I seem to be stuck - no changes :-(

FireWyrm

Ok, I'm going to steal and repurpose the nicorette advert here....how to celebrate a little win every day....

Get onto your bank and ask them to set up text message alerts. Set your alerts so you are messages every time a payment goes out of your account, or something like that. Depending on how you've set alerts, a win is a day when you don't get a message, or the other way around.

Works for me. I'm super impatient and I usually start to get bored with budgeting after a while, so I need to do something that feels like I'm doing something, even if I'm not really...if that makes sense.

hedgesparrow

I know what you mean FireWyrm. Some days the best way for me to save money is to not do very much but then I feel that I'm not "doing" anything about my debt!

I would also like some tips on staying motivated - this is my biggest worry for the future of my debt journey. I was thinking of making a collage of what my debt free life would look like. Sounds a bit lame I know but I wonder if the visual would help me.

You are not in this alone assj - we are all here right with you!

[Deleted User]

WOW - Well I didn't think I would get such a response.

I have just got home and read through, I think the positive messages really make a real difference!

I would not say that I have set myself a target per month, I have just given every penny I have spare to the debt and tried to make any extra money that I can.

I just feel like I want it to move faster and I was thinking of ideas daily at first. Now I think and think and think and still can't find new ideas.

I will certainly check out your ideas and even just the positive comments have made me feel happy with my situation more so than yesterday :-)

I must say when I see the sun though, I tend to think shops, new graden furniture, new toys for the kids and bbq treats!!!!

:-/

Tixy

assj wrote: »

I must say when I see the sun though, I tend to think shops, new graden furniture, new toys for the kids and bbq treats!!!!

:-/

I know what you mean, I was looking at my sunny garden this evening and thinking of things I would like to spend on it.

But how about trying to think of the sun intead as meaning the kids can be outside a lot and entertained for free - often with little more than a football / tennis ball etc they can be kept busy for hours. And do you have last years outdoor toys that you can dig out that they've forgotten about and will be excited to play with all over again?

Or how about growing some salad or veg in the garden - low cost outlay, money saving in the long run and fun to get the kids involved?

honeybean

:TI just want to tell everyone keep going things may get tough at times but there is a light at the end of a tunnel, i was in debt 5 yrs ago after a nasty divorce and having too furnish a new home . I am proud to say i had a lot of help from my parents not in the form of money but emotional support.I also recommend the cab and contact your debtors as they do listen . Today is a proud day for me i am now debt free and i dont owe anyone a bean yipeeeeee thankyou to everyone on here you have given me so much information and the strength to continue xx :T

mum2one

hedgesparrow wrote: »

I know what you mean FireWyrm. Some days the best way for me to save money is to not do very much but then I feel that I'm not "doing" anything about my debt!

I would also like some tips on staying motivated - this is my biggest worry for the future of my debt journey. I was thinking of making a collage of what my debt free life would look like. Sounds a bit lame I know but I wonder if the visual would help me.

You are not in this alone assj - we are all here right with you!

I totally agree with the collage, when i get debt free I want the holiday of a lifetime in Las Vegas and have a helicopter trick over the grand canyon and the las vegas strip.

Ita torture in a way, but its also a motiator, seen a trip that combines that, so every yr i order the brochere, - this reminds me of what I want to achieve. xx

Jo3y83

assj - It can be very hard to maintain a positive attitude when you know the situation you are in will take some time to clear but please remind yourself of how far you have come Be proud of yourself.
I stuck my head in the sand for what seems an eternity before admitting I had to do something about my debt but now I have only 5 months to go before I will be debt free! Keep in mind your goals and you will achieve them

Try to sell things you no longer need or can easily replace when you are out of debt. I find eBay is fantastic!
I wish you all the best of luck Keep your chin up, all this hard work will certainly pay off, and remember give yourself a big pat on the back, you are doing great

mr2jay

Only just started my journey and frustrated already - want to get it going and going fast (First big chunk coming off tomorrow )

I can fully understand your position - what is keeping me going is trying to squeeze a little off my day to day finances to leave more left come payment day. That way, I can pay off more

Keep it up though - just remember, you are working towards that day when you can make that last payment

Barbeduk

It is frustrating, you just want to pay it as quick as you can! Have you tried PADing. I 'rounded down' my current account to the nearest fiver every day. So sometimes the debt got £4ish, sometimes £1 and of course those days when you see there's nothing left it got nothing! Also, if I 'saved' money by not buying something that was budgeted for, the debt would get that. It helped I could do it all online, and seeing that list of payments on the cc statement made me feel really positive.

Good luck, you're doing great. Stay out of the shops, they're only there to take your money!