OK, here goes.....long post coming up

Miia

CLAPTON wrote: »

you don't seem to have included any CC repayments ... they must come to something around 400-600 per month

I am paying in a round about sort of way which I know is pathetic. I have been paying the minimum amount in the last couple of months.

I should also say that I do receive a monthly commission which is variable. EG, this month it is about £135 so I can put that to good use.

Today I am able to look at the budget again and put a bit more structure to it.

quantumleap

Why can't you sell the car and the jewellery? It would almost wipe out your debt.

Certainly something I would seriously consider. Surely you could downgrade the car and do without the jewellery. I appreciate it has been bought for you and may have some value other than money but to be perfectly honest you are in a bit of a hole here and have the assets to get yourslef out of it.

squealy

Hi Miia,

just wanted to say good luck. A bit of a newbie here myself, so don't feel qualified to offer advice, but reading your post it looks like you've done the hard part (i.e. accepting there is a problem).

Having asserted some control, I bet you'll start feeling better soon.

Bismarck

quantumleap wrote: »

Why can't you sell the car and the jewellery? It would almost wipe out your debt.

Certainly something I would seriously consider. Surely you could downgrade the car and do without the jewellery. I appreciate it has been bought for you and may have some value other than money but to be perfectly honest you are in a bit of a hole here and have the assets to get yourslef out of it.

hmmm, nice idea but isn't the OH going to ask where they are?
Well done to the OP....I can imagine the disappointment on the ironing lady's face but I bet you're not the only person thinking about taking back their ironing.

One thing about telling your OH....is there a way you can do it once you've got everything more settled and in place showing how you've turned things round and although it's not sorted, you're on the right path and not asking for a bail out, you're just telling him things will be different...

good luck and take care

tallyhoh

Can I ask what the money went on? You dont have to answer that but as your OH bailed you out before, what happened? more to the point how are you going to stop it happening again?

Have you thought about what is causing your overspending

XXXX

Miia

Bismarck wrote: »

hmmm, nice idea but isn't the OH going to ask where they are?
Well done to the OP....I can imagine the disappointment on the ironing lady's face but I bet you're not the only person thinking about taking back their ironing.

One thing about telling your OH....is there a way you can do it once you've got everything more settled and in place showing how you've turned things round and although it's not sorted, you're on the right path and not asking for a bail out, you're just telling him things will be different...

good luck and take care

OH would most certainly question me selling the car and jewellery. However, there are a few bits of jewellery that I have that probably could be sold so I will need to look in to that. Those bits don't have any sentimental value to me. If I had purchased the car then I would of course consider it but sadly that isn't the situation.

I put them down but as assets but I guess they are really OH's assets at the end of the day.

Horace

Hello Miia and welcome.

Your grocery bill is too high and I know that you said that you were cutting this down because of the amount you throw out. Go over onto the moneysaving oldstyle board as they are helpful over there with recipes etc so that you can cook your own food rather than buying junk and then just chucking it out (I am not saying that you dont cook your own food but the temptation is there to buy too much).

With the credit cards - see if you can transfer the balances onto a 0% balance transfer card (you may have to pay a small fee) - one thing to remember to quote Martin's mantra is to never ever spend on the card. Sign up to receive Martin's Moneysaving Tips email each week as this will have the most up to date offers and bargains on it. Become a card tart and shift your debt to 0% balance transfer cards and towards the end of the period switch to another card.

Why not join the June make £10 a day challenge - (if you look at the May one) there are lots of tips on there about making free money. Could you not do a carboot or something to get rid of clothes that you don't wear or things that you don't use? The make money challenges are good as they give you lots of tips on how to make free money from mystery shopping etc.

Here's an age old tip from my dear old mum (she'll kill me for calling her old:D ) and that is when you go shopping always make a list and buy what you need rather than what you want. I know she uses lists and so do I and if I run out of something it goes on the list for the next week's shopping.

HTH

Miia

tallyhoh wrote: »

Can I ask what the money went on? You dont have to answer that but as your OH bailed you out before, what happened? more to the point how are you going to stop it happening again?

Have you thought about what is causing your overspending

XXXX

Good questions. It has put a new angle to it and one I need to consider seriously.

When I have the answers I let you know.

Miia

Horace


Some fabulous ideas and will take them all on board. I have these ideas on a To Do list so I can work through them without my brain exploding.

Groceries - gosh, I really thought I'd cut that. I had planned to go tomorrow but I don't think I will until I have sorted out the fridge and cupboards, etc, etc and actually planned something.

angelfairy

I am no where near as a experienced on the DFW board as many others, but i second the idea to get yourself over to the Oldstyler's board. There are some great threads/indexes re cheap meals and shopping challenges etc.

All the best