Keeping it up...how?

facingthefuture

I started good at the end of January but this week has been a raving disaster!Sometimes I just get so fed up being so broke and ended up doing things like going out to a restaurant and even buying a pair of shoes!!!!How do you stay good and focused? I have a pile of paperwork needs serious attention and her I am doing this....it makes me feel sick(the paperwork, this site is great).
One thing though, I owed my sis £80 but she called me tonight and said if I drive her to the airport at 6am thats us even. (4 hour journey)I'm delighted, gotta go and buy fuel though. Still that will be one less bill...
Children return to school on Monday so I can start serious moneysaving/making again then. OK, what do you think....some ebay, please give this proverbial @rse a kick.;)

ebno

I make it my "mission" to be a cheapskate. The only way you will stick to it is if you actually enjoy it- you have to learn to love saving money. It also helps to stay focused if you have a clean area, like a desk or even better an office, where you can sit down and plan out your finances.

thevinternet

Hi facingthefuture,

Try not to be too hard on yourself, after all we all learn from our mistakes and I'm sure we all fall off the bandwagon now and again.

Even though I should be saving every penny, I still like to treat myself to a coffee once a week or a pair of new (but Primark!) knickers to keep me sane.

Also the way I avoid big purchases is by thinking about how I'd feel if I could see them in the hands of a bailiff, being lifted out of my house and how embarrassed I'd be. Basically my LBM came with the threat of bailiffs, so that thought keeps me on track!!

Finally my top tip is take all the money out you need for a few days from the bank, then leave your debit card at home. Some people even put theirs in the freezer in a mug of water, so it's hard to get at quickly but you can after an hour or so if you really really need it.

Hope that helps - chin up, you'll get there!!

V xxx

Lorne

kick! Consider it done.

It is hard to stay on the wagon, we set ourself monthly tasks of how much we want to have saved or paid off. Keeps us very task orientated and when you have got a clear goal I find it really hard to go shopping. Keep going, it will all be really worth it and don't cut yourself up over the shoes, enjoy them!

facingthefuture

thevinternet wrote: »

Hi facingthefuture,

Try not to be too hard on yourself, after all we all learn from our mistakes and I'm sure we all fall off the bandwagon now and again.

Even though I should be saving every penny, I still like to treat myself to a coffee once a week or a pair of new (but Primark!) knickers to keep me sane.

Also the way I avoid big purchases is by thinking about how I'd feel if I could see them in the hands of a bailiff, being lifted out of my house and how embarrassed I'd be. Basically my LBM came with the threat of bailiffs, so that thought keeps me on track!!
Great way to think, I will def think this in future!

Finally my top tip is take all the money out you need for a few days from the bank, then leave your debit card at home. Some people even put theirs in the freezer in a mug of water, so it's hard to get at quickly but you can after an hour or so if you really really need it.
Brilliant, lol will try this out. I have my own version, I loose mine in the house frequently.

Thanks for this. Much appreciated.

Lorne, I felt that kick! Seriously will get back to it, I know its worth it.

thevinternet

facingthefuture wrote: »

Thanks for this. Much appreciated.

Lorne, I felt that kick! Seriously will get back to it, I know its worth it.

It is definitely worth it. It's just hard to imagine such a long time into the future for me!! But I know I'll get there - you will too.

Big hugs,
V xx

Candy0107

Hi if you want to treat yourself to something, could you use a 'reward card' for example, a really expensive shower gel/bubble bath from Boots paid using your Advantage card. Then you are still getting the treat, without paying for it.

Or, how about starting a sealed pot, or a penny jar. There is a seperate thread for the sealed pot challenge. I have a pink and white spotty terramundi, and I am aiming to fill it with at least £300 by 01.12.2008.

Hope this helps.

Cornishpixie_2

Hi, I can sympathise I have similar problems with kids off school till tuesday! so have to look for cheaper options, it is not easy, I look for cheaper options re doing things with kids, don't always go out everyday. I have tried to increase my freetime without them this week. Yest went early morning run, then last night a short walk when hubby came back after feding them all ofcourse. Money troubles were getting to me. I am hoping won't be forever.Love relaxing and reading good book. Good luck.

WorkingHardDFW

Hi

Just wanted to say that I have trouble staying positive as well. When I stand back and look at the figures I can see that the last six months has seen really positive progress.

But I also can be very here and now and this gets me down quite a lot.

Although we've both been paid this month our our budgets are so tight that everypenny counts. I've just been around Tesco knowing there was £8 in the account so no wine this weekend . Now I know thats not a hardship really but it feels like we don't go out, don't have many luxuries and at times can't afford a bottle of wine. Thats when i find it hard.

During this holiday my kids have had one day out (MSE way) and done lots of free things but I still feel guilty when they're friends are going away to exoctic or snowy places for some of the hoidays. Thats when I find it hard.

How do I keep going -

• trying to focus on the small steps forward we take every month,
• keeping our DFD in mind (since I reviewed the snowball our date has jumped forward to 11/09) and counting down to it (19 months to go),
• getting a buzz out of paying something off a debt,
• getting a buzz from staying within a budget,
• knowing as the grip of debt on our family loosens that the budgets can become slightly more generous,
• knowing that to give our family the secure future we have to go through this pain
• knowing that we are living within our means (living beyond our means was what got us into debt in the first place)

All that said I do find it really hard, quite often daily, but like one of the previous posters I try to take my 'anger' out by running or similar which helps me see the positives, of which there are lots, in my life :cool:

getting-sorted-sarah

For me, it helps to make things a challenge and get a teeny bit obsessive - which is why I joined the Grocery Challenge - where we have excited conversations about how little we spent - you just couldn't do that in the 'real world' - hooray for MSE!

I really agree about having treats - you have to otherwise you feel deprived - and then you feel guilty for feeling deprived, as you are in debt and anyway loads of other people are worse off.... and then you feel really rubbish and blow some money on a meal out or whatever!

I use Tesco vouchers for days out (Longleat etc last year, and this year a holiday in France!!) and vouchers earnt from surveys etc (see my sig) for meals out and other treats - that way I don't feel bad for spending, and the kids get to go out a bit - even though they roll their eyes when I'm checking which restaurants accept Leisure Vouchers!

ltm07

facingthefuture wrote: »

I started good at the end of January but this week has been a raving disaster!Sometimes I just get so fed up being so broke and ended up doing things like going out to a restaurant and even buying a pair of shoes!!!!How do you stay good and focused? I have a pile of paperwork needs serious attention and her I am doing this....it makes me feel sick(the paperwork, this site is great).
One thing though, I owed my sis £80 but she called me tonight and said if I drive her to the airport at 6am thats us even. (4 hour journey)I'm delighted, gotta go and buy fuel though. Still that will be one less bill...
Children return to school on Monday so I can start serious moneysaving/making again then. OK, what do you think....some ebay, please give this proverbial @rse a kick.;)

Hi,we all have blips now & again but as long as we don't fall into our old ways on a regular basis then it's ok. We have found that using local pub for a meal is much cheaper than if we go to one of the big chain pubs. Also shop at Aldi for regular shop. Good luck!!