Nearly there!

January20 · 8 October 2011 at 6:08PM

I have been a regular poster on this forum for a long time now. In 2006, I saw Martin Lewis on television, discovered this website, had my LBM and -perhaps most importantly - realised I could take control of my finances and get out of debt.

At the time of my LBM in August 2006, the total amount of debt I had was £12568.49.

From the onset, I was very private ([STRIKE]ashamed[/STRIKE]) about my debt, so I've had to be creative with excuses not to do certain things, had to bite my tongue when I heard some comments (one of my friends still thinks bankrupts should be jailed!) and also decided I couldn't just chuck every spare penny at my debt, one of the reasons being that I was and still am a single mum and my dd didn't deserve to miss out on the occasional take-away or cinema outings. Anyway, children grow up so fast!

Today, my debt stands at £1966.69. Why I feel the need to start a diary now? I'm not sure. Perhaps just to make it all "official" so I can really enjoy being debt free? Perhaps because it's the final push and I want to clear this last cc as soon as possible and this will help me with my willpower?

And when I look at the length of this initial post, perhaps it's just because I'm talkative and I couldn't contain myself anymore :rotfl:

January20 · 9 October 2011 at 10:04AM

I'm impatiently until I can make another payment!

Normally, I would pay £200 a month, but lately my hours have been cut at work and although I still receive enough of a salary to live on, things are tighter with the cost of petrol and food increasing, and as my dd is taking a year before going to university, my council is going up too, so I've set my direct debit to the minimum repayment and then I "top up" throughout the month.

I have a little second job and in the past I would use the money from it for treats, but at the monent most of it goes on extra payments. And my dd is starting a full time job at the end of the month and will start paying board. I felt very mercenary when we were discussing it (I could discuss it with her because she is very sensible) but we've agreed an amount so that I am not out of pocket and she still has plenty left to have fun and put some away for next year.

Beencounting · 9 October 2011 at 10:25AM

Well done January, you've done exceptionally well

Good luck with this final push!

Been

January20 · 9 October 2011 at 1:55PM

Thank you Been! You haven't done badly yourself, have you?

Seeing you have not posted your total debts makes me realise I'm not the only one unable to [STRIKE]confess[/STRIKE]

share. It's hard isn't it? Even to a forum full of strangers!

January20 · 11 October 2011 at 6:03PM

I did a couple of sessions on my second job yesterday and today and although I won't be paid for yesterday until the end of the month, I'm paying another £20 of my CC today so that's a balance of £1946.69. I was always a bit dubious of those small regular payments but I'm starting to realise how rewarding - and useful in reducing a balance - they are

Initially, my big aim was to get under 2K but now it's to get under £1900!

... for the time being anyway

kelpie35 · 11 October 2011 at 6:13PM

You should be so proud of yourself for what you have achieved so far :j

I do not know you but I know that you will have this cc cleared very soon because you are such a determined person. Well done :beer:

debtfreewannabe321 · 11 October 2011 at 6:20PM

:T well done on everything you've achieved so far and good luck with the final push

I wish I were as near my dfd

!

dfw

January20 · 11 October 2011 at 6:25PM

Thank you Debtfreewannabee321! You will get there! I promise you there were times where I despaired, where it felt like some higher power was against me, and now I'm so close to my debt free day (I haven't set a date) that it's scary in case something awful happens to stop me! Positive thinking, positive thinking...

ETA: Thank you kelpie, just noticed your post! Funnily enough, I don't feel proud but relieved that the bulk of it is gone and - you are right - determined. And because of my experience, I have so much admiration for the people who tackle much larger debts than mine!

I need a plan for when I'm debt free too. Will go thinking! I am not too worried about those days yet because I have learned so much reading these forums. One thing is sure, I will add a signature to my profile and I will remain on here, chatting to people! And helping if I can ever do that

mary81 · 11 October 2011 at 6:58PM

Hi January, well done on everything so far, and good luck for the rest too. I've only recently had my LBM, and have started a diary too, i waffle away on mine about nothing most of the time, its a good place to do it! Bet you have loads of words of wisdom now too.

Itsadogslife_2 · 11 October 2011 at 7:46PM

Hi January 20,

I was the same as you and used to come on this forum a lot under a separate user name, this happened to be a username that I use on a number of different other sites and logins and as I had recommended MSE to so many people I was too ashamed to say how much I had. But in the end, I thought if it is out there loud and proud (well not proud in the slightest, you know what I mean), but I thought it may focus me better so I opened a new account and started again. This time, I feel so much more dedicated to the cause, maybe before was only my flicker of a LBM rather than the proper one. People could still work out who I was if I was unlucky enough for a family member to join and then read through every post in my diary, but the likelihood of that happening is remote.

As it is, I find that because I feel invisible, I am very open and honest about things - which I feel unable to talk to people about in the real world. Its the best form of counselling on here

beanielou · 11 October 2011 at 8:21PM

Keep plodding!

Nearly there!

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