The "Pay ALL your debt off by Xmas 2012" challenge

idristhedragon

hey Kerri that sounds fab- how do I go about getting one of them then :beer:

kerri_dfw

Ok, the link is here: https://www.paypal-business.co.uk/take-micropayments-with-paypal/index.htm
It doesn't reduce your fleabay fee of 10% though.
Please also remember that it will mean anything over the £12ish will be charged more than if you have a normal paypal account.

so for example atm I have a pair of jeans selling at £10 + £3 postage, this means I'm out of pocket as I'm on the micropayments. But I also have about 10 items selling for £1.04 + £2 postage, putting me in pocket. So swings and roundabouts really.

jakes-mum

Absolutely yes I meal plan!!! But mostly because of DS being a coeliac so if I dont then we cant just get a take out (not that I can eat take out either) I also take a list to the supermarket and have trained myself to only look at the top and bottom shelves in the store . . and only get to look at the middle where all the expensive stuff is IF what i want is not available or they have put the price up . . THEN I scout for special offers in the main brands
It actually helps going round in a motorised scooter as my eye line is no longer the same as everyone elses so all the expensive brand names are above my head :j :j My big down fall is the reduced section! oh how I love to rummage through the reduced cakes, bread and crisps cant help myself and if its 10p :eek: oh its going in my trolley!! :eek: am trying to wean myself away from the reduced bakery bit as I can only eat certain bread, DS has rolls on prescription and DH/DD will jut eat what I eat so I have no need to go near it!

I have got our shopping down to about £60 a week for 4 of us and that includes DS coeliac food. I'm also making sure I eat out the freezer before I do big shops

mf0u1098

Hi all

Just thinking about the joint weight loss challenge idea...

There are a couple of weight loss challenges on here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2952358
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2178109

What do we think? Do we want to join an existing one?

I'm just concerned that we are already on page 22 in just 7 days so if we start adding in a weight loss part of it then:
1) it may not be relevant to everyone and
2) may make the thread ridiculously long and
3) will be very hard for me to keep up with updating everyone's debt busting totals due to the sheer number of posts and
4) someone is going to have to keep track of the weight loss somewhere.

Can you please let me know what you think? xxx

xxx

kerri_dfw

jakes-mum I didn't know about the top & bottom shelf thing, will defo start doing that from now on, makes a lot of sense.

Ok, if I have to meal plan then I'm going to ask people to start telling me what they're having so I can get inspiration hehehe. Tonight I'm either having rice & peas, or I might do myself pasta (not bake this time though) with red onion, chopped toms, mushrooms all fried in butter hehehe. OH taught me this and it was nommy

mf0u1098

fairyface wrote: »

Just a quick update, I was brave and got the big bag of unopened bills, it was horrendous, I felt physically sick and started shaking, my heart was pounding, I almost chucked in the towel as I went into panic mode.But started to go through, I wrote out some small cheques ranging from £5 - £20, and will post as soon as the wages hit the bank account, a little is better than none,I was such a fool I took out every credit card going and lived in a dream world, and well you know the ending.

Will have another look through the pile tommorow.
My other problem is when the debts got out of control so did my weight, I started bingeing and over eaten as comfort, and have put on 2st, so as I pay off the pounds I am gonna try to lose some as well, all those chocolates and cakes were just added to the debt. No more snacking!

Just took some more pictures for ebay, so now sitting down to list, check freebies, vouchers, and do surveys.

Just spotted in the new tv magazine starting from next Thursday channel 4 at 8-9 , a new programme bargain britain about thrifters, so might be good.

I am so impressed with you fairyface. :A I think the hardest part is now over for you, facing your debts and opening those bills. Now you can take control and it cannot beat you anymore. xxx

antonia1

Afternoon everyone! A flurry of activity while I was at lunch.

Kerri_dfw - hopefully there will be another date, but I'm trying to take it slow cos I just broke up with a long term (4 years) boyfriend.

I agree about trying to lose weight while saving money, I'm on a kick-start my life thing (one massive LBM about everything), and losing weight is second on the list after paying off debts. Need to get myself down the gym tonight!

I'm also a massive meal planner. Its helped me get my grocery bill down from around £250 per month to £60 ish, though some of the saving is cos I'm not buying toiletries until ALL my current ones are used up, and I take lunch to work rather than buying from the canteen. My tactic is to check what I have in the fridge / freezer before shopping, plan meals based around those, then head to the shops with a list and STICK TO IT. Its the last bit that's the hardest.

loubie_lou

kerri_dfw wrote: »

jakes-mum I didn't know about the top & bottom shelf thing, will defo start doing that from now on, makes a lot of sense.

Ok, if I have to meal plan then I'm going to ask people to start telling me what they're having so I can get inspiration hehehe. Tonight I'm either having rice & peas, or I might do myself pasta (not bake this time though) with red onion, chopped toms, mushrooms all fried in butter hehehe. OH taught me this and it was nommy

Did you say you had your own freezer in your new place?

Here is an idea anyway......

As meal planning for one person is hard, what I did was go to the pound shop to buy foil tins and lids (similar to what they used for take-a-ways), about 20 maybe. I would then go to @sda or mr t's and buy their 3 for £10 meat deal (or even better reduced!) I would buy some minced beef, chicken and maybe meatballs.

I would then get some jar sauces and some veg (whatever your preference). This is the fun part! I would then spend the afternoon cooking loads of little meals and putting them in the foil tins for freezing later on. Write what is in the foil tin of course, allow to cool and put in the freezer!

Once I spent about £20 on lots of meat (reduced), some veg, some jar and packet sauces and got about 25 meals out of that! I made curry's, lasagne, chilli, shepherds pie, the last is endless!

Great for an evening meal, just get out of the freezer in the morning and put salad or veg with it!

** replace with fake meat and or organic produce as applicable**

PedroMatias

Like the weight loss thing!

I've made a big decision and decided to train for a half marathon. It's a cheap sport once you've got the trainers, and I'll be cancelling my £28pcm gym membership which will MORE than compensate for them.

Side effect of that is I'm going to have to watch what I eat, and watching what I eat means SPENDING LESS MONEY! :j

p.s. new total today, got paid so the others will reduce in the next few days too...

kerri_dfw

loubie_lou *nods* yuppers, hence why I'm not meal planning properly until next week when I move house yay! I get my very own big fridge/freezer. It's just the two of us so I'm sure we'll cook together as well, but I'm defo going to do loads of nice veggie batch cooking, although this means learning to cook first =-/

antonia you'll have to keep us updated, although I understand about taking it slow after a break-up.