first-timer, please help!

Buffythedebtslayer

Is there anything you could e bay? or put on Amazon - I have loads of books I will never read again!

and this may sound realllllly awful but can you regift gifts? or use tokens? - they might not seem "cheaper" but I find ten quid for kids is ok and 15 for adults, perhaps get other members of the familiy opinion - maybe you could ALL buy tokens for a particular shop? or even one gift they really need, might mean less of a contribution?

It is a weird feeling being in debt, slightly out of control but keeping it together with moments of what the hell! and then the massive guilt

coming here is brilliant, take lots of deep breaths and read the site! it takes some doing, but it is so good. I am new here too and still learning but don't feel ashamed. It is so easy to get in to debt, so easy and it will be hard to get out of it but we WILL do it.

buffy

tigerfeet2006

If you wanted to earn some extra money could you get a job in a school? Dinner lady, T.A, secretary? Then you would be off when your children are of. Also do all the things suggested by the good members of this board and you will be addicted to money saving before you know it.

Oh! and when you look to change insurances etc. check them out for the cheapest on monetsupermarket.com or similar and then when you find the cheapest apply for it through a cash back site like Quidco.

seven-day-weekend

felicitous wrote: »

Thanks for such speedy responses.
I know my Xmas/b'day costs looks huge but that does include birthday and Christmas gifts for a further 12 children and 16 adults (not including my kids and hubby). I was just trying to be realistic but completely take on board that this is an immediate area to cut back.
I'll definitely re-address the food although it seems that my nearest lidl/aldi is about 10 miles away.
Thanks again, I feel mightily embarrassed about all of this but there is a sense of relief in sharing it.

My instant reaction is don't buy the other 28 people :eek: a present, just tell them you can't afford it and not to buy you or your children anything. We did this when we were penniless students (too may years ago now!), we only bought for our son and our parents and no-one minded. £20 pcm should be more than enough for this.

BLUEWKD

Going back to when I was younger (yeah, a long time ago), my mother had a plan for saving up for Christmas, so she didn't have to spend money all at once. Amazing the little things you remember from childhood.:rotfl: Anyway, what she did is whenever she got any coupons off shoping and used them she put the money in a special place seperate (a piggy bank which cannot be opened unless smasshed):rotfl: . If you look on this site there are places where you can find out which papers, mags etc that offer money off coupons. I know this is a small amount, but it really does add up. I have recently found out about a link which had a coupon for 1 x 4 pack Fosters lager and through a member managed to print out 5 coupons (only supposed to be 1) and now have some drinks towards Christmas. Never know what you will get for free between now and then.
I hope this helps, I know it isn't really big financial advice,but thought
i would post just as an idea

BLUEWKD

Another Idea for gifts is for you to join Valued Opinions Surverys. I get quite a few surveys to fill in and they let you have vouchers for W H Smiths, Dorothy Perkins, Top Shop, M & S, Tesco and various other. The pay out in vouchers of £10, and you do not have to pick the same voucher each time. It doesn't take long to fill them in even though it says it takes 20-30 mins sometimes, really about 10. Link is here

http://www.valuedopinions.co.uk/rewards.aspx

blownalot

To get an idea of the scale of the current payment problems with Quidco please feel free to post details of your outstanding balances here :
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...html?p=6227247

david_hellier

Hi and welcome.

Your situation is not actually that bad and with some careful monitoring should easily come under control.

According to my figures you have £156.70 per week to spend on food, drink, clothes and anything else. I suggest you write this amount in a little note book on a Monday (a spending diary) and keep a note of what you spend/withdraw by deduction and keeping a balance. If you have any over at the end of the week (Sunday) carry it forward to the next Monday.

In my figures I have included an amount towards the OD payoff and a TV licence. You will need to ignore your bank balance (which will go down) with this method; go by your book.

As always do not make any more purchases using a credit card, use a debit card, keeping a record in your book and make fixed payments (never the minimum) using SOs not DDs.

Good luck, the figures:

incomeweeklymonthlyself £ - partner £ 2,190.00 CB £ 163.00 total0.002353.00divide by 4.33 £ 543.00 £ 543.00 total weekly incomespendweeklymonthlyrent/mortgage £ 824.00 council tax £ 106.00 elec £ 56.00 gas £ 59.00 water £ 79.00 secured loans £ - TV licence £ 11.00 fines £ - phone £ 25.00 mob £ 10.00 life £ 49.00 car ins £ 40.00 car tax £ 30.00 parking £ 10.00 petrol £ 190.00 cc £ 100.00 od payoff inc fee £ 70.00 j lewis cc £ 15.00 total0.00 £ 1,674.00 divide by 4.33 £ 386.31 £ 386.31 total weekly spendStart= income - spend = £ 156.70 per week

felicitous

A big thank you for all your advice and tips...I am taking them on board and subsequently feel quite empowered! I will be debt free, not sure when but I will :rolleyes:!

benbenandme

Have you looked at the mystery shopping thread?? Again, it won't earn you millions but a bit extra here and there that you can fit around the school hours (or even take them with you for ome of them). Sometimes it can mean a free meal out or other such treats so you won'r feel like you're missing out on normal stuff but you won't be spending your money Some of them pay you (only a small amount but it all helps) and some you need to purchase something but this i then reimbursed by the company. I tend to buy bits that I can then give as presents and I have a huge box with bits that I hav stashed away throughout the year Last year I managed to do all of ds xmas stocking purely through freebies (see the freebie board) and mystery shopping purchases :T

benbenandme

Forgot to say, I don't think £80 for xmas / birthdays is too much. I sat down and worked out my spend, including mothers day / fathers day / easter etc and mine came to £600 for the year (£50 a month). It is a huge amount of money but a lot of the people I buy for are the most important things in my life and so I don't mind spending on them. Once you have included the odd whipround at work / kids birthday parties from school / wedding etc it is all too easy to spend a high amount like this :rolleyes: I have a spreadsheet set up for my present fund and I know how much I budget for each person / occasion and then each time I get something for my present box I update it and its like a challenge to see how much I can shave off the budgeted figures. This yar I am on track to get everything done for about £450. :T