We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

What's the single best tip you can give for all those in debt ?

Options
123457

Comments

  • If you are aged between 18 and 30 and in debt, hand the whole lot over to your mum to sort out. She (In other words me) will negotiate with all your creditors to freeze your interest, sort out a repayment plan. Arrange for your salary to be paid to her account, from which all your repayments are taken out. Then whatever is left will be given to you to live on. If you have a really soft-touch of a mum (me) you'll even get food bought for you, and a few handouts now and again. When it's all sorted and you are solvent you will be handed the financial reins again, and in a year's time the whole process will be repeated!!!!
    :eek:
  • moanymoany
    moanymoany Posts: 2,877 Forumite
    I have stopped using my credit card and only use my debit card which lets me know how much money is left in the bank.

    Meal planning is really a big money saver. I now do a big delivered shop once a month and top ups for veg and milk.

    DON'T GO SHOPPING - NOT EVEN CAR BOOT SALES - DON'T LOOK AT SITES WHERE YOU SPEND MONEY - then you won't be tempted. If you want to go somewhere go to the library or somewhere you can't buy stuff.

    If you are feeling deprived, read through some of the frugal living threads, they are a great support and full of ideas. Bless Martin's Angels:A they make frugality fun! Well, maybe a challenge.:p
  • Be realistic. Set yourself a budget - how much do you have going in vs how much coming out. Set up a different bank account for bills (fixed things - like insurance and rent etc) and overcompensate for variables such as phone bills so you will never be short. Then a different one for variable expenses, petrol etc. A third account for spending money.

    Once you do this get some standing orders set up from the account your wage goes into (this could even be a fourth account) to pay out the right amount into each of the accounts. Whatever is left goes on cutting debt, and if you underspend on your pocket money either treat yourself or get rid of some debt.

    Chop up all your cards for bills so that you dont get tempted to spend, and keep your card for variables (such as petrol) out of reach when you might be tempted (i.e. leave them hidden in the car or at home). Have your spending account as one of the ones where you have to draw money from a hole in the wall so you dont spend on plastic.

    Have been doing this for a year and am now debt free :j have paid off £2000 debt from credit cards and overdrafts (first thing i did was switch accounts to no interest for a year accounts so that I wasn't paying interest) and have even saved an extra £1000 on top as a nice start to some savings.

    Good luck:beer:
  • Hi

    Big Rich you should be on the Debt free roll of honour (see sticky at top of board):money:
  • nomadgirl
    nomadgirl Posts: 29 Forumite
    teecee152 wrote: »
    A spending diary!!
    I couldn't believe how much money i wasted on "stuff"

    That is brilliant - I lost loads of weight by keeping a food diary but it had never occurred to me that I could apply the same technique for spending. A BIG THANK YOU!
  • I agree with all of the above post but just to add my bit:
    Young children will be just as happy playing with an empty box than as with a mega expensive toy. Kids are just as happiy on the beach with a bucket and spade and collecting water from the sea than at an expensive theme park ect. Young babies will not know that there high chair is a freeby or second hand.
    unneccesary spend challege £10 this week £4 petrol for day out
  • onedayiwill
    onedayiwill Posts: 390 Forumite
    Great advice from everyone.

    The basic equation for getting out of debt is EARN MORE and SPEND LESS.

    I often went through phases of EARNING MORE by selling stuff on eBay. But I spent it ... after all... it was 'extra money' (yes....I know! I've had my LBM now!)

    For me the one thing that has helped so far more than everything else is my spending diary. The very act of having to write down everything I spend and therefore make myself accountable for it has resulted in me SPENDING LESS because I have to think about it....
    Pennies make pounds.
    Official DFW Nerd Club - Member no. 358 - Proud To Have Dealt With My Debts!
  • Work out ASAP whether you're a cash person or a card person.

    I'm absolutely useless with cash no matter how hard I try I can't seem to make my cash spending match my spending diary.

    Since I started only going to the ATM when I actually need the cash for something I can't pay for with a card & then paying any change over £2 back into the bank I seem to have loads more money.
  • black-saturn
    black-saturn Posts: 13,937 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Get rid of your car would be my first tip.
    2008 Comping Challenge
    Won so far - £3010 Needed - £230
    Debt free since Oct 2004
  • DawnW
    DawnW Posts: 7,740 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    be informed - know to the penny how much you owe, and what the interest rates are, and act accordingly. That is how I did it.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.6K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.6K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.4K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.8K Life & Family
  • 256.8K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.