Don't even know where to start- making me ill!

curlytop12

hi there cleggie,just wanted to say enjoying your thread,(and all the replies!)you really are making great waves.well done,hope it gets easier for you.
G

rugbychick81

Life is going to be a breeze when you've paid these debts off and finish studying!!

nat21luv

I read your thread with interest; I used to be in your shoes- a single parent as a mature student at college living in a cheap flat struggling to pay bills. I had no loan/CC but I owed money to SWW/npower ect. One day I just sat down and did a spreadsheet and worked out what came in every week and how much I would need to keep back for the next week(being paid weekly benefits is hard!) and I managed to sort out what to pay and when. I felt so chuffed once I'd done it that I couldnt wait to get started. I didnt have the luxury of a home phone/internet so Im proud to say I did it all on my own. Im now completely debt free and companies now owe me money from overpayment!! You'll get there and I recommend 'Make £10 a day' thread, imagine an extra £310 a month coming in from the comfort of your own home?!! Also read 'Weezles..' thread about grocery shopping, she feeds her family of 4 on £200pm and I reckon you could get your down to £150 but it'll mean making meals from scratch and doing batches. Hope this helps and good luck!!

cleggie

Thanks so much for all your help and comments you guys. I am off to the uni library for the day to do some study but will post when i get back!

cleggie

Hi All, thanks for the encouraging words, it means such a lot to me to know i have support! I have updated my signature too!

Gem- thanks! all of the people here are amazing and have given me some great advice.

Rugby Chick- i just hope to god that i can get a job once i have graduated, so am going to start looking for jobs in my last half of my final year..cant wait to have a decent income and have no debt!! Will be actually able to SAVE!!

Nat- wow, you are an inspiration! Well done you, i bet you are really proud of yourself, and rightly so. I will have a look at those links, thanks very much.

A quick (perhaps silly) Q for you all now- How much (if any) do you allow yourself a month for entertainment? I have decided that the meals out and cinema etc will have to be scrapped for the time being (at least until i have only the nursery debt remaining and have cleared the rest), so am thinking about a bottle of wine for £5.79 on a weekend? Do you think this will be ok?
I reckon it will be possible to include it in the grocery shopping too, but if not do you think it would be ok?

Havent spent anything at all day (AND i have been in town!) so am feeling good!

CH27

I think it is important to facor in a little treat to stop yourself becoming swamped by everything:)
Look out for the wine offers of 3 for £10 in the supermarkets.

cleggie

YAY!!! Just after a saw your reply CH27, i remembered stashing a few bottles of beer on top of the fridge a few weeks ago...just had a look and there are 6 bottles!! So wont have to spend any money getting the bottle of wine, i'll just drink beer instead! Result!

CH27

cleggie wrote: »

YAY!!! Just after a saw your reply CH27, i remembered stashing a few bottles of beer on top of the fridge a few weeks ago...just had a look and there are 6 bottles!! So wont have to spend any money getting the bottle of wine, i'll just drink beer instead! Result!

:beer: for the weekend

cleggie

Cheers CH27- i'll drink to that!

dancingfairy

Glad you found some beer - let's hope it tastes better 'cos it was hidden and you didn't have to spend any more on it
A couple of thoughts from me:
1) if you do decide to go to the cinema/meals out - make sure it's orange wednesday or 2for1 meals etc - Martin has a list of vouchers and deals which would be good for the occassional treat - you could even use clubcard vouchers if you use Tesco for shopping for the meals/trips out.
2) When you get your bursary and have paid off the rent arrears you will be below 3,000 and well on your way - it is an extra payment on top of what you have already budgetted for isn't it as I'd hate to see your new grand scheme fail before it's started with a miscalculation?
df