Give me a kick up the *** I need it!

atush

I sell on amazon, but it depends on the book. More pop ones tend to be cheaper prices so not so easy to sell. Check the prices for used books on their site. Dont' forget to check the condition notes to see what condition your books are.

You get 2.80 for postage I think, so you can add this in, but check the postal rates first before you set your price. No sense in selling something for 2.81 (the cheapest you can in the UK ie .01 for the bood and 2.80 for the postage) if it will cost you more than that to post it (ie some hardbacks). But if the book costs you 1.40 to post, you then need to take into acct what amazon will take- it will be listed for your before you confirm your book for sale. And the thickness counts esp for paerbacks as any package that is 25mm or less will go as a large letter rather than a small packet. Even if you clear 50-100p per book after costs it is better than nothing. They pay you every 2 weeks by bacs to your acct.

There is a good ebay thread here, so do a search on this site to see what sells.

PS cheap day out in brighton=12 quid you don't have, 72 merlin AP is money you could have gotten in Tesco gift card for food etc.

You still aren't thinking hard enough about reducing debt/expenditure. but more on having fun.

For years from hubby I got power tools and kitchen ware for xmas or bday as we spent all our available spends on the kids instead. My mom bought me a generator one year and gave me cash for food spending another when things were tight. Did I want jewelry, an evening out, new fancy shoes, go to a concert (or even dare I say a movie)? Of course I did, but I had bigger fish to fry.

You need to change your fish.

Sharon87

I didn't ask for the Merlin Annual Pass, it was a present. I have had useful presents for Christmas before,

I can afford a £2 return plus food. I'll still be eating if I wasn't going, so not saving much money there. I tried the concentrating on paying off debt and not going out much and it was very depressing, I don't live in the same town as my family (apart from my brother), so it can get lonely if I don't meet up with friends from time to time.

If a cheap trip to Brighton stops me from wanting to spend hundreds on a holiday in Ibiza then I think it's worth it. I can't just go to work, come home watch tv and pay off debts! I do need to have some fun, even if it's going to Hyde Park enjoying the sun or a going cinema with friends (using Nectar points for most of the ticket!)

I was thinking trying to do some freelance photography work, (maybe at concerts/clubs.etc) to get a bit extra cash in, then I can still feel like I'm out, but earning money as I do it. I just need to try and find how to get started (I have a decent, but old, camera. I know what you're thinking, sell the camera, but it won't fetch for much if anything on ebay, I've had it for 5 years and was second hand already!) I use to do motorsport photography, so I'd love to get back into some sort of photography and if it makes me money then

Right back to listing more clothes on ebay. I'm going to have a major clearout of everything. I have stuff packed away in boxes I could probably sell.

Today's 'earnings' £18 + £3 cashback from selling my mobile phone on mobile phone exchange.

atush

You say you would be eating anyway, but again you just don't get it. Eating out isn't a right be it fast food on Brighton pier or a 4* restaruant in london.

Some people could eat for days on the 10 quid you are talking about for your day out. Food made at home, ingredients bought carefully will costs pennies ont ehpound to buy the same thing made and served to you. You just really aren't grasping the whole thing.

You are taking steps to learning how to live w/in your means now and that is one good step in the right direction so we can commend you on that. But you have to get back to owing zero before you can call living in your means a sucess and you can't do that if your head isn't screwed on right. You need to spend LESS than you take in to get back to zero and you need to do it quickly as that 19.9 % apr is adding up everyday you have the debt.

You are confusing Wants with Needs. You WANT to go to Reading and Brighton but you don't NEED to. And you haven't budgeted for the travel, accomodation or food spends for Reading i see either.

eamon

I don't think Sharon87 is doing to badly. She knows what she wants and roughly how do get there without drowning in debt. I agree with her sentiments re music festivals. They can be a lot cheaper than trying to see individual bands at individual gigs. However she lives in London and hence has a vastly greater choice of venues and bands to see as opposed to someone like me that lives in a live music desert. In her case buying from touts or from the venue directly is an option not available easily to those that live away from the touring band circuit. If she avoids paying for live music in the Autumn & Winter thats when she will the benefit from all the tips & suggestions offered here.

atush

I think you are maybe enabling here ;-)

Yes, she is making inroads in learning how to live, but still hasn't faced up so won't be making progress until she does.

