SOA...it's worse than I thought :(

girlatplay

DMPhereIcome wrote: »

I have labelled five jam jars up, week 1, week 2 etc...

I did this with food jars for a while too. I got some odd looks when my money smelled of curry!! :rotfl:

I think it is good that you are willing to admit that you wouldn't have spent if you only had enough cash for what you went for. It is all part of making a shopping list and sticking to it and only taking enough money for what you need. I also find that if I don't look elsewhere in the shop, I don't see other things I like and if I don't see things, I don't "need" to buy them. If I don't know they are there I don't miss them!

DMPhereIcome

Morning...

Quick update - Spending diary has started properly this month, quite enjoying doing it! - I bought a pack of three very cute notebooks, one for me and the other two for stocking fillers - I don't like writing things in it, so it's working!

I did also spend a tenner on ebay buying lovely wooden christmas decorations for my son to decorate....everyone is getting them for presents this year : )

Only 6 days to smoking lady appointment....and counting

Aldi shop will be done in cash this weekend as I've transferred all but 27 quid out of my current account - 27 quid is what I've got and no more until Tuesday...

I think I've got that Friday feeling.. : )

DMPhereIcome

And I can update my signature as debt is under £16k

Am I allowed a celebratory bottle of £3.25 Aldi wine tonight?

asparagus1968

hi, have been following your progress.

was thinking, even if you are still in contract for the iphone, i know people on here have bought (or found in a drawer) a cheap phone, put the current sim in it and sold the iphone anyhow. you just continue paying monthly until contract is up.

any chance you could put up lodgers rent ?

any chance you could get financial support through CSA (sorry if that's a bit personal)

definatel CUT up CC's.

work in cash only (i have well overspent already this month because I couldn't be bothered going to ATM and have been using debit card willy-nilly )

I love ALDI, they have some good xmas bits and bobs in.

you could try having a wet cut instead of the full cut and blow,that'd save a bit.

whens the stop smoking appt? good luck.

enjoy the wine

girlatplay

Take the £27 out of your account and keep it in your purse. Take all of your cards out of your purse. When you go out you will only have that money and no more. Challenge yourself to having as much left as you can when you get to Tuesday as possible. £27 is LOADS to keep you going until then, including the £3.25 bottle of wine (unless smokes are included in the £27 and then you might be struggling )

DMPhereIcome

asparagus1968 wrote: »

hi, have been following your progress.

was thinking, even if you are still in contract for the iphone, i know people on here have bought (or found in a drawer) a cheap phone, put the current sim in it and sold the iphone anyhow. you just continue paying monthly until contract is up.

any chance you could put up lodgers rent ?

any chance you could get financial support through CSA (sorry if that's a bit personal)

definatel CUT up CC's.

work in cash only (i have well overspent already this month because I couldn't be bothered going to ATM and have been using debit card willy-nilly )

I love ALDI, they have some good xmas bits and bobs in.

you could try having a wet cut instead of the full cut and blow,that'd save a bit.

whens the stop smoking appt? good luck.

enjoy the wine

Hiya ... thanks for your suggestions ...I will be enjoying wine shortly once little one's Dad has picked him up for the weekend
Don't need the CSA, Ex and I have really good arrangements re contact and maintenance...we managed to split up without wanting to kill each other (much)

Stop smoking appt is on the 8th. I have to stop smoking as it's really getting on my nerves everytime I spend money on nothing!....wine doesn't count obviously

I don't want to put lodgers rent up as I'd have to do a tax return, at the moment she pays just under the tax threshold and I don't want to make it complicated

I'm going to get told off for saying this, and maybe it means that LB moment hasn't really hit but I really don't want to sell my phone...:o and I have a HUGE crush on my gorgeous hairdresser so I'm not sure about wet cuts...that's a whole 15 mins of ogling time I'd be missing out on...but I have had a lot less layers cut into it this time so it won't need doing for ages as they won't grow out and look scruffy...that's about as MSE as I've managed!

