It's all unravelling

youngandreckless

Hi All,

As some of you know I've been a fairly regular poster recently and until a few weeks ago all was going well.

My overdraft has managed to get back to around £900! This is partly my own fault. A look at my bank records have shown that I got complacent and lazy about my spending - £20 here and there really adds up. I also had a very poorly cat on my hands - uninsured - so the vet has cost me around £250! I've been on holiday and spent a fortune mostly on petrol with very little contribution from those I ferried around and I just couldn't find a way to broach it with them, so just switched it all.

I'm scared at how quickly it's all gone wrong. I now face a slog to pay it off, yet again any savings I had have to be thrown at a debt and I'm fed up with it all.

I know what I have to do, but I can't seem to stick with it and I know I don't deserve sympathy, but it has been so hard to manage on my own - coming out of a relationship has hit me hard in many ways, but I never realised the financial nightmare I'd face aswell. Two salaries are better than one.

If there is anything anyone can suggest I'd be grateful, I'm at the end of my tether.

Y&R x

debtbuster2K5

Hi Y&R,

I think, you need to put all this into perspective. As you said, things have been going Ok until just recently. Put this down to experience. Everybody suffers blips along the way. The important thing is finding a way to stop what has happened happening again.

The best practical advice I can give, is to sit down and trawl through your budget again, and start thinking about putting some money aside for the emergencies you have recently encountered. This may of course mean you pay off your debts slightly slower, but it is probably better to do that than ride a rollercoaster of emotions, and feel as if you have failed when things like this hit home.

Also, be really careful not to become complacent with money again, ie spending £20 here and there. But you know that................Dont you

All the best

youngandreckless

Thanks Debtbuster that was just what I needed, I'm on a holiday comedown which isn't helping I suppose.
I'll keep you posted, off to do some number crunching xx

Willsnarf1983

the good thing is that u realised before it escalted into alot more debt and are willing to change it around, everyone needs a break now and again and the fact that ur cat was ill was unfortuanate. If u can put some money away each month in an easy accesible savings account for the future such as the poor incidents as ur cat.

Also get money of the people that u ferry around before the holiday next time, just make it clear u don't mind driving but some money wudn't go amiss


Will

Dammam

And I hope your cat is well now.

youngandreckless

Hi All,

Thanks you are right, my politeness has cost me money! I suppose I just felt awkward in broaching it and you're right doing it before would have saved all the bother.
I'm happy to say that the cat is back to full health and I have a form for insurance to avoid this again, it shouldn't cost more than a tenner a month.
I should be able to clear £100 a month of the overdraft and save £50 a month for emergencies, fingers crossed it will do the trick xx

James240

Keep going youngand reckless, you can do it and you know u can! i find myself in these situations sometime and it is a case of perservering and just ploughing through it, there will always be blips as Debtbuster said. But thats all part of life so dont worry. You look like you have got a game plan now and you will be on top of it in no time :T :j

Good luck mate

James

ceegee

Y&R, don't fret....as has been said...we all suffer from blips along the way. The important thing is to see what lessons you can learn from each blip and put those lessons to good use for the future!

You'll get there.......there's living breathing proof on this very website that it can be done. And remember that there is always plenty of support on here!

ceegee

Downsizing__for_sanity

Next time, could you be tactful and say something like, "I'd love to drive you there, but unfortunately I'm nearly out of petrol and can't afford to fill up till the end of the month." They'll probably offer straight away! You'll probably find that many non-drivers don't even think about how much it costs to fill up - I know I didn't until I learnt to drive!

DFS

ceegee

Downsizing__for_sanity wrote:

You'll probably find that many non-drivers don't even think about how much it costs to fill up - I know I didn't until I learnt to drive!

DFS

How true!! Looking back (isn't hindsight great :rolleyes: !), I was so used to paying for bus, train and coach tickets, that it seemed as if making a journey by car cost nothing at all!!!!!

Now, however, every journey I make is costed out at 15 pence per mile, never mind the wear and tear on my poor old tyres etc! :eek:

loubie_lou

Reduce your overdraft limit once it gets to a certain level! Pay £100 in a month. Reduce it by £100 a month. That way you know you can't go over it and tell you mates to cough up! I make my boyfriend do that!!