How do you stop yourself getting down about the time it will take?

thecassman86

I think everyone is guilty of imagining life with an impending "end date". I know i do. If somebody said "this is going to take 10 years to do" i often see it as so so long away that i'll barely have any time afterwards to appreciate the effort i'm making at the moment!

But, that's not the case! Obviously i don't know how old anybody is on here (we're all at different life stages) but regardless, we will all enjoy a long period of being debt-free after it's all paid off and that makes it totally worth it!

So, i guess my trick is to see the time taken now as short compared to how long i'll have as debt-free after it's paid up! When you're feeling low 1 day feels like forever, but when you're in a good place 1 month will fly by without notice. It's all about perspective i think.

... I hope that makes some sort of sense... It did in my head...!

Newyorkdreams

thecassman86 wrote: »

So, i guess my trick is to see the time taken now as short compared to how long i'll have as debt-free after it's paid up!

... I hope that makes some sort of sense... It did in my head...!

I like your thinking cassman!
NYD

Toomuchdebt

Thank you all so much You're all brilliant. Monkeyballs you have a very unique way of looking at it and it made me giggle so thank you.

How do you deal with spanners in the works?I just got a notification that my gas and electricity direct debit has been set too low and I will need to pay more from April-it's right-I haven't been paying enough and also until this month all the bills were estimated for the last year so I do need to pay more...it's just frustrating cos that's another 30 pounds a month that I won't be able to throw at the debt So instead of shaving months off my DFD I'll be adding them on.

FinanciallyUnsavvy

Spanners in the works are pains in the bum - but you needn't let it be a massive set back to you. Can you scrape that £30 together from anywhere else in your budget?

At least you have until April's direct debit - it's good to give you advance warning (British Gas changed my DD from £15 to £30 in December and didn't even bother to notify me!!) So you have all of March to sort out a new budget plan incorporating that extra £30. If it was me I'd perhaps, for example, shave £10 a month off groceries, £5 off 'fun' money.. etc. etc. so it's not all impacting my debt-busting money. Obviously I don't know your budget and how you work it out, but hopefully that's something you can think about x

Toomuchdebt

Everything is as low as it can go-I don't drink or smoke or go out so nothing in the fun budget in the first place.I don't buy new clothes.I do buy new shoes for the kids and can't reduce the money for those as they're not cheap.It will have to come off the debt money

FinanciallyUnsavvy

Toomuchdebt wrote: »

Everything is as low as it can go-I don't drink or smoke or go out so nothing in the fun budget in the first place.I don't buy new clothes.I do buy new shoes for the kids and can't reduce the money for those as they're not cheap.It will have to come off the debt money

But don't beat yourself up about it - you can't help these things! You're still moving in the right direction - it's not a setback.. just another bit of a detour along the way. We've all had them - or all will at some point. So don't worry. You'll get there!

I imagine it won't last long anyway - during the summer I doubt you'll be using anywhere near as much so you'll either build up credit with the supplier or be able to reduce your DD again - that's usually what happens.

Keep your chin up x

Monkeyballs

Toomuchdebt wrote: »

Thank you all so much You're all brilliant. Monkeyballs you have a very unique way of looking at it and it made me giggle so thank you.

How do you deal with spanners in the works?I just got a notification that my gas and electricity direct debit has been set too low and I will need to pay more from April-it's right-I haven't been paying enough and also until this month all the bills were estimated for the last year so I do need to pay more...it's just frustrating cos that's another 30 pounds a month that I won't be able to throw at the debt So instead of shaving months off my DFD I'll be adding them on.

Hi TMD,

Glad I could give you a chuckle sadly, I never made it up that really is how I look at it LOL - my mind works in odd ways

As for spanners in the works, you have a budget and another expense (or rather an increase) has cropped up so I would try to look at shaving a bit off here and there as difficult as it might be, even a couple of quid will help but realistically I think you're right it will have to come off your debt repayment...

BUT

It's not necessarily a negative paying less may mean creditors are more likely to accept lower F&F's so as time goes on then you may actually be able to reap a little bit back in the long run

It's important to stay positive because negative thoughts could actually lead to you sabotaging your plans...

Hope this helps

MB

Toomuchdebt

Thank you-I am trying to stay positive

sourcrates

Settled all my debts via an IVA, which has just finished, I now realise the majority of my debts were all pre-2007, and would most likely have been unenforceable anyway (sighs) what I used to do before the IVA was agreed, was to send sarcastic letters to the DCA`s chasing me, as they didn't own any of the debts, there was absolutely nothing they could do to me except threaten me, had some great fun with them, you have to have a laugh at there expence sometimes eh !!!!

[Deleted User]

Got better things to worry about than debts; like when are the greys going to take over, and is Ed Milliband ever going to get his adenoids sorted.