Fed up of worrying about money.

We dont have much but I dont worry about that all the time.
I tend to budget everything so that we always have spare.
I am wondering if you are just a worrier or do you really have so little that it is a constant burden to you?
Perhaps explain your situation a little more so that we GN's can understand.

Are you genuinely poor? - or is this just something you worry about?

I would recommend making contact with CAB or Age Concern who will be able to check that you are getting all the right benefits.

This link leads you to various online benefits calculators which can help.

If you are relatively OK financially but worried about not having anything to leave your children, I would suggest not doing so!

Until we understand your problem more, all I can say is 'budget', certainly for Christmas

There is an app for that ! I used to worry about money - I never knew where it went and wondered if I'd have enough each week. Then I got a phone app which tracks my money - I can see at a single tap, how much I've got this week and what I've spent my money on. I even get a pie chart showing where it's gone and what percentage was spent on what item. It's reassuring to see what I've got left and where it's all going. I'd highly recommend it.

I totally understand your worry Bopeep . We don’t have a regular income so it’s very hard to budget for anything . I rely heavily on credit cards for every day purchases which I hate, but needs must . We always think things will get better next year but to be honest I think winning the lottery is our only hope now and that’s about as likely as a snow ball in hell . I certainly wouldn’t be worrying about inheritance etc. ( assuming you are as others have suggested) .
I do hope things improve for you soon .

I find finances sneaky.
When I have had a (small) “cushion “ of savings behind me, it has usually remained untapped, but when there was none and times were at their tightest the car/washing machine/plumbing or whatever would start to play up as if they were ganging up on me. Mum bailed me out occasionally but not without an ear bashing about “never a borrower nor a lender be”. To be fair my parents did manage on a very limited income and never ever borrowed, not even a mortgage, as Dad bought their little house for cash before the war, and like many of their generation they had a horror of any sort of debt.
If you can build up that small “cushion” you might feel easier in your mind.
But easier said than done I know.

Oopsd - my link did not show up. Here it is; www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

No we are not poor, other half works full time. We don’t drink or smoke. We have no savings. We have no disposable income and I just am fed up of worrying about it, like you gillybob we rely heavily on credit cards in emergencies, have bought all the grandchildren’s Christmas presents from a catalogue so I can pay for it over a few months as there is no way I could afford to go out and buy them outright. It just gets me down that’s all. I always like to give a few presents to a local children’s charity as well but things are so tight I don’t know if I am even going to be able to do that this year.

I only live on my pension not even a full one but my house is paid for so I feel I m reasonably ok but I think by others standards I m probably a bit poor I don’t have big needs or expensive ideas all I really want is enough to buy the grandkids things Most buys for me and the house come from charity shops I love recycling I don’t smoke I ride a cycle and don’t have central heating Cars fags and heating seem to be people’s big bills, I really don’t worry only on occasions when something breaks I still save up for things and never use a credit card it’s not worth worrying about
If you have debts or concerns do go to CAB they are brilliant at helping

If you are not poor and you have a partner working F/T, then maybe you are worrying unnecessarily - or living beyond your means!! Perhaps the two of you need a budgeting meeting together to create a situation where you do not have to worry so much.

I think many of us have been/still are in this situation. As far as I have ever found out the choice is to either reduce expenditure or increase income. Preferably both. I honestly don't know any other way through. Christmas does pressure people to spend more than they have, but there is always a reckoning. As has been suggested a budget is essential, the hard part is sticking to it.

I have heard a lot of talk recently about folk cutting right back on presents for adults and just concentrating on the children in the family.

I think it's important to be honest with your family Bopeep14. Tell them that you are getting very stressed about the expense at this time of the year. I'm sure no-one would want you to worry.

It's an awful time to be worried and so many people are in similar situations. Is your peace of mind worth trading because it's this time of the year?

Because before we know it Easter will be upon us and there will be plenty of other events to put pressure on finances so think long term.

Think about your state of mind, your day to day life and take care of those before "things".

I think budgeting is an easy thing to think about, an easy thing to agree to and often difficult to do.

One of the hardest things I had to teach our DD was that when anything is bough on any kind of credit the credit costs. And that money is out of use for your future needs.

It's a hard lesson, a bitter lesson and even if it's a lesson that's understood there is still pressure internally or externally go use credit.

