how do u do it?

Buffythedebtslayer

Hello, just chipping in with my opinion

I tend to make my regular payments, live on what is left and then at the end of the month I pay what ever is left to the loan.

That way I am never really skint and know when I spend on extras I am pushing my DFD further away. this month I have had to buy winter clothes, it is worth it to be warm! the make up hmmm. well I felt I needed an overhaul.

I am looking forward to pay day this month as I have a little money left over.

Good Luck Kerry! xxx

CashHound

How about renting DVDs from your local library, they should be quite cheap from there

foxgloves

Yes, checking out dvd loans at the libaray is a good idea. Think they are a pound for a a week round here, 50p for children's ones. Also, you say you don't go out.....there are often lots of free places you can go. Again, libraries often put on free activities for children & parks are often free, sometimes museums too, & they also do children's activities at special times. When we were kids, we'd be taken out for walks, so fresh air & exercise and to keep us entertained, my Mum would make a list of 'treasures' to find.......things like a feather, a fircone, etc. It might sound boring, but it kept us entertained & I think it's helped me be able to entertain myself very frugally now if I have to (which I do at the moment as got a big bill coming due soon).

spendingmad

I have just recently become serious about paying off the credit cards and it is turning into a bit of an obsession!!

I am paying a reasonable overpayment on the CC and giving myself a reasonable weekly budget to work to (which is taken out in cash at beginning of week) Lots of free activities walking/playing with DD at home rather than going to playcenter and not going out/cutting out the bottle of wine really does work wonders. What ever money is left goes on reducing the overdraft, which for me is the biggest motivator (I've overpaid my CC and lived/eatten well and can still reduce the overdraft). Once the overdraft are paid off (Apr11) I will put the O/D overpayments into a savings pot.

My problem is staying motivated without it taking over my life, at the moment it seems like an obsession and I know that thinking about it 24/7 is not sustainable long term. It must just become a habit.

foxgloves

I think you kind of have to go through the 'obsession' phase before it becomes a habit. I think that's because it's such a good feeling when you've decided to start tackling your debts & it does make you feel much more in control so I reckon the obsessional phase at the beginning is probably because most of us have slipped off the straight & narrow before & we are worried about it happening again. I've got to the stage now where it's mostly just habit. I used to have a habit of wasting money, now I have a habit of being careful with it. The result of the change is that all my debts are paid off & I have not slipped into overdraft for 18 months. Just working on partner's last debt now. he had his LBM a bit later than me & I've seen him have the same obsessional phase too, where he couldn't buy anything.....not even when a dvd he'd wanted for ages was 3 quid in WHSmith's......now he's just changed his spending habit and like me, will buy things if they're the best deal he can get & he can budget for them.

alona1

Why dont you do some of the free trials for DVD rental? Usually 2weeks-a month and there is several of them , just make sure you cancel before the end of the trial. Lovefilm, Blockbuster, Tesco - are a few. Well done so far and good luck x

Primrose2004

alona1 wrote: »

Why dont you do some of the free trials for DVD rental? Usually 2weeks-a month and there is several of them , just make sure you cancel before the end of the trial. Lovefilm, Blockbuster, Tesco - are a few. Well done so far and good luck x

Thank you for this. I just got a Lovefilm offer through the post, had put it in the recylcling bin until I read this thread. Fished it out and it's a 30 day free trial so i've signed up and will cancel before the end of it. Have signed up to get 2 dvd's at a time. I just need to double check about when I need to cancel to avoid paying, then if we enjoy the dvd rental i'll look out for another offer with somewhere else