Light bulb moment......I need help though!

strandedinaber

Wow, well done you - you're definitely getting down to it I would definitely stop the lottery straight away. Between now and your DFD you can save £500 by just stopping that monthly outgoing.

ETA: Also, as a fellow singleton, I'm at around your limit for food. I'm cutting down £20 a month (at £180 this month) and not noticing any difference at all to what I'm eating, I'm just planning better and wasting less food.

shazzer22

Morning Poppy, really interesting thread as reminds me very much of me with sponging ex's and socialising that got out of control... My situation is much different now, but so is my debt, I'll subscribe and look forward to your updates, seems like you're making good progress already!

One question, have you got anything in your budget for holidays? If like me when working long hours, you still need down time and this was something that traditionally went on the plastic. I know lots of people will have opinions on no holidays when you are in debt, but personally I think we all need time to relax and reset. Just a thought!

Poppy93

Morning all

Feel so much better today. :T

I will stop my lottery now just scared I'll win on those lines as I've had them years but £500 is £500 after all.

My holiday fund is £0 at the moment and like others normally put it on my cc but I will do something about that not sure I can justify a holiday with such a short DFD. I will look at the spreadsheet today though.

Today it's breakfast, lunch and dinner from stores

Any inspiration for today? Feel like I need to at least achieve one positive thing money wise today.

Thanks for all your help xx

John1993_2

Poppy93 wrote: »

I am going to plan more, and I love cooking so that wont be an issue cooking meals from scratch. I think my main food cost is meat. I seems to find this expensive but with working out I need the Protein.

It's understandable that you want to make sure that you are getting enough protein (yo don't want to be wasting any of that exercise effort), but I'd suggest checking how much is actually recommended.

For what I do, which is a reasonably intense 6 sessions a week, I think that the best recommendation is about 100 grammes per day. I've known people at the gym who subscribe to the slightly lunatic idea that if 100g is good, then 200g is better, and who then insist on getting it all from M&S cooked sliced chicken breast.

Basically, take in what you need, but don't waste money on adding expensive and unnecessary amounts after that, and try to finnd reasonably priced cources. Increased protein intake over and above what you need to supply the needs of your training / muscle building does nothing to promote faster or greater gains. It just overworks your kidneys.

[Deleted User]

£47 is a lot for one mobile phone. Go PAYG as soon as possible.

£1,200pa for clothing is A LOT. Reduce this by at least 50%.

Likewise, £420pa for haircuts is A LOT.

As for £400pm (£4,800pa) for entertainment. :eek:

You could easily save over £400pm.

Think what an extra £400pm would do for your DFD.

bargainbetty

Morning!

Glad to see you are feeling more positive about the whole thing, and grabbing the bull by the horns. Today, have a look at your utility bills. Can you swap, would your landlord let you have a water meter etc? That can save a fortune too.

Get on with the inventories, and sort out five items to put up on ebay, even if you wait until the next free listing weekend.

I also live alone, and I know what you mean about going out to avoid the boredom. However, learning to be comfortable in your own skin is quite important, as you literally cannot buy that peace of mind. Have a long bath, rearrange your home, have a declutter - they all take time and keep you busy.

For socialising, do you have a group of friends who eat together? Could you do a 'Come Dine with Me' thing - each week, one of you cooks (the others bring wine), and you all give points. Winner gets a voucher or something.

Vouchers - also a great way to save money. I'm not sure where you live, but there are some really good voucher deals for things on Amazon Local, KGB etc. Cheap dinners, cocktails, events, days out. Just learn how to avoid the traps. A friend of mine uses the vouchers to get dinner, then invariably ends up buying a bottle of wine too. I use the voucher for the food, then head up to a pub for a drink instead. Stick to what you are getting on the deal, and you get some great deals.

Once you've checked out what protein you need, think about beans and pulses as well as meat. Meat is probably better purchased from a butcher than a supermarket, as the butcher can advise you of the best deals, and you could buy a job lot and then portion it up. Dried pulses from Asian supermarkets and veggies in season are the cheapest ways to have a healthy diet .

