I want to stop drowning

debtaghh

Morning,

Not much to report today. I will try and aim for a nsd today and do the usual jobs including washing which will then have to go in the tumble dryer. I will re look at my meal plan and try and re do it so I have to spend as little as possible until hubby's next pay day. Will also look st spreadsheet and see how much debt needs reducing to make things more manageable and include savings.

Have a good day everyone.

debtaghh

Well there is my nsd gone already,hubby has just phoned on his way back from work to say we need air in a tyre again so can I get some change for him ready. He thinks we have a slow puncture as he only put air in the other day!

debtaghh

Ok so today def hasn't been a nsd as also needed milk. Has anyone else notice that Morrisons have increased their prices quite a lot?!

I have cancelled a standing order to my ds school it was optional and I have been doing it for years but can't afford it ( I do feel bad though) I've also haggled with my dad the monthly I pay him back and has agreed a £25 reduction.

[Deleted User]

Yay to small victories, reduction in DD and to your dad will help.

Boo to the slow puncture. x

EssexHebridean

If you're paying at the garage every time you need air take a look at Screwfix if you have one locally - they sell a foot pump for vehicle tyres for £5.99. Wouldn't be without our foot pump - and they seem to be pretty indestructible, ours is about 20 years old I think!

enthusiasticsaver

You don't seem to have posted an soa showing the amount of debt you have and how much you are able to reduce it by each month. As you have fallen off the debt wagon a few times by booking unsaved for holidays and taken out new debt I wonder if it is worth you doing this to really get your LBM, difficult though it is to see it in black and white.

It is difficult to comment when we don't know whether your debt is 25% of your annual income or 200%.

debtaghh

EssexHebridean wrote: »

If you're paying at the garage every time you need air take a look at Screwfix if you have one locally - they sell a foot pump for vehicle tyres for £5.99. Wouldn't be without our foot pump - and they seem to be pretty indestructible, ours is about 20 years old I think!

That is such a good idea, thank you as we have a Screw fix round the corner.

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

You don't seem to have posted an soa showing the amount of debt you have and how much you are able to reduce it by each month. As you have fallen off the debt wagon a few times by booking unsaved for holidays and taken out new debt I wonder if it is worth you doing this to really get your LBM, difficult though it is to see it in black and white.

It is difficult to comment when we don't know whether your debt is 25% of your annual income or 200%.

Thanks for your reply, I have tried in the past to post the soa but for some reason my laptop wouldn't transfer it correctly onto here. I admit myself that I think I have my 'lightbulb moment' for a while but then give up. What makes it extremely hard is the amount of debt we have, it's going to take years to pay so feels really hard to think we shouln't do anything in that time.

enthusiasticsaver

debtaghh wrote: »

That is such a good idea, thank you as we have a Screw fix round the corner.



Thanks for your reply, I have tried in the past to post the soa but for some reason my laptop wouldn't transfer it correctly onto here. I admit myself that I think I have my 'lightbulb moment' for a while but then give up. What makes it extremely hard is the amount of debt we have, it's going to take years to pay so feels really hard to think we shouln't do anything in that time.

At least you have done the soa for yourself and yes it is extremely common for those in heavy debt to think to themselves it will be such a long slog why bother chipping away at it.

If you read enough diaries on this forum though you will see it is the ones who do keep chipping away at the debt who are eventually successful in clearing it, difficult though it is.

Being in debt affects so many aspects of people's lives - relationship, health, feeling of self worth that it is worth sticking at it because it does not get easier if you drop by the wayside or even worse keep adding to the debt mountain. . You are vulnerable if sickness or unemployment hits and being retired on a reduced income and still repaying debt is extremely hard.

Your Achilles heel from what you have said is booking holidays so I would suggest you open a holiday savings pot and save for them. That way you preempt going over budget. Realistically though if the debt is huge and you are not paying much over minimums it will not go down significantly until you are earning too. Are you willing to share the amount you owe and update regularly with how much you have reduced by each month in your signature? That is usually very motivating and tends to keep people focused.

debtaghh

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

At least you have done the soa for yourself and yes it is extremely common for those in heavy debt to think to themselves it will be such a long slog why bother chipping away at it.

If you read enough diaries on this forum though you will see it is the ones who do keep chipping away at the debt who are eventually successful in clearing it, difficult though it is.

Being in debt affects so many aspects of people's lives - relationship, health, feeling of self worth that it is worth sticking at it because it does not get easier if you drop by the wayside or even worse keep adding to the debt mountain. . You are vulnerable if sickness or unemployment hits and being retired on a reduced income and still repaying debt is extremely hard.

Your Achilles heel from what you have said is booking holidays so I would suggest you open a holiday savings pot and save for them. That way you preempt going over budget. Realistically though if the debt is huge and you are not paying much over minimums it will not go down significantly until you are earning too. Are you willing to share the amount you owe and update regularly with how much you have reduced by each month in your signature? That is usually very motivating and tends to keep people focused.

I have several spreadsheets that I look at daily including one showing all our debt and one showing how much we pay off each month ( this one is new). I'm not saying sod it, it's not worth clearing I just mean it's hard to not ever do anything because of the debt. I'm trying to save for things including Christmas, car, emergencies and holidays but at the min we literally can't afford to be saving for these but we do have some already saved. I have all holiday money saved and put aside on top of these savings and have been making lots of small payments on top of the minimums this month to try and clear more. I've cleared £968 since the 20th May and hoping to reach £1k by next week.

I also agree about debt affecting your health, I have depression and have done for years, it effects me physically , I have pain in my head linked to stress on a regular basis so please believe me that I want this debt gone hence why I've started this back up.

debtaghh

We currently have Sky ( we cancelled last year but they then offered us a really good deal a few days before the cancellation finalised) anyway I'm officially cancelling it tomorrow as I have taken up the BT offer on here with £150 back. We pay £35 to Sky now but it will be £23.99 with BT ( plus £150 back) and will get now tv for the channels we get with Sky (9.99 for kids and entertainment) so only a monthly saving of £1 but we will be getting £150 back, we got a now tv box for free and have 3 months of free passes so won't start paying for it until Sep which is a £30 saving.

Tomorrow's list:

Cancel Sky
Change spreadsheets with new info
Chase hospital for ds and dd's blood results
Make scones to use clotted cream