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Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally
Comments
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£45 a week is obscene. That's £180 a month for some months. How can they justify that? I wouldn't say you were a heavy user based on how much you have been saving and sorting and not even putting your heating on. xSeptember 2017 Debt = £25330
Starting afresh.
You can do anything if you put your mind to it. x0 -
carbootcrazy wrote: »I like Lakeland too, their products are top quality and their customer service is second to none. Lovely people to deal with. I used to shop with them decades ago via the mail order catalogue when they were simply Lakeland Plastics and didn't have all their retail stores apart from the Windermere one. I have to confess to being a real Lakeland addict back in the day when I had money (or rather a walletfull of plastic:o). I think there's a saying 'buy cheap, buy twice' but that could never apply to Lakeland's goods. I'm still using items bought in the 1980s and there's still plenty of life in them yet:j
I know you get what you pay for but their ranges are out of my reach these days:o and I do think some of them are very overpriced. I still buy from them occasionally when they have a sale on and need to replace something that I can't manage without, that's why they keep sending me their emailed latest offers. I'm still pondering on that hand warmer though, could be money well spent;)
We had the heating on for a while last night too:j. The house seems to be freezing once the sun (though we haven't even seen it for a couple of days:() goes down. It's an old detached house without cavity walls and the inside of the walls is really cold to the touch even in summer. I don't think being so cold is very healthy at our age although OH says he's never cold anyway whatever the weather.
Lakeland does some nice things but can be overpriced. I love the Jasper Conran homeware range at Debenh@ms but can only afford it if it's in a sale.
You do have to be careful not to get too cold when you're older Carboot. Do you have any thermals? I'm a fan of warm blankets and fingerless cashmere goves for indoor use.Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally
Debt in July 2017 = £58,766 😱 DEBT FREE 31 OCTOBER 2017 :T 🎉
EMERGENCY FUND 1 = £50/£5,000. EMERGENCY FUND 2 = £10/£5,000.
CHRISTMAS SAVINGS = £0/£500. SEF = £1,400/£12,000 PREMIUM BONDS ME = £350. PREMIUM BONDS DH = £300.
HOLIDAY MONEY = £0 TIME LEFT TO PAY OFF MORTGAGE = 5 YEARS 1 MONTHS0 -
HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »Debt does make you feel ill with stress
.
Couldn't agree more.
Strange how once SC were helping me the stress seemed to almost vanish even though I still had an obscene amount of debt. It really went against the grain to admit failure and seek help, I tend to be one of life's copers. I felt I'd been useless at something as basic as managing my own money but really there are thousands in the same boat and it's really nothing to be ashamed of.
People like you and I should feel proud of ourselves for doing the decent thing and repaying what we owed rather than walking away from the debt via bankruptcy or something similar. I'm not criticising those who go down that route, I just know I'd never have forgiven myself if I hadn't repaid what I owed. After all, no one made me borrow money and use credit. I do feel lenders have something to answer for though by forever upping credit limits once accounts were maxed out:eek:. They prey on the desperate and make a bad situation infinitely worse.0 -
£45 a week is obscene. That's £180 a month for some months. How can they justify that? I wouldn't say you were a heavy user based on how much you have been saving and sorting and not even putting your heating on. x
I don't know how they came up with that figure :mad:. I don't believe we're using more than last year. Especially as DS3 moved out a month ago and he had his light and laptop on all day, used the oven at lunchtime (which I never do) and had an hour long shower every day :eek:.
Anyway since I got the email I haven't used the tumbler, we haven't had the heating on since last winter, and I've been having less lights on.
If I give weekly meter readings they will surely realise we're not using that much. I will ring them though as soon as someone pays as and we've caught up with our existing payments.
The first higher payment is due on 8 November.Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally
Debt in July 2017 = £58,766 😱 DEBT FREE 31 OCTOBER 2017 :T 🎉
EMERGENCY FUND 1 = £50/£5,000. EMERGENCY FUND 2 = £10/£5,000.
CHRISTMAS SAVINGS = £0/£500. SEF = £1,400/£12,000 PREMIUM BONDS ME = £350. PREMIUM BONDS DH = £300.
HOLIDAY MONEY = £0 TIME LEFT TO PAY OFF MORTGAGE = 5 YEARS 1 MONTHS0 -
carbootcrazy wrote: »Couldn't agree more.
Strange how once SC were helping me the stress seemed to almost vanish even though I still had an obscene amount of debt. It really went against the grain to admit failure and seek help, I tend to be one of life's copers. I felt I'd been useless at something as basic as managing my own money but really there are thousands in the same boat and it's really nothing to be ashamed of.
People like you and I should feel proud of ourselves for doing the decent thing and repaying what we owed rather than walking away from the debt via bankruptcy or something similar. I'm not criticising those who go down that route, I just know I'd never have forgiven myself if I hadn't repaid what I owed. After all, no one made me borrow money and use credit. I do feel lenders have something to answer for though by forever upping credit limits once accounts were maxed out:eek:. They prey on the desperate and make a bad situation infinitely worse.
We only repaid half of what we owed (as full and final offers), but I reckon the 50% we didn't pay was all interest.
I know what you mean though, Carboot. We're the ones who spent the money so we should repay it.
