Debt Free By 30 Challenge!

Hello everyone

It's my birthday on Wednesday next week (25th) and I have therefore decided to set myself a new challenge. I will be 26 and I want to be debt free by the time I am 30. I know it sounds like a long time but I am in quite a bit of debt :rolleyes: .

Here's a little round-up for people who don't know me & my story:

I've accumulated around £40,000 worth of debt since I was around 20 years old. It's all totally my fault and I just went mad for a few years going on holiday, spending money on rubbish, 2 brand new cars, attempting a degree (cost me around £6,000 in the end with Open Uni and I have now had to stop it due to lack of funds) and other extravagences!!

I was born with Cystic Fibrosis and therefore have my health problems but I don't blame my debt on this and I know there are a lot of people out there that are 10 times worse than me.

I had a dreadful year in 2006 when my baby nephew Joshua passed away at just 18 days old (he was 11 weeks premature - he's the little angel on my avatar ) and 5 days later my dad died (he had been ill for some time and is now probably better off as he was in a lot of pain and he is now looking after Joshua).

Things are looking up this year as my sister (only sister) is pregnant again and she's got just under 11 weeks to go so hopefully I will be an auntie for a second time at the beginning of July. This is very important to me as I can't have children myself due to my illness.

I have been with my boyfriend for over 6 years and I am trying my best to get him to propose to me at the moment (any tips would be most helpful ). We are hoping to be able to move out next year as we still both live with our parents (and he is 31!).

I work 4 days a week (due to my illness) and I do lots of other things to get extra money which include mystery shopping and answering questions on AQA. I love entering competitions too and am quite lucky with them (have won a PS3, camcorder, £200 gold watch, satnav and others already this year ). I mainly sell my prizes to help pay off my debts (although the PS3 went to my boyfriend :rolleyes: ).

To clear my debt by the time I am 30, I will need to pay off around £10,000 per year :eek: .

For the coming year (25th April 2007 - 24th April 2008) I will pay off the following debts:

• Capital One Credit Card - £940 to clear
• Barclaycard - £380 to clear
• LloydsTSB Platinum Card - £1,300 to clear
• LloydsTSB Loan - around £1,700 to clear
• Loan from sister - £1,000 outstanding
• LloydsTSB Gold Card - £5,000 to clear

So that's around £10,000 and I will clear this by the time I am 27. That will only leave me with 1 credit card, my overdraft and 4 loans.

So there we have it, that's me and my challenge to myself

Wish me luck :j

Emily x