My SOA

tealady

A tip I picked up from a colleague for the loo is what they called the rule of 3. Basically you cannot get to 3 when you go, so thats 2 number 1's or one number 2 (if you get my drift). You an use a coat hanger to hold the float up in the loo so it doesnt fill from the mains and just fill the cistern with rain water before you flush. Alternatively half a bucket of water for the ones, use the flush for the twos (more power you see)
Hope that makes sense.

In_Search_Of_Me

evening & welcome! A few tips that may help...re the loo you could just put a brick in the cistern to save flush & dont flush every time (unless you do a poo obviously!)...when shopping make sure that you start to look at what things cost - ie I saved a quid on loo paper by switching brands and wouldnt even have noticed, swapped to tesco own red bull and save another quid...all those quids add up! Spending diaries are a great way of seeing where you waste money although I seem to have a tendency to rebel against them! Re the sky package I switched to the ree channels that virgin do so get some etra packages (incl film 4 etc) but dont pay...also have a hunt at the factsheets & see if you're getting the best electric etc & if you switch go through a moneyback site...also use tesco points for things like rac cover, mag sibscriptions (a great pressie!) and never actually but stuff with them! Look at non essential items (newspaper etc) & start cutting back and you really will be amazed at how much less you live on! Its not about being a monk but getting the most for your money! Bread maker is a great one & batch cooked soups which you can freeze & take to work plus women will LOVE that...a man who can cook!! stuntman is already realising the benefits me thinks!! Do you have room for 2 lodgers, although saying that I think there is a threshold before you oay tax but somene on housing boards may know....good luck & keep is posted!

philwantstobedebtfree

Many thanks for your tips ISOM i am going to be checking out my prices for elec and gas and using a cash back site as you suggested. unfortunately i don't have the room for two lodgers but i would then be over the tax free limit so unfortunately its a no go.

So i have good news and bad news

Bad news first i am ill and off work but its no big deal i can make my hours up so meh

Good news is i have been very productive from my sofa wrapped in a duvet

So i called Virgin ref my phone bband and tv and at the first mention of the words "considering switching to sky" i managed to get £10.50 off my bill and they even bumped my broadband speed up,

I Made up a menu (with the help of the old style board thankyou guys) for the week including lunch and then price checked it all on tesco and worked out i can feed myself for £47 a month but i am a realist and know that i will over spend so have allowed for food and household items a total of £80, i know i could do it cheaper and i am starting a spending diary and looking very closely at what i buy but compared to £200 a month i think £80 is a damn good start.

I completed my last balance transfer onto 0%

and last but not least i phoned vodafone unfortunately i am contracted until july and not feb like i thought doh but i did manage to knock £23 pound off my bill a month (more than half) so i'll take a small victory there

so that was pretty much my day saved 155.50 a month so well chuffed i hope you all had a good one too

thanks again for all your ideas, i'm off to see if i can save some money on the utilities

Phil

lindens

Hey what a great start!:T
And remember Rome wasnt built in a day. Just take small steps. you will feel soooo good about each bit of progress you make you will become DFW addicts like us :rotfl:

philwantstobedebtfree

Thanks Lindens,

well i know everyday won't be like this but its been so good to make such an impact in just over 24 hours to top it all off i just switched my gas and elec should save around £190 a year and got £61 cash back to boot

if anyone is doing what i did and hovered around this forum and site doing a little bit here and there too embarrased to stick up an SOA stop what your doing get all your numbers together and stick up your SOA i am kicking myself for not doing this earlier the people here are great and may just give you the stones to do something you wouldn't do (that was the first time i ever phoned someone and said i am leaving unless you make it cheaper i am definately not one for confrontation, i felt myself going red and embarrased as i said it and i wasn't even face to face with anyone).

thanks again all

Phil