Paying off debts by taking money saving to the extreme.

zippybungle

fairyface wrote: »

box of washing powder came from poundland, 10 washes for a £1. Overall I am having a good money saving day.

Hi,
Don't know if this will help, but Morrisons have 'Prudax' washing powder at £6 a box for 90 washes! (the box looks a bit like Daz washing powder). I've been using this for a while now and it's as good as any other powedr, plus I only use half measures.

Zippy x

B17c

Hi all! I shall be following this thread with great interest as I too have a lot of debt and am currently paying it off via a DMP (debt management plan).
I need to move out soon (staying with my dad atm) and think I'm going to find it a real struggle renting alone, that's even if a landlord will take me!
I'm determined to cut my cost of living and start saving now whether it's for a rental deposit or to pay a lump sum to shorten my DMP period! Either way, frugal living is the way forward after years of racking up debt. Good luck fairyface and thank you to everyone posting up tips x

Primrose

haven't had time to read all the way through these posts yet, which I plan to do, but if you can get yourself a really good wind-up lantern to use instead of switching lights on, this will save the cost of candles. Over a period of time, the smoke from candles, if used regularly could end up leaving smoky deposits on your ceiling which will then need redecorating.
Keep up the good work. if you can work out what all your little economy measures are saving, even if it's only pennies at a time, and put them in a jar, you may feel you're getting a more measurable way of what you're gradually achieving.

samejh

Good to see that you haven't abandoned your efforts and are back her now.

I have subscribed too, my tips for you would be..

When you get cooking then batch cook and freeze the extras. Any wilting veg cook up into soups.

Go foraging when you take your dog for a walk. You can sell what you don't use.

Make your own gifts/cards/wrap.

Never use the full amount of detergent as it isn't warranted.

When you pay off a debt, then treat yourselves to something to celebrate. This will have 2 effects: so that the "guilt" of the small treat sends you straight back to moneysaving and the other is you have earned the right to celebrate 1 down n ? to go.

When you participate in carbooting or tabletop selling take batches of Twinks or cookies/cakes and sell them too.

Whenever you need to replace a household item buy a more energy efficient one. ( I have just replaced my kettle with a one cup water dispenser, it only boils the water that is needed.)

Keep up the good work and i'll keep popping back in. xxx

[Deleted User]

Thanks for the replies I have sat down and gone through all the paperwork this morning, and I know exactly what I owe, so I have done my signature,no work today, so concentrating on my new hobby money saving, will let you know what I've been up to later, have a great day everyone,:D

mishmogs

Hello Fairyface

Good to see you back here. When the debt is wrote down its scary but you will get it down bit by bit. You have done the worst bit which is acknowledging the problem and now you are over the shock and want to tackle it. There has been some good advice such as paying more off the highest interest debt and when that finishes transferring the payments to the next one (having continued to service the other debts).

Now the warmer weather is on its way and our diets change a bit, can you grow your own salad stuff in your garden?

I think someone also suggested cleaning when you are not at work? I know its probably not want you want to do but by doing this you can start networking and spreading the word that you need work. I met someone who has taken redundancy from a high pressured job in the city and started decorating for oldies and after a couple of jobs word soon spread that she was honest and reliable and got no end of work through word of mouth (she wouldnt do stairs/landing!!). Does this appeal?

How about insulation in your home? Am not sure if you rent or own but I have received free pipe lagging, chimney ballon, draft proofing, cavity wall insulation and loft insulation and my heating expenses has come right down (my bill for 1 year has come in at £600 for gas and lecci for 3 adults and my gas boiler is over 25 yo). I think you can still get this free if you are quick. I am always turning stuff off at the sockets and doing as much as I can on cheap rate lecci, it just involves planning what I do. Keep doors closed so rooms are warmer, cheap fleeces pinned to backs of curtains and closing them before it gets dark.

I have always taken care of my property (clothes, shoes, furniture, cars, house etc) and this has saved me money in the long run.

If you fancy decorating a room can you mix paint colours together? Or just do a feature wall to brighten a room up.

Can you take in a lodger/student? (I do this and use the money to overpay my mortgage each month I reckon he only costs me £50-80pm). This would help towards your debt overpayments.

As most people on OS, I cook from scratch just about everything and do batch cooking, it serves many purposes from saving money, to knowing what you are eating, to not squander any food and remodling it (mince into spag bol, chilli, chilli & veg patties all bulked out with veggies).

I see it as my challenge in life to get the best deals and save as much as I can (but still have a life to enjoy) after all, where you are now, is not where you want to be in a couple of years time, so its only temporary the worry and once you begin to see light at the end of the tunnel it will get better.

nannygladys

Hi fairyface, its great that you are posting again:). I went a bit mad over Christmas cos my DD3 and family were staying with me and it undid all of my good work of the previous few months, Im still not back to where I was but Im getting there slowly:)

Just a couple of things to help me get through the winter, I fleece lined curtains and made fleece curtains for windows that had only voiles on (kitchen and bathroom) the difference has been very obvious and I will be doing that with other windows this year (the fleeces were dead cheap as well). I do the usual, batch cook, take food and drink to work with me, switch all lights etc off when Im not using them, esp the TV which I would switch on when I came in and then switch off before bed - just for some noise, and it seems to be saving me electric:) I also engage in a couple of challanges on here and that helps keep me on the straight and narrow, and when I stray I know I can get help and support from others, and give it to if they do the same. Also the recipe board is full of cheap, nourishing and lovely meals so I go there quite often. I read my meters once a week so I can keep check on the amounts Im using (and spending) and only use my car for work, so if I have shopping to do I do it on work days. i keep a spending diary which at first I found v difficult, I kept denying to myself that if it was a treat and I didnt put it into the diary then I hadnt spent it - stupid I know - but now I put everything in it:o

