I need to save pay off an £1000 debt-any help?

Laurenbelle

Hello! I borrowed £2000 over a year ago from a friend thinking i would be able to pay it back sooner, i have paid £1000 and then i just haven't been able to pay back.
As far as a SOA is concerned we do have an expensive Telewest package (TV, phone and computer - £140 per month) and we have our cell phone packages (£35 each) i really wouldn't like to give these up - the cell phones i would like to keep since dh is a stay at home dad i like to be able to contact him with the kids and since i drive all hours to work i like to keep mine. The telewest package is our only vice, we dont go out since we have 2 toddlers and no babysitter also no extra money for going out, we dont smoke and only drink occasionally so he likes his tv (which includes the sports package because we have just moved over from the States and he enjoys watching the American Football) and i like my internet (emailing, im'ing family overseas).
Basically what i am looking to do is figure out how to make the £1000 by doing extra stuff - whether it be Ebay, Quidco (anyone have a link on this - i joined but am not sure how it works), started working overtime can anything help me with any other ideas.
Thank you in advance!

all_hours

Laurenbelle wrote:

Hello! I borrowed £2000 over a year ago from a friend thinking i would be able to pay it back sooner, i have paid £1000 and then i just haven't been able to pay back.
As far as a SOA is concerned we do have an expensive Telewest package (TV, phone and computer - £140 per month) and we have our cell phone packages (£35 each) i really wouldn't like to give these up - the cell phones i would like to keep since dh is a stay at home dad i like to be able to contact him with the kids and since i drive all hours to work i like to keep mine. The telewest package is our only vice, we dont go out since we have 2 toddlers and no babysitter also no extra money for going out, we dont smoke and only drink occasionally so he likes his tv (which includes the sports package because we have just moved over from the States and he enjoys watching the American Football) and i like my internet (emailing, im'ing family overseas).
Basically what i am looking to do is figure out how to make the £1000 by doing extra stuff - whether it be Ebay, Quidco (anyone have a link on this - i joined but am not sure how it works), started working overtime can anything help me with any other ideas.
Thank you in advance!

Hi,

The first thing to do is put up an SOA so other posters can offer suggestions for cut backs. See southernscousers sticky thread at the top of this forum for a template.

£140 on TV, phone and broadband? :eek:

Quidco - you get cashback for signing up for free trials and shopping via their links. You could trim the TV package to remove any extra film channels and try DVD tarting for the next few months.

piglet6

Laurenbelle wrote:

The telewest package is our only vice...we only drink occasionally so he likes his tv (which includes the sports package because we have just moved over from the States and he enjoys watching the American Football) and i like my internet (emailing, im'ing family overseas).

Please brace yourself, because I am going to seem harsh...:o

How would you feel if you had a friend who owed you £1,000 but who still paid out £140/month on viewing sports on TV rather than paying you back?!

I applaud the fact that you are not going out and blowing money on meals out and parties and concerts and other entertainment...but I do think that if I was your friend and I knew that you were spending £140/month on TV (when there are lots of cheaper packages out there which still include sports) I would feel a little bitter...

While I am impressed by the fact that you are obviously wanting to pay back your friend (and I wish you success with your e-bay, quidco, boot sale...or whichever method you choose), I can't help but think that you have not quite cut back to the bare minimum that you can, in order to clear the debt that you owe to your friend. I think that it is harsh to hear, but I hope that you will forgive me for pointing out that friends who are willing to lend you £2,000 are friends who are worth holding onto, therefore I think that this sort of friend is worth making a few sacrifices to keep - and in this case, I think that you should be putting a little more effort into paying them back the amount they have been kind enough to lend you...(albeit at the risk of being vilified myself for being a b*tch!!).

*Piglet runs and hides from the backlash of being truthful and "nasty"...*

Piglet

A_Nice_Englishman

Laurenbelle wrote:

Hello! I borrowed £2000 over a year ago from a friend thinking i would be able to pay it back sooner, i have paid £1000 and then i just haven't been able to pay back.

The first question I'd ask is what has changed to stop you being able to pay your friend back any more?

BertieMeldrew

piglet6 wrote:

...While I am impressed by the fact that you are obviously wanting to pay back your friend ...

Piglet

...but not wanting very hard, I'd say!

Piglet is right!

How the hell can you have a phone/TV/Computer package at £140 a month (I have Sky Sports at £36 / month) and then another £70 on mobiles! Why not go PAYG?

Sorry... your priorities are all screwed up!

Laurenbelle

Thank you so much for your prompt reply, i know i know i have the supreme package - £17.50 with the movie (because we never go out) and sports package (the sports for cricket and the American football) - £26.50 and Disney Cinemagic £5.00 for the kids, the phone is £11 for line rental, £3 for talk international which really does save a lot because my mum and brother are overseas as well as dh's family. Call display - £1.75. We also have the Blueyonder broadband complete package the £25 - that package was recommended because i email and IM and download a lot of pictures etc.
I am thinking of calling Telewest and trying to get this cut by threatening to cancel but need to get my ducks in a row so i can be sure i am telling them the correct thing.

funky-footprints

if you have broadband can you not talk to your family online (msn messenger or yahoo ?) ..that is what we do ? we have family all over the place.

we have set up a msn photo album for free and put all our pics on there ...have invited family members to join and they can view the pics for free rather than downloading thier end. this saves those on pay as you go £££ !

could your dh not have a pay as you go mobile or you just call him at home ? £35 a month seems a lot for a stay at home parents monthly bill.

Laurenbelle

Your right you do sound harsh (maybe honest is the word) but thats ok i expected it. I just want help with how to raise money and try and little extras i have.

all_hours

Laurenbelle wrote:

Thank you so much for your prompt reply, i know i know i have the supreme package - £17.50 with the movie (because we never go out) and sports package (the sports for cricket and the American football) - £26.50 and Disney Cinemagic £5.00 for the kids, the phone is £11 for line rental, £3 for talk international which really does save a lot because my mum and brother are overseas as well as dh's family. Call display - £1.75. We also have the Blueyonder broadband complete package the £25 - that package was recommended because i email and IM and download a lot of pictures etc.
I am thinking of calling Telewest and trying to get this cut by threatening to cancel but need to get my ducks in a row so i can be sure i am telling them the correct thing.

Can't you get the freeview kids channels on sky basic? On freeview you get cbeebies, cbbc, and citv. cbbc and cbeebies are fun and educational. Citv would be better without Carol Vorderman appearing at every ad break.

You don't need the movies - get rid of them and DVD tart via quidco for the next 6 months.

Laurenbelle

Thank you funky, my mum doesnt have a computer at home so i just send emails to her at work but chat on MSN to the rest of my family. I hear what you are saying about the cellphone bills - will i not have to pay the full years tarriff if i try cancel it?

piglet6

Hi - Its me, "harsh c*w" again... (I'm really sorry - I hate being a miserable b*tch, but sometimes it seems it seems worth the effort...and if you find just one way to cut your costs, it will be worth it!)

Although I realise that you are justifying yourself with the help of OH and the kids...is there really no other way that OH can hear the cricket and American football results...?! Also, I don't know how old your kids are, but it might be an idea to try and persuade them to make their own entertainment, and not be reliant on a TV channel for their entertainment...if they are really young (and by this I mean under the "teenage" threshold...) in years to come, they may well thank you for introducing them to "reality" before it really hurts them...

Piglet