Baby steps

DMPhereIcome

girlatplay wrote: »

Take the £27 out of your account and keep it in your purse. Take all of your cards out of your purse. When you go out you will only have that money and no more. Challenge yourself to having as much left as you can when you get to Tuesday as possible. £27 is LOADS to keep you going until then, including the £3.25 bottle of wine (unless smokes are included in the £27 and then you might be struggling )

smokes are included - but lodger is going to contribute to aldi shop as she ate most of the amazing broth I made in the slow cooker last weekend...so I'm making another one - it's fed both of us nearly everyday for either lunch or dinner this week - with those nice part baked bread rolls too...mmmmmm! I've bought a small pack of tobacco and once that's gone a patch *should* be going on...but we'll see, I've been telling myself that all week! Off to find your post with the freaky smoky smilies...need motivation!

asparagus1968

DMPhereIcome wrote: »

Hiya ... thanks for your suggestions ...I will be enjoying wine shortly once little one's Dad has picked him up for the weekend
Don't need the CSA, Ex and I have really good arrangements re contact and maintenance...we managed to split up without wanting to kill each other (much)

Stop smoking appt is on the 8th. I have to stop smoking as it's really getting on my nerves everytime I spend money on nothing!....wine doesn't count obviously

I don't want to put lodgers rent up as I'd have to do a tax return, at the moment she pays just under the tax threshold and I don't want to make it complicated

I'm going to get told off for saying this, and maybe it means that LB moment hasn't really hit but I really don't want to sell my phone...:o and I have a HUGE crush on my gorgeous hairdresser so I'm not sure about wet cuts...that's a whole 15 mins of ogling time I'd be missing out on...but I have had a lot less layers cut into it this time so it won't need doing for ages as they won't grow out and look scruffy...that's about as MSE as I've managed!

Baby steps

ah,sorry, didn't think you got any maintenence looking at your soa.
thought benefits were ctc/wtc and "other" was rent from lodger. oops!

thing is,you don't have to do anything you don't want to, we come here/share our stories but it's all a matter of choice.:)

have a lovely evening:beer:

DMPhereIcome

lizzy23 wrote: »

Can i just say, we avoided DMP for 2 months, once we finally admitted that in order to live we needed the cards it was a no brainer to start, after all its not really livingi is it? its existing, just as a case in point and i posted this on the DMP thread, we had a wedding to go to at the weekend, this would have gone on the CC in times gone by, because we now have a budget for such things we were abale to attend without extending our debt. Rightly or wrongly i had 1 month of token payments and squirrelled that money into savings, i also made sure that i put everything i could in our budget, because personally i would rather it take longer to pay off and have a life back. Yes its scary, but you know what i have had one phone call before M & S got the letter other than that i have heard nothing from any of them, so what the credits gone, credit got me in this mess (don't get me wrong i did my bit) i accept that i'm crap with money, so just let me have what i have and i'll live within it, i know you're trying to avoid the DMP route, but ask yourself are YOU living or are you existing, and what are you trying to protect? and is it really worth it?

Hiya - at the moment I'm existing I'll admit that, I want to try and get myself out of this hole before going down the DMP route - I haven't actually tried hard to live within my means for years - this is the first month I've really taken on the challenge, I panicked a few months back before really knowing where my money was going - wish I could change my username as it isn't very inspiring!

I've made all the minimum payments this month and if I'm frugal I'll be able to have a cash as spending money for my holiday at the end of the month as opposed to using my cards - which means if I can save for the holiday there must be spare cash floating around which normally I'd have wasted somewhere! (god knows where though?!)

As I look at what I'm spending the more I realise I could make massive savings.. I want to give myself the challenge of only spending £25 a week on food, stop smoking to save a small fortune, my car insurance is due for renewal in December which will save me £15 a month and little one is going on to pack lunches after half term...small things but will hopefully add up - and one of my debts is paid in February which will free up £53 a month to go towards another one

The Book Man came to work this week...I'd usually spend £25 quid on books for me and little one as I love books, but stopped myself from buying the new Nigella as I haven't cooked anything out of the last one I bought ! (did spend £3 on a book for little one for xmas though...:o)

So I've given myself three to four months to see how I go - if I can't do it then I'm more than ready to wave the white flag and ring Payplan back and ask them to re-open my case - just want to really have a clear picture of my situation before I make the leap - all I know at the moment is I'm always skint but not sure why!

DMPhereIcome

A no spend day and a no alcohol day...

and I've smoked the last of my tobacco...

If I put a patch on in the morning I can have another no spend day...

I feel a challenge coming on...:D