So difficult to save!

ktheartsu

I'm finding it really hard to stop spending. It's so easy for me to get credit. I have a good job that pays well but because I've got so much to pay back it's a constant battle each month. I'm paying out about £400 in my debts.
I don't have as much as I could have. I'm 24 and graduated university 2 years ago without any student loans, however I did end up getting a loan in order to pay a credit card and a huge overdraft. I seem to be back in the same place again with two credit cards, a car loan and a personal loan aswell as my overdraft. I want to get rid of it all but little things keep kreeping up like needing to buy a new washing machine!
Hopefully at the end of april I will be able to sell my car and get a company car, this means at least I wont be paying the finance that Im paying now and wont have to fork out for repairs etc.
I'm stressed!

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi and welcome along

Like you I had a good well paid job when I was 24. Credit was easy to come by and all my friends spent money on holidays, clothes and going out without a care in the world. I was actually spending more than I was earning but I didnt even know, and anyway I was earning plenty, the debts would get sorted one day.

The trouble was the debts slowly grew. Its surprising how the odd couple of hundred pounds here and there add up. I met the man of my dreams, got married and had two children but still continued spending beyond my means.

A couple of years ago I found this site. At the time I knew I was on the edge of a major financial catastrophe but with the help of this website I turned things around and I am slowly clearing the debts. It is a really hard struggle though and I have to watch every penny.

You sound like a sensible sort of person but its so so easy to fall into the debt trap. The best advice I could give you is to keep a very close eye on your money. Make sure you know exactly how much is coming in each month and how much has got to go out. Try and clear those debts then save as much as you can. You can still have fun and enjoy yourself but if you get into good habits now you will reap the benefits later.

ktheartsu

Thanks for this reply, sounds like you know exactly how I'm feeling!
I know that if I keep spending the way I do I'm going to end up in a right mess, its so hard to have the willpower not to spend.
I guess I look at some of the posts and think that 5p here and there is nothing but everything adds up in the end. I just need to keep thinking about that.

Soph86_2

Keep a spending diary for just a month - write down absolutely everything you spend, and the shock at how much that cup of coffee etc adds up to will probably make you think very differently about money!

Soph x