Making changes to become debt free

Honeysucklelou2

Hi Poppy

Re presents, can you give in different ways e.g. Make a birthday cake / batch of brownies/ print off a photograph and frame it etc Do you have time to perhaps grow a gift?

Poppy1984

savingholmes wrote: »

HI Poppy

On the days you feel no-one is reading - look at the total views versus replies at the top of your diary - you are on 642 views... people are reading - but we call it lurking... as they don't comment.

Have you looked at the Make £10 a day challenge for other ideas on how to increase your income? It is better than basically staring at your debts and wishing they would disappear. You will get through this. I use the £10 a day challenge to help fund things that otherwise might be seen as luxuries eg presents etc. I still think you need to be careful how much you spend on presents - but must admit I have never stopped giving. My love language is giving and I would struggle to stop anyway. I do crafts though and make some of my presents.

There is a celebrations board with brilliant ideas on low cost presents. You tube is also full of low cost ideas on things you could make. You can make an effort and it not cost the earth and people won't mind too much. I had a friend with 8 kids - her kids rarely bought mine a present but it wasn't noticeable to other people as they always came with a card which could have had money in it - just usually didn't....

Aw thank you I never thought of that, I just felt a bit silly talking to myself but its keeping me accountable anyway, regardless of if anyone reads or not.
I love the idea of giving things that I have made. Its one of my friends birthdays next week actually and I think I am going to make her some cookies.

Poppy1984

Honeysucklelou2 wrote: »

Hi Poppy

Re presents, can you give in different ways e.g. Make a birthday cake / batch of brownies/ print off a photograph and frame it etc Do you have time to perhaps grow a gift?

Yes love these ideas! Definitely going to do this thank you

Poppy1984

Its been a busy weekend so I haven't had much time to post on here.
I went to Aldi for my shopping on Friday my weekly budget is £50 for all food, toiletries and house products for the week. It came to £46 and I got LOADS!
I've done a menu plan so I'm sorted for the week ahead but I also think if I'm clever with how I use things I should be able to get a fairly cheap week next week maybe £30 rather than £50.
I do need washing powder and softener though which is the most expensive thing as me and DS can only use fairy as we both have allergies and its the only thing that we can use I've tried all the cheaper ones and its just not worth it for our health.

Mumoffourkids

Hi Poppy,

I must admit I have lurked a few times on your diary but I thought its nice to know that someone else is reading so I am saying hello :wave:.

I am on my own with six kids and have debt but I have a lot less debt than I did when I first started. I've had a bit of luck but I've also been focused on my money and not spending money for the sake of it. I have a budget for everything including general spending money each week. Most of the time I don't end up using my money so it was going towards my debts but now is going towards saving for our holiday this year.

I have also been selling loads of stuff around the house which has helped to reduce my debts. It has also helped to declutter my house a lot which was getting me down as I seemed to have stuff everywhere. I know there will come a time where I will run out of things to sell but by then my debts should be a lot lower and once they are gone, I am saving for a deposit for a house.

Keep going and remember as OneBrokeLady said, two pounds off a debt is still two pounds less than what you did owe. If you managed to pay £2 off a day in February that would be £56 off and I bet you wouldn't miss that £2 a day.

Also when my daughter left junior school last summer, I couldn't afford big presents for her teacher and teaching assistants so I got a keyring made for each of them which cost me £2.50 and then we made them home made chocolate fudge and put in little bags. I hope they enjoyed them and it was a bit more personal than a best teacher mug.

By the way the fudge is really easy to make but it is moreish!!

Poppy1984

Mumoffourkids wrote: »

Hi Poppy,

I must admit I have lurked a few times on your diary but I thought its nice to know that someone else is reading so I am saying hello :wave:.

I am on my own with six kids and have debt but I have a lot less debt than I did when I first started. I've had a bit of luck but I've also been focused on my money and not spending money for the sake of it. I have a budget for everything including general spending money each week. Most of the time I don't end up using my money so it was going towards my debts but now is going towards saving for our holiday this year.

I have also been selling loads of stuff around the house which has helped to reduce my debts. It has also helped to declutter my house a lot which was getting me down as I seemed to have stuff everywhere. I know there will come a time where I will run out of things to sell but by then my debts should be a lot lower and once they are gone, I am saving for a deposit for a house.

Keep going and remember as OneBrokeLady said, two pounds off a debt is still two pounds less than what you did owe. If you managed to pay £2 off a day in February that would be £56 off and I bet you wouldn't miss that £2 a day.

Also when my daughter left junior school last summer, I couldn't afford big presents for her teacher and teaching assistants so I got a keyring made for each of them which cost me £2.50 and then we made them home made chocolate fudge and put in little bags. I hope they enjoyed them and it was a bit more personal than a best teacher mug.

By the way the fudge is really easy to make but it is moreish!!

Hiya, I've read your diary too! I am one of these that gets a bit shy posting on busy threads as Im not sure what I have to say is valid so end up just lurking and reading more than anything but now I have an account I'm going to start replying a it more.


I love making fudge! I'm def going to get into making presents now that I'm going to have to tell friends I cant buy or give them money anymore.

Poppy1984

Just found out I'm getting £40 this week, its an advance for something that'll take me a few months to earn but since I'm getting it in advance and I was only expecting £10 I'm going to pay it straight off my Next account!
Busy doing surveys but only getting the odd one here and there, still £1 is better than nothing. I've got £13.45 on Valued opinions so tempting to cash out at £15.50 for a £15 amazon voucher but I'm going to resit temptation and keep going until Oct/Nov time and use whatever I've earned to cash out for amazon vouchers to spend on Xmas presents for DS. Id be thrilled if I could earn enough for £60/£70 worth of amazon vouchers in that time.

Poppy1984

I actually received £50 so I have paid it straight off my Next account bringing it to £350
No interest in the item I've listen but I'm hopefully it will at least make £50 and take my next account to £300

Mumoffourkids

Just post away on my diary if you feel like it. All advice us welcome!

And well done on the extra money and paying straight off your next account. I don't do many surveys now as they tend to bore me. The only one I really do is prolific. I am up to almost £14 on there, trying to get to £20 so I can cash out and put into savings. Then I get Amazon vouchers from the receipt apps and I am getting closer to one of them. They are easy and don't take much to do each day with my receipts.

Hopefully the item you listed will make money so you can pay off your next account. I keep refreshing my eBay to see if anything has changed :rotfl:

Poppy1984

There!!!8217;s nothing much I can do at the minute. Apart from stick to my budget and hold on till pay day (15th)
I!!!8217;m still doing surveys. Menu planning seems to be working and I!!!8217;ve done loads of batch cooking so freezer is becoming nicely stocked with meals.
I could do with going through all my cupboards and making a note of what I already have and trying to have a cheap weekly shop this week. I don!!!8217;t feel very motivated to do that right at this minute though. No interest in the item I!!!8217;m trying to sell yet, but hopefully I will get some soon