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The Cutting Down Alcohol Challenge for April & 2026 :)
Welcome to the Cutting Down Alcohol challenge for the month of March and for 2026! This challenge is all about helping people cut down or even give up on their alcohol consumption, mainly for health reasons, but it can also save a lot of money, because the cost of buying alcohol really mounts up over time and sometimes you…
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Moving on
Welcome to my new thread: my old one is here: Cherry takes the reins — MoneySavingExpert Forum and my very old one is here: Coffee and chocolate — MoneySavingExpert Forum Quite a lot changed in 2023, and now it's time to move on. I left the job and career path I'd followed for many years and don't feel I can or should go…
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Debt and Caring
An unprovoked attack on my ankle by a metal workout bench has me lying down with a foot up this evening. Which makes this the ideal time to start this diary. And possibly to declutter some exercise equipment... Yesterday I was £9993.61 in debt. Today I have made a £1500 payment to one of my credit cards taking me down to…
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Road To Financial Recovery
Ah, time to get back into the race so to speak, can’t believe I am doing this again.It is time to start taking finances seriously again. It is a rubbish feeling to be back in a position where I feel my finances are back in a mess. There isn’t any major debt so that is a positive of course but feel like a plan is needed…
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Let's get this sorted then!
Hey everyone, I went back to uni just before I turned 40, so have quite a lot of debt from that, and from generally trying to live whilst working and studying. I tackled a bit before the end of 2024, but that was mostly getting on top of things, doing some 0% balance transfers, and I paid of two small debts of about £250…
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Settling in for the long haul
After avidly reading others’ diaries over the past five years, it feels like the right time to shuffle in and create a cosy little corner of my own. Following the example of those much wiser, I have cleared a large amount of debt, including a hefty overdraft, student loan, credit cards, bank loans (that were consolidated…
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5 Year Fixed - 60 Months to Financial Stability.........Hopefully!
Good day fellow DFWer's, Serial diary starter here, I know it's annoying, but in my ADHD brain I've had some changes so I need to start from scratch. I've just started on a new 5 year fixed mortgage so I'm going to set myself some goals over this period to get myself on track with my finances, home, weight and try to get…
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My Off-grid and need to be frugal diary
New year, new start - trying to save in 2025.
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Hopefully debt free before Mortgage renewal in June 2026
Hi, So, My mortgage is due for renewal in June 2026. I bought a house for £190,000 with around a £48,000 deposit on a 5 year fixed rate of 1.63% interest which comes to an end on 30th June 2026. I currently owe £129,363 and pay £517.72 and i have 25 years and 6 months left to pay (i will be 68 when this ends). I know…
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Need fresh eyes on my budget!
Hi all! I'm starting a brand new diary to break down my current situation and take a fresh look at things - what I was doing isn't working 😳 About me... I'm in my forties (late forties but we'll not dwell on that!) and live alone in a rented housing association house. I've had a very unstable period in the last six years…
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Time to Face The Music
We have decided as a couple that it is time to face the music and start paying down some of our debts. We are lucky that we are both in jobs that pay ok but we have at times been living beyond our means and now it is time to start reining in the spending and making a concerted effort to cut the debt. Moving house last year…
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15months to debt free - I hope
Well I thought it was time I started a diary having put my two pennorth into several others. Brief bit about me. I am a retired careworker having done other things as well. I have a husband who has mental health issues and 3 old dogs. A 15 year oldJack Russell X who has heart and kidney failure so I am not sure how long we…
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Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend
Happy New Year to readers old & new! Well, it's time for a new chapter. My old diary ("Put away your purse & become debt averse") achieved pretty much what I intended. I shared the story of how I got into debt at the age of 19 & stayed that way until a pretty enormous lightbulb pinged on during my early 40s, I've shared…
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MeandO's money-shuffling
Long time member here, sneaking back over from the MFW board... Previous diary here for those that want a back story: Money-shuffling towards mortgage freedom — MoneySavingExpert Forum Although my only debt is now my mortgage I've had to shift my focus from OP'ing to building up my savings instead, so don't really feel at…
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An in-between phase
I am largely starting this thread so as to not rudely put a long whinge on the lovely @foxgloves and @EssexHebridean threads! I will talk a little more about my slightly unsettled life situation in due course, but for now, just whinging 😂 Today I have been trying to switch to a more money saving phone contract. It has been…
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Progress not Perfection
Happy New Year! I thought it was about time I started a new diary. I've been on these diaries since 2008. My last diary is here Things
can only get better My first diary is here Champagne Lifestyle Lemonade Budget and the one after that here Looking for the Silver Lining. That's a hell of a lot of waffle over the years 😆…
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2026 - consolidation and calm
I've decided to start a fresh diary for 2026. 2025 was a bit of a rollercoaster year for us: * My post being put forward for redundancy at the end of 2024, though it was then reinstated thankfully * Restructure at work meaning many great colleagues (and loads of knowledge) going * DH's redundancy at work, then finding a…
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Onwards and the debt goes downwards!
Hi All Old diary is here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1000559 I can't do the posh linky things. Things are all changing in the Lucielle household. DS1 arrived back from New Zealand and has moved out to start his new job. Spent most of last week building flat pack furniture from the well known store. DD1…
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Fresh Diary for 2025! & Carrying on for 2026
Hello those who follow along! Last year goals; - Get debt gone (didn't complete) - Buy my house - COMPLETE - Meal plan/prep - Sort of - Cut out Coffee (I gave this up on 22nd November 2023) - Didn't complete - Have savings of at least 2k! - didn't complete Am I annoyed I didn't complete some goals? no. I can try again!…
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My DMP diary - 2026 (year 1)
Well… inspired by others I intend to chronicle my own journey through the DMP maze. This is the year I turn 50 and I can't juggle these plates any longer. I earn enough to pay my bills and my debts but there is nothing left for contingency, household or family emergencies, holidays, days out, gifts, car repairs, vet bills…
