The Feeling of a Lightbulb Moment

LookingAhead

I just need to get something off my chest.

How did your light bulb moment *feel*?

I only ask this because I just read something on another post (no offence meant here at all - we all come to this site, mostly, for help in one form or another) and it made me go a bit like this all rolled into one:

:think: :doh: :huh: :shocked: and finally

Somebody isn't a DFW but they "think they are building up to their light bulb moment".

That was what made me do all the :think: :doh: :huh: :shocked: and finally stuff because it wasn't like that at all for me.

For me it wasn't like I knew it was going to happen, it was a case of literally sitting down one day, feeling emotionally exhausted after once again juggling a billion bills (OK I exaggerate, it was only a couple of thousand ) and saying "THIS HAS GOT TO STOP! THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY!!"

It literally PINGED on. I was all of a sudden, totally sick of credit. It wasn't like I suddenly thought "OK, I know, I will become a DFW and stop spending money..." I just knew something had to change or I was going to spend the rest of my life waving my money good bye every month paying off credit cards with nothing to show for it. I couldn't bear it any longer.

However I know it is different for everyone.

So, my question to you is......how would you define/explain your LBM?

Toomuchdebt

Yep I had a "ping" and suddenly I realised how much trouble I was in and that if it carried on I would no longer be able to afford anything.It was pretty much instantaneous.However for about a year before I'd been thinking about my finances-just not doing anything about them and in fact spending more and more so maybe that was my time when I was building up to it.

Sassers

Hi Looking ahead :wave: I think I know who you might be on about with their `almost there' LBM. I don't get it either - my lightbulb moment wasn't a ping it was a b****y great big bells, whistles and what-have-you...
I fely physically sick for days afterwards too - it wasn't nice at all but one of those nasties that turn out to be a good learning experience. I actually felt like I was in a fog for a while post LBM - basically it was me trying to get my head round what to tackle first - and stick to it!
I'm sure others have felt like this too...love Sas x
PS if it wasn't for a girl at work going on about Martin and claiming back her bank charges I would never have found this site....

clarab_3

for me it was a rushin realisation that something had to give, followed by a good fortnight of panicing and thinking of nothing but money and then this eirie calmness...

LookingAhead

I think I found this site whilst googling something like "How to save money" and then signed up for the weekly emails. It was Moozie's "Too Scared" thread which got me to actually join the forum though (post LBM though I didn't know what "it" was called back then!) and then I began the *really* positive action!

Moozie knows how much I love her for it and this site's been a bl**dy lifesaver.

Twon

LookingAhead wrote:

I just need to get something off my chest.

How did your light bulb moment *feel*?

I only ask this because I just read something on another post (no offence meant here at all - we all come to this site, mostly, for help in one form or another) and it made me go a bit like this all rolled into one:

:think: :doh: :huh: :shocked: and finally

Somebody isn't a DFW but they "think they are building up to their light bulb moment".

That was what made me do all the :think: :doh: :huh: :shocked: and finally stuff because it wasn't like that at all for me.

For me it wasn't like I knew it was going to happen, it was a case of literally sitting down one day, feeling emotionally exhausted after once again juggling a billion bills (OK I exaggerate, it was only a couple of thousand ) and saying "THIS HAS GOT TO STOP! THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY!!"

It literally PINGED on. I was all of a sudden, totally sick of credit. It wasn't like I suddenly thought "OK, I know, I will become a DFW and stop spending money..." I just knew something had to change or I was going to spend the rest of my life waving my money good bye every month paying off credit cards with nothing to show for it. I couldn't bear it any longer.

However I know it is different for everyone.

So, my question to you is......how would you define/explain your LBM?

Perhaps I started this....

Credit to me isn't something to be scared of. Managed Debts aren't something that worry me. While I still have 'available funds' to cover 'anything' then I'm more than content.....

BUT!

I look at the threads on here and I think some people are seriously screwed.

60k debts
40k debts.
etc.

I have debts. But I also own a share in a house (with the missus owning the other half). We could always sell the house. This would clear ALL debts and give a MASSIVE lump sum to travel the world with (if we wanted).

