SOA - time to face the truth :(

MrsCautious

Hello again, hope you're hanging in there, good luck with everything.

Thisisme_3

MrsCautious wrote: »

Hello again, hope you're hanging in there, good luck with everything.

Thank you . I feel like I've had some amazing feedback and I'm raring to go. It's not easy laying yourself on the line though is it - think I need a stiff drink X

Katzen

Hi Thisisme.
Just wanted to say well done on facing up to stuff and trying to tackle without complaining about it like its not all your doing in the first place.
Seems you've taken a bit of stick but I have to say, with your current debt situation you're going to be paying off for a really long time and life needs to be worth living whilst you are doing that. Yes, you could save some by cutting Sky and the gym but giving up everything for so long would most likely make you miserable and reduce your chances of actually sticking to your guns and getting it paid off.
That said though, have you thought about a freeview plus box? At the price you're paying you can't be getting much more than the freeview channels and it seems daft to pay for something that's free. We had this thought recently and cancelled our tv all together. We watch some stuff via internet but mostly fill our time with the other hobbies we both enjoy but were neglecting due to the Telly Monster!

Ms_Chocaholic

I'm sorry to harp on about this, I've mentioned it before, but the petrol money, I understand your OH spends £50 pw on petrol for work but where does the other £120 pcm go?

smancslad

My tips for what they are worth.

1) Mobile phone. A few months before your contract ends you need to contact your provider and negotiate a better tarrif. If one is forthcoming then you need to switch at the end of the contract to one that's cheaper.

2) Get rid of Sky. Do really need it? Really? Freeview has a good range of channels. How much stuff are you watching on Sky that you can't get on Freeview? If it's 1 or 2 programmes a week, then you're paying £2.65 an episode. You'd be better in the long run saving the money and buying the DVD release.

3) Internet. Currently free, but this will have a charge in a few months. What is that charge and how will you budget for it? It still needs to be in your SOA.

4) Food. You can get this down for sure as others have said. If you shop at ASDA you religiously need to check every receipt on their price guarantee webpage. I generally end up having vouchers amounting to 2 free weeks shopping a year doing this. Try it, it really works.

5) Petrol. Even with your husband using £50pw for work, that's leaving £120 for the rest of the month. This seems like quite a lot. I mention it because I drive a lot for work and have an 11 mile commute each day and my OH currently lives 35 miles away and I'm still only spending £130 a month on petrol.

6) Presents. You can easily cut this down to £42.50 a month (£510 a year) and break it down for xmas & birthdays as follows: Cards & wrapping = £20, your kids = £75 each, 4 x parents = £39 each, 4 x nephs/godkids = £25 each, each other x 2 = £36 each. Everyone else is not an option. They will understand.

6) Do you need the swim pass at the minute? How much do you use it? Maybe going swimming once a month would be cheaper than paying for a pass?

7) You have £500 odd quid left. Where is that going? If you have no money left at the end of the month, this is being spent somewhere. If you have online banking, go over the last few months and note down everything you spent your money on. You'll then have a fuller picture as coffees, magazines, newspapers and sweets for the kids all add up really quickly without you realising.

8) If not using it already, get yourself signed up to Quidco. You can bring in easily an extra £50 to £100 a year just by spending money on things you generally buy.

9) Set yourself a strict budget framework and stick to it. You can break this down very intricately and set yourself budgets for all sorts of things each month, such as £5 max on magazines and then don't go over that limit for that month.

Good luck!

Thisisme_3

Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »

I'm sorry to harp on about this, I've mentioned it before, but the petrol money, I understand your OH spends £50 pw on petrol for work but where does the other £120 pcm go?

I spend £30. I have a petrol scenic and it absolutely eats petrol.

Thisisme_3

I just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who has replied. I'm feeling really inspired and motivated. I'm gonna get a notepad and write down everyone's suggestions. I'm also gonna do a signature and join a couple of challenges. I'm guessing by following the suggestions on here we might be able find another £100 a month, maybe more. So thanks again x

Thrifty_Pixie

Thisisme wrote: »

I'm sorry are you implying that I'm lying? My swim membership is a cheaper option than paying as I go when I take the children. StepChange allow a month spend for leisure and I'm sure someone else with StepChange will confirm this.

I didn't 'omitt' anything. I only saw one person mention sky and I'm forgot about it. Why on earth would I be defensive about a tv package when I have published my entire situation for all to see? We like having Sky, as parents of two young children who never get out sometimes our 'date nights' involve watching a series we've sky plussed or catching a free film.

Also pls don't say you aren't judging me as your post came across as being judgemental.

i'm not implying you're lying at all (where on earth do you get that? omission does not equal lying), i merely stated that if that's the arrangement YOU have sorted with StepChange then so be it, but it doesn't mean that i cannot still be surprised by it after quite a few years here on MSE and debt-busting myself.

and you ask why would you get defensive about Sky, but you'd be surprised how many people ARE on here. they are sometimes more willing to cut food and essential insurances than they will their tv packages, and it drives a lot of people here bonkers when they come here for help budgeting and then won't accept suggestions.

if you took my post as judgmental that is your issue not mine. i was stating facts and what i would do in your situation. you come here asking for advice (which is a brave thing in itself) and we give it to you - however you must understand that we have nothing invested in your debt-busting and therefore our objective advice may sound harsh sometimes from our own experience. you do not have to take that advice or even agree with it, but you asked for it. my advice would be to go Freeview and you have chosen not to agree with me - that's your prerogative.

i wish you luck in your endeavours

Thrifty_Pixie

Thisisme wrote: »

I just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who has replied. I'm feeling really inspired and motivated. I'm gonna get a notepad and write down everyone's suggestions. I'm also gonna do a signature and join a couple of challenges. I'm guessing by following the suggestions on here we might be able find another £100 a month, maybe more. So thanks again x

one thing i would say is that i dug myself out of £12k of debt with a LOT of help from this website, so do join as many challenges as you can. the 'Payment a Day Thread' in the debt-free diaries was especially supportive.