Money Management

[ChrisFilter]

then can I suggest that ultimately you don't actually want to change anything?

and most of all you are sounding like a spoilt kid - sorry mate but you're in debt, you're there cos you live WAY beyond your means so something HAS to change - and all this about its just so tough, do you *really* want to say that? I can think of many ways my life could become tough, stopping spending so much isn't one of them

and as for your mates, well they may all live like that, but none of mine do and we all have wonderful lives

yes it takes effort, but its hardly bloody life stopping is it

I give up! If you read the thread you'll see that I am planning on changing, that I realise I sound spoilt, and that I know it's not exactly the hardest thing ever, it's just a hassle.

 

[SubZeroCat]

if you make a bit of extra dinner in the evening you can take left overs for lunch the next day.

you get a much nicer meal thann one you buy coz you've cooked it yourself and save loads.

Casseroles and stews are cheap as hell to make and can last ages and tasty etc etc. Or cous cous. In fact pretty much anything you makke in the evening can be taken as left overs next day. Just cook a bit extra. Economies of scale.

Is there an echo in here?

 

[aqua]

I give up! If you read the thread you'll see that I am planning on changing, that I realise I sound spoilt, and that I know it's not exactly the hardest thing ever, it's just a hassle.

and if you read my post after that one you'd see I apologised for being a ranty bugger

 

[Pieface]

<smacks Chris too>

 

[ChrisFilter]

You don't need to eat meat every night!

Yeah, I do.

Lidl is wicked.. I love it.

Anyway, we're getting side-tracked.. food is hardly the root of my debt, I think the £100 nights out with a gram of charly, alcohol by the bucket load and taxis home are probably more of a problem

 

[ChrisFilter]

<smacks Chris too>

<Ducks, spins and roundhouses shitbag in the face>

shit dude, you're geekier than me, you use <>

 

[Ms T]

Yeah, I do.

Lidl is wicked.. I love it.

Anyway, we're getting side-tracked.. food is hardly the root of my debt, I think the £100 nights out with a gram of charly, alcohol by the bucket load and taxis home are probably more of a problem

How many of those are there in an average month?

 

[ChrisFilter]

Funny place this, I emailed a load of workmates asking if they thought my first list of spending was nuts. They all said it seemed pretty normal.

Just to draw a line under the baying pack:

Firstly: I know I overspend, this is why I've made all the changes mentioned in my initial post.

Secondly: That list was an example of how easy it is to spend money when you're used to living like that.

Thirdly: You think I have problems, I'm a pretty moderate overspender, hence Britain's increasing debt problem.

Fourthly: Chill.. it's all good, I'll get there. And at least you've had something to be shocked and appalled at today

 

[SubZeroCat]

Yeah, I do.

Lidl is wicked.. I love it.

Anyway, we're getting side-tracked.. food is hardly the root of my debt, I think the £100 nights out with a gram of charly, alcohol by the bucket load and taxis home are probably more of a problem

Stop being a greedy drug consumer whore innit

Re: meat - no you don't!

 

[Numbers]

I'm giving myself a kick up the backside. If everyone read what I fucking wrote then this would be plain! That's £50 by Thursday thing was an example of how easy it is to spend money, not what I'm planning on doing!!

Re: no pain, no gain - this is exactly that I'm saying, and you're agreeing with, so it's far from bollox, is it?!

mostly meant generally brother... I know you'll sort it, so I was posting for the less fortunate.

 

[ChrisFilter]

How many of those are there in an average month?

These days? Very rare.. I got into debt when I was living like this, haven't had a big night out like that for months. Not including Italy where I overspent massively and was pretty stupid.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Stop being a greedy drug consumer whore innit

Re: meat - no you don't!

I haven't paid for drugs, apart from £30 in Italy, for ages. Been given quite a few though, so thanks to those that have shared the wealth.

Re: meat - yes, I do. In the purest sense of the word, yes, I could survive without meat. In reality, that's not a sacrifice I'd like to make.

Saving money will be fuck loads easier when I move in with gf in a couple of months. That'll save hundreds in rent, bills, etc. Will mean it's easier to do big weekly shops. Less eating out, etc.

 

[Crispy]

Sounds like you're doing The Right Thing, Chris, so excuse the patronsing upthread. But like tony said, it's an attitude thing. "Once it's gone, you won't miss it" IYSWIM.

Extrapolating, I could imagine a guy on £100,000pa wasting all his money on dodo egg omlettes and virgin-rolled cigars. He'd probably hate having to shop at waitrose or drive a mere 4 litre car, but with shift of expectations, he'd probably do just fine

 

[Pieface]

shit dude, you're geekier than me, you use <>

oh yes

So - how come you're so rubbish then? I'm not so good myself but there's no fucking way I'd ever start one of these threads - did you not expect it to be annoying???

I've finally changed the address on my account so I can reduce the overdraft. The only way I can stop spending it is if it's not there in the first place - so reduce overdraft and move money after payday into accounts I don't have cards for.

I need to have a boringer life for a bit, ahem.

