Scary Debt

katetn4

Hello all!
I am new to this site (due to my mother badgering on at me to join up!) and although I am 26, have some huge scary debts!

I owe £900 on one credit card, owe £2000 on another card, have a loan for £3000 and owe my mum £2700 (which she isnt in a rush to have back, but debt's debt!)

The worse thing about it all is the majority of these were ran up in my name by my ex fiance so I am the one left paying it! Am on a very limited budget so any tips about money saving/debt clearance will be helpfull! Am already selling lits of stuff on ebay and trying to switch phone suppliers etc.

Any ideas?

immoral_angeluk

First off welcome to MSE
the way I started was to write everything down and see where I stood, and I mean everything! Take a look at Southernscouser's 'first time posters' thread for tips. Once you know what's going in/coming out/owed you can start making positive changes to get yourself back on track. Also if you want to share it with us we can pick through and give you some proper advice.

katetn4

Thank you! Its so scary having to finally deal with it all but this site is amazing and the advice is really good!
I am going to be 26 next month so I really want to be debt free by the time I'm 30. Big goal!!
I have got a mony pot this that I keep putting coins in. It'll take up to £400 before its full and you can get your money out. Unfortunately you have to smash it but its so pretty I can see it being a useful savings tool as no one would wanna smash it!
Please keep the ideas and thoughts coming. It really helps to know there are people out there who know what you're going through!

Mozette

I always say this, but keep a spending diary, write down/keep a spreadsheet of how much you spend on what. I waste a good £300 a month less these days - and as most of it was out of habit, I don't even notice it now!

katetn4

I have just started doing that now. I would get a paper every day without thinking, sometimes not have time to read it and when I got to work there'd be about 20 other people with the same paper that I could've read for free! Have stopped buying coffee on the way to work and started eating breakfast before I go and paking my lunch to take with me.
Am just off out grocery shopping, Iceland I think! So have taken the amount of cash I usually spend with me so I can spend as little as possible and put whatever I dont spend of that onto my credit card to clear it off!
I'm thinking of it as a personal challenge! Wish me luck :A