girls. I do agree that I hadn't had the "lightbulb moment", but saying that I work shifts is not an excuse. The buses do not run at this time - that is just the truth. There is no way I can get home at 4am unless I drive. If that is me making excuses then there you go, but there is no way I can get home otherwise.

I'm going to stop the clothes buying and do the clothes swapping, as well as having friends over. Bad thing is that they all live at least 1 1/2 hours away cause they are friends from uni. Unfortunately I am in a new area with no friends so can't just wander round. Again, this is the truth and not just an excuse. but on the bright side, I guess, is that I work quite a lot of weekends so I can't see them more than once a month anyway!

I didn't think I had had my lightbulb moment but then I did the snowball calculator. If i carry on the way I am at the moment then (irrespective of any more debts I would have incurred) I would have to pay £11,720 in interest. I couldn't and still can't quite get my head around that. it's shocking and the biggest waste of money ever. I could have had a spanking new car or put it towards my mortgage. I am so freaking angry!!!!!!! I really resent paying all that to as%hole companies. I know its my own fault but there is no way that I'm paying them that much. I'm giong to ask my parents if I can either decrease or stop payments to them for a bit and then put the money towards the other stuff, it will save me just over £1,000 if I do it enough to pay off my overdraft first and put it towards my other loan.

As for the hair thing, my mum has agreed that she will pay for it for me twice a year so that's going to be my lot. It'll be a nice treat and something I will really have to look forward to.

I'm so angry! £11,720 we'll see!

Thank you for all your advice though, and if you do think it's just excuses about driving home then let me know but how else am i going to get home?! I go slowly enough to make sure that my mpg computer thing shows that I'm doing 99.9mpg which is the most economical! As for the insurance, that's the cheapest, I went with Martin's advice. And as for the mobile phone, I have it on a yearly contract and it has 10 months left.

Thanks again though. Especially for the snowball.

Kerry

Verbatim · 26 August 2006 at 4:45PM

Hi Kerry,

I'm sure you'll get there. If it all seems too daunting try one step at a time. Cut down the food shopping by £50 this month and then if that's OK a bit more next. Plan what you're going to eat before you shop and cook and freeze in advance so when you're too tired to cook there'll be something in the freezer.

Good luck. I hope you let us know how you're getting along.

Your parents sound fabulous by the way. have you'fessed up?

kerryhoney · 27 August 2006 at 1:47AM

Verbatim wrote:

Hi Kerry,

I'm sure you'll get there. If it all seems too daunting try one step at a time. Cut down the food shopping by £50 this month and then if that's OK a bit more next. Plan what you're going to eat before you shop and cook and freeze in advance so when you're too tired to cook there'll be something in the freezer.

Good luck. I hope you let us know how you're getting along.

Your parents sound fabulous by the way. have you'fessed up?

Thanks Verbatim. I haven't 'fessed up to my parents, my mum I have, but not my step dad or my dad. They might actually kill me. My step dad has been so good to lend me all that money to supposedly clear my debts off a while back and then I feel like i threw it all back in his face by getting in more debt so there is no way I'm going to tell him!

The planning what I'm going to eat is definitely the way forward. It just requires organisation that's all! I shall get on it though. Thanks for your support xxx

beverleyhills · 27 August 2006 at 4:39AM

Can you have a lodger?

kerryhoney · 27 August 2006 at 1:40PM

beverleyhills wrote:

Can you have a lodger?

Not really..... I do have a spare room but it's tiny and I don't think anybody would put up with it! It would fit a double bed in but nothing else. And other than converting my garage into a spare room - I'm stuffed!

beanielou · 27 August 2006 at 1:48PM

You might be amazed at what people would live in & pay you lots of dosh for as well!

chevalier · 27 August 2006 at 3:22PM

Have you thought about getting a different job? Ie one that is better paid? Working shifts is hard to do (been there and done that). Your sleep patterns get all muddled up and that won't help your thinking either. Alternatively work lots of overtime at your current job, as if you are working you aren't spending!