What permanent changes have you made on your journey?

Chrysanthemum5

For me it's been charity shops!

I could spend a hundred quid easy on a credit card in primark kidding myself I was getting bargains because it's cheap and failing to see I was still spending £100!!

These days I buy in charity shops and now when I go to cheaper shops like tesco or primark a £10 top seems rather expensive haha

I am pleased the journey to be debt free has made me care less about fashion and being up with all other women. In going to charity shops I now have my own boho style and feel good.

Another change is we eat better! Working out food budget and plans means it's all home cooked lovely food usually whereas before it was all ready meals or meals out whacked on a credit card.

I hate being in debt but the journey to get out has made me less shallow that's for sure and less materialistic!

Puddylove

I dumped my financially and sexually incontinent ex partner. :rotfl:

That's as permanent as possible short of planting him...:cool:

P x

Chrysanthemum5

Hahaha love it! Well done x

andyfromotley

I am working hard to change to a much less materialistic mindset. I hope with some success.

Chrysanthemum5

It's easy once you see the debts start to fade but hard when all your friends have this and that x

kirstle99

I have a few things which I do that have helped me, here they are;

1) I check my online banking every day. I have an excel spreadsheet to match everything going in and out, what I am saving and when. Every time something goes out I mark it off so I know where i'm up to. This helps me stay disciplined.

2) Regular savings. I put away a bit each month for clothes, xmas, car MOT, £20 monthly spends for me, birthdays. This helps me buy things when they are on offer and saves me loads in the long run.

3) Present box. This comes in useful for those last-minute parties and things I have just forgotten about and saves a last-minute dash to the shops where I might have spent 3 times what I should have on something.

4) Shop in the sales. I have 2 boys so I can pass things down, but I usually try to buy good quality clothes for the older one so they will last through for the younger one. Before boxing day comes I will make a thorough list of what I will need and just get what is on that list, crossing it off as I go. It saves me an absolute fortune. I buy clothes up to 2 years ahead in case of growth spurts. Then all I need to pay for out of the clothing budget is shoes and school uniform.

5) Meal planning. This really does save you a fortune! Of course, I always have a few extra bits in the freezer, but we generally eat fresh food now and have a better diet as a result!

6) Use credit but not an enormous amount. I am currently using my 0% card for regular things I budget for, such as petrol and groceries, then clearing off in full each month. It's good to know I have the money to do this straight away, and it means I can build up my credit rating without getting into debt!


Hope this helps, wow it's actually quite amazing how organised I am when I write it all down, haha! :rotfl:

Chrysanthemum5

Well done that's amazing and I shall be using those tips thank you

tallyhoh

Started to live like the family did in the 1960s, nothing was bought unless you actually genuinely needed it, meals were a small amount of protein plus lots of veg & no heating unless you were desperate.

Chrysanthemum5

Same here we really are all about jumpers and hot water bottles this winter!

dirtycredit

Oh Chrys I know what you mean about Primani!!

My one main one definitely involves Prim*rk! I don't (can't) go near them because if i do that's it I've spent £50. If I'd have put all the money I'd spent in that place into shares in Prim*rk i would be a rich woman..especially since they are about to start trading in the USA.

The other money saving thing I tried was to start switching all the plug sockets in my house off when the weren't being used. It's so simple but I honestly never thought about it before. I tried it for a month and looked at my usage graphs on the website and my usage plummeted. I was really impressed! I do it religiously now and it's made a big difference to my bills.

DC x

LittleDutchgirl

My changes largely mirror those of the other posters. I check my current account almost every day. I have a series of spreadsheets to track my debt and my savings. And I hang out a lot on this site which I find hugely motivating.
LDg