Sorting out my life - Part 2!

cazmcf

If its any consolation I find it near imposible to have nsd's as well. Some people have have SSD small spend days, which is usually under a fiver.

Is there any thing you can do with out in the next 2 weeks so you dont end up spending on your credit cards? Have you got enough food in? Do you need to get more petrol?

I like your idea of 10 ways of making £15. Did you get that from memorygirls thread? She did something similar for her mortgage. I cant really help you much with the money making side if things as I am more into making budgets streeeeeeetch, which can be hard when theres kids in the house.


Have you thought of posting an soa (statment of affairs) to see if we can help you cut down any where?

copperjar

Hi cazmcf

Well, my dad gave me the £55 I paid to the boiler, so I think I might just have enough to get through until pay day now. One more food shop and then a couple of petrol fill ups and I should be okay. Its just the little things that you don't budget for that seem to knock me back. Had to buy some more paint today (have been decorating...well, my dad has and I've been "helping") and that was an extra tenner that I wasn't expecting. It's going to be tight - I put £40 in my car every week - but I really want to do it.

I got the 10 ways to make £15 idea from someone (can't remember their username just now) who was trying for 100 ways to make £365!! I'm aiming quite low to start with at £15 so that I don't put too much pressure on myself. I'm now wondering when to start...don't really know why I'm thinking of waiting until Jan when I could get going now. Have been reading some ideas on the Up Your Income board, I think I could possibly do £15 a month in free clicks (when I learn how to do it) - so just need to think of another 3 things. I was also wondering whether to start another thread just on that so if others were interested, we could all do it together. Or is that me being self indulgent?!

Another decision to make is when to transfer my Santander balance onto another 0% card. I won't get it paid off before the 0% period runs out because I'm focussing on getting the Virgin one paid off. I don't know whether to trasnfer it now (Barclaycard have offered me 0% until Aug) or whether to wait until April. Problem is, I might not get another offer; but the other problem is, I'll end up paying about £70 in transfer fees if I do it now. Decisions, decisions! I really am rubbish at making them!

Choc-addict

Hi Copperjar,

Just wanted to pop in and say hello :wave: and say that I think you are doing amazing given the stress and strains you are going/have been going through with your break up and work pressures. I too work for a LA so know how depressing it really is at the moment

Don't be too hard on yourself and take baby steps to sorting everything out. It'll all come good in the end, main thing is you are doing something about it. Oh and well done on the not smoking, fab! :T

One thing that I do (erm, do when I remember ) is keep an actually written spending diary. I find that if I actually have to write it down in a book (rather than iphone app) then those naughty sins become more real to me and 9/10 I now opt not to spend than have to write it down and feel bad!

The other thing I do, and forgive me if this has already been said is work out my finances from pay day and give myself a weekly budget to live off and spend. I try and include everything so if you know you have £40 per week petrol and £20 week food perhaps allow yourself another £X amount for socialising/spends etc. I take the cash out at the beginning of each week so as not to use my cards and never take my cards anywhere with me. It seems to work for me and for some reason I find myself trying to find ways not to spend the cash that's actually in my purse - think it's harder when it's money in your hand! Oh and if I do have money left over I put it into a savings pot (random jar) and keep it there until a substantial amount is saved and either put it into savings for 'emergencies' or pay into my debt repayment fund.

Anyhow, sorry for waffling there. Just a few ideas. Wishing you lots of luck.

Choc x

copperjar

Hi Choc-addict :wave: Thanks for the comments and for reading. It really is lovely when someone pops in and says hi. Gives me a little boost! I'll definitely try the spending diary - I've been pretty good at not buying silly things that I don't really need - but I guess that will just focus me even more. I've also tried your suggestion of getting cash out at the start of each week and I need to do that again. The first time I tried it, I was amazed that I managed to have money left and I put it in a money box (one of those ones you have to smash when you're ready to empty it). But then things came up and I stopped...still have the money saved though! I could do with it actually, but don't want to smash the pot for the £25 or so in there.