 

[aqua]

when I move in with gf in a couple of months.

awww

 

[ChrisFilter]

oh yes

So - how come you're so rubbish then? I'm not so good myself but there's no fucking way I'd ever start one of these threads - did you not expect it to be annoying???

I've finally changed the address on my account so I can reduce the overdraft. The only way I can stop spending it is if it's not there in the first place - so reduce overdraft and move money after payday into accounts I don't have cards for.

I need to have a boringer life for a bit, ahem.

I am so rubbish 'cos I've had quite a priveleged upbringing coupled with a penchant for hedonistic excess, poor organisational skills, and a taste for the finer things. I'm also very lazy.

I wasn't expecting everyone to be so Jesusy about it, and surprised that people think I'm 'nuts' when I'd consider myself pretty normal. Still, it's been useful and I'm grateful for the advice.

Re changes you've made: This what I'm doing, kinda. With my new 'retard with money'* account I can't go overdrawn, so I can't overspend, simple as that!

*Apologies.

 

[ChrisFilter]

mostly meant generally brother... I know you'll sort it, so I was posting for the less fortunate.

Is that me or you that's have a groin based reach-around!?

 

[hektik]

chris, i'll forward you a budget plan that i use to the email address that you put up on the thread way back on page 1- it really works for me. you put down the money that you think you'll spend, and then each time you spend the actual amount, you put it in the relevant box. if you sepnd more than your estimate it goes a big red colour.

it helped me work out where i was spending more than i thought, and therefore helped to cut it out: an example is that there are two amounts for food shopping: one for supermarket/big shopping, and one for all the times you pop to the shops for a mars bar or whatever: it made me realise how much money i was spending per month on crisps and snack food (£50 in one month!). After that, it helped me not to be so impulsive and my pops to the shop dramatically decreased.

i also stopped smoking and lost weight after using this budget planner and could see how much i spent on takeaways and fags a month!

 

[sleaterkinney]

As for advice now chris, Do a budget and stick to it, I don't think you're rubbish at all, it reminds me pickles I've got myself in.

 

[trashpony]

Thanks for giving some amusement on a bleak day filter - you're always reliable

 

[SubZeroCat]

And if it makes you feel better Chris, I bought a three pack of carrot cakes that I put in one of the draws at my desk and a bag of jelly beans that I put in my handbag

 

[Pieface]

It was good wasn't it?

I'm going to get one of those retarded with money accounts when I've cleared Evil Overdraft.

 

[DRINK?]

Saving money will be fuck loads easier when I move in with gf in a couple of months. That'll save hundreds in rent, bills, etc. Will mean it's easier to do big weekly shops. Less eating out, etc.

sorry pumpkin the girlfriend will have to go.....very expensive in my experience.... what you save in rent etc she will find a way to spend on shoes and bags....if you are serious about getting out of debt, you'll have to grit your teeth and tell her it's over

 

[ChrisFilter]

sorry pumpkin the girlfriend will have to go.....very expensive in my experience.... what you save in rent etc she will find a way to spend on shoes and bags....if you are serious about getting out of debt, you'll have to grit your teeth and tell her it's over

She earns a lot more than me and definitely spends more on me than I do on her, despite my (genuine) protestations!

 

[DRINK?]

She earns a lot more than me and definitely spends more on me than I do on her, despite my (genuine) protestations!

marry her then....have good contacts in hatton garden should you want a ring x

 

[ChrisFilter]

Thanks for giving some amusement on a bleak day filter - you're always reliable

Any time

 

[ChrisFilter]

marry her then....have good contacts in hatton garden should you want a ring x

No DRINK?, don't be fucking stupid, don't be nuts! Why by a proper ring when you can just go the nearby Leather Lane street market and get a plastic one off a stall.. a real ring?! Extravagance

 

[DRINK?]

No DRINK?, don't be fucking stupid, don't be nuts! Why by a proper ring when you can just go the nearby Leather Lane street market and get a plastic one off a stall.. a real ring?! Extravagance

I dunno she sounds worth keeping to be honest....one last blow out or celebration of getting out of debt...everygirl loves a big rock....is that the phrase? that or something similar

 

[catrina]

I enjoy my food, makes up for having to be at work for 8 hours a day.
.

we're foodies and have very high standards, but are on a shoestring. you can eat well on a shoestring. eat veggie 3 nights a week if you can, pasta is your friend. we splurge on de cecco, because it's better, but it's still only £1. basics from morrison's, fruit and veg from the veg shop, and if we want decent meat or fish (once every 2 weeks or so), we'll get it at the butcher/fishmonger. but not every night!

i used to go out for lunch every day for 3 years. i convinced myself that £3-4a day on lunch was reasonable. if i could have that money back, i'd have most of my debts cleared. i just bought what was convenient, because i was getting by and it seemed ok. anything extraordinary went on the card. well that adds up really fast.

a lot of people live in extraordinary amounts of debt, so comparing yourself to them doesn't change the situation.

 

[catrina]

sorry, i'd stopped reading on page 2 and hadn't gotten to the friendly banter bit, so apologies for being 'jesusy'!