Debty Bettys Brave New World

bandraoi

Your phone/tv and internet package adds up to £70 a month?

You could probably get that down.

Debty_Betty_2

thanks bandrao - got the TV/phone/internet down to £45 a month - so my half will be £22.50per month.

This week is not going so well....
I didnt make lunch 2day or yesterday and spent £8 instead - on a positive note it is still within my £10 weekly budget!

I have overspent on my phone bill by £50 this month! I guess it is better than over £200 - but still not good.
My new minutes come on tomorrow so i guess i have to make sure that through next month I make quick calls only when necessary. Hopefully my pay as you go sim will arrive soon.

I also had to pay back £20 that i borrowed when i lost my cash card. My friend came back from holiday yesterday and i had it ready for her.

Off to go and make some lunch for tomorrow so that i stay within my budget this week.

DB

bandraoi

You can get your network operator to reduce your call credit limit on your monthly phone bill.

It might help to focus your mind on not spending too much because you won't want to run out.

Mine is set at £50.

Debty_Betty_2

I hate T Mobile - I have just phoned and they will not educe my call credit - why am i not suprised!

Bandraoi
Do you have a debt diary?
Also thank you for your idea it would have been great if they had agreed. The lady suggested writing an email to management so i have, and i will see what they say tomorrow. I have also checked my bill and she said including vat ect my bill comes to around £130 - i am very dissapointed with myself

My friend has given me an 02 chip pay as you go chip - i have put this into the handset with no credit - so i guess with no credit i cant call anyone and therefore cant waste money. I am looking forward to my pay as you go with unlimited free texts to arrive though.

I have found a few recipts at home for around £15 where i had to buy things for work - i always forget to claim back expenses and loose alot of money that way. i have packed them into my bag and will claim these ones tomorrow. when i start my new job i will ask for money up front so i dont have the same problem.

have made some pasta for dinner and enough lunch for tomorrow so i am back on the wagon

DB

Debty_Betty_2

spent 2.40 on lunch - wont be 2 hard on myself as had exams this week and also trying to sort lots of stuff out at work, so i am very tired

new minutes on my phone at 12am

i have tried to spend less on food and toiletries this month and have magneted my reciepts to the fridge - this weekend will add them all up to see how much i have spent and look into spending less nxt month. Also will looking at the old style board. for ideas for cheap lunch and dinners

Debty_Betty_2

Just checked my bank account and if i stay on the wagon till the 30th I will be able to pay off some money of my overdraft cutting it down from £1500 to £800 wooooo hooooo

2.40 on lunch yesterday - was going to go out for dinner last night but didnt so saved money

I have finished my final exam today- Now i will have some extra time to read this site and get involved with the challenges

I want to find more ways to cut my costs - if you have any suggestions or direction for me please dont hesitate to post - thanks

Got a horrible bank statement today with £100 of bank charges - i will phone up the bank now to discuss and see if they can do something about it.

Still need to claim my expenses and contact the bank re my £200 shares and transfer the credit card balance with high interest.

xx

GirlRacer_2

Well done with your achievements so far. Keep going, you can do it x

Debty_Betty_2

Thanks GR

I had a very long call on the phone to the bank and eventually after being put on hold about 10 times they finally agreed they would remove the £100 charges wooooo hooooooo
I cant believe it, in the past i would have just paid and not questioned the bank and would have been £100 down!

mY BF and I decided to go for a meal last night which would cost around £25 for 2. On the way we decided to go to Tesco. We still spent £25 but instead of just one meal we got lots of dinners, desserts and drinks for the week
BF was very happy because we got a ready cooked hot rotisserie chicken for £1.50 and got a £1 portion of chips from the local chippy on the way home, bf made some peas and gravy while i set us up a film. A nice low cost evening and we still have some chicken left for today

xx

SuSu1871

Hi Debty Betty and welcome to the club!

Just read your posts and I think you're doing really well. :T Keep up the good work and you'll be debt free before you know it!

I know exactly what you mean about being over generous on birthdays and christmas... I'm the only one in my family who is single and doesn't have kids (I'm one of 6 and have 9 nephews & nieces). Because I live/work "down south" - rest of the family are "up north" - they think I'm rolling in it!! :rotfl: I used to try to live up to this by spending a lot on birthday and christmas presents for everyone, but it was getting ridiculous so I now only buy for nephews & nieces (apart from 2 of them who are now over 18, so I explained to them that they're adults now so they're off my presents list - they were cool about it :cool: ).

Last Christmas I explained to my friends that I couldn't afford to buy them Christmas presents (told them at the time I was saving to buy a house, but have since been honest with them and told them that I'm clearing debt). To be honest I think they were relieved as they've got their own families to buy for. What we did instead was have a get-together at a friends house and everybody brought some food/drink (I brought some home-made toffee) and a secret santa gift with a £5 limit. We still had loads of fun and I saved about £50 in one hit!

Also, I bought all of this year's birthday and christmas presents in the January sales. I have a box of pressies in my room and when it's someone's birthday I just pop my hand in like a lucky dip box and pick a present! The presents are pretty much what I'd buy anyway but they were half price or less (and some cost nothing as I used my Boots points to buy them)!

Sorry for rambling on, but what I'm trying to say is that there are ways to cut down on spending on birthdays/christmas presents without anybody noticing.

Hope this helps

SuSu1871

chocaholic110

Enjoying reading your diary. Good going on the overdraft reduction and bank charges. :T Keep this up and you will be seeing the difference in mo time!