The Debt Free Roll Of Honour

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  • mildredalien
    mildredalien Posts: 1,057 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
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    Ooh I just noticed this thread :)

    LBM: September 2011

    Debts at highest point: Unsure, ~£6000 at LBM but probably nearer £8000 at the highest point, but I was always too scared to add them up!!

    DFD: 1st September 2012

    Pearl of Wisdom: Spreadsheets are the way of the future :D Well maybe not, but you need to find a way that works for you of keeping your eyes on exactly what you are spending, down to the pound or even penny. Lose concentration for even a few days and you could undo a lot of hard work.
    Savings target: £25000/£25000
    :beer: :T
  • twentyninetimes
    twentyninetimes Posts: 18 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
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    I can't believe I never did this! I was so looking forward to it when I first had my lightbulb moment...

    LBM: May 2011

    Debts at highest point: Approx. £8,600

    DFD: January 2012 :j

    Pearl of Wisdom: Ask for help! I was struggling for so long before I went to Christians Against Poverty (who I highly recommend by the way...I'm not a Christian, but they did SO much to help me).
    Lightbulb Moment - 6/5/11
    Debts at their highest £8.6k :eek:
    DEBT FREE - 20/1/12 :T
  • gothrockchic1
    gothrockchic1 Posts: 1,959 Forumite
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    twentyninetimes wrote: »
    I can't believe I never did this! I was so looking forward to it when I first had my lightbulb moment...

    LBM: May 2011

    Debts at highest point: Approx. £8,600

    DFD: January 2012 :j

    Pearl of Wisdom: Ask for help! I was struggling for so long before I went to Christians Against Poverty (who I highly recommend by the way...I'm not a Christian, but they did SO much to help me).

    Well Done :j
  • Imdebtfree
    Imdebtfree Posts: 959 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
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    LBM Feb 2011
    debt at highest 30 000 (£17 000 at LBM)
    debt free TODAY!!!

    Pearl of Wisdom: be honest and work out exactly how much you need to live on and stick to it - i paid everything i could by direct debits/standing orders and then withdrew a monthly cash budget for everything else which had to last me the month. Did not carry my cards around as that would have been too much temptation!:cry: Helped along the way by a tax rebate, which means Im free a month earlier than target. Moneyadvisoryservice good for calculation of how much should pay each debt.
    Now got a top credit scoring for the first time ever, and still have some money in the bank come payday!!

    Maybe if the PPI claim i've just put in is successful I may get to have some fun now...

    Paying off the debts is tough and takes strength, but its so much better than constantly having to juggle credit cards and bank accounts to find money for food and petrol almost from pay day.

    :laugh:
    :hello: The grass is not greener, it just looks that way from a distance :hello:
  • gothrockchic1
    gothrockchic1 Posts: 1,959 Forumite
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    Imdebtfree wrote: »
    LBM Feb 2011
    debt at highest 30 000 (£17 000 at LBM)
    debt free TODAY!!!

    Pearl of Wisdom: be honest and work out exactly how much you need to live on and stick to it - i paid everything i could by direct debits/standing orders and then withdrew a monthly cash budget for everything else which had to last me the month. Did not carry my cards around as that would have been too much temptation!:cry: Helped along the way by a tax rebate, which means Im free a month earlier than target. Moneyadvisoryservice good for calculation of how much should pay each debt.
    Now got a top credit scoring for the first time ever, and still have some money in the bank come payday!!

    Maybe if the PPI claim i've just put in is successful I may get to have some fun now...

    Paying off the debts is tough and takes strength, but its so much better than constantly having to juggle credit cards and bank accounts to find money for food and petrol almost from pay day.

    :laugh:

    Well Done for becoming debt free :A
  • pink_pirlie
    pink_pirlie Posts: 238 Forumite
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    a. The date of your lightbulb moment: April 2010

    b. Debts at their highest: £13,000 plus the sale of a house in negative equity by £1,500

    c. Debt-Free Date: 28 September 2012

    d. Your one perl of wisdom:
      1. Cut up paid off credit cards after they are paid off (how many times since I got into debt in 2001 did I pay one off with a balance transfer just to rack up more on the paid off one)
      2. Work hard and keep focussed.
      3. There is no such thing as "I'll be OK, it's only a couple of quid"
    1. poppy52
      poppy52 Posts: 186 Forumite
      Debt-free and Proud!
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      LBM - September 2005. I was self employed and couldn't even pay minimum payments. Had 16 creditors, was a single mother and had no assets. Luckily I got a really good job and then discovered Payplan.

      Debts at highest? £120,000. Money has gone into Payplan to pay the last of the debt off.

      Pearl of Wisdom? Be kind to yourself. Being in debt isn't a crime, it doesn't mean you're stupid or bad and it is survivable. Build in the occasional treat if possible. And learn to cook - it's much cheaper.

      :j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j
    2. Imdebtfree
      Imdebtfree Posts: 959 Forumite
      Debt-free and Proud!
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      Well done poppy!
      I never really mastered the learning to cook...
      but still made it, just.
      You are right about having to be kind to yourself, because sometimes no one else is. But little treats not big expensive ones (!)
      :hello: The grass is not greener, it just looks that way from a distance :hello:
    3. stevoh
      stevoh Posts: 197 Forumite
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      The date of your lightbulb moment- Around April 2011


      -Debts at their highest- £33,000
      -Debt-Free Date- May 2012- Now almost £33,000 in credit!!! :j
      -Your one perl of wisdom- Make being thrifty in to a game and try to enjoy it. I swapped my 3.2l sports car for a £600 banger, and can honestly say I much prefer driving the later, knowing its not hemorhagging me cash!


      After almost 10 years of being in the debt cycle it feels so good to be debt free and have significant savings. Where previously I was scared to open bank statements, I find myself logging on to my online account all the time now just to look at the balance!
    4. Hopelessly_Hopeful
      Hopelessly_Hopeful Posts: 2,868 Forumite
      First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
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      stevoh wrote: »
      The date of your lightbulb moment- Around April 2011


      -Debts at their highest- £33,000
      -Debt-Free Date- May 2012- Now almost £33,000 in credit!!! :j
      -Your one perl of wisdom- Make being thrifty in to a game and try to enjoy it. I swapped my 3.2l sports car for a £600 banger, and can honestly say I much prefer driving the later, knowing its not hemorhagging me cash!


      After almost 10 years of being in the debt cycle it feels so good to be debt free and have significant savings. Where previously I was scared to open bank statements, I find myself logging on to my online account all the time now just to look at the balance!

      Impressive

      Enjoy

      HHx
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