It's just a jump to the left... or "Confessions of a Debt-Free-Wannabe"

SoScrooge

Mue

I am not sure if it was mentioned before, but are you using Quidco at all?

I help a friend of mine to shaffle is debts between 0% cards and tonight I opened a couple accounts for him using Quidco links.

the result..... earned £40 (payable in Jan).

Keep going! Blitz your debts!

SoS

hbl_2

Great posts - perhaps you should set up a blog? That way people could check it and leave comments on each post. I've always thought that blogs were far more suitable for debt diaries as the diary takes centre stage. Just a thought.

Well done on sorting things out! I've been slamming my debts for about 6 months now - with a real noticable result. I've become really resentful of having to spend money now, definitely a bit miserly. It works out though, because I'm just paying for stuff now that I've already spent/bought.

In order to combat repayment-fatigue, I've budget £50 a week personal spending money which I pay into a 'spending account' (a separate account with my main bank) which means I can add money to it which appears immediately between the accounts, and when it's gone, it's gone. I can spend whatever is in the account completely guilt free.

This month I've allowed myself a bit more (£70 a week) as a reward for the past 6 months, but also because a) Xmas presents for friends and fam and b) a friend visited from the USA, and that was expensive. Back to the grind in January - but it's so satisfying to see the amounts go down, and my net worth rising, even if it is still in the red...

Good luck.

whatatwit

Hi Mue, trousers do need to be breathable, or they will be like a sauna bath.

I often wear mine just with a pair of woolly tights underneath, then i don't seem to get as hot. Just make sure you are somewhere private when you take them off. :eek:

Have a look at some of the golf sites, they have decent waterproof trousers.

I was rather surprised we didn't have a little song when you mentioned Blue Suede Shoes.

melaniec_2

why don't you put the waterproofs on your christmas present list or ask for a donation instead of presents?

diekleinemue

I spent money.

There, I said it!
I spent £10.60 on long overdue hair products (a hair clip 'cause mine broke a month ago and in today's stormy weather I looked rather odd with my long red hair standing off in all directions including straight up, defying gravity and all, and some colour 'cause in the darker winter months I usually help the red along a little in terms of intensity and extra 'umpf'. Yes, I can hear you shake your heads and look at me disapprovingly. Two weeks in, I hear you say, and already she is back to spending money.) *comb*brush*frizz*

Before you go and judge me let me finish,. There is more. I spent (and that is the really totally unnecessary, shameful bit...) £5 on foreign Christmas sweets, (*justify*explain* there was this Christmas market with these stalls from different places in Europe and there were these sweets and I... I... I was weak. I feel so bad about it that I can't even eat them. Now, THAT is sad!).

And I spent £39.95 on a pair of waterproof trousers. They are the right ones, better quality than the cheapest ones, practical design and actually £20 cheaper than I've seen them in another store. A bargain so to speak! Thinking about it, I actually saved £20! I should treat myself to something nice! Hellooo, Gwen Stefani CD... *laughs feebily* Of course I didn't buy the Gwen Stefani CD. If my OH has any sense he will buy it for me. Soon. Or else... *looks threateningly* And why can't he read my mind and get me a cup of tea? I'm freezing!!! *reluctantly fetches her cardigan and switches the kettle on*

[Shortly later] Where was I? Ah, my little spending spree... Ok, applying my genius mathematical formula from earlier (£39.95/£1.35 = 29.59) I now know that I have to wear the trousers for 29 and a half rainy days, chosing the ferry over the bus to make them a worth while investment. I think that'll probably take me until end Jan/mid Feb, depending on how the weather develops this winter. I will keep a WPT Day (WaterProof Trousers Day) count in my signature to remind myself of the value of my investment. *sigh*

So far for "oh, heck! I'll treat myself with £3.05 to spend on something wild..."

Oh, ha ha, and before I forget, I am going out tomorrow lunch time with a group of colleagues because three of them are leaving soon. So that'll be another £5. Great, isn't it?

All of the above and courtesy of today's little shopping trip this pushes this week's spending (can you still call this a 'budget'?) up a wee bit to £100.45. *bleugh*

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hi Melanie, *waves* your idea is very good and I'll try to do that in reverse. I just had to get the trousers now to be able to continue to cycle to work. I'll check with my folks and see if they would consider chipping in on the trousers. Thinking about it, I also need waterproof boots not only for cycling in the rain but generally for walking/wandering/hiking, etc. So maybe I'll carry the cost of the waterproof trousers if they would help me finance a decent pair of boots. Incidentally, I saw a VERY nice pair, THREE very nice pairs actually. Mhhhh! One made for outdoor activities, (the most expensive ones, of course... *sigh* soft leather, great support, felt instantly comfortable despite my unusually deformed feet, colour neutral enough to fit all trousers while of course not offering much in terms of fashionability or anything along these lines, but then again I rarely care for fashion anyway. With regards to shoes it's always comfort over pain for me.), the other two are rather less practical but very beautiful, cosy and warm, still quite comfortable and they'd get me through all my cycling needs but I couldn't use them for climbing a hill. So there.

SoScrooge, hey-ya!! I do know about Quidco, have learnt about it on these pages and have registered recently. Am planning to get my Christmas shopping done via their clever site on the weekend. What a find!!! It's great! Will let you know how much comes from this. Curiously enough, OH and I are talking about Christmas and presents and how we should go about this and decided to share the costs for presents 50:50. That's new. This website has changed our life, the way we deal with money, talk about money. Amazing!

