What changes have you made on your quest to be DF?

catandy

• kicked ex (leach) and his extended family into touch so im no longer responsible for 2 households
• cancelled gym memberships, stopped paying other peoples bills for sky, cancelled virgin tv and we don't miss it at all
• set a food budget and kept to it
• keep a spending diary so I can catch 'leaks' before they become anything bigger
• ebayed/ car booted to clear some of the junk out of this place (more to come)
• survey sites checked regularly - 2 payouts so far this year which is not an earth shattering amount of money but it all helps
• added on extra work when I could find it (part time from home, doing odd jobs for neighbours)

I've finally learnt to say no which for me is a big step forward

good thread!

Fallen5024

Nagme wrote: »

Good thread
I think we will not buy budget tyres next time, they don't last half as long! We're both petrol heads and have 4 vehicles between us. I'd rather manage our debt than let it get out of control and have to sell my beloved classic mini, which I keep garaged to slow down the rust growth. He's SORN'd at the moment to save money. Unfortunately I'm sentimentally attached to him as my father has done work on the engine and is not very well so selling him will be a sad last resort.

We have:

• Reduced water usage by me not showering every day, wash in the sink old-style on non shower days! Use our water butts in summer. Teaching 6yr old to help save water.
• Bought DH more economical car for his 100mile a day commute.
• Use online shop - I probably save a good £30 a week this way.
• Batch cooking and downshifting, some of the value range is excellent!
• Fixed the energy bills
• DH takes packed lunches. I get free lunch at my 3 days a week job.
• Moved to a cheaper phone tarrif
• Don't have Sky, just a basic Lovefilm subscription, and we don't buy DVDs
• Downloaded an excellent app for sorting our debt, only found it this morning, and love it already. They have a "snowflake" system where you enter each little overpayments and it shows you the longterm benefit of reducing the debt. Very motivating,
• Just about to sell my car and downgrade to a cheaper one.
• Stopped eating out except for very rare occasions - used to eat out every week.
• Buy some stuff like washing powder and dishwashing tablets, and cat litter from Aldis
• Washing the cars ourselves instead of using carwash.
• Cut dishwasher tablets in half - still cleans fine
• Bulk buying non perishable when price is lower - I am very aware of prices of stuff and know a good price when I see one.
• Selling and buying pre-loved.
• Turn the lights off, shut doors to unused rooms, have a door curtain, thermal lounge curtains, power save function rather than standby!
• Borrow books from library and friends. No impulse purchases of magazines
• Grown hair long, annual haircut!
• Having NSDs - staying at home on my days off, something I never could do!

ooo what app did u download?

Carrie1983

I'm new to this... literally today. My husband left a year ago, I'm now divorced but the whole process has left me with about 11k of debt, having never been in debt before. Due to the depression that hit, I missed a couple of payments and the irritating thing is that I could afford them but was too low to care.

So after my bank called and wanted to arrange a meeting as they'd noticed my card debt had increased and they want me to take a consolidation loan, I've done or am going to do the following:

Transferred as much as possible to 0% and going to transfer anything else possible(6k of my debt is on a 0% card)

Stop buying rubbish in general from local shop

Sell absolutely everything I don't need, like I've been planning to for months I easily have 1500 of stuff right there.

Once and for all submit my work expenses claim - another 800~1000

Stop the expensive hair cuts etc even if they are four monthly

Check my online banking daily. I used to bury my head and OK I always had just about enough in there, but by checking daily I can keep my budget up to date and see clearly when I can make overpayments, which I intend to do regularly.

I've asked for cash for bday and Xmas

I've advertised tutoring services. I currently work pt and have a three yr old in childcare. As soon as she starts school next year I was going to go ft. I'm now looking to do that before, and have also looked into working one overnight a week. That extra 4-600 a month will go straight to my debts as I live without it now so it'll be surplus.

