Do you feel like your working for nothing?

LJD1_2

Sorry to hear you're feeling so down. I know just what you mean about feeling like you work for nothing. Me and my husband both work (i'm part-time to fit in with the children) but we don't have huge amounts of money for extras. It doesn't help that we have friends who spend, spend, spend. I guess it's all on credit cards so i wouldn't want to be like that again but it can get you down. I did the quidsco dvd trials and watched some great movies. Just make sure that you cancel the deal before you start paying. I really hope things get better for you soon xx

amani_2

hi, sorry to hear you are feeling down, it does get you down sometimes. Im not good at SOA's,

CAN ANYONE HELP WITH THIS SOA????????

tealady

it might only save a few pennies but somewhere there is a site where you can check out who, locally is selling the cheapest petrol. I'm not a driver so i don't have a clue what it's called. Ideas anyone?

blackangeluk

Hi there, sorry to see you so down, but the sheer fact you are addressing your debts is a really positive thing. :T

Lynz is right about sky and the other ways of getting DVDs etc.

Have you much around the house you could sell, any books to go on Amazon??

But now i feel like i really am working for nothing, not going out, no sky no luxuries for working all week - it cant get any worse! Exactly, it can't get worse, IT WILL get better, esp if you get your pay as expected, imagine the position you could be in in 6 months time, then this will all seem worth it.

We all have bad moments and wonder why are we bothering when it is such an uphill struggle but on other days you will feel that you are finding it easier.

I would look around for cheaper insurance, I read Martin's article and that mentioned where to go and I have saved a fortune, definately worth looking into.

Your food budget looks ok, is that just for 1 of you? Have you tried the OS board, maybe you could made food in bulk and freeze it to save money, there are massive bags of pasta for £1 at Tescos. I'm not suggesting you eat pasta until December but that will go a long way for one meal, do you meal plan?

I am thinking of random suggestions so sorry if they have already been suggested but had to reply as it's horrible when people feel down.

Good luck x

Karmacat

smudgemanc26 wrote: »

Here's My SOA

Monthly Incomings:

Wages: £1236.29

Monthly Outgoings:

Mortgage - £523.37
Secured Loan £152.93 + £25.00 (agreed payments due to arrears) = £178.43
Council Tax - £75.00
Water - £17.03
House/Contents Insurance - £20.00
Life Insurance - £29.77 Is this related to your mortgage? Do you have kids or a partner who depends on you? If you answer 'no' to either of those, then it seems to me you could look hard at cancelling this - I'm in that position, single with no dependants, and the only insurance on my life that I have is the endowment to repay my mortgage (ha...). The hard truth is that no one will suffer if you die, if you're in this situation.
Gas - £56.00 (unable to change as in arrears so this has just gone up)
Electricity - £55.00 (again unable to change this i think they have just put this up!)For both of these, please look at uswitch.
Food/Housekeeping - Originally £173 but i can survive on £100 i think! =£100 As people often say, hop over to the old style moneysaving board to see how to cut it down even further.
TV Licence - £11.38 (paid quarterly though) Car Costs - £80.00 (Dad car loan) Petrol (£40 to fill up so looking at about £80 if i get my 2nd Job = £160

Dont have car insurance to pay this year or car tax paid it outright with refund from bank luckily.

Clothing & Shoes - £30 (what are these?? not been shopping for ages)Me neither! So wipe it off the soa!
Telephone BT - £20.00
Mobile - £35 inc vat - £41.00Um, this seems high to me. Usual questions - can you go payg, get better deals, etc.
Health Costs Contact Lenses - £15.00 I don't use them myself, but I've seen people describing monthly payments of much less than that.
Sky - £30.00 (thinking of cancelling or just going very very basic on this if i can)Fraid so.
Savings - £25.00 (this is always taken back out though just to live on)Well, yes, you can't be saving when you're only just coping with your debts, its not fair to yourself. Its not fair to *you* - keep saying that to yourself!

Total Outgoings = £1386.98

Debts

On payment plan

Barclaycard - £10.26
Capital One - £24.97
MBNA - £2.63
Halifax - £15.00 min payment
Overdraft agreed - £800.00 but currently at £1200 had to arrange to pay back £75 this month so cancelled my dads payment!

See i cant even afford to just pay everything so today ive applied for 2nd job not too sure how much better off i will be but its got to help.

Going to sell things on ebay to to raise extra money.

If anyone can help me then please do because i feel really depressed now.

Thanks Jen

Well, I don't know if those things helped, I hope they can - even £20 or £30 can make a difference. The things that people mention on here - mystery shopping, focus groups, piggy clicks, etc, - there are stickies on here and the mortgage free board about ways to earn extra money.

All the best - it *will* get better. Just look after yourself.

Adrasteia01

Something I've found locally is a second hand book shop that will take in my old books in exchange for cash.
You generally won't get as much for them as you would have if you sold them on ebay, but if you read a lot of books (and have lots sitting round), it could be some instant (or fairly quick) money if you need it. No listing fees, no hassle, really.
Pigsback.com is good for getting points for vouchers (handy for xmas or for pressies for yourself/family), but that usually takes time.

Tamara

Adrasteia01

I just thought of a couple more things.
You could live off the contents of your kitchen for a while, and only buy what you really need. It could save you a bit in the short term if you have a well stocked kitchen.

And you can bag up all of your spare change, and take it to the bank. Some supermarkets also have coin sorting machines (which prints a receipt for you to put towards your groceries), but they charge something like a 9.5% fee for sorting them. Over here the banks only accept full bags of coins, but I've heard that isn't the case in the UK.

firesidemaid

hi there.

just a few thoughts on your soa. you will be able to get a cheaper life insurance and maybe house quote, and if you do them through quidco you will get cashback too.

phones cost a lot - there are ways to get out of mobile contracts if they have breached terms and conditions eg. changed cost of calling certain nos. etc - i have seen that on here.

then through links on here there are contract phones that you can pay monthly for and then get all the cashback (you have to be organised) so it is all free plus quidco cashback!

re. the food - write a list eg. 7 x breakfasts, 7 x packed/lunches and 7 dinners per week. if you plan it you can get it down really low if you have to ie. £10 a week.

also, some supermarkets eg. tesco and asda may accept coupons for stuff you haven't bought as long as they sell it. hunt out those coupons! i save 10% per week at asda - every little helps.

good luck x

In_Search_Of_Me

Just wanted to send a hug. We all have up & down days but the fab thing about this site is people support each other through it! Hang in there girl!

joeblack066

To earn extra income, have a think about what you are good at, and what time you have, then see if you can find a way that you can use your skills and time to make a bit of extra cash. Babysitting/ dogwalking/ gardening/ decorating/ IT/ Avon/ Ann Summers.........Might be better than a second job that involves travel etc.