I know my debt isnt very big, but I only earn very low wages, just above the level of being able to claim anything and I pay a mortage so I dont get any help there either, so it is going to take me a few years to pay off my CC and OD but I will get there and as someone said, its only a couple of years out of a life time and then I can live within my whole budget:) so keep posting and we will all support you, ups or downs
Jxx

[Deleted User]

Hi thanks for your reply MishMog, we now rent sold house paid mortage off and had a small amount left which serviced a few loans, so just the amount on signature, my dream is to pay this off and start again, so I will be living a frugal life from now on, I feel much better now I have got through the paper work, and unopened letters, now I can tackle it, today I have done loads, done the basic housework , washing on line, it is freezing here one thing I cant do is freeze as I get arthritis and get bad if I get really cold so I have lit the woodburner, but will keep it going steady, I know its not moneysaving, people say they have gone with out but I cant do that.
Made 6 various size jars of Marmalade using a tin of the prepared lemons which I had in cupboard, made some easiyo yogurt,only walked up shop and got butter, which I need to bake some various cakes later. I have done surveys for today earned £31 so far this year not much , but the vouchers I will save up for gifts/xmas, it will all help.
My mind is just thinking about money saving all the time,here are all the small things I have done today:
Only boiled right amount of water in kettle.
Really quick shower.
Used old bread bag for sandwiches.
Kept cereal packet inner,for another sandwich bag.
Cut down on the washing up liquid use.
Only dried glasses and cutlery, and left rest to save teatowel usage.

I know these are silly little things but anything to save a penny.
I have just won 2 used but in verygood condition aprons off , ebay to save clothes keep getting messed up.
Will take the dog out again soon, then relax a bit, see what else I can come up with.
Football on tonight so I will be sorting through jewellery making supplies and make some bits to sell at carboot.

JCD_Capulet

fairyface wrote: »

box of washing powder came from poundland, 10 washes for a £1.

Hello fairyface, I've just caught up on your diary - Keep going hon! It's a long hard arduous slog but my goodness doesn't it feel rewarding when the £s are saved and go towards reducing the debts You can do it, we all believe in you x

I stumbled across your diary just as I was scouting around online for the best deal I could find for laundry powder and saw you mentioning the poundland 10 wash stuff. If you have a look on ebay there are a number of sellers offering 10kilo bags of washing powder for around £10 (some with free postage too) and they say it's concentrate so using a small cup full should see you through 350 washes. Maybe something to check out?

Anyway just thought to let you know about it, all us DFW's gotta stick together :beer:

Have a great day!

mishmogs

Hi fairyface

thanks for your response, I forgot about the aprons, I use mine constantly and I use any small placci bag given to me for food, I have always done this and before anyone shouts at me not to, am still alive! I use to wash up once a day but now its twice, once after the brekki and lunch pots and then after the evening meal but only using half a bowl full. The water that runs whilst waiting for the hot water to come through, I save up and use this to flush the loo and the same with the shower water. Am sure you know about if its yellow, let it mellow......etc. I only shower twice a week and have a full wash every day, took some getting use to but am there now.

Well done on making your own yogurt with easiyo. Have you thought about making your own from scatch? (I find easiyo expensive so moved over to an electric yogurt maker from lakeland - last time I looked they were on offer for £16 so making say 20 large pots of yogurt the maker has paid for itself and after that you are quids in).

I dont wash my clothes as much as I use to, they dont smell and are not dirty so I wear them some more and like you, I reduce the amount of washing powder used.

How about asking neighbours/friends/local business' for any left over wood for your wood burner? most would be happy to let you have it as it saves them a trip to the tip!
I am looking into having a wood/multi fuel burner and have asked a couple of local one man bands if they could let me have their left over wood which hangs about outside their houses and they would be only to happy to drop off for me if I decide to get one!

Freecycle is not very good in my area but when I have had stuff to get rid of, eg old paving slabs, I put them outside my gate with a free to good home sign and the stuff always go, is there anything like that near you if you need something for the house? its a case of keeping your eyes open!

Can you cut your OH hair? its easy once you look at yoootube. I do my DH and my hair, although I have just been for my yearly hairdressers visit and it cost me £8 so am happy with that anyway. The rest of the time, I will cut my own.

When I go out, I always take my own food and drink with me. I invested £3 in a small plastic water bottle (I think its a childs but I couldnt care less to be honest) and I take water with me. Would you and OH do this if you went out?

I combine any trips needed together, eg next week DH has a hospital appt. so he will go to that, I will park up and wait for him (no parking charges paid), then we will park near the town centre and walk in, have my birthday lunch, get DH some new walking boots (if they are cheap enough!), then drive to the supermarket and then home. We live in rural Suffolk. If I need any shopping then DH will get this for me on his way home from work.

You are doing well looking at the different ways to shave the pennies off here and there, it all makes a difference and added together means a big difference at the end of the month/year! Keep going and let us have your updates!