How have things changed for you since you first joined?

Lara44 · 8 November 2006 at 6:14PM

I have:

Sold everything not bolted down - made about £250
Started working Saturdays - extra £140
Switched gas and electric - hopefully saving £15 per month
Changed phone providers - saving £15 per month
£30 limit for going out and general spends
£20 limit a week for food shopping
Started riding my bike everyday - saving £80 per month
Signed up to Quidco 7 Pigsback - made around £150
DVD rental tarting big time
No more boozing or meals out
Haircuts only at free student places

Every little helps doesn't it - I'm still a LONG way off my £14,000 though

angelite_2 · 8 November 2006 at 6:55PM

I LOVE this site. Since I started last month it has been such a motivator.
I've still got a long way to go too, but here's the things I have done:

* kept note of my daily spending
*been a LOT more organised with my grocery shopping, not over spending etc.
* signed up for Mystery Shopping Companies
* signed up to all the cash back/points sites
* have tried for lots of freebies
* looked at how I can save money buying christmas presents, ie offers, price comparison sites

Plan: look at mobile phone bill and utilities to see where I can save there. x

madmalteaser · 8 November 2006 at 7:20PM

Like everyone else this site has been a great motivation for me to start controlling my debts instead of letting them spiral like they were at the beginning of the year. Since I joined so far I have:

* almost paid off my Capital One Credit Card (1 payment to go, woohoo!)
* cleared debts with 2 catalogues, 2 book clubs and a cards club (and closed all accounts down so no more temptation to spend
* joined freecycle - not got anything from there but its a start
* joined https://www.readitswapit.com so any books I want come from there now
* stayed inside my overdraft limit since March - one hell of an achievement for me and no more bank charges, hurrah!
* sold plenty of things on Ebay and thrown the money at debts
* got a lot more sensible with my spending, hunting out bargains and BOGOF offers like you wouldn't believe
* changed Car Insurance was £49 p/month now £28 p/month
* will soon be changing my mobile phone contract to save me another £15 a month.

Ultimately, this site has encouraged me to change my lifestyle and deal with the debts I have. I know I'm going to be in debt for some time yet but I'm feeling better and better about it everyday.

Money~Bunny_3 · 8 November 2006 at 7:25PM

This is a brilliant thread. Since signing up:

o Managed to keep a spending diary for more than two days at a time (nearly a month now!)
o Paid off my (small) CC debt at last
o Signed up for every cashback site going (earned about £62 so far)
o Finally got sensible advice about my student loan
o Started planning my shopping and meals properly
o Finally have proper track of what's going in and out - knowledge is power...
o ...so I know when I can treat myself without feeling guilty! :rotfl:
o planned how to pay off my interest free overdraft before it lapses

The above replies are just amazing and show how much difference DFW makes - i'd never have been so calm about money without you all, :kisses3:

Mrs_Sparkle · 8 November 2006 at 8:00PM

Well I've got a long way to go but in just over 5 months I have:

-paid off 11.14% of my total debt
-earned £215 in Quidco (sig needs updating)
-joined Pigsback
-sold tons on eBay and Amazon (£300+ I reckon)
-started matched betting with excellent profit so far

And got pregnant in the meantime! Needless to say my baby will be dressed in the best bargains eBay has had- picked up a cream snowsuit for a mere £3 incl postage yesterday for example.

Paige · 8 November 2006 at 8:12PM

I have been lurking for a couple of months and am addicted. Its the mind thing for me, looking at prices, asking myself if I really need to buy something, cutting down housekeeping by half, I have payed off 2 store cards and cancelled them, and reaaranged my other credit cards to a 0% for a year. These boards have made me realise that we cannot carry on spending money that we dont have, We are determined to be credit card debt free, overdraft free and 1 loan gone by next christmas. X

richardvc · 8 November 2006 at 8:47PM

I was a long-time lurker on this site before I registered on the forum.