I think I was being firm but fair, and unlike others agreed with some of her measures. But will give up now as you can't help someone until they want help really.

Sharon87

Well I made one inroad today. I actually made my lunch from scratch instead of going to the canteen! That's really where I've been spending most of my money in the past 2 months! I also travelled off peak to work. If I touched in 20 seconds before I did the cost would have doubled It's a shame no direct buses run to work, would work out cheaper if it was 1 bus for the way back!

I have a bid on an item too and lots of people watching a couple of other items.

It's been a good day so far money wise.

laurel7172

I'm not sure how realistic it is to budget £100 for your food and drink for five days at Reading. It will be a long way back to your tent, and at £2 for a bottle of water and £7 for a plate of food you really burn through cash in the enclosure. I'm mother to two teenagers; it's frighteningly easy to burn through £100/day for the three of us, and though I suspect I might be a bit over-generous with the T shirts, I'm not buying any beer.

But have a fab time, anyway x

firesidemaid

NOT buying food out will save you LOADS of money per week/month.

get into the habit of carrying an apple/banana/snack bar/crisps etc, so that even if you don't have time to make a sandwich then u don't have to spend money.

likewise, when u go to brighton, take a picnic.

work out your cheapest travel costs.

there is sooo much to do and see in london that is free too - especially in the summer. again, take picnic food.

write down all your spending for july - you will be AMAZED where it all goes x

Sharon87

laurel7172 wrote: »

I'm not sure how realistic it is to budget £100 for your food and drink for five days at Reading. It will be a long way back to your tent, and at £2 for a bottle of water and £7 for a plate of food you really burn through cash in the enclosure. I'm mother to two teenagers; it's frighteningly easy to burn through £100/day for the three of us, and though I suspect I might be a bit over-generous with the T shirts, I'm not buying any beer.

But have a fab time, anyway x

I'm going by my brother's experience at Download here! I will be taking food with me, but obviously not into the gig area, unless it's allowed! I will be taking cereal bars, crisps, sweets.etc

firesidemaid - I'm starting to carry a bottle of water with me now so I don't go to the shops when I'm thirsty. My job that I am working from the 1st July I get loads of free food there, so money saved! I have breakfast consisting of toast there, free cans, biscuits and fruit, so I save money there, well it's just off Oxford Street so I save money if I don't go out at lunch!

I may try and see how long the bus take to get to that work place in the morning as I can't travel off peak on the tube for that job! (which is cheaper than bus as I have my railcard on oyster ) I'm working on the weekend so that is quicker in the mornings!

I have just created a new spreadsheet for a spending diary with columns for each different thing I spend and everything I spend will have a note attached to it, explaining what it is. I have just stocked up on toiletries for the next 6 months or so from Body Shop (50% off voucher and 15% cashback!) I can only use their shampoo, so I love it when Martin includes the voucher in the email!

My brother's moving out soon and he just told me he's taking the Wii with him (he's leaving most of his stuff until September, as that's when the tenancy ends) that was going to be my free entertainment, oh well. I'll buy one myself (only kidding!)

I've also decided to cut down on alcohol, I'm a big red wine lover, and not the cheap ones either! I always buy them on half prices offers, but it's still £4-6 a bottle. So it might be a monthly treat, instead of 3-4 times a month! I still have 4 bottles left, so that's 4 months of wine if I stick to my plan. Will also help to reduce my waistline as well as my debt size.

Sharon87

Ooh I just realised something. I have a Subway loyalty card with enough for a sandwich on I got loads of points on the triple points weeks. That's my emergency back up if I forget to make lunch or run out of fresh stuff!