Just had my light-bulb moment - Now I'd like your help.

Sea78

thebuffalo wrote: »

T
My indoor entertainment is anything I buy for enjoyment at home - DVDs, video games, CDs, etc. Outdoor entertainment is socialising in pubs with mates, going to the cinema - stuff like that. I don't drink due to a medical condition, so perhaps I should stop doing rounds. Sounds tight, but I always feel ripped-off buying mates alcoholic drinks that cost £4 when my orange juices are £1.50.

My suits are dry-clean only and I do need to look smart for work. It's frustrating, but the way I see it, I need to keep a smart appearance for the job and all-in-all these things contribute to a higher salary overall.


Thanks again.

I am shocked your mates allow you to get rounds in! I would never expect it of a non-drinking friend. When pregnant and therefore not drinking, I'd always get my own drinks, or one person would offer but I'd never get a round in!! I'd be saying something there =- just say you're pulling the purse strings a little - they don't need to know, but I really do think it's odd you're getting rounds in. Anyway will stop that rant!

Have a search a nd see what offers you can get for the dry cleaning - could you get any codes/vouchers etc to save you money?

Sea xxx

Prudent

Would you consider replacing the poker and fruit machines with online competitions? Cost free and returns reasonable.

LookingAhead

Hi there and welcome!

I think I can understand why you want to keep the poker (even though I don't play myself) and would just like to say that there are several other things you can tackle to make the poker 'easier' to keep. If it is £40 a month then I am sure you can claw this back (and more) by making the decision to cut right back on lunches at work (just take your own) and eating out and also the buying of home entertainment stuff. Oh and hell yeah, the buying of rounds *has* to stop! For sure!

No-one is saying you should become a hermit but there are ways & means to do things cheaper and with QuidCo (as was mentioned) you an even make some money in the process.

If poker is really important to you (as say, smoking is to a smoker or karate is to a self defence guru!) but you also want to reduce your debt then that's fine...but you will have to make sacrifices elsewhere.

You sound like a smart cookie - I am sure you will make headway really quickly.

Good luck! Look forward to seeing your debt figure decrease in your signature.

thebuffalo

Prudent wrote: »

Would you consider replacing the poker and fruit machines with online competitions? Cost free and returns reasonable.

Tell me more. I doubt I'll lose the poker entirely, as it's more about spending a night having fun with mates than it is the money. Nevertheless, certainly open to trying to make a bit of 'free' money online. Already do a couple of survey sites, which bring in about £150/year. I withdraw this money at Christmas time and use it for the additional expense then.

newmum1

I think you could try to reduce the drycleaning,tmobile, food shopping is really high, lunch - make lunch from home, eating out, entertainment, poker and fruit machine, realistically all of these could be either cut out completely or reduced significantly then use the extra to chuck at your debts and you will be debt free before you know it, if not then you may end up going down another route which you really dont want to take. Now you have had your lightbulb moment you know what you want to do and how to go about doing it. But its up to you to make the changes.

pointypenguin

There is a lot of ifs in this but if you shop at tesco you can use your clubcard vouchers at Johnson's the drycleaners (£2.50 of tesco vouchers worth £10 at dry cleaners) if there is one near you.