How does debt/money saving impact on your life?

turbulentfurball wrote: »

I'm still beating myself up for the fact that I left my immersion heater on overnight and left a hob on my cooker on for 2 hours after finishing cooking both on the same day! :mad:

For some reason I remember to be tight as a gnat's whatsit when it comes to my leccy but manage to have haemorraged money in shops this last couple of weeks. Time to get a grip for me I think

Positives:

I know where my money is going finally
i know i have a target date to be debt free and there is however small a light at the end of the tunnel
I appreciate the value of the little things more

Negatives
I can't afford to go out really and if i do i feel guilty
i'm hiding it from my other half so he doesn't understand why i' so stressed about my money at the moment
its going to b 5 years and 1 month til my credit file is clean again

It has shown me that you do not need to make a fortune to live like a king and that it is needed to save a decent percent of your monthly wages for your future as you never know what might happen.

Positives:

- feel like i am facing up to problems
- feel more in control although still sliding
- reviewed what is a need and what is a want
- take advice with a pinch of salt
- deal with things straight away
- the pen is mightier than the word
- when a new bill lands on the floor - pay what I can before the due date and then phone up to spread payment - even small things give a sense of control
- notional lottery is cheaper.
- Don't like dotted lines
- realised how much i was wasting on newspapers, food, energy, pub, magazines, cds, books - it all means nothing if you can't afford it - and realising this is probably the sum of my debt.
- last but not least - decluttering:j

Negatives

- dealing with debt zaps a lot of time and energy
- puts other areas of your life on hold
- the ups and downs
- ability to switch to better deals is hampered this is probably the most vexing as i could do with switching phone broadband etc but know as soon as i do i will incur a temporary cost that is impossible to meet.
- keeping up with friends who are at the pub
- seeing friends and family taking out credit AND payment protection when they dont need it. Managed to get my sister to refuse payment protection but still took the card - she only needs one lean month to sort her balance out but...
- When it comes to getting a mortgage later on I'll run out of the bank when i see the dotted line or my signature wont match.
- last but not least - flogging the stuff I am trying to declutter.

Positives:
I used to feel hopeless and helpless, now I feel optimistic and capable instead. :j

Learning about all this has given me a huge boost in confidence. I'm no longer scared of new things. I negotiated my way through the money maze so brain surgery can hold no terrors for me!

I feel that I am a better parent because of this. I'm taking better care of my family financially. They're getting a better financial education than we ever did, and we do moneysaving things like carbooting as a family.:)

It's been great for my marriage. Battling through this together has been a bonding and relationship strengthening experience. :kisses3:

The Great Declutter has been good for the house as well as the debt effort. :dance:

Negatives:
I'm really emotional about money. I get horribly upset when I hear of people being mis-sold financial products, mis-informed about financial matters, or victimised or discriminated against because of their perceived financial "worth". :mad:

Sometimes I beat myself up that we were such fools about money before, and managed to dig ourselves such a great big hole. :embarasse

I feel sad that my friends don't understand, but I've stopped trying to explain or trying to keep up.

I do think about money waaaay more than I want to, but I guess it goes with the territory.

Love Jacks xxx