First Steps to Solvency

warby68

@alt80
Really glad to hear about the money going on the cards.
At least you know yourself enough to make the payments immediately. I think the rewards might start to come when you get the first thing cleared and a payment drops away.
The problem with your definition of yourself as a 'car guy' is for you that means the most expensive toys. There are plenty of 'car guys' who get joy from cars at all different budget levels. Its become tied up to your need to spend and have 'the best' as much as it is to being about cars. 
If you drove about in a van day to day for work, you could probably have at least one 'dream' on the drive at any one time without undue difficulty. 
Opening up to different measures and ways to achieve a good life on the available income will be what saves you, not the enforced payment of debt. Make the exercise and family time your number one priorities for a month - diary it in, turn the phone off. Make it happen. Solitary building of cars online isn't good for you. That will be and you know it already.

clairebeth

Yes! Make the workouts a daily thing! I can totally understand why your wife would love this to be something you do together! My hubby and I both go to the gym every day, but we can't go together because of the kids, so he goes at 5am and I go after school drop off or after night shift. It's such a fun and motivating thing for couples to do, and also a bit competitive because at the moment I'm lifting more than him!

It would help the sleep too! Up early, workout together, breakfast together!  And usually have better sex together!

What's not to love? 

RelievedSheff

ryanm8655 said:

RelievedSheff said:

Daft as it sounds we had a 54 plate mini diesel and it was a fantastic driving car.

I had a new Cooper S some years back, was a lot of fun. Though also a foolish financial decision... 

I’d have one again for sure. Though I’d rather spend the money on something second hand and cooler these days. Was great for London though and would average over 40MPG despite being pretty nippy/fun.

We think we are going to replace my knackered old Nissan Almera with a Cooper S. I don't do many miles so don't need a sensible car. 

enthusiasticsaver

Finding something else to do with your time is crucial. Hobbies rarely give you a high but once you get into them they can provide you with hours of enjoyment and satisfaction. I always loved walking but when I retired I set myself the challenge of walking the South West Coast Path. The challenge of climbing the cliff paths (not for people who don't like hills) is exhilarating when you reach the top. I can now do 10-15 miles constantly up and down hills so am much fitter and I have explored the little coves and villages. Exhilarating and therapeutic and except for travel costs nothing. Can you set yourself a challenge like training for a race if you are in to cycling or running or fell walking depending on where you live? Just find something that interests you that doesn't cost thousands or mean acquiring stuff. 

ryanm8655

enthusiasticsaver said:

Finding something else to do with your time is crucial. Hobbies rarely give you a high but once you get into them they can provide you with hours of enjoyment and satisfaction. I always loved walking but when I retired I set myself the challenge of walking the South West Coast Path. The challenge of climbing the cliff paths (not for people who don't like hills) is exhilarating when you reach the top. I can now do 10-15 miles constantly up and down hills so am much fitter and I have explored the little coves and villages. Exhilarating and therapeutic and except for travel costs nothing. Can you set yourself a challenge like training for a race if you are in to cycling or running or fell walking depending on where you live? Just find something that interests you that doesn't cost thousands or mean acquiring stuff. 

That’s a good shout. Make it a public commitment and do it for charity so that you have that accountability. I did it with the London Marathon in order to give me something positive to focus on at a low point. I ended up really enjoying the training and miss parts of it (not so much the long runs). I found the accountability made a huge difference, I didn’t want to be the flop that said I’d do something and then pulled out.  

@alt80 didn’t you have a health scare? Could you do the marathon for a relevant charity? The ballot just opened. I’ve entered even though I swore I’d never do it again. Getting a charity place is reasonably straight forward if you have a smaller charity you have a connection to. I got my last place through a charity but would feel bad asking friends to donate again... The training would be well timed with the move back to London though so would be a good distraction for me if I did get a ballot place.

RelievedSheff

alt80 said:

Checked the yolt app and done the sums -
£140 entertainment left.
£370 groceries left.
£120 petrol left both cars full of petrol.

Insurance and tax for RR 20/21 paid for and car insurance/ tax/ servicing, buildings / contents cover, life assurance for the month now transferred to savings - first time for everything lol.

7 days into the month and you have used over half your entertainment budget and almost half of your groceries budget.

You will need to budget carefully for the rest of month if you are not going to overspend.

enthusiasticsaver

That is a great idea Ryan to sign up for a challenge for a charity. As you say it makes you accountable.  Kudos to you for running the London Marathon.  I can walk but not a great runner although my current gym programme includes interval training with running and I am enjoying that so you never know I might get into it.  After I have done the SW Coast path I want to do the Macmillan mighty hike and I think that is about 26 miles too and raises money for charity. Walking not running though LOL. 

enthusiasticsaver

RelievedSheff said:

alt80 said:

Checked the yolt app and done the sums -
£140 entertainment left.
£370 groceries left.
£120 petrol left both cars full of petrol.

Insurance and tax for RR 20/21 paid for and car insurance/ tax/ servicing, buildings / contents cover, life assurance for the month now transferred to savings - first time for everything lol.

7 days into the month and you have used over half your entertainment budget and almost half of your groceries budget.

You will need to budget carefully for the rest of month if you are not going to overspend.

I noticed that too although I think @alt80 resets his budget on 25th of the month so he would be about half way through his budget cycle. 

purplehippo276

Read this on Instagram today @alt80, about how you can’t out earn a broken relationship with money and immediately thought of you - felt it might resonate with you - https://www.instagram.com/p/CGFNW90FT7r/?igshid=tcicppsf3iuo. It’s a great account to follow from someone also on a debt free journey. 

clairebeth

purplehippo276 said:

Read this on Instagram today @alt80, about how you can’t out earn a broken relationship with money and immediately thought of you - felt it might resonate with you - https://www.instagram.com/p/CGFNW90FT7r/?igshid=tcicppsf3iuo. It’s a great account to follow from someone also on a debt free journey. 

I was just coming here to share exactly the same thing!  I thought of @alt80 immediately!

One thing to do tonight is to continue to unfollow some car accounts and replace them with accounts that might subtly begin to change your mindset. Finance ones, positive thinking ones, people living planet friendly lives?