How many people do you have to buy for at Christmas? Can you ask about a challenge limit on presents? A few mates I spoke to were downright relieved to have a '£5 but make it funny' challenge, as it brought down costs a lost - you get in the habit of spending more than you actually want to. You may find that others are happy to go with you on this.

Good luck

foxgloves

Hi Poppy,
Sounds like you're getting off to a great start, so keep the momentum going today! I want to comment on 2 things:
1) Lottery. We stopped doing the lottery while we were debt busting. We put the money we'd have spent on it into making bigger card repayments. We started doing it again about 2 years ago.....& we've won £10......i.e nothing LIKE what we've spent on it. If you feel 'hooked' by thinking you'll see your line of numbers come up, then don't look at the results. You know the odds of winning a big amount are so slim, it's only an infinitessimal chance anyway. We probably won't bother with it at all now it's £2 a line.
2)I want to second what's been said about selling clothes on ebay. My partner & I have lost loads of weight & we have successfully ebayed lots of clothes that became too big for us.....I'd say we've maybe made between £300 & £400 - nothing designer, just good high street brands, like Monsoon, Elvi, M&S, & some cheaper brands, but everything still sold. Save packaging to recycle for wrapping your parcels. I use strong clean carrier bags for sending clothes. I cut them open & use the plastic like wrapping paper so that the parcel is light, but waterproof. Make sure you list on a free listing day, then start quite low. I usually start 99p, more for a big item like a coat. Before you start listing, weigh the item. Then add on what you think the packaging materials will weigh (I add on 50g if I've used the carrier bag method), then use Post Office parcel price finder website to get the cheapest postage rate.....usually 2nd class. Since using this method, I haven't lost money on any postage. Describe clothes very honestly. I have sold things with minor faults & signs of wear and have had no complaints because I always mention these in my description. Good luck! Any extra you can make will be additional money to throw at your debts. x

NinjaSavingKat

Afternoon Poppy.... may I add my tuppence worth!

I survive really well on £100 a month on food. I am a vegan (just recently turned having been a veggie all my life ) that if you eat a well balanced diet - and I mean a proper well balanced diet which means vegetables every day there is no physical way to become protein deficient. You need to read more into this if it's your main concern for spending so much money on food.

However the suggestion of beans and lentils is one I whole heartedly support..:p but if meat is something you want in your diet then have a specified day(s) and cut down everywhere else.

Lottery cancellation is a no brainer I think.

How about dividing the amount you have to spend on debts each month (I think about £1350) and seeing if you can live on whats left.. either that or you may have to move your DFD...

As for a holiday I would agree with your own sentiment - you can't afford to with such a close DFD. I did cause it was my 30th Birthday and when I got home I realised I would have much rather have put the money to my debts - and yes my holiday was in cash as well...

Luxury is out for now..seriously... think of the long term gain and smug sense of achievement next year cause the months following it you can continue putting money away and blow the lot on Christmas in New York for cash...:T

Poppy93

Hi All,

I have made good progress again today, I have just cancelled my Lottery so no payment for next month thank god and I also get £24 rebate within the next 10 day. :T :j

I feel really motivated and all your comments are helping me do this so thanks everyone.

I am going to spend the weekend sorting the clothes that are too big and the designer handbags I don't use anymore I will put to one side for an free listing weekend/day on ebay.

I am also going to look at the protein and go the the market to a butcher to see how much I can but that down.

I know my phone is expensive but I am stuck in my contract for now, but I have manged to secure discount to £37 though a friend till the end of my contract. When the contract is up I will look at reducing this again :-) PAYG isn't really an option as I'd end up spending more money than a contact as I use it alot and also for work.

Currently wondering what else I can achieve today.

strandedinaber

Know how you feel on being tied into a phone contract! I've been there. Unfortunately unless you can find a loophole (unlikely) it's probably cheaper to stick with it and change to PAYG or a cheaper contract as soon as you can, since otherwise you need to pay the difference (unless anyone else can advise a method of getting out of a contract?). When's your contract up?