I'm going to sign up to quidco and any survey sites

I'm considering selling my v v reliable Golf which I can get around 3-3500 for, buying a cheaper to run small car for around 2k and using the profit to pay off some debt. But I'm unsure if this is a false economy since my car is reliable and fairly economical, and also robust and safe. I'd be looking to downsize to a little Toyota or kia.

missnb

I simply stopped using all the credit cards, shopping accounts, and payday lenders that got me in to this mess! I realised how much money I was spending on things I didn't need. Ridiculous when I look back now. My DMP payment is a huge proportion of my wage, so it's hard, but worth it!

foxgloves

Interesting thread. Have done lots of the things already mentioned. The main difference for us, though, both with becoming & staying debt-free has been a major attitude shift. i.e that the money we have coming in each month is our money. That is the amount we have to live on & if we are borrowing for anything other than absolutely huge, major real emergencies, then we are failing to live within our means. Never thought either of us would ever reach this point, but we have & it feels much better than the old days of chaotic overspending.

loveka

Another one I forgot- sorry but it's quite London/southeastcentric!

I sometimes have to go to London to work. For many years I used to get the tube from Waterloo to the city. I realised that my train ticket was valid to London Bridge (ticket says it goes to London Terminals) from where the walk to the city is 10 to 20 minutes depending on which part. Over the years I have wasted SO much money paying for the tube extension on my ticket and was really kicking myself.

I now don't get the tube anywhere if I can walk it in less than 40 minutes. It is amazing which areas of London are close enough to walk.

hummingbird

Carrie1983 wrote: »

I'm new to this... literally today. My husband left a year ago, I'm now divorced but the whole process has left me with about 11k of debt, having never been in debt before. Due to the depression that hit, I missed a couple of payments and the irritating thing is that I could afford them but was too low to care.



Hi Carrie,
love and hugs to you hun! I can relate to so much of what you've written, except I don't have a little one - am divorced though and went through the depression etc...... you are at the right stage to sort things out right now, loads of help here on these forums!I would love to be able to turn the clock back and deal with things as you are saying in these posts, so don't give up on your resolve!!!:T

Scritti

Carrie1983 wrote: »

I'm new to this... literally today.

I love posts like these!

Well done, Carrie! Great to hear that you're through the worst and seem ready for battle to sort out your finances.

You really seem to know exactly what you need to do and are on the right path and that's really inspiring!

Not sure about selling the car if it's really reliable. Depends how much it costs you each year for the MOT, tax etc. Be careful, you could end up with a lemon. Been there, done that. Used to get a 3-400 quid MOT bill each year on top of at least one breakdown (and parts) each year. Upgraded to something better (though only about 3k) and it's passed the MOT for the past 4 years and I've had no problems so far. Depends how important having transport is to you. It's essential for me as work is 25 miles away and it works out more to take the bus (mostly work nights so can't buy a return).

Best of luck whatever you decide to do and well done for getting through what you've been through and coming out the other side fit for a debt-busting fight!

tealady

Hi all
I gave up smoking, holidays, eating out, mags and takeaways.
My friends think I am a tightwad, well guess which one in my group is both debt and mortgage free.
OK so I don't have any jewellery, designer handbags, memories of weeks in the sun, a car or a posh mobile. However I know I can cope (just) by living as I do.
Best of all when I do have any spare cash I know I can treat myself without worrying.
Yes it was hard, yes it was upsetting seeing others have things I wanted BUT the result made all the effort worthwhile.

Carrie1983

hummingbird wrote: »

Carrie1983 wrote: »

I'm new to this... literally today. My husband left a year ago, I'm now divorced but the whole process has left me with about 11k of debt, having never been in debt before. Due to the depression that hit, I missed a couple of payments and the irritating thing is that I could afford them but was too low to care.



Hi Carrie,
love and hugs to you hun! I can relate to so much of what you've written, except I don't have a little one - am divorced though and went through the depression etc...... you are at the right stage to sort things out right now, loads of help here on these forums!I would love to be able to turn the clock back and deal with things as you are saying in these posts, so don't give up on your resolve!!!:T

Thank you so much. It means a lot to know others have sort of been where I am. I feel such a failure at the moment. Ex is still on mortgage until I'm in a job where Halifax will agree to remove him, and when he comes off I have to give him 12k by adding to the mortgage, so as soon as this is paid off I'm not sure whether to pay the equivalent amount into an isa or make overpayments on the mortgage as not guaranteed to be able to borrow more. I may sell the house before then and have equity, so am swayed towards the overpayments.

All these things I never thought I'd be dealing with at 30!