The Debt Free Roll Of Honour

judi24 · 7 October 2014 at 7:50PM

Well done!!!

girlinayellowdress · 19 October 2014 at 7:52AM

I've been debt free for a little while now but couldn't feel debt free until my defaults had been lifted. Today they have! So.....

Lightbulb moment May 2008
Debts at highest just over £20,000
Debt free Date December 2013
Pearl of wisdom ... Was passed on to my 17 year old son, he saw what it done to me and swears he will never be in debt (he also has far more money than me!)
Many boards gave me tips but the people using the boards became great "friends"

ec86 · 20 October 2014 at 3:28PM

a. The date of your lightbulb moment
January 2013
b. Debts at their highest
£21k
c. Debt-Free Date
TODAY - Monday 20th October!
d. Your one perl of wisdom.
Face your problem head on
f. Which forum threads helped you
All of the Debt-Free Wannabe threads

I can honestly say today is a good day, albeit a strange day. I made my last payment to a Debt Arrangement Scheme and I am officially debt-free! My perl of wisdom is to anyone who doesn't want to face up to the fact that they have a problem. I earn good money, but due to parts of my life that i was not happy with i used money and lending as a crutch rather than dealing with what my true issue was - i was unhappy. Every month i would live outside my means, buying things i didn't need or want and before i knew it i couldn't make ends meet and i was in a situation that i was unable to pay monthly debts, and had to continue borrowing to pay everything. This is not something i am proud of, but if anyone reads this and is in the same situation as i was, please don't hide from it. Maybe an arrangement is not right for you and another solution is - but look into it, speak to your creditors and seek help. Even if you have no money to pay back - a conversation with a lender to explain your situation is 100 times better than ignoring them and hoping that the situation goes away. The threads on here have helped my journey, when i have felt down and frustrated with myself for being in this situation the threads of others has helped to not feel alone. Thanks MSE for providing the information that you do!

judi24 · 20 October 2014 at 6:56PM

Congratulations!!! well done! I get what you are saying about spending money when you are unhappy with another area of your life - but you are proof that you can get through it!

EvergreenDreams · 24 October 2014 at 9:01AM

I've been a lurker for a long time but the help from this forum has been not end of help, particularly on my low days so I'd like to say big thanks to everyone on here.

a. The date of your lightbulb moment - There have been many attempts over the years but my latest was the 1st Jan 2014. Have been in debt since my first CC aged 18, I'm now 30.
b. Debts at their highest - As of 1st Jan 2014 about 10K but have been up to 15K in the past
c. Debt-Free Date - Today, just been paid

d. Your one pearl of wisdom. If you have a bad month don't give up , get back on track and just continue debt busting. I had some unexpected bills in April but coming here helped me remember my goals, which is where I had failed previously. Locking my CC away also helped!
e. Links to the MSE Guides that helped you - All of them!
f. Which forum threads helped you - Debt free wannabe, Renting & Selling and Crafting helped to make hand made gifts.

Karen777 · 24 October 2014 at 9:46AM

well done everyone - you are an inspiration to the rest of us!

abundant1972 · 25 October 2014 at 2:29PM

Hi all,

I'm pleased to announce that after what feels like forever... I'm now DEBT FREE at last!!!

I've been in debt for as long as I can remember... I don't recall not ever been in debt!!! I'd always had a credit card or a loan on the go from when I was in my early 20s - that's 20 years ago!!!

a) My light bulb moment must have come around December 2012... It was the end of the World as we knew it... Mayan prophecies and all that... I think I decided, right then - that I didn't want to leave this life, whenever that might be - in debt - owing anything to anyone... That felt like bad karma. I joined MSE not long after, and made my first post on 19/01/2014

b) My debts at their highest were £12,500 in December 2012, when I joined MSE

c) My Debt Free Date was 24th October 2014.

d) My one pearl of wisdom - Take ownership of your debts. It's ok to have made mistakes, as long as you do your best to try and change. Do whatever is needed to clear them. You are Master/Mistress of your own destiny... only you can make it happen. Get help - join challenges - they make you accountable for your actions/non-action. Believe you can and will achieve your goals

e) The MSE website conatins a wealth of knowledge. This in particular was of great help to me:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/debt-help-plan
and also this one if you are wondering if you need to save before clearing debt:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/pay-off-debts

f) NinjaSavingKat challenges helped me immensely. Set monthly goals and budgets, and get support from an amazing bunch of people. Whilst she has moved on to pastures new, her legacy lives on here...
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5068674

Also Amara's threads... 1 debt VS 100 days - really helped to focus my debt clearing.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5090611

g) My own Debt Free Diary, whilst incomplete - helped me at the time... and enabled me to give form to my journey. It is something I will pick up again when I am feeling inspired for sure... I feel it needs an ending.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4367539

What now? Well... I've joined a 'build £1000 Emergency Fund' as a starter... I'm moving into a new swanky apartment soon, so furniture will eat up my newly freed up cash for a few months, but after that I'll be saving for a deposit on my own place. ISA already on the go, and will stay on track doing MSE challenges every month...

Thanks to all my friends on here, that have made my jouney successful. Thanks to the MoneySavingExpert team... and of course to Martin Lewis for founding this site too. You're all amazing!!!

:T

LionessInWinter · 25 October 2014 at 3:14PM

I love reading these, they give me hope

NinjaSavingKat · 26 October 2014 at 11:48AM

So so so happy for you Abundant! So proud of the journey you undertook to change your life! I've loved getting to know you and seeing your progress each month! x x x

Former_MSE_Andrea · 27 October 2014 at 11:56AM

That's such fantastic news abundant1972!

We're really proud MSE and other MSErs helped you so much but at the end of the day it's all down to you getting it done, just with MSE's help.

Please pop back regularly to let us know what you're doing next and how it's going on the What I did next.. thread

Huge congrats

The Debt Free Roll Of Honour

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