Credit can cost way more than you think. Not just in reduced funds but in the worry, stress and lack of peace - that's a cost too.

So whatever the credit be that cards, catalogue or any other kind of loan look at the real cost.

Then ask yourself when everything is taken into account do you want to keep the things you've bough or can you send them back.

How much will that ? gift ? really cost if it takes a year at ???? % to clear the card, loan, catalogue and then ask yourself would you buy it at that price?

Would you family want you to be this worried ? If you are feeing this worried and down now how much worse will it be in the coming months?

What can you change to make your situation better?

Because sadly you are in for much more heartache if you don't do something.

Be that getting advice from the agencies mentioned here or returning the goods or looking at a better way to finance things. What about a Credit Union loan?

I wish you all the Luck you need to find some relief from your situation.

I have a lot of folk I buy for around 25 most years some theres extra ,so I buy all year .It spreads the cost and makes life simpler.Thankfully my AC both do the same andwe're all finished buying and wrapping by the end of November

.That just leaves the food shop and I'll buy joints of meat and turkey crown early and freeze them ,christmas cakes ,and what we call "bun" madeira cake ,sultana cake and cherry cake and shortbread are all home made so cheaper than buying
.Its worthwhile doing the all year shOpping as you can pick up bargains and put them away.
Try to start in the January sales and you'll be surprised how many things you can get for a fraction of the cost .And dont worry ,deal with the problem and the anxiety will go .Happy Christmas when it comes and have a great 2019

Allsortsofbags, good post

What is the name of the app Stella1949? It sounds very useful

Children don't need too many gifts. They are just as happy with less. Instead give them your time. Bake with them or take them to the park. When i was a child i loved my gran who spent a lot of time playing with me but could not afford to buy me much far more than the generous gift giving granny who we rarely saw.

Stella1949
Could you possibly give us the name of your budgeting app... I could certainly benefit from it.... Thanks

A suggestion for christmas 2019, Park Hampers are an excellent way to save for christmas. You decide how much you can afford to pay each month, pay by DD then at the beginning of November, you get that amount in gift cards or vouchers, too many to list here.
Alternately, Amazon have a similar scheme where you pay a set amount per month but you can only spend it at Amazon on line.
Local supermarkets sell gift cards to a wide variety of stores, including their own starting a a very reasonable £10 per card. Maybe adding one or two to your monthly/weekly shop and saving them until Christmas might be an idea.
I live on a very restricted budget and use these methods to pay for christmas and birthdays. Charity shops after Christmas are always full of gift sets and unwanted gifts, not to mention sales. This means you never, or rarely, need to pay full price for gifts.

Martin Lewsi is talking a lot of sense about Christmas spending, on his Blog. See: blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2018/12/martin-lewis--how-to-go-christmas-cold-turkey/?utm_source=MSE_Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=11-Dec-18-459-8&utm_campaign=nt-hiya&utm_content=3

Barclays is going to put the blockers on those who overspend. I haven't read fully of what their intentions are as I just glanced at what they had to say about it.

You beat me to it David1968
I was going to suggest moneysavingexpert.
They have forums where you can discuss your finances.
Catalogues are an expensive way to purchase goods, even if the repayments are appealing.
I know it is easily said but I would never go down this route, though my long departed mother relied heavily on them as she was raising my siblings and I.
Living on your credit cards is another expensive way to conduct your finances.
Been there done that. I used the personal loan rate, choosing one that only charged interest during the loan. If you repaid early you only paid interest up to the date you settled.
There are very low rates of interest available at present.
I would use on to pay off a credit card if it was worthwhile.
Take advice from all agencies mentioned.
Subscribe to Martin Lewis’s weekly newsletter. Full of helpful tips covering all aspects of family finances and I can’t recommend their forums highly enough.
I knew what it is like to be under financial stress whilst raising a family.
I wish you well and hope that you have a happy Christmas.

Just watched the video. Too too true. My family now do a Secret Santa. I am so relieved and all of us are happy with the arrangement.

It’s quite hard when you have enough money to keep the wolf from the door but nothing over for extras. We seem to be bombarded from all directions as to what we “need”to have. Christmas falls into this category. I would suggest making a list of people you want to buy for and each month keep a look out for reduced items and put them away each month. Start with Christmas card sales in January.