I'm guessing real lightbulb moments are when you're burning the red bills in the bath to keep warm and hoping the debt collectors don't see the smoke coming out the window. When you haven't got a pot to P!55 in. When you've feed the children newspaper and water (or turkey twislers I think is their brand name!)

On a serious note I'm not at this point BUT I do want to be a DFW. The only difference is that my holiday of a lifetime is going to happen while it can, and will be a good reason to start stopping.

Perhaps my understanding of being a DFW is different to everyone-elses. Thats cool, it wont make me go away! But while my pennies will turn into pounds, my clicks into vouchers and my bonus sign-ups into cash then I'll keep posting.

If all I ever manage to do is get the money I've already got from advice off this site then I'm already a richer man.

I think to be a true DFW you need to have a certain mindset - I'm not there. It doesn't make me a bad person or a p!55 taker, and more importantly it shouldn't be-little the good work tht the DFW's have done in 2006 (£1.somthing million I seem to recall!). But I am on my way.

When it happens, I'm expecting a light switch moment. I know that the people on here CAN help and already on my thread they've shown me something I didn't already know.

When the time comes, i'll be ready. I'm just hoping that you guys will still be here to help me.



Twon

sarah0404

I understand the feeling of building up to a LBM. Kind of like, "I need to do something about my debts.... but I'll do it tomorrow." You are starting to realise you have a problem, but you just don't feel very motivated to tackle it. Or just don't have a clue were to start. I had several moments like that. Usually the bank would just increase my over draft, or I took out yet another consolidation loan. Putting myself in more debt, but making me feel like I wasn't because I'd have some spare cash every month.

Eventually I hit a point where there was just no where else I could go. Couldn't get any more credit, and the bank wouldn't increase my overdraft. I ended up being unable to buy food and paid my rent two weeks late. I don't even know if that counts as a lightbulb moment. It was more like a "You have to do this or you'll be homeless" kind of moment.

It wasn't until much later on, after reading this site loads, and obsessivley going over my accounts everyday, that I had a real lightbulb moment. I started wondering what was wrong with people today. Why do we need so much stuff? We are on a low income, but have low outgoings, so we could actually be very rich! Why didn't I save up for two or three months to buy the hideously expensive thing I wanted? Now I'm stuck paying for it on a credit card for the next couple of years. I remember walking around thinking I'm 32k in debt, but I'm happy! Happy to be out of the credit card/must have stuff kind of life style. (Now 25,500 in debt, but not so happy! Just kind of fed up and impatient and want to get my debts paid off asap)

Maximillion

I knew we I/we were in trouble when we walked into the sales office for a house we couldn't afford - two years down the line I was still trying to convince the missus that this wasn't the way things were meant to be. She just wouldn't or couldn't take it seriously. :mad:

LookingAhead

Hi Twon.

Yes to be honest it was your thread that made me think about it.

As I said, for me, it wasn't something I knew was going to happen, I just don't think you can 'plan' it. Which is kind of how I perceived your opening post on your thread. Maybe I got the wrong end of the stick I don't know.

However as I say I know everyone is different. I am curious to know what it was like for everyone else. It's the DFW Nerd equivalent to losing your virginity I'm sure

I hope you do get lots of advice from the MSE site....it's a wonderful place and think everyone can benefit from it. And I don't think anyone would say "go away..."

I hope you do enjoy your holiday, Lord knows I'd probably negotiate with Satan right now to have one but it's just not an option for me.

When you get back it will be interesting to see how you feel and what you will want to get from this site and hopefully contribute as well.

Good luck to you anyway, enjoy your travels.

LookingAhead

sarah0404 - I can relate to that. You end up being credit rich but extremely cash poor and that's a dangerous place to be when you've maxed out the credit!

sarah0404

Twon - a lightbulb moment isn't necesarily something you have when you're completely skint and having to eat newspaper. It's more of a realisation that you are wasting hundereds on paying loans and credit cards every month, that you could actually be using to buy fun stuff for yourself. Or to save for buying something big - like a house. If you weren't paying X quid a month for your loans and credit cards you could have used that money to pay for your hoilday of a life time. I think it would be a great feeling, knowing that you owe nothing to anyone!