I'm glad we didn't pay the interest thoughas our creditors did encourage us to take out more and more credit, and kept raising our credit limit without telling us :mad:.
I am proud of being debt free now and intend to stay that way.
Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally
Debt in July 2017 = £58,766 😱 DEBT FREE 31 OCTOBER 2017 :T 🎉
EMERGENCY FUND 1 = £50/£5,000. EMERGENCY FUND 2 = £10/£5,000.
CHRISTMAS SAVINGS = £0/£500. SEF = £1,400/£12,000 PREMIUM BONDS ME = £350. PREMIUM BONDS DH = £300.
HOLIDAY MONEY = £0 TIME LEFT TO PAY OFF MORTGAGE = 5 YEARS 1 MONTHS0 -
carbootcrazy wrote: »Couldn't agree more.
People like you and I should feel proud of ourselves for doing the decent thing and repaying what we owed rather than walking away from the debt via bankruptcy or something similar. I'm not criticising those who go down that route, I just know I'd never have forgiven myself if I hadn't repaid what I owed. After all, no one made me borrow money and use credit. I do feel lenders have something to answer for though by forever upping credit limits once accounts were maxed out:eek:. They prey on the desperate and make a bad situation infinitely worse.
I think they make it so easy to get into debt. I was 23 with a mortgage of £967 a month. A car payment of £151 a month and was being offered credit left right and centre when I could just about make the payments. Considering I was on 15k a year, I could just afford half of the bills with my partner at the time never mind the rest. xSeptember 2017 Debt = £25330
Starting afresh.
You can do anything if you put your mind to it. x0 -
HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »You do have to be careful not to get too cold when you're older Carboot. Do you have any thermals? I'm a fan of warm blankets and fingerless cashmere goves for indoor use.
Yes, I have plenty of thermals although they've been worn and washed so often I think they're wearing a bit thin:eek:. Maybe I need to replace some of them but this time of year is probably the worst time to look for bargains, I should have thought about it in the summer when sales were on:o
I keep thinking of the former Chancellor George Osborne's mantra about fixing the roof when the sun is shining:rotfl:
I was wondering how guests to your home fare if it's so cold. Does your stepdad mind the cold when he comes for a meal or is he frugal with his heating too? My Mum used to have her home like a hothouse, even I couldn't bear it and I like to be warm. I expect my idea of 'warm' after living in a virtual icebox, and hers were poles apart:rotfl:. She hadn't visited us for years prior to her death, she wouldn't have coped for 5 minutes here:eek:0 -
HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »We only repaid half of what we owed (as full and final offers), but I reckon the 50% we didn't pay was all interest.
I know what you mean though, Carboot. We're the ones who spent the money so we should repay it.
I'm glad we didn't pay the interest thoughas our creditors did encourage us to take out more and more credit, and kept raising our credit limit without telling us :mad:.
I am proud of being debt free now and intend to stay that way.
You should be so so proud xSeptember 2017 Debt = £25330
Starting afresh.
You can do anything if you put your mind to it. x0 -
I think they make it so easy to get into debt. I was 23 with a mortgage of £967 a month. A car payment of £151 a month and was being offered credit left right and centre when I could just about make the payments. Considering I was on 15k a year, I could just afford half of the bills with my partner at the time never mind the rest. x
They do make it too easy to get into debt. They never look at affordability or what your outgoings are :mad:. Most people have no financial education so are easy targets :mad:.Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally
Debt in July 2017 = £58,766 😱 DEBT FREE 31 OCTOBER 2017 :T 🎉
EMERGENCY FUND 1 = £50/£5,000. EMERGENCY FUND 2 = £10/£5,000.
CHRISTMAS SAVINGS = £0/£500. SEF = £1,400/£12,000 PREMIUM BONDS ME = £350. PREMIUM BONDS DH = £300.
HOLIDAY MONEY = £0 TIME LEFT TO PAY OFF MORTGAGE = 5 YEARS 1 MONTHS0 -
carbootcrazy wrote: »Yes, I have plenty of thermals although they've been worn and washed so often I think they're wearing a bit thin:eek:. Maybe I need to replace some of them but this time of year is probably the worst time to look for bargains, I should have thought about it in the summer when sales were on:o
I keep thinking of the former Chancellor George Osborne's mantra about fixing the roof when the sun is shining:rotfl:
I was wondering how guests to your home fare if it's so cold. Does your stepdad mind the cold when he comes for a meal or is he frugal with his heating too? My Mum used to have her home like a hothouse, even I couldn't bear it and I like to be warm. I expect my idea of 'warm' after living in a virtual icebox, and hers were poles apart:rotfl:. She hadn't visited us for years prior to her death, she wouldn't have coped for 5 minutes here:eek:
We don't have many visitors apart from stepdad and he's a bit like your OH.
Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally
Debt in July 2017 = £58,766 😱 DEBT FREE 31 OCTOBER 2017 :T 🎉
EMERGENCY FUND 1 = £50/£5,000. EMERGENCY FUND 2 = £10/£5,000.
CHRISTMAS SAVINGS = £0/£500. SEF = £1,400/£12,000 PREMIUM BONDS ME = £350. PREMIUM BONDS DH = £300.
HOLIDAY MONEY = £0 TIME LEFT TO PAY OFF MORTGAGE = 5 YEARS 1 MONTHS0
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