Time to get honest with myself, a proper SOA!

slowlyfading

Get internet banking and then you can do PADs online

littlepinkstars44

slowlyfading wrote: »

Get internet banking and then you can do PADs online

I have internet banking, but for the store cards i can only either phone up, or pay them in the store.

terakris

I think calling her an idiot is a little harsh - if she cuts out the entertainment budget saving £100 a month, and uses the gym as her "entertainment" along with the x-box subscription, she still gets to be social at the gym without having to spend that money on a round of drinks with her friends.

Its hard being young and wanting to be out with your mates all the time etc - the presents in think have to go, i stopped point blank buying and receiving presents from anyone for years... sure i got called the grump etc but it does help pay off your debts. Once you explain to people that you are concentrating on paying off your debts, they will understand im sure.

Good luck

littlepinkstars44

terakris wrote: »

I think calling her an idiot is a little harsh - if she cuts out the entertainment budget saving £100 a month, and uses the gym as her "entertainment" along with the x-box subscription, she still gets to be social at the gym without having to spend that money on a round of drinks with her friends.

Its hard being young and wanting to be out with your mates all the time etc - the presents in think have to go, i stopped point blank buying and receiving presents from anyone for years... sure i got called the grump etc but it does help pay off your debts. Once you explain to people that you are concentrating on paying off your debts, they will understand im sure.

Good luck

Thank you, i have cancelled my xbox live subscription this morning, it was painful but had to be done! Going to rummage through my cupboards and see what else i can list on ebay!

Katie-Kat-Kins

littlepinkstars44 wrote: »

Thanks for that, i already am part of the nsd challange, i did the payment a day thing before but it ended up costing more in phone calls as they are all 0845 numbers, and takes like 3 minutes each to process a payment of just £1. Right that is easily dealt with. Either do it online or instore. Or use saynoto0870 to find a normal geographic number that will count in your free minutes. If you still can't work out a free way to pay off extra then get a payment a day money jar and put your payments in there and just go along once a week. Not quite the same but I think the challenge would be good for you.

I can't get out of my phone contract, it's not up till march and i have unlimited text and internet, i never use any minutes i don't phone people, i always text so i can't go over my allowances. That is good, amend your SoA to reflect this as I don't think the figures match.

As i said before i'm not going to give up the gym, i've thought about it and decided against it, i'm making cuts everywhere else but i am not prepared to stop that. I go 4 times a week, and planning to go to some of their classes next month when i can book them online. I really think you need to reconsider this. Look at your debts and see how much quicker you would pay them off and how much interest you would save if you used your gym membership as a snowball payment. You have to accept that you are currently living beyond your means and quite some of the things that are costing you money. Running, walking, or cycling would be cheaper, as would a fitness DVD. Seriously you can be social by roping in your mates and having your own running club or whatever. And you won't have lots of time to go to the gym if you work more to earn more!

I don't actually think my xbox live is a waste of money, i spend around 3 hours every night on there, and if i am not going on anymore nights out then i need something to do. But i am planning on asking for a year subscription for christmas from my mum, as i've looked around and can get one for about £23! Which will be good news to her, as she also pays £7.99 a month for my brother live account. I think you've done the right thing giving this up, it is unnecessary and you can take it up again when you get it as a christmas present.

I think you need to do some calculations on how long this debt will take you to pay off at current rates and how much you could save if you paid off at a higher rate. You don't seem to actually be very motivated to succeed with this.

HappyMJ

The only thing in this SOA that must be spent is the rent to your parents for board and lodging at £150 per month. Everything else is a luxury and should be cut. You don't need anything else with all the store card balances you have I think you have enough clothes so no need to shop. There are many free things to do without spending money.

Also, spend a bit on a cheap bike and a good lock and ride to/from the uni and work. Saves on travel and saves on gym whilst getting fit all at the same time.

