The Debt Free Roll Of Honour

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  • Lightbulb Moment: August 2003

    Debts at Highest: £18,000 (Then my Partner added £18,500 when I met him in 2006)

    Debt Free Date: 18th June 2010 (Day before my Wedding)

    Pearl of Wisdom: 'We spend money we don't have, on things we don't need, to impress people we don't like' This had the biggest impact on me and my Husband... it made us see everything in a different light!

    Biggest Help: Statement of Allowance (Knowing exactly if your incoming covers your outgoings!)

    Biggest Forum Help: Old Style Forum - It taught me how to live a life within my means, to budget, and to live a healthier life too (making bread, yogurt and being frugal)
    We spend money we don't have, on things that we don't need, to impress people we don't like. I don't and I'm happy!
    :dance: Mortgage Free Wannabe :dance:
    Overpayments Made: £5400 - Interest Saved: £11,550 - Months Saved: 24
  • eyeopener2
    eyeopener2 Posts: 1,783
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    Forumite
    Well I've done it, paid the lot back! My final DMP payment has gone so as far as I'm concerned, that is that.

    Lightbulb moment was in April 2010 which was more of sledgehammer really as wonga cleared my bank account, I will never forget that day.

    Debt at highest was around the £25k Mark, my signature was the DMP figure but the wonga loan isn't included.

    Debt free date ,well technically the 25th September, but the 2nd September 2013 is mine, all mine.

    Pearl of wisdom? Cut everything back to the bone and then only add back in. Newspapers, magazines, coffee, sky, mobiles, get rid of everything you can. You will be amazed what you live without after a month or two. Your not depriving yourself, your building your future debt freedom.

    Biggest forum help? The guys and gals on the Without a paddle thread. It's an amazing group of people who dragged me through these past three n a bit years. Hopelessly Hopeful, Ted's, ellies eleven, Gibbs, prof pat pending, gabrielle, DOPEY. I love my cyber friends, and will never forget them.

    Also the main DFW board and the old style, the old style sorted me out, showing a different way to eat and live.

    Thanks to everybody who has helped this poor fool on his journey, you know who you are.

    E2
    I'm Debt Free :j 2/09/2013
    Debt at LBM 30/04/2010 £24,109.38,
  • Well done eyeopener and everyone else. Great achievements by all and some great advice from everyone.
    Debt 30k in 2008.:eek::o Cleared all my debt in 2013 and loving being debt free :)
    Mortgage free since 2014 :)
  • eyeopener2 wrote: »
    Well I've done it, paid the lot back! My final DMP payment has gone so as far as I'm concerned, that is that.

    Lightbulb moment was in April 2010 which was more of sledgehammer really as wonga cleared my bank account, I will never forget that day.

    Debt at highest was around the £25k Mark, my signature was the DMP figure but the wonga loan isn't included.

    Debt free date ,well technically the 25th September, but the 2nd September 2013 is mine, all mine.

    Pearl of wisdom? Cut everything back to the bone and then only add back in. Newspapers, magazines, coffee, sky, mobiles, get rid of everything you can. You will be amazed what you live without after a month or two. Your not depriving yourself, your building your future debt freedom.

    Biggest forum help? The guys and gals on the Without a paddle thread. It's an amazing group of people who dragged me through these past three n a bit years. Hopelessly Hopeful, Ted's, ellies eleven, Gibbs, prof pat pending, gabrielle, DOPEY. I love my cyber friends, and will never forget them.

    Also the main DFW board and the old style, the old style sorted me out, showing a different way to eat and live.

    Thanks to everybody who has helped this poor fool on his journey, you know who you are.

    E2

    :T:money::beer::j:A:)CONGRATULATIONS E2:T:money::beer::j:A

    We love you too bud! Stronger together and all that. You have tackled this with steely determination which has paid off to your credit. Also you have helped me and others along the way too so thank you for that. You've certainly given back easily and more than you have taken.

    Wishing you and yours every happiness in your DFD and beyond.

