At rock bottom, please help.

angelavdavis

Hiya, great to hear you are brighter today!!!

Swishter wrote: »

I do need my car for work, I get free parking which is something. This had reminded me though that I do have a pile of mileage that has not been claimed. I am bringing all my receipts home with me tonight to sort through, think there could be over £100 there which I would get back in May. Also to put a claim form and pen in my car and to start filling it in whenever I incur mileage.

Definitely make sure you stay on top of the expenses - the money is rightfully yours.

Swishter wrote: »

I might see if I can borrow a bike from someone though, I could get away without driving in a couple of days a week it would cut down on petrol a lot, as well as help to firm my wobbly bits for free. My old employer would give you 'mileage' of 15p a mile if your rode your bike for work purposes, it was to encourage people to be more green. Might suggest it to my new employer - who knows might get a £10 gift voucher if they like the idea!

If no one you knows can lend you one, log onto www.freecycle.org and ask if anyone has one to help you out. It might need a bit of work to bring it up to scratch but could work out worth while.

Swishter wrote: »

My insurance is stupid, my ex had an at fault accident in my old car on my insurance and then I was involved in a multi vehicle pile up, we were all told to go bump to bump and its cost me a fortune in premiums. But I am going to do a fresh search and see if I can save myself some pennies, theres nothing to be lost. Also to check out my other insurance. Although one drawback is the area that I live in, one of the most expensive for insurance in the country.

Sign up to quidco and see if you can get a deal through there.

Swishter wrote: »

Telephone, your right its way too high - I'm banning myself from calling mobiles from now on and will research the cheapest way to call Ireland and Canada (don't do it that often though). Going to switch my calls to Primus Talksaver and discipline myself and wait until weekends or after 6 to make my calls when its free. To call BT and try and reduce my BB package.

If you are on unlimited Broadband, why not see if you can use Skype?

Swishter wrote: »

I think part of the reason I hate my flat is its so cluttered, I've also been feeling very down and shutting myself away. I am going to have a good declutter and sell as much as I can on e-bay, maybe see if I can drag together enough stuff for a car boot - should be easily acheiveable.

Sounds like you have made a fabulous start, well done!!!

joeblack066

Glad to hear you sounding more positive! Thats the wonderful effect of the Lightbulb moment, and taking your first steps by posting on here!! Well done, you are on your way!

Swishter

Thank you. I spent last night tossing and turning and smoking cigarette after cigarette, but then realised thats not going to help me get out of this.

I have made myself quite a lengthy list of things to do so far, and am aiming to tick off at least two per week. Mores getting added everytime I read this site but slow and steady, its all a step in the right direction. Got a pile off stuff done today already, switched my calls to Talksaver, dug out a notebook to use as a spend diary, got the easyway to stop smoking book from the library, joined some survey sites, sorted my paperwork and have quite a pile of stuff for e-bay and amazon in a box by my desk. Going to sit down soon and do my mileage, I don't expect to do this much every day of course but I feel I have got off to a good start.

I'm still feeling anxious and jumpy but I look at my list and tell myself I can do this.

liz105

TITEASCRAMP wrote: »

Hi swishter

have u thought about declaring yourself bankcrupt

thats not helpful

kathfisch

Swishter wrote: »

I think part of the reason I hate my flat is its so cluttered, I've also been feeling very down and shutting myself away. I am going to have a good declutter and sell as much as I can on e-bay, maybe see if I can drag together enough stuff for a car boot - should be easily acheiveable.

Well done on all the changes and plans!! :T :T

I find that my house gets cluttered when my mind is cluttered, if that makes sense. When I feel overwhelmed or low or in panic I don't keep up with tidying/being organised... I just don't care. But if I put aside an afternoon to tidy, sort and throw things away (or even better ebay!!) it helps me to feel calmer and more in control. It also makes the house a nicer place to be, which makes me happier. I don't know if you're the same, you just made me think of it!

Good luck and keep going... slow and steady though hey... don't want burnout!!

Kath

Swishter

liz105 wrote: »

thats not helpful

I agree I have no wish to declare myself bankrupt, I can see how in some circumstances its necessary but I want to deal with this. I got myself in so I can damn well get myself out.

Swishter

kathfisch wrote: »

Well done on all the changes and plans!! :T :T

I find that my house gets cluttered when my mind is cluttered, if that makes sense. When I feel overwhelmed or low or in panic I don't keep up with tidying/being organised... I just don't care. But if I put aside an afternoon to tidy, sort and throw things away (or even better ebay!!) it helps me to feel calmer and more in control. It also makes the house a nicer place to be, which makes me happier. I don't know if you're the same, you just made me think of it!

Good luck and keep going... slow and steady though hey... don't want burnout!!

Kath

Thanks again Kath, you've been great.

I agree about the house thing. When I think about when things were good my house was so organised, its like its an extension of my mind. But its amazing what chucking out old magazines etc can do in such a short space of me. That huge pile of paper I've been avoiding for ages didn't take long at all. To make things better that mileage stands at £146 - result for Mays debt clearance!

VickyA_2

Swishter wrote: »

But its amazing what chucking out old magazines etc can do in such a short space of me. That huge pile of paper I've been avoiding for ages didn't take long at all. To make things better that mileage stands at £146 - result for Mays debt clearance!

Well done on beginning your clearout! :T :T

Could your magazines be worth some money? Are they specialist magazines eg food/drink/a specific hobby? A friend sold some Good Food magazines at a car boot sale and made quite a bit of cash! Along the same vein, I've seen some walking magazines for sale on Ebay.

Keep up the good work. :beer:

Kaz2904

so if your flat is cluttered then you need to join up with the fly lady thread as well and spend 15 minutes a day decluttering and 15 minutes a day debtbusting! Glad all is going well.

mountainofdebt

One tip regarding car insurance - even if your insurers work out to be the cheapest, try inputting your details on their website, pretending to be a new customer.

My insurers wanted £40 less than they quoted me on my renewal letter all becuase I applied as a new customer on line. In addition I went through one of the cash back sites and got an extra £30 - so a saving of £70!