Dear hbl, you really struck a chord with what you wrote about not wanting to spend any money these days. I am thinking about any kind of purchase a lot more and usually walk out of the shop without having bought anything. (except for today, that is...) The idea with the personal spending money sounds very good. I think it was unrealistic to think that I'd get by with £3.05 for a piece of cake and a cup of tea when I knew that I needed waterproof trousers and other bits and pieces. A personal spending budget saves from having a bad conscious as long as that budget is within one's means, I guess. I'll give it a go.

I am glad to hear that you enjoy my posts and I really like the idea about a blog. I think in the moment I am probably approaching this thread a little bit like a blog and I enjoy browsing the forum and the website, because while my writing will be read and might be entertaining/infuriating/boring/long-winded/etc to some, this is mainly about me reminding myself over and over again to keep an eye on my finances. I imagine the AA works on a similar principle. If you were in debt once you have to fight that urge/behaviour/programming that makes you spend money every day again and again. I faced my financial situation two weeks ago and I am still working on the most cost effective and fastest way to get this sorted out, so I guess what I am trying to say is that I am scared and that my "hanging out" at the debt-free wannabe forum is my security blanket.

I wonder if the comparison continues to stand up. From films I seem to remember that the AA recommends that before recovering alcoholics enter new relationships they should test their ability to take responsibility for others by looking after a plant to start with. If the plant is still alive in a year's time, they try looking after a pet and if that is still around after a year they can try having a relationship with another person.

[shortly later] I just returned from a brief visit to the AA website, no evidence of the plant -> pet -> humans relationship build up, I am sure there was something like this in that film with Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia... Anyone? Doesn't matter. I think it fits. So, once you're debt free you can venture back out into the world of purchasing and first you buy something little and not get in debt over it, then something slightly larger, prepare a cashflow forecast and budget to plan the expenditure and pay it off within 6 month and then you might increase the purchase (car, house) and might be stable enough to stick to the cashflow forecast and budget you drew up for the rest of your life.

It's just a thought...

mue

SoScrooge

diekleinemue wrote:

SoScrooge, hey-ya!! I do know about Quidco, have learnt about it on these pages and have registered recently. Am planning to get my Christmas shopping done via their clever site on the weekend. What a find!!! It's great! Will let you know how much comes from this. Curiously enough, OH and I are talking about Christmas and presents and how we should go about this and decided to share the costs for presents 50:50. That's new. This website has changed our life, the way we deal with money, talk about money. Amazing!

mue

A humble suggestion...

if I were you...

1. I would go to Quidco and apply for Marbles and NatWest credit cards: 0% for 12 and 9 months respectively (2%BT fee aplies)

2. skipped buying any presents - can you afford it? Ok, you get somebody something, but then you will bear additional financial burden... is that what you want?


Ahhhh, it is really hard to repeat my new mantra out loud: 'I am sorry, I can't afford it '....


... but then it is just tenatious me;)

diekleinemue

You are a hardcore saver, Scrooge!

I don't think I thought the possibilities of Quidco fully through and I don't think I realised that the money-back offer applies to financial products also. What a very good idea. I am waiting to hear back from MBNA regarding the 12 months 0% super BT-able cc and should they reject me then I will have to keep my feet still for a couple of months until that turbulence on my credit score has cleared. I will definitely give this a go. *note to self: tell OH who was looking into various financial products*

No Christmas presents? Mh... I think I would really struggle with this. This is not to say that I am out spending hundreds of pounds on overpriced things no one wants. Like last year a large part of my presents will be home made. Knitted hats here, home made calendars with pencilled in activities throughout the year there, a small packet of home made Christmas cookies on top. This year I want to make a little fimo angel for each member of OH's family. A few years ago I made one for each of my folks and they absolutely adore them. Another time I bought some wood and a saw and cut out stars for everyone. So, a lot of it is relatively small in costs (i.e. a couple of balls of wool) and I sit through sleepless nights knitting obsessively to catch the last possible day for posting parcels... *laughs at memories of previous Christnearmisses*

I will spend that money to buy the ingredients for the Christmas cookies and I will get the fimo for the angels. And I will face the financial strain these purchases present.

Maybe I start a collection of loose change for next year's Christmas presents on 01 January 2007...?

I thought about your mantra. Are you really sorry? I mean, what kind of feelings does it bring up for you not to be able to afford it?

mue

tyllwyd

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diekleinemue

tyllwyd wrote:

klkkikhghuih-phiolojljjhbugyjhkbyjhghyjjjohbgtjjkhjyujk9iukioji0uopijlipoll

That sounds like a bad cough, tyllwyd. You want a cup of tea or something?

mue *looks concerned*

hbl_2

I think you're talking of When a man loves a woman starring aforesaid Miss Ryan as a recovering alcoholic. Not that I've seen it mind, I just have an encyclopedic knowledge of such things. If getting a plant helps, get a plant. Or perhaps I missed the point? Having said that, perhaps growing a herb garden would fit into your whole holistic lifestyle. I know it's a bit The Good Life but what about an allotment? A friend of mine had one, but she never got further than getting some of the stones out. I dont think she ever planted anything.