what's going on?

SystemFan

Thanks for all your kind replies.
The bills we haven't met this month are things like Sky, BT, and some C'C's, but have been in touch with them.
Mortgage etc, and any secured stuff is all up to date.
Food we are ok for, and my kids are beginning to help, especially my eldest who has now got 40 hrs pw in his gap yr, and is doing very well.
I will do an SOA this week, and thanks also Alice for the budget advice, will deffo do this next month.
Neither my wife or I have had a pay rise for at least 5 years now, and I will have to leave and earn more if by the spring this hasn't changed. Inflation is leaving me ££££'S worse off every year, effectively a yearly pay cut.

bexster1975 wrote: »

P.S be grateful you can't get a wonga loan!

:T

kindofagilr

SystemFan wrote: »

Neither my wife or I have had a pay rise for at least 5 years now, and I will have to leave and earn more if by the spring this hasn't changed. Inflation is leaving me ££££'S worse off every year, effectively a yearly pay cut.

:T

I feel your pain, me and OH are the same, well we have had 1% which in my case is £5 a month extra, which just gets eaten up by inflation been going on at least five years here too xx

swampduck

kindofagilr wrote: »

I feel your pain, me and OH are the same, well we have had 1% which in my case is £5 a month extra, which just gets eaten up by inflation been going on at least five years here too xx

I can totally understand your predicament with this - I've not had a proper pay rise for seven years and then in the last two years had a .75% raise and then 1% which has gone nowhere due to price increases. Debt repayments are a piddly 63 quid a month now which means a debt free date is disappearing into near retirement age :mad: and as things are I could use that 63 quid elsewhere and the DCAs still keep on badgering us on the pretext of helping us!! Yeah right!!

Swampy

bexster1975

Hello

I think there is lots of sympathy with little/no pay rise. You may do this anyway but may I make a suggestion?

Every year I spend a couple of days ( usually over summer but it doesn't matter when) going through all essential costs ( that's assuming you don't have non-essential costs- if you do, start there). I will check cost of gas/electric, home phone, mobile phone, any TV packages, car insurance, home insurance, breakdown cover.....
It gets harder to save loads every year, but that's good as it means I'm getting the best deals already! :money:
But as an example, this summer I saved £27 on my home insurance renewal and got an additional £20 cashback. Then I saved almost £100 on car insurance plus another £60 cashback. It's not huge, but alongside other extras ( survey sites, discounts etc.) I have saved approx. 2% of my annual salary in about 12 hours work! as my annual pay rise was 1% I did better myself than my employer ( not very shocking I know!) just a thought. It means you get the same products for less cash so no pain either!

Bexster

[Deleted User]

totally agree with ^^^ sit down and look at all your outgoings,ok you will make a big saving in year one if you take action and not much after that but its worth doing,can you live without sky?you can get b/band and landline from as little as £12 a month for both,you get the idea?it all adds up

MakeAChange_2

I think there has been a general change in attitudes of many people, me included. Previously I had a good job and a good income, i was made redundant and i struggled to find new work quick enough, everything got out of control then. Now, a little bit older and iv started to inspect everything, im in tesco like ''i will try the £1 coffee instead of the usual kenco at like £4-£6 a jar''. lololol
And although im back in a good job again, and so is my partner, my attitude has not reverted back to how it used to be, im still scrimping on what i can. And i plan to use extra money to pay off debts, and hopefully in a few years will be debt free, its a long slow process but i think i will get there if i stay focused. Many people seem to be the same recently, i think you kind of get fed up of being left with no money at the end of payday!

northerner999

I echo those who have found the opposite to the OP - I have noticed a marked increase in offers, every single firm I have or have had cards with sends me a new offer every month and the length of the 0% terms have been increasing. I'll probably need to use one eventually, but it is great knowing I'm able to pay off the card whose 0% deal is ending next in full rather than need to roll it over.