SS's 2007 Debt Free Challenge

southernscouser

I must sound like a right attention seeking (who me? :eek: ) monay old !!!!!! eh? :doh:

I'll snap out of it! Just got to get my head straight! Everything is just whizzing round at a million miles per hour. I just want it stop for a bit. To regroup and refresh and restart.

Hopefully the weather will pick up soon and I can get a couple of days and nights out on a lake. Pure bliss.

Well I think if I don't do anything silly I will have around £500 left over this month! The problem being I think I need to invest in an Apple Mac laptop.

It's not something I particularly 'want' but I do think career wise it will be an investment. I have an oppurtunity to learn new software that will not only help me in my current job but will also open more doors in the future.

The downside is I'm looking at about £1,500! _pale_

So I could use that £500 I've already got. However, I've also got a £500 interest free OD with A&L. Should I use it? One part of me says yes. OK it is debt but it's the most affordable way of doing things. It also means I could buy it quicker. The other part says no. The debt goes up by £500 and I think I should save up for it properly! I would easily pay it off in a couple of months if I pulled my matched betting fingers out of my @rse but the thought of borrowing again does actually scare me!

Eupho

Come on Hef.. dont freak out.. I use you as MY guide.. haha.. My debts are swimming around the same total as yours.. and ive stayed upbeat because Ive thought if he can.. then I can.. there IS light at the end of the tunnel blah blah.. (AND I dont match bet) <coz im thick> :rolleyes:

So pull your match betting fingers out of your.. etc etc.. Or you are going to make ME freak out..

HTH
Eupho

Crown

Hi SS, We all have these days of doubt and concern... Just take a breather and take it day by day mate. A

ll the posts and advice that you deal out on here and also dealing with your own stuff is enough to drive anyone to burn out.. take a little "you" time and make get your batteries recharged and you will be fine in a week

As to your post regarding the MAc is the oppurtunity not going to be there in a 2 months time when you possibly would have earned enough to not have to use the £500 o/d?

I personally have declared war on my debts and wouldnt use any credit at present as its a slippery slope and next thing I'll have maxed out my accounts again. I would do as you say and try and earn the cash.. if you can do it through matched betting just think how great it will feel to know that using your time effectively you haveactually got something to show for it and not have the worry of the debt.

Good luck with it whatever you decide

southernscouser

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=405891

kathfisch

SS, I don't know what kind software you use but I can tell you I've found my Macbook absolutely the best thing I bought ( everyone was tactful enough not to ask where my savings had gone 6 months ago :rotfl: ) and has made such a difference to my computer work. When you say £1500 I'm assuming you mean a Macbook Pro? Do you really need the features of that one? Cos I'd have loved to have it but i couldn't justify the extra so I've got the 13" widescreen Macbook and I really don't struggle with the size or the capabilities one bit, but it does depend what you're using it for.

You don't know any students on courses that use macs, do you? Cos I got mine whilst at uni (well, a few days before I finished ) and I got 20% off simply for buying from the uni's network on a mac computer - just thought I'd mention it! I also got 60% off Photoshop CS2 for being a student.

And as for being a mardy @rse - everyone's allowed to feel low and we're still here if it gets to you again!

Kath x

southernscouser

Hey kath.

Well I wanted to get the higher spec for 2 reasons. One is that I wouldn't have to upgrade in the future and two that the files involved are gonna be pretty big and I've seen how the imacs struggle with them at work! :eek:

I guess I could compromise and get the non pro one but maybe upgrade the RAM! :think:

Something to look into!

Don't know any students sadly! :doh: How much did you pay for CS2 if you don't mind me asking?

kathfisch

southernscouser wrote: »

Hey kath.

Well I wanted to get the higher spec for 2 reasons. One is that I wouldn't have to upgrade in the future and two that the files involved are gonna be pretty big and I've seen how the imacs struggle with them at work! :eek:

I guess I could compromise and get the non pro one but maybe upgrade the RAM! :think:

Something to look into!

Don't know any students sadly! :doh: How much did you pay for CS2 if you don't mind me asking?

If you're going to be working with really big files then you might be better off spending the extra... I haven't really put mine to work with huge files yet, or lots of them at once! I've just checked and I paid £205 for CS2 and the full price is about £500. I bought it direct from adobe though, the student version is on amazon now I see and a lot cheaper :mad: but it was new out when I got it and not on there.

As to whether to save up or use interest free overdraft... I had the same dilema about my new camera that I'm getting. I have £1500 0% overdraft that I'm not using and I could easily have used that to buy it (£600) and though 'oh I'll pay it off the same as saving' but you know what, it isn't the same! I took the decision that I couldn't have the camera until I actually saved up the cash... which gave me the motivation to stop finding excuses and actually list on ebay a load of stuff that's been hanging around. Mostly camera stuff given to me by my aunt to sell... I thought I'd get about £40 for the lot and wasn't thrilled at the thought of the work. Well, the listings all finished on Sunday and I made £270 :eek: :j plus another £130 from another lens I didn't use so sold for the cause. I would never have bothered to sell that stuff if it wasn't for the target of getting the camera... and i'd have had £400 worth just sitting there! :eek:

Sorry to waffle... something to think about anyway!

x

wannasavemoney

Hi SS. The only way to make this decision is to let go of the budget strings for a little while (24 hrs no more)!! Get Shedded:beer: Wait until the hangover subsides marginally and then like magic the solution will appear. If not at least you will have enjoyed doing it! ps: my hint: sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate - go buy the mac then get back on the df wagon. :shocked:

ZTD

southernscouser wrote: »

Hey kath.

Well I wanted to get the higher spec for 2 reasons. One is that I wouldn't have to upgrade in the future and two that the files involved are gonna be pretty big and I've seen how the imacs struggle with them at work! :eek:

I guess I could compromise and get the non pro one but maybe upgrade the RAM! :think:

It's always been my experience that more RAM gets you more speed than more CPU when handling large files. Obviously that stops happening when the file fits entirely in RAM - but I would guess "pretty big" would preclude that from happening.

southernscouser

I'm below £21k! :j

If I manage to pay off the £900 odd before April 10 it will mean I would have paid off £10k in the last 12 months!

Will mean an overpayment of around £500 which was meant for my Apple Mac fund but................. :undecided