not like moozie!! - i just don't get debt

scaredy_cat_2

lynzpower wrote:

I also noticed you havent put in what you spend on food? Car costs? clothes?

that's because i don't know! i know its silly - in july it was over 800 just at supermarkets but i actually have reduced it. My next thing is to take charge fo spending - i do meal plans mainly but do slip off the rails. marks and spencers is my weakness - we don't have waitrose here.

"where do you live? Dont you have a next clearance anywhere near you? "

the nearest one is over 1 1/2 hours away but i do go there sometimes.

am gradually working through advice and comments - will be back tonight to make notes!

dancingfairy

You've made a great start with the SOA. Just a couple of things - you nee to put swimming down monthly eg swimming £30, you need to put down everything food/christmas/birthdays/etc. Car expenses? clothes? Don't put down what you would like to spend in these categories put it down what it is now.

The first step is to get an accurate picture and find out by how much you are overspending per month. Then you can look at where to cut back and what money you have spare for debt repayments. Good Luck.

dancingfairy

You've made a great start with the SOA. Just a couple of things - you nee to put swimming down monthly eg swimming £30, you need to put down everything food/christmas/birthdays/etc. Car expenses? clothes? Don't put down what you would like to spend in these categories put it down what it is now.

The first step is to get an accurate picture and find out by how much you are overspending per month. Then you can look at where to cut back and what money you have spare for debt repayments. Good Luck.

scaredy_cat_2

thanks dancingfairy - this is when i gave up last time, i'm not sure how to do this because i just spend! i haven't really got set amounts or budgets - do i literally just go through bank statements? obviously christmas is a bit more than normal so do i just do december or look at other months too - this is what i don't get - how to do it? but i am not giving up this time even if i look stupid asking the questions

i have to say this is really a weird thing to do and it is upsetting to think of the debt as i just remembered we also owe my mil £2000 but interest free and nothing being paid yet.

oh well - off to sort out bank statement for december and see what i have been spending

scaredy_cat_2

mr_&_mrs_smith wrote:

My debts are huge but determined to takle them, and using the advice of others, i am going onwards and upwards and not looking back, will try very hard not to feel down and there are worse things in life.
My aim this week is to write everything down and find out what i owe.
I am scared too, very!!!!

will have to reply to each separately as can't figure out how to do more than one or to not have word 'quote' at beginning and end!

it is scary but you sound determind - there are worse things but it doesn't always matter good luck and keep posting

scaredy_cat_2

roswell wrote:

I think the problem you have is you moved everthing around a little and then forgot what the target was, You need to get your SOA, make as many reductions as possible and then pay MORE off the debts, you need to find the spending black holes and plug them up.

Once you can accoutn for where every penny is going you will find out what the real situation is. where your income is going where your bigges expences and from that you can make a plan of action.

:T this is great - it is exactly what i did and need to do!

scaredy_cat_2

moozie wrote:

Hi there scaredy cat

Sorry you are having a hard time at the moment :grouphug: If I can offer my advice which is based on how I dealt with my overdraft, it would be to either open another account and use that as your current account so the OD is paid just like another debt. This is how I did it and got £50 from A&L for passing them my OD

i recently opened an account with A&L but haven't begun the transfer process yet - again through fear i think. I had such a big o/d and i have just finished (thanks to dh) our letters to relcaim bank charges from fd its 2 accounts and they total nearly £900. I had phoned them to be v stroppy about charges and we have banked with them for 12years and they have phoned several times, saying they didn't want to lose our custom and they would see what they can do to help - so i felt in a bit of a quandry. I think i was scared of the court idea so thought would hang fire to see what happened with claim - this seems a bit silly now and i like the idea of having the o/d separate from my normal account but it is the A&L that is free o/d not fd?!

sorry for rambling its been a bit of a long and emotional day - i have spent pockets of the evening crying and my head is fuzzy in my failed attempts in the past i have always felt bouyant when starting more of a lark or a little project but i feel different this time - more like this is my life - please let this be my real light bulb moment - and do you knw what even if no one is reading this is doing me good! thanks and i look forward to lots more advice

hypno06

Be strong. You can get through this - some days are easier than others but do something small everyday and see all of those small things building up to be a big difference

Keep on posting x

scaredy_cat_2

today i feel a bit more ready to tackle this - i don't really want to wallow today so my aim is to keep my spending diary and to look back over statements to see what i have been spending on food, clothes, birthdays etc - i can't open the budget spreadsheet - any ideas?

miggy

scaredy_cat wrote:

today i feel a bit more ready to tackle this - i don't really want to wallow today so my aim is to keep my spending diary and to look back over statements to see what i have been spending on food, clothes, birthdays etc - i can't open the budget spreadsheet - any ideas?

I had trouble with this for ages - then upgraded something or other on the PC and now I can do the spreadsheet, just can't save it! Do you have the latest version of Internet Explorer? I am using Firefox but noted that MSE works best on IE.
WRT your spending diary, that will soon give you an idea of what's going on food, clothes etc. Don't panic about not knowing exactly, that will come, and after all your sterling work on reducing food bills last year you are already in a position of strength compared to this time a year ago.
May I suggest you find a 'positive project' for today too? Even if it's just taking the kids to the park or letting them help you with some cooking from scratch. I think money saving is about doing positive things, not just cutting back, and you'll be giving your little ones a skill for life. (And the exercise is better than sitting in front of a spreadsheet all day.)
Best of luck with it all and do let us know how it goes.