    HHx
  • I'm sneaking a post, not because I'm debt free but because I'm NEARLY debt free! Only £300 left when it was once £8000. I've only just been paid and have paid £400 this month so the next pay day will be the one, yipee.:T
    Every Penny's a Prisoner.
    Cash is king.
  • a. The date of your lightbulb moment
    I've always wanted to be debt free! But the real crux came in August 2012 when I worked out I might not have a house for very much longer. I always paid the mortgage on time, but my calcs showed I could no longer do so from the end of September.

    b. Debts at their highest
    £37,959

    c. Debt-Free Date
    1 September 2013

    d. Your one perl of wisdom.
    We had been cutting back and living on minimum things for years, but eventually it was the income that had to go up not the expenditure down. So I had to go out and work hard, work away from home. It was short term pain for long term gain.

    e. Which MSE guides/forums helped you
    Can't remember which but just budget, get online statements, write it all down in a spreadsheet, be honest with yourself and keep monitoring it to make sure it's going down and not up!
  • eyeopener2 wrote: »
    Well I've done it, paid the lot back! My final DMP payment has gone so as far as I'm concerned, that is that.

    Lightbulb moment was in April 2010 which was more of sledgehammer really as wonga cleared my bank account, I will never forget that day.

    Debt at highest was around the £25k Mark, my signature was the DMP figure but the wonga loan isn't included.

    Debt free date ,well technically the 25th September, but the 2nd September 2013 is mine, all mine.

    Pearl of wisdom? Cut everything back to the bone and then only add back in. Newspapers, magazines, coffee, sky, mobiles, get rid of everything you can. You will be amazed what you live without after a month or two. Your not depriving yourself, your building your future debt freedom.

    Biggest forum help? The guys and gals on the Without a paddle thread. It's an amazing group of people who dragged me through these past three n a bit years. Hopelessly Hopeful, Ted's, ellies eleven, Gibbs, prof pat pending, gabrielle, DOPEY. I love my cyber friends, and will never forget them.

    Also the main DFW board and the old style, the old style sorted me out, showing a different way to eat and live.

    Thanks to everybody who has helped this poor fool on his journey, you know who you are.

    E2

    Fantastic achievement eye opener! I'm so pleased for you! Good Luck for the future, we love you too. Do keep in touch and let us all know how you are enjoying your debt free lifestyle.


    Take care
    Ellie xx
  • a. The date of your lightbulb moment
    August 2008.

    b. Debts at their highest
    £10,000

    c. Debt-Free Date
    July 2013

    d. Your one perl of wisdom.
    Only buy things you need, your not saving money on a multi buy if you only needed one thing in the first place.

    e. Which MSE guides helped you
    Pretty much all of them over time, in my time here I think I have covered every guide and forum.

    f. Which forum threads helped you
    Pretty much all of them over time, in my time here I think I have covered every guide and forum. But a big shout out goes to the wedding board, I had some great help and support from the people over there.

    I know own my car out right! Its the only tangible thing I have to show! Not sure what the other 4k even went on.
    Debt free since July 2013! Woo hoo! The bank actually laughed when I said I have come in to cancel my overdraft.
  • a. The date of your lightbulb moment
    2005
    b. Debts at their highest
    £4,000 (I'm not counting my student loan!)
    c. Debt-Free Date
    Spring 2013
    d. Your one perl of wisdom.
    Baby steps, try one thing then another, don't worry if they don't seem to "stick" as a habit, keep trying, it took me ages to wean myself off brands and ages to get into the habit of budgeting!
    e. Which MSE guides helped you
    The money mantras - do I really need it or just want it
    f. Which forum threads helped you
    Old style moneysaving - I'm addicted to reading it
    :beer: (own brand)
    Debt free Spring 2013 :j
    (Pretending the Student Loan isn't there)
    Thanks MSE! :money:
  • Clarie_2
    Clarie_2 Posts: 127
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Forumite
    a) Date of our lightbulb moment...Summer 2010
    b) £36,719 - debt incurred when self employed business failed.
    c) Debt free Date - September 2013
    d)Pearl of Wisdom - if you are in a marriage/partnership you are in it together. It takes two people, with both their skills, and both their commitment to get out of debt, regardless of how or who got in to debt.
    c) MSE guides: on credit cards, on savings vs debts, on reclaiming PPI
    d)debt-free wannabes. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3477521&highlight=clarie

    With thanks.
    Debt Free and Proud!
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