Advice, not only for me.

[cheynems]

Recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I have spent a lot of time looking back at my past mistakes.

What advice would you all give for somebody who has run into serious money problems. I have read of it, how some of us spend money excessively. I realize this question sounds rather insignificant compared to many, but no question is a bad question, right?

 

[bipolarbear]

Take the time to outline all your bills, adn their cost and due dates... Then outline how much money you make per paycheck, and a total for the month for both outgoing, adn incomming funds. See what should be paid in which pay check according to what you can afford, adn their due dates... Scale back what you can, and use that money to pay off the debt... over time, you will make progress. Set budgets for thigns like food, gas, Laundry, anything you use in a month, and assigne those proper budgets to the correct paycheck... I personally have been managing our finances over five years now. we are doing well under my managment. It was a lot to do at the beginnig, but worth it. Every Dec / Jan I revise my budgets, by looking at that needs more, and what needs less, and what budgets need added or subtracted... I also look at things in a year I know I will have to pay, like paying to have the taxes done. I divided that cost between how many paychecks we recieve in a year, adn used that ammount as a budget. I have a piece of paper with my ledger for a savings account that lists all the diffrent budgets, and I just erase and adjust the numbers as I go through each payperiod. If you fine you have a lot due in one payperiod, adn less in teh other, SAVE that ammount, and pay it when it's due. I also have "budgets" on my paper for short term savings, like splitting a payment between pay checks, transfuring some of the funds in savings so it dosent get spent, then bringing it back into the master account to be added to the ammount due for the payment... I hope you can find some help out of my system... I also set aside All balance forwards, or money left over afterI go through the payperiod's savings, adn payments. That way, if somethign unexpected comes up, you ahve a fund to fall back on. If you need to get certian bills paid in a certian payperiod,adn cannot make them work out, use the tax returns to pay them, adn get yourself on teh proper paying schedule needed for the paychecks, vs the due dates of your bills... And when you get that tax return money, remenber if its possible to set a little aside for yourself, buying wants occasionally is just as important as paying the bil;ls, adn the needs... its about balance... Have a blessed day!

 

[bipolarbear]

oh yes, I know its not quite the same, but save up your blessings you earn here, adn put them in teh bank. Make a promise to yourself that you will not go below said number of blessings that are out of the bank, adn make a promise to keep a said ammount in teh bank... When you have those spending feelings, to the extent of your avaliable blessings, go on a shopping spreee. I know its vertual clothing and such, but it sill feels just as goo to spent the blessings! If you need to earn blessings, go to the blessings exchange, adn fellowship, and just start posting... You make friends, adn earn blessings! I realy enjoy to play dress up here... so much so thatI frequently enter dress up contests, adn have over time gotten a very big closet here... Just remember to keep to the promises you make to yourself. When you get down to teh number while on your shopping spree, STOP, even iff its oh I just want one more thing and it will only take me down past teh mark by such ammount... Do NOT! Just stop while you are ahead, adn save for next time. I save, adn when I have saved a certian ammount, I go on a shopping spree, if I don't feel the need, i just keep saving, adn when then feelings come, that extra, I put in teh bank... It practices good habits for real money! And you get to have fun too! Remember, it is agiainst the forum ruls to outright ask others for blessings and reps... ... Now go get started, your reall bills first though!

 

[Alive again]

We have just completed Financial Peace University and it was very helpful in the budgeting part and the debt snowball, as well as thinking about finances in a healthier and more Godly way. Still struggling to pay off debt myself though!

With mania many people have a spending problem, and for any one else also I would make this recommendation! CUT UP THE CREDIT CARDS!!! Live on what you earn. Use a debit card. If you want a credit card for any reason (and it is better to have cash in the bank for emergencies than use a credit card!) DO NOT CARRY IT WITH YOU. It is too easy to get out!!! And then you are just spending your future!

Just a few thoughts! Do not hesitate to look for help if you need to in getting out of debt!

 

[Alive again]

BTW Welcome to CF !!!
Please know that many people, not just those who have this illness called CF, get into money trouble in our world of not just easy credit, but highly accessible credit and all this marketing tha tries to tell us cash is SLOW and annoying! So let the guilt go and deal with ithe finances and get back to life!

I look forward to hearing more from you!