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Debt free diaries

Archives for November 2011

The Second Coming
After many months of sporadically visiting, feeling like it's time to face up to my debts then plunging back into denial, I've finally made it in here... So a little background... I'm a bloke and I'm 26. I've always been TERRIBLE with money, a definite spender not a saver.. If I can squander it, I will. Generally one of…
Mortgage Newbie keeping on straight and narrow!
Hi Ive lurked on these threads for ages now. We brought our house in the beginning of Sept so about since then! Anyway, done my statement of affairs and according to that we should be having a LOT left at the end of the month. We were left with some at the end of this month but no where near that figure! So ive joined the…
MG - The Matrix Re-wired
So here we are again – setting off on a new thread as we have exhausted the post count on our previous thread “The Matrix Re-Evolution” – but as you can see we are still keeping up with our Matrix inspired theme. Quick catch up to help you get up to speed with some of the chat occurring: When we get stuck – we revert to…
The Seven Month Challenge
I have been living in debt for years which has meant I've not saved anything at all. I have a £2000 overdraft which I constantly use, and I never leave. I have a credit card which I have debts of £1400 on. I also owe my parents £2300. That's:* £2000 overdraft * £1400 credit card * £2300 parents Total: £3900 I currently…
Debt situation finally got too much!! Roll on 2015
Well this is my first diary entry for my 'Debt situation finally got too much!' It took a long time to actually admit defeat, that I could no longer keep going in the situation I was in! the minimum payments getting higher on credit card bills was skinting me out each month, not leaving enough money for food, so then had…
Pay off as much as you can in 2012 challenge!
This challenge is a continuation of the very successful 'Pay Off as much as you can' challenge 2011. Link to 2011 thread: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2923958 In 2011 we managed to pay a total of: £568,054.50 :T :T :j :j The whole point of this challenge is that there is no set amount you can aim to pay…
Never the first light bulb moment is it? at the peak...
Hey all reading, Well About 2 years ago after watching young folks in debt on TV programmes I joined, not a lot was happeneing so I went back to my expensive collecting hobbies... old cars, cycles/bikes, junk etc etc... You guessed it I'm in a worse position now, not to be dramatic it's gradual but a story you probably…
Hello Money! Goodbye Muffins!
I've been lurking a while and thought it was time to start my own diary. My situation is that I have approx £3000 of debt, which although not a lot compared to some is about £3000 more than I want. We have a good family income but this just seems to dissappear and I don't know where it goes ( I can feel a spending diary…
Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.
I've been reading some really great diaries on here, and they've left me feeling all inspired to write one myself. I'm sure they won't be as entertaining as those of others, but writing this is for me, rather than for others. To keep me motivated, give me perspective, keep me excited about clearing my debts and saving for…
Amatheya's 2012 Debt Diary
Hello All, I've decided to start a new debt diary for 2012. In last years diary I decided that I wanted to pay of £4k of debt. I will end the year with closer to £5k paid :j so in 2012 I'm going to aim a little higher. This year I figure that if I managed £5k in 2011 I should streatch myself a little further in 2012. I've…
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat and my overdraft needs to go on a diet!
Well. I've lurked around here long enough, getting my fix of MSE tips and inspiration from the lovely folk on here. I've posted a few times but never committed to the full effort of maintaining a thread on here. Gulp. So I thought I should probably take the plunge and actually write down what I'm doing to tackle my debts.…
Olivia's office...
Well it isn't really an office...but hey! I've been reading MSE forums for years but never really posted or knew the best way to get stuck in. I'm at a good point in life at the moment (I'll explain in a sec) and 2012 is fast approaching so I thought now would be the best time to get stuck in with MSE and make some new…
Got to Change
Well after years of actually being a member of the site but never following any advice I started to actually join in at the beginning of the month and already had my eyes opened over my over spending. We were in some debt and had been for so long that it had become a normal way of life, we had, had many close shaves with…
A Place For Everything - Silaren's Lists and Progress
Will be using this thread to keep up with the challenges that I'd like to do and my goals for 2012. Current CC debt is £1994.85. Using the MSE calculator, I've worked out that I need to pay a bare minimum of £59 per month to clear it in 5 years. But I can clear it in a year if I pay in £200 per month and don't spend…
The life I want and the person I want to be
Shiny new diary which will encompass different efforts I'm making to create the life I want and become the person I want to be. (I hope this is ok, as only one of those things is become debt free, though it is my first priority!) Goals: * Become debt-free by June 30th 2012 * Remove unnecessary/unwanted possessions from my…
Emz will be debt free.....but in her own good time
Sorry for starting yet another new diary. I had an epiphany after watching the movie 50/50 (very good film if you haven't seen it) and decided that I wasn't going to work myself into the ground to clear my debt in 1,000 days. I have Cystic Fibrosis and therefore related to the movie 50/50 because of the illness connection.…
Time to be a Thrawn and Frugal lassie again
Well, I was a member on MSE a while back (forgotten all my logins and my MSE e-mail account details so starting afresh...) managed to get debt free after several years and a lot of hard work, then I let it slide. Just wee bits and pieces here and there, but then more and more. NO MORE! It's completely ridiculous. I managed…
Standing Still - Got to get Moving
Thought I would start a diary to try and motivate me to get my debts paid off. A bit of back story. Just over a year ago I finally confessed to partner about having £8,500 of debt which he didn't know about. He used his savings to pay off £2000 and helped get other debt transferred to 0% deal. I then got a temporary…
TDR Journey to freedom
“Some debts are fun when you are acquiring them, but none are fun when you set about retiring them.” -Ogden Nash I have been living a life of not taking on the consequences of my actions and sadly my bank account has taken a hiding. At one point I had a decent saving but I am now in debt of c.£17k - its strange to think…
Finally seeing the right track getting closer
I've lurked in a few diaries long enough to get some amazing tips and tricks on this DFW track and I'm really happy to say I've implemented a lot of them already. There's some amazingly inspirational people out there on this forum, and I feel so grateful for the tips and inspiration! So, a little about me is that I'm a…

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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Debt free diaries

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