Moneysavers SOA (I need some help guys!)

spud30

Hi Lucy,

I'm so sorry you're having a hard time.

Have you joined all the survey sites? They wont boost your income a great deal, but they do allow you to earn the occasional treat here and there. I would recommend making up 2.4 children etc, as mums seem to get more surveys.

I agree with the others - you could get full breakdown cover much cheaper. I'm with Green Flag, via Quidco of course

What problems do you have with getting Broadband to work?

Have you found the Freebies board? I love it over there (not as much as DFW obviously ) You can get the most exciting free goodies through the post. For me, a freebie arriving often brightens up a dull day.

Big hugs hun :grouphug:

redrabbit29

I know what you mean by "topping-up" spending.

One thing that helped me a bit was to avoid using my card. I have a cash card (which can not be swiped), and I use that as a spending account. So every month I automatically transfer £75 into it. Then I draw, say £10 out on a Monday, and then I can keep it in my pocket and see how fast it goes.

Then if I need more money, I check my balance on my cash card, and if it is, say £20, I know I only have £20 left to spend until more money is automatically transferred.

I just found that by having all money going in/out of one account, it was really hard to manage and see what I was spending.

Good Luck.

inkie

I have found that since I have moved onto a cash system - rather than debit card, I really think prior to spending anything. Also, as long as I have my phone, and plenty of deisel in the car, I leave my purse at home and only take a quid out with me. Can't spend anything then.

Lucy1982_2

Thanks guys.

Re the bed. Unfortunately it's fixed payments so I can't pay it off early.

I'll take the advise of the OD and pay is off bit by bit, I've already got Lloyds reducing it by £50 a month (the current limit is £650)

I have to get some shopping today, but other than that I am not spending anything. I managed a pair of £12 shoes yesterday, so they will do me over the winter, just need to find a cheap brown pair now.

Lucy1982_2

My problems with broadband.... well it's more problems with free sky broadband. I don't really use the net at home all that much and thought free broadband would be great, but it wouldn't work.

Sky said it was the free software provided with the package (Smart idea, supply something that stops your broadband working!!) but removing it didn't help.

But my laptop is about 6 years old, so it may not be set up to run broadband. I have no idea really, I'm not very technical!!

Lucy1982_2

Right how does this sound for a plan.

I have just worked out that my outgoings before living expenses come to £939.61 (ish) which after I am paid leaves me with about £175.32 to play with.

So this is what I was thinking:

Income - £1114.93 (average)
Outgoing - £939.61 (bills/debt etc)
Living - £120 (£30 per week)

Which leaves about £55 over a month (although some will go towards finishing off my Store card after payday) But it looks like I could manage to pay £155 off my OD's each month.

I'm hoping that giving myself £30 a week I'll manage a bit better, I can then allow £10 for the working week (£2 per day) and then £20 over the weekend. I can take it out at the start of the month and then work from there. Anything I have left at the end of the month can be put towards a treat or paid off one of my OD's.

Looks like it would be nice and simple if I can stick with it.

What do you think?

climbgirl

Looks like a fairly good plan. I find that budgeting for some little treats and splurges makes it much easier to stick to the budget in the long run.

I work about 5 mins walk away from Oxford St, very high temptation for lunchtime! But I've started bringing a library book in with me and I sit at my desk (or somewhere outside if it's nice) and I read all lunchtime. I don't go near the shops unless I have some kind of chore to do.

Just don't go near Sainsburys if you know you can't go in and not spend. Take your lunch with you, take snacks in with you and take in something to occupy you at lunchtime (or work through and leave early!).

It's all down to willpower in the end - only you can actually stop the spending...

Lucy1982_2

I know, I think I have some sort of shopping compulsion!!

I love the fruit salads they sell and I know that I could buy one a day for under £2, which was part of the thinking behind it. I also thought that this might be easier if I knew I could still have something. I'm not very good when I say no!

I can at least try it for a month (from 20th when I get paid) and see what happens, if it works then I can stick with it, if not I can have another look.

CharliesAngel

Your budget looks good and with determination we know you'll stick to it! Especially when that store card goes and you're paying off more of the other debts....

CA x

CharliesAngel

Lucy1982 wrote: »

I can at least try it for a month (from 20th when I get paid) and see what happens, if it works then I can stick with it, if not I can have another look.

A month is a long time in debt reduction terms...