You know you've made a mistake and you are trying to improve. Nobody should shit on you for that.
I'm working my way out of debt, after some very stupid decisions over many years, at the minute too. Alongside all of the financial and mathematical angles in this thread, also try to think of psychological ways to help.
I set myself a monthly budget for luxuries, things like coffee, Spotify, going to the cinema. I calculated it by calculating all of my vital outgoings (rent, loan, bills, car up keep and savings - important to include savings) like you have and then subtracting from my monthly incomings. Whatever is left is my 'fun fund'.
I transfer this to revolut monthly, on payday, and know that when it's gone it's gone.
Once I have this I plan it by how much I can have per day, divide the fun fund by 31 and you have a daily total. If you want to go for a meal or out to the cinema you know you have to save £5 per day for X days
Firstly, it turns it from punishing you for bad decisions to rewarding good ones (saving money)
Secondly, writing it all out and working out exactly where everything goes is a really good way to keep yourself grounded and understand where your money is going. I was very shocked at how much I wasted by nipping to Tesco for snacks a few times a week.
dobbie1 t1_iy3tf0q wrote
Reply to comment by StarlordsTrees in £20k in debt and it's become too much to handle and is killing me. What can I do? (breakdown below) by StarlordsTrees
You know you've made a mistake and you are trying to improve. Nobody should shit on you for that.
I'm working my way out of debt, after some very stupid decisions over many years, at the minute too. Alongside all of the financial and mathematical angles in this thread, also try to think of psychological ways to help.
I set myself a monthly budget for luxuries, things like coffee, Spotify, going to the cinema. I calculated it by calculating all of my vital outgoings (rent, loan, bills, car up keep and savings - important to include savings) like you have and then subtracting from my monthly incomings. Whatever is left is my 'fun fund'.
I transfer this to revolut monthly, on payday, and know that when it's gone it's gone.
Once I have this I plan it by how much I can have per day, divide the fun fund by 31 and you have a daily total. If you want to go for a meal or out to the cinema you know you have to save £5 per day for X days
Firstly, it turns it from punishing you for bad decisions to rewarding good ones (saving money)
Secondly, writing it all out and working out exactly where everything goes is a really good way to keep yourself grounded and understand where your money is going. I was very shocked at how much I wasted by nipping to Tesco for snacks a few times a week.