No more spending!

ShopaholicNoMore

Disaster has struck...

I've got to organise a party next month and it's going to cost me £150 at least. I thought I'd be fine but the final installment of my tax bill is due at the end of this month and it's significantly higher than the other installments. I don't want to lower it as I want rid of it.

Normally I'd just think fcuk it, I'll just use my overdraft but I REALLY don't want to when I've just got rid of it - I know it's a slippery slope!

So, I need to make £150 asap. I'm off to find what I can sell on ebay - any hints for what sells well would be much appreciated!

mememememe

ShopaholicNoMore wrote: »

Disaster has struck...

I've got to organise a party next month and it's going to cost me £150 at least. I thought I'd be fine but the final installment of my tax bill is due at the end of this month and it's significantly higher than the other installments. I don't want to lower it as I want rid of it.

Normally I'd just think fcuk it, I'll just use my overdraft but I REALLY don't want to when I've just got rid of it - I know it's a slippery slope!

So, I need to make £150 asap. I'm off to find what I can sell on ebay - any hints for what sells well would be much appreciated!

Good to hear that you want to make the money rather than dip into a (generally expensive) overdraft! Check out http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/selling-on-ebay . Remember to shop around and use your money saving skills for the party!

Need to buy invites for a birthday party too.

You could make your own invites?

All the best for the continued money saving and well done so far!

Spiggle

Well done on your progress so far SNM,

One vital thing for me in cutting down spending has been joining the Grocery Challenge (monthly) threads on the OS boards on this site. It might prove useful for you once you've got a better idea of what you do want to set your budget at in the future.

The second vital thing I do is always ask myself "Do I want this or do I need this?" If it's the first I don't get it, if its the second then I ask myself why it's not on my shopping list then?!?!:mad: :rotfl:

In all seriousness, well done with your journey so far. We're a very supportive lot over on the GC threads so come and take a peek when you have a bit of time.

Well done and good luck,
Spigs

caeler

A small tip from me is making a packed lunch, something perhaps you could take in turns with OH as it sounds like you have your hands full? I have made my lunch since my LBM a few years ago, I buy breadrolls, cut in half and freeze. I make lunch always the night before, take out the breadroll from freezer, spread a bit of butter, shove in a slice of ham/cheese, squish together, bag it and leave it by the door. Job done. I used to take an apple or some rich tea biscuits (25p Tesco Value pack, 35cals per biscuit). I'm now on a diet so it's a salad every day!

caeler

Also another observation. You sound very generous (£2 for somebody leaving at work, organising a party, etc) and I wonder if for a short period you need to be a bit selfish? I appreciate it will be out of character but that £2 you could save in your jar to help you. Possibly just £2 doesn't matter but as Tesco says 'Every penny helps' and it really does. Check out of £2 challenge on this forum, it's pretty good!

When I was seriously in debt I stopped my charitable donation payments for about a year. Please forgive me!!

ShopaholicNoMore

Today - NSD It helped that I forgot my purse when I went into town :rotfl:

YEsterday £32 in Tesco :eek: I had to buy an ink catridge for my computer!

So, this week, £81 this week in total! £20 saved on last week.

Re the party, I can't really not do it - it's for my mum and it's a special birthday. I admit I am too generous but I find it really hard not to be! I've got four fmaily birthdays in October, and two in November, then Christmas - I need to make more than £150 probably to keep out of my OD!

Still I've listed 12 items on ebay - just baby clothes so nothing that'll make a fortune but it's a start! I've also got some really fancy earrings which mean nothing to me and I don't particularly like them so I'm going to sell them too!

curlytop12

hi,just wanted to say well done and that i'm enjoying your thread.keep it up

zyxd58

Well done on managing to get going in the right direction, sometimes it will feel as if you are heading into a dyke at full speed. Once you've paid the overdraught seriously consider having it removed from your account.

Does your husband work? Could he contribute in any way towards the £100 a week even selling things on ebay/classifieds?

ShopaholicNoMore

Hi zyxd - yes, he does work but he pays a higher share of the bills than I do so I contribute to the food etc.

Yesterday was a bad day - we went out for dinner last night with friends which cost £33, and today I spent £1.20 on lunch and £4.30 at the shop on the way home

Husband bought stuff for lunches today though so no spending tomorrow.

Tax bill is paid off tomorrow. I'm gutted about it really - it's been the cause of all my problems this year. I have a "real job" which i now do part time since I had my baby, and I run a business too. In January this year, I got my usual tax bill, but on top of that, I had to,unexpectedly, make £1200 worth of contributions towards my student loan for the the previous tax year (after they re-assessed my tax for that year) and then they wanted £1200 for year ending April 09. This raised my bill from the expected £3000, to £5400! Luckily I was able to pay it up in instalments. I had to then continue my instalments for the July payment. Anyway, this means I've had to pay out £7200 in tax in this year. God I feel sick when I see that written down!

The next few months are going to be a bit of a struggle, but in November and then January I'll get more money in from my business, and hopefully I'll be able to pay the new tax bill entirely off at the end of Jan this year. It's just so annoying - I should be rich this month!!

By the way, I know I have to pay tax, and I have to pay back my student loans but I've been contributing to them through my real job wages so had no idea they'd make me make another contribution I should've questioned the amount more but I was in such a tizzy in January. And at least I've nearly paid them all back which is something.

Anyway, just thought I'd give you all a bit more of an insight into my crazy world!

thebuff1

Just a thought, I seem to recall reading on MSE that 2009 to 2010 there is no interest on the student loan are you aware of that? If not hope it comes as a nice surprise.
I called the loan company 2 weeks ago and they were polite but totally unable to assist, cannot tell me the amount owed until it comes from the tax office, apparently. Have you heard such rot?
I pay mine through PAYE and cannot wait until it is over hopefully in next 18 months and I fully intend to whisk same amount straight into an untouchable account.

Re your party
Can you cut costs by either making stuff yourself eg cake etc? or at the very least, ask all to bring a dish or a plate of something and their drink. We are generally the ones who entertain in our family and this year we said enough as the costs always fall to us and our family always come empty handed and always expect and receive at least a meal worth of stuff to take home. So we now ask and it seems to be ok.