Let me in!

lucewoman

Hi Everyone

My name's Lucy, I have finally decided to 'bite the bullet' and attempt to get to grips with my out of control finances.
I gave up my job 2 years ago when pregnant with my 3rd son, as I couldn't expect mum to look after two little ones (only 16 months between my youngest) and I didn't want/couldn't afford to pay for childcare.
Up til then I had 'plodded along' reasonably well financially with more highs than lows. I was proud of my home, I bought it myself, saved my entire wages for a year to put down as a deposit by living with mum and spending hardly anything. I didn't have or want a credit card, didn't like being even a penny overdrawn. Not sure where it started, but slowly I introduced myself to 'credit'. Catalogues, credit cards, and am up to the limit of my overdraft, regularly going over it. My finances are unorganised, chaotic.
To the outside world I am thrifty, careful, buy everything second-hand, am not at all 'flash' my home is falling apart! Why on earth am I in so much debt? I spend when I'm stressed , bored, fed up, and go a bit mad on other people's presents at Christmas, birthday's etc.
I miss having an income, I have always worked, even as a kid I had paper rounds, baby sitting jobs, Saturday jobs... I want at least another year off work, so I need to sort out my cash flow, FAST!

Look forward to meeting you all and getting debt free (I met my OH online, and lost 3 stone last year online dieting, now it's time to sort out my finances online!)

LuckyBiscuit

Welcome to the gang, first thing will be to post ur SOA, so the savvy guys on here can see where they can make savings, cut backs etc, maybe write a spending diary that is a real eye opener for the little purchases you make that u forget about!!!
Good luck on your journey and again Welcome!!!!!

TMVen XXX

spursfan14

Welcome!! Hope we can help.

bottleofred

Hi Lucy,

Post your statement of affairs and you'll get loads of help and advice.

Wee_Jo

Hi Lucy! :hello:

Welcome to the boards! Everyone is absolutely lovely and v supportive! As TMVen and BottleofRed said you should post your Statement of Affairs - here's the website if you haven't got it already: http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html It can be a bit daunting to do it and you do need to have all your bits of paper and bills, etc so that it's accurate but it is the best way to see where you're at and the best thing is it allows people on here to help you and suggest areas you can cut back on, etc.

After yo know where you are you can then get stuck in on the challenges! These help all of us to encourage each other and focus on getting sorted with our finances.

Have fun and well done for coming on to the boards, it's a really important first step in becoming debt free! :T

Jo