I had my LBM in June 2005 and went from being the most disorganised person with a 'couldn't care less attitude' about money and a total debt of over £36k.

Now nearly 18 months later I am in total control of my life and my money. I owe just under £10k (I did have to sell my house to pay HMRC). I took control but these message boards gave me the encouragement to carry on and follow through.

My life now is so much more fun. I have less cash than ever but still have a good life I just pay less for it !!

Thanks to fellow DFWs and MSEers I have :
Knocked 25% off my SKY bill without losing channels
Cut my broadband price down to £9.99 and still have the same ISP
Cheaper mobile costs
Cheaper breakdown insurance
Control my money with MS Money and BUDGET !!!!
Changed current account
Started proceedings against A&L and AMEX for my charges back which will total about £1500 !!
Pay less for gas and electricity
Cheaper pet insurance
Started shopping at Lidl (which is better quality and half the price of Tesco)
and loads of other things too !! IE ebay, surveys (did my first yesterday and earned 35p !! etc etc

Apart from that not much !!!

All this is due to Martin and all my fellow MSE'ers. You guys are priceless and I will never be able to thank you enough !!

immoral_angeluk I hope that's a good enough answer for you !! Good thread btw !!

anniestar · 8 November 2006 at 8:50PM

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote:

I've cancelled the milkman, no longer hire a dvd every week, cancelled monthly bank account charge, halved my food bill, cancelled children's after school activities, stopped buying Radio Times (look online), cancelled mobile phone insurance, turned off lights etc continually to save electricity, walk more to save petrol, clip pets nails ourselves instead of vet doing it, held birthday parties for approx £25 per party instead of £70 by holding them at home, changed breakdown cover from AA to First Call, changed mobile tarriff, cut kids hair ourselves + OH trims my hair now, and stoppped having restaurant meals even on our birthday or anniverary. Phew!

It's working though because we have paid off £11,000 in 8 months!

WOW wow how fantastic. VERY well done. A XX

kelzcash · 8 November 2006 at 9:09PM

I think the best thing that this site has helped me with is being in control of my money, debt and spending. I've switched credit cards to save paying interest, am a LOT more careful about spending and what I buy, and just generally how I go about my life is a lot different than it was two months ago. I am happier because of this site, and you guys of course.

Oh yeah, and I know longer fear the postman!!!

oops_a_daisy · 8 November 2006 at 9:20PM

ooo I love doing this

MONTHLY OUTGOING WAS NOW CASHBACK

Mortgage £305.00 £231.00 £700.00
Buildings & contents Insurance £22.42 £22.62 £110.00
Gas & Electric £44.00 £40.00 £12.50
Phone, Broadband & TV £40.00 £37.50
Food £310.00 £125.00
Mobile £20.00 £10.00
Gym £29.95 £25.00

TOTAL £771.37 £491.12

I have also changed bank account to A&L which means I have a free overdraft but have paid that off anyway and got £90.00 cashback. I have also claimed unfair bank charges and got £725.00 back. I have started matched betting and have had 2 wins on free Bingo trials. I have claimed for mis selling endowment policy and won ( this was not via this site unfortunately so I had to pay solicitors fees :mad: ) I use a cashback credit card for all purchases and clear it every month while buliding up a nice annual cash back bonus

. I have sold a personalised reg that I couldnt use anyway. In total I was in about £8500.00 worth of debt at the beginning of this year - I currently owe £1500.00 on interest free and I have even got savings ( never saved anything before coming on here ) I hope to be able to pay off the final £1500.00 debt by christmas so that I can start 2007 debt free and also start to be a Mortgage Free Wannabee £55000.00 to go :rolleyes: . I do the clicks on pigsback and have ebayed a few things. Even set up my own veggie patch but that was a disaster

I packed in smoking but started again so have to build up the will power to do it again as I hate it

I think the main thing I have learned is to stop wasting money.

How have things changed for you since you first joined?

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