Deal with your Debts

After spending WAY too much on a heady but frivolous Summer, I have crashed back to earth with a bump and a bollocking from GF. I freaking HATE it when he gets on his high horse and even more so if he's right! It is not, thankfully, a common occurrence!

Ps. On the down low, my last spend was on a new pair of Superga Unisex 2750 Cotu Lace Up Trainer. Promoted by Alexa Chung, they are effortlessly stylish and perfect with any shape of jean, chinos, skirts and day dresses. My preference is for the classic white ones and mine have been worn to death, so I invested in a new pair. He'll never know... I'll just say I put them in the washing machine!

SO anyway, the frugal hat is firmly back on and here is the plan d'action. Join me! It could be fun!!

1. Face Facts. Don't bury your head in the sand! Look through all your statements, rip the bandage off, find out how bad your situation is. NOW!

2. Plan of Action. Be positive! It's not the end of the World, there is always a solution (even worst case bankruptcy still means you are dealing with the situation). Let's hope things never get this bad.

3. FREE Advice! Well you're not going to pay for it if you're skint, right? The best site I've found is www.moneysavingexpert.com - It gives really easy to follow advice for every problem.

4. Work Together. If you're in a relationship, hold monthly financial house meetings. Have a real look at where the money goes and how things could be improved, where you could save etc. Make each other responsible. It's way too easy to forget about money problems in the hopes that they'll go away, and one of the main reasons couples fight is money. Turn that stress into a positive and work together to make your futures brighter.

5. Targets. Set realistic aims for yourself. Ask yourself where you want to be in 5 years time eg. I want to accrue a certain amount in my savings account, i want to have saved a deposit for a house... whatever you want, go for it!

6. Rewards. Lastly but most importantly, write rewards into the plan. Every month, if you hit your targets, allow yourself a date night out at a nice restaurant, a new item of clothing, a facial. Whatever it is, this is important. It's like dieting. You have to keep yourself motivated!

Go forth and prosper!

G x