Well today has been eventful to say the least. I've been over to my brothers for lunch for my mum's birthday - was all set to come on here and have a bit of a whinge about having to buy some wine (I wanted this to be my first NSD this month!) and about having already used half a tank of petrol. But then my parents did an amazingly generous thing and I just can't believe it. 3.5 years ago they gave me an interest free loan so I could buy a car, I've been paying off every month and had £2500 left to pay. Well they've said that they are writing that off and the car is now mine, fully paid up :j My brother got the same amount taken off the balance he still owes them. We were both just gobsmacked, weren't expecting anything like that at all. I still can't quite believe it now. I don't know why they decided to do it, they don't know about my debts (although they know I'm ebaying like crazy and am a bit short). That means I can put an extra £150 a month towards my CC debts and will have some money for Christmas next month. I just can't believe it. I need to remember how I feel now next time I think "sod it" and go to buy something on my CC. I want this debt gone - and I've just had a really big helping hand.

Feel stupid about writing about the little things I've done today to help towards my debts after that! But I did a Field Agent review for £3 on the way to my brothers and discovered I have £42 in Nectar points so can afford to get a free shop in this week! :dance: So all in all, its been a great day!!

Random thoughts:
Day 12 not smoking
Still trying to think of another 3 or 4 ways to make £15 per month.
A couple of things to eBay next week and one thing to post.
£127 still left to pay on my Barclaycard to get the car service paid off.

Phew..think that's it!

cazmcf

wow, what an amazing day and what amazing parents you have, I'm really pleased for you:j After xmas you'll really see the debt coming down with an extra £150 to go towards it!

I've had my own good news. We owe OH parents a loan as well. They recently bought an ipod but they dont own a computer:undecided. Anyway they asked me would I put all their music onto my laptop for them and they will pay me... £2 per cd off the debt!! I did tell them thats far too much but they have more money than sense so who am I to argue
So hopefully by the end I may make £200, thats a months payment.

jwil

Aww that's really lovely of your parents, and yours too caz! :j

Well done on the continued non smoking!

copperjar

Thank you
I'm still chuffed to bits as I bet you can imagine - and trying out loads of different amounts I might be able to afford now on my spreadsheet...just a pity that things don't get paid off the more you look at them! I'm really pleased for you too Caz - a lovely offer from your parents

How do you work out your debt free date? Does anyone know? I don't know if I can overpay on my two loans, so it might be that they have to continue for another 3 and 5 years. Bit depressing. But I'm getting ahead of myself a bit there...need to get those credit cards paid off first!

brizzledfw

Hi there..just picking up on your diary. Well done for sticking at it and giving up the smoking too.

I know some here have been saying about the spending diary but I have found the expensit app on the iphone very good. OH has it and it really helps to make us more 'expense aware' if you know what I mean.

I think for your DFD look to the snowball calculators..think that's what you do anyway..luckily I never did that..once I had my LBM just threw everything at it plus had some very lucky breaks.

Best of luck on the job front. I used to be a 'back office' public servant..and can sympathize with every officer/worker of a LA at the moment

copperjar

Thanks brizzle

I think I might be using the same iPhone app as you. I love it! Although I've become slightly obsessed with checking it (even though nothing changes unless I imput something!). Just got the lite version for now, the full one will be bought on payday. How sad that I'm actually looking forward to payday so I can buy a budget app?! I've tried the snowball thing but because I can't make overpayments to my loan, it still says DFD is 2015
I guess I'll have to put money into a savings account instead and when I've got enough, just pay the loan off in one go.

Work is incredibly stressful, mainly because we're not actually being told anything (just that we should "think the unthinkable"...hmm, useful, thanks). I wish they'd just give us some idea, I'm literally driving myself insane panicking about what might or might not happen.

jwil

Yes, look at the snowball calculator. You tap in your debts, and how much you have to pay off each month, and then it tells you in which order to pay it, and how many months it will take you.

If you can't overpay on the loans, put the money aside in a savings account, and once you've got enough to pay them off, ask for a settlement figure. If there is any penalty, it should still be less than you would pay in interest over the remaining term.