With all the time you spend on the phone, playing xbox, at the gym, at the uni and out several evenings I'm amazed you have any time left to do any work at all. If you cut time spent enjoying yourself you can spend more time working earning money to pay these debts off.

littlepinkstars44

Katie-Kat-Kins wrote: »

I think you need to do some calculations on how long this debt will take you to pay off at current rates and how much you could save if you paid off at a higher rate. You don't seem to actually be very motivated to succeed with this.

No i've got no idea how long it would take to pay everything off, never really thought about. Just as long as it was all going down every month i'd be quite happy i think.

littlepinkstars44

HappyMJ wrote: »

The only thing in this SOA that must be spent is the rent to your parents for board and lodging at £150 per month. Everything else is a luxury and should be cut. You don't need anything else with all the store card balances you have I think you have enough clothes so no need to shop. There are many free things to do without spending money.

Also, spend a bit on a cheap bike and a good lock and ride to/from the uni and work. Saves on travel and saves on gym whilst getting fit all at the same time.

With all the time you spend on the phone, playing xbox, at the gym, at the uni and out several evenings I'm amazed you have any time left to do any work at all. If you cut time spent enjoying yourself you can spend more time working earning money to pay these debts off.

I would be petrified to ride a bike on the roads! I've not been on a bike since i was about 5/6. Plus i don't really know how i would manage to carry all my uni stuff/gym stuff/work stuff/luch and dinner with me, as i usually go straight to work from uni. Would need to bring lunch with me for uni, and dinner with me for work after uni.
Plus i generally have a bag of ebay stuff to post as well. Thurs and Fri's i can be seen lugging 3 bags around on the bus with me.

I don't think i spend much time doing those things, i go to the gym for 6:30am on Thurs and Fri's before uni, and try to go another 2 nights a week with my friend (usually sun/mon) then work 2 nights a week (usually wed and thurs) and a 4 hour shift either on sat or sun. I play xbox at night after work, gym, or netball. I don't know what you mean by the amount of time i spend on the phone? I don't phone people, i hate speaking on the phone, i text quite a bit, and use it for facebook during the day at uni etc. Nights out, for me can just be going down to weatherspoons 10mins away for dinner and a catch up with my friends on a fri night, or the cinema or if i'm off on a sunday going for lunch. Monday nights and Thursday nights are usually the nights i go out to a club, but then its only usually 2/3 times a month.

I just don't really get what your saying about the time thing, i'm only in classes for 7-8 hours a week and work between 9-16 hours a week, depending on what i get given. The gym and netball prob take up about 6 hours a week. Leaving me with time for whatever really.

littlepinkstars44

Just thought of another thing i haven't put down on my soa, i take 2 calcium tablets and a multi vitamin every day. I'm not sure exactly how much i spend on both of these things a month, lets say £5? [STRIKE]plus i £6 i spend on something else i need every month.[/STRIKE] Just realised i can get this on prescription, so it will be £3 a month from now...time to phone the doctors for an appt!

I'm going to work out a monthly and weekly budget for myself this afternoon.

Tixy

Hi LPS

I think you need to re-read the title you gave this thread and your first post

Time to get honest with myself, a proper SOA

littlepinkstars44 wrote: »

Ok, so this morning i have went through EVERYTHING and realised i hadn't been so honest with myself in the past. This is my new soa, which is true to what actually goes on every month, and i have actually shocked myself to see the real figures!:eek:
I know a lot of stuff has to go....now!!! I think taking the time to go through everything properly has really scared me, i'm only 23, how on earth did i get myself into this mess?!

For the first post you seemed really motivated and ready to change. But already this is starting to look like your previous threads where people make suggestions and you give excuses as to why you can't or won't stop spending in a particular area.

Take a close look at this SoA and your list of debts. E.g you owe Very £2190. In January you owed less than £800. So you have spent £1400 on that account this year. Was what you bought worth the money and worth putting yourself in all that debt for? You obviously can't change what has happened in the past but you can change what will happen in the future if you want to.

You know what people have recommended and where they have suggested you can save money. When you are ready to make changes look back at this and your previous threads and re-read the advice you have been given. Until then I think your debts will continue to increase.