Finally worked up the courage to write it all down...

thatsean

Hey LL, great that you had a good nights' sleep - doesn't it make you a new person? It's wonderful that you're feeling more positive today :-)

Couple of ideas for you - if you have a smartphone (or any really), with a notes app, or diary or to do - use that as your spending diary. It's always with you, and if you do have a smart(er) one - you can just email yourself your diary at the end of each day or week to file.

Check out quidco for insurances when they come up for renewal - getting a £50 voucher can take the pressure off a food shop one week, or pay for a much needed treat!

Don't beat yourself up too much, many of us on here are bright, assertive professional types who managed to get into a hole with money. You do feel stupid, but that doesn't mean that you are. You've already started to change your ways. Well done :-)

LaughingLorna

Thanks for that! love the idea of using my phone for diary instead of writing it down-always have it with me then. hopefully wont need it too much though-managed two nsd on trot at the mo :-)

always use comparison sites but didnt realise there were ones that gave vouchers. thatis deff something to remember when car inurance due in july!

good nights sleep has made all the difference! felt a bit wired today though-used to feeling much more tired! everyone at work commented how cheery i seemed today. combination of sleep and this forum i think. mentiined the survey thing to a colleague and he told me about all the sites hes signed up to and opened up about his own debt. couldnt bring myself to tell him my story but it made me think about it when i read your comment. he's a senior manager earning VERY good money-assertive/professional-just like you said and he has almost triple the debt i have. makes me wonder how many ppl are in this position!

slowlyfading

Just wanted to say hello and well done for posting - that's the hardest step! You seem to have a lot of surplus, so you'll be free of this debt in no time, I'm sure it may be tough for a few months, but it'll be worth it in the end!

Remember to keep posting here, it'll keep you focused

LaughingLorna

Thank you slowlyfading and hello! Failed in doing a no-spend day today. Forgot my packed lunch and caved about 3pm and bought a sandwich. None with reduced stickers so had to pay £2 - would have been better popping out earlier and having more cheap options to choose from!

My £100 doesn't feel like a huge surplus (at least it means I can chip away! ) so have been concentrating on income generation - doing as many surveys and registering with focus groups and stuff as I can on my commute. HAve over £4 on OnePoll now just from this week yay. Keep getting screened out of surveys because i work full time and don't have kids though so that must be a key target group for them at mo - heads up for the SAHMs. Have a long weekend booked so gonna concentrate on getting books/DVDs on amazon. Am determined to clear as much of my Halifax cc off as possible by Sept to reduce my outstanding credit so hopefully won't get turned down for next balance transfer if i haven't got a pay rise by then.

Does anyone else find MSE gets into all aspects of your life? As I was walking out of the station this morning I found myself looking at everyone's clothes/handbags etc and thinking how much they were wearing in terms of ebay resale value!!! Also distracted me from buying a bacon sandwich since I brought fruit from home for brekkie.

Feeling closer to that light at the end of the tunnel every day!

LaughingLorna

Eeeeek just logged on to check bank account and Equifax have charged me 6.99 for my 'free report' even though i thought i'd been really careful to check there was no tie in 'free membership' period. Must have been in the small print T&Cs :mad:
So angry at myself!!!!

joders

Hello LaughingLorna,

Just had a read through your post, so glad you are starting to see there is a light at the end of the tunnel The support on here is amazing and there are always lots of helpful ideas floating around too.

xx

Sorry to hear about Equifax - but please don't be angry at yourself, we all make mistakes. Could you maybe give them a call and explain circumstances you may get a refund? They can only say no so well worth a try. Otherwise, £6.99 you could maybe sell something to replace the money.

Good luck xx

LaughingLorna

Thanks joders-hadnt even ocurred to me to phone and try for a refund. have day off tomorrow so will give them a ring and try-worked with next as per advidice on here so deff worth a go! also going to do some ebaying or amazon over weekend so hopefully claw back cash that way.

just never fails to amaze me how easily it leaves the account when its so hard to get it in there in first place :-(

ideas and support on here are what's keeping me motivated!!

fantastiyk

Hi Lorna,
Just want to say good luck, and I'm glad you're finding the relief since you came on here. Me too, though it is scary when we first start to deal with it. I think its the realising that there's no turning back anymore, and we're on new territory. We can do it, and it might be easier than we think.

tinks112

Hello

And well done on posting

I too am in debt as you can see from my sig. My LBM was this morning at about 2am i woke the OH up and said i cant be in debt anymore so from then until now i have just paid one off only £45.46 but thats 1 gone and only 19 more to clear. (its my debt and DP's debt) We have agreed to a set amount each month and then when we have spare cash we are just going to throw it at the debt i want to be debt free by 2014 as i turn 30 and 2015 DP turns 40 so we are planning a nice trip abroad. as i have never been abroad.

I have 4 children (aged 8, 6, 2 and 21 weeks) but i have cut back on everything the only thing we have is sky as we dont go out and have no holidays or luxuries as i would rather my kids have what they need.

You will get their and there is loads of people on here that are fab and will offer advice.

Good Luck and you will get their xx

greenbee

Well done on facing up to the problem. Keep looking at the other diaries as there are some really inspirational stories about how people cut costs and increase income. There's also the grocery challenge and fiscal fast on the Old Style board, and plenty of people who pay any surplus, however small, off their debts every week to avoid the temptation of spending it. So anything left from you £110 this month could be the start to reducing that debt. I know many people find it easier to pay bills by DD and then have 'spending' money as cash that they draw out each week/month according to their budget and then bank what's left.

Good luck!