Advice for someone who is FLAT BROKE?

[Heartland Kid]

Can anyone please help?

I start a new job on monday on the docks here in Grimsby. But I am in shit loads of debt with my family, friends and the bank. I'm not a dickhead who has borrowed loads of money and simply can't pay it back. My friends and family are great and have said pay it back when you can, which I definately will. But it's just with christmas coming up and stuff I'm gonna struggle. I think I'm gonna have to flog my Fender Telecaster in order to generate some cash to pay my old man back!!!

Shall I just rob a bank?

 

[bonosloveslave]

Don't buy any Christmas gifts this year - recycle old things you have, or if you can pay back a bit of money that you owe people, include a certificate for something you'll do in the next year, ie wash your dad's car etc.

No bank robbing

 

[Bonochick]

Oh, honey, keep your guitar!!! Or you'll regret it forever!!!!

Make gifts! Write things for people. I tell ya, those poor/creative presents always go over well. Trust me!

 

[nbcrusader]

Look at your monthly cash flow. Cut expense where possible. Skip buying Christmas gifts - perhaps play someone a song as a gift.

 

[Heartland Kid]

Right. I think I should be able to scrape up enough cash for some glitter, glue, card, some crayons and a pen then.

 

[Heartland Kid]

Thanks for the help!

 

[OnFire]

I hear ya man, I'm kinda in the same boat. It's not extreme, I can pay my mortgage and I'm not in serious debt but my business and cash flow are a little tight right now and probably will be through Christmas.

I noodle around on the guitar abit and find myself bonding with it now more than ever so by all means, DON'T SELL THE TELE!!!!

Like the song goes, It's a long way down to nothing at all....

 

[starsgoblue]

Whatever you do, do not sell the Telecaster! Think about it, if you do you will STILL owe money to your father and you'll be without your prized possesion.

I'm sure your family and friends understand your situation and aren't expecting lavish gifts. Hey, maybe you can write songs for everyone for Xmas...

 

[burns]

(a firm handshake to starsgoblue)
i love your philosophy

perhaps it is the start of something big for Heartland Kid

 

[burns]

Oh yeah just to reiterate DON'T SELL THE TELECASTER
How else will you be able to play all your favorate U2 (or anyone else for that matter) songs

......hey my dad was brought up in Grimsby
whats it like these days?

 

[Heartland Kid]

Grimsby is a shit hole. But I LOVE it. If you get me.

Thanks for the advice gyus. I'll try and not sell my tele if I can help it but I think it's the only I can get a bit of cash quick. When I sort myself out again I will sure as HELL buy myself another guitar. Probably another tele, although I quite like a nice acoustic I've seen too.

BTW - I posted a song I wrote in the Dream out Loud forum earlier if you guys wanna check it out. It's pretty shit though!

 

[u2valleygirl]

Goodluck Hearland Kid. Hopefully you can get some overtime.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

good luck.

 

[fah]

DO NOT SELL YOUR GUITAR

It would sadden me to find out that a friend or relative had sold something they treasure to buy me a gift. Think about offering the gift of 'car washing' or 'house cleaning' or 'gardening' instead.

Good luck

 

[Chizip]

when i first read the title of this thread i thought it said "Advice for someone who is a FAT BLOKE"

i was gonna say dont eat as much

i guess that could still apply, eating can be expensive

 

[Bonochick]

Leave it to Chizzer.

 

[Heartland Kid]

when i first read the title of this thread i thought it said "Advice for someone who is a FAT BLOKE"

i was gonna say dont eat as much

i guess that could still apply, eating can be expensive

I can't afford a pack of friggin space raiders at the minute so I should be ok thanks Chizip.

 

[U2Kitten]

I would hope some of those people would give YOU the gift of 'dropping the debt' Maybe you might even suggest that instead of buying you gifts this year reduce your outstanding balance by whatever they'd have spent on you?

Sorry but I don't believe that making people suffer and sell their prized possessions is teaching anyone 'responsibility', it's only teaching them like life is unfair, stuff sucks, and money rules the world and we already know that anyway. If you're always struggling to pay back you will never get ahead. If you have to hock something or borrow from someone else to pay a different person it becomes an endless cycle of defeat.

 

[verte76]

I give art I've done over the past year for Christmas when things are tight. They are this year, so I'm glad I've got the paintings!

 

[elfyx]

Hang in there, man. I'd not sell the strat either, but I understand where you're coming from being broke and all. Tough gig.

Really, try to take the most practical approach possible. Reduce, cut, and slash your monthly expenses. Be brutal if you have to. Learn to cook for yourself instead of eating out. There's lots of money-saving tips that can be done.

Do you browse the forum on broadband? Cut-it and get dial up. Slowly build your financial base back up. Just try to sit down and brainstorm various ideas.

And don't sweat the Christmas gifts. Trust me, expensive consumer goods don't mean squat worth a shit. The very best Christmas gifts always come from the heart.

 

[meegannie]

It seems like everyone on the internet is from Grimsby.

Anyway, I'm in a similar situation. I owe around $30,000 in student loans. I've been looking for a job for three months (though I've been unemployed for a year and a half!), and my husband is a student (looking for a part-time job), so neither of us has any money. Fortunately, I'm going to America for Christmas so I can take advantage of the exchange rate (and free food and lodging at my dad's!!) to buy gifts for people, but it's still going to be a stretch.

There's been loads of good advice here (except from Chizip ), and I hope you're able to work things out without having to sell your guitar.

 

[Dutch Partygirl]

I know where you're coming from! Don't have a lot of cash myself at the moment, but I think that the advice that people have given here is very sensible. Don't buy expensive X-mas gifts. Make them yourself. I know that I don't care what I get for X-mas as long as the people that give it to me mean it.

 

[Heartland Kid]

Thanks for all the great advice guys! Hopefully I'll get myself sorted soon.