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Debt clearing and saving so I can retire (soon!)
Hello, I haven't been around here for a while, but thought I would start a nice, new diary for my journey into retirement. I'm dreaming of moving to the seaside and starting the day with a walk along the seafront. I'm not in a good financial position to do this - too many bad decisions along the way, but there must be a…
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Progress not Perfection
Happy New Year! I thought it was about time I started a new diary. I've been on these diaries since 2008. My last diary is here Things
can only get better My first diary is here Champagne Lifestyle Lemonade Budget and the one after that here Looking for the Silver Lining. That's a hell of a lot of waffle over the years 😆…
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Weight loss and healthy eating for a debt free life
I've been thinking about this for a while and I've seen a few other people mention weight loss so I wondered if we should have a thread. There's a giving up alcohol one but obviously we can't give up food. I also realise that not everyone with a food buying problem is overweight. I overbuy and some of the overbuying was…
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A new chapter, An empty nest, Drama school & Last year of Uni
I've been on these boards for many years and a long time ago did start a diary when we'd had a windfall and cleared some debt and I'm not sure what happened but 'life' got in the way. Today starts a new chapter of my life as my youngest has just left home (albeit temporarily) for her to access a drama course in a different…
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2024 - slowing down, simplifying and saving up for a more intentional life!
I’ve decided to draw a line and start a new diary ahead of the new year. For background, I’m in my mid 40’s, Mum to one amazing little boy and feel as though I’ve never got a grip on this whole adulting lark! This is reflected in the very chaotic nature of my life and the way I budget / manage the household finances (or…
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Small steps lead to big changes...
I thought I'd start a new diary for the new year. It always feels like time for a nice fresh start, and whilst I don't really make resolutions, it's always nice to have a plan of things I'd like to achieve. After many, many years of struggling, it feels like my finances are finally on a more even keel, and I have for the…
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Moving on
Welcome to my new thread: my old one is here: Cherry takes the reins — MoneySavingExpert Forum and my very old one is here: Coffee and chocolate — MoneySavingExpert Forum Quite a lot changed in 2023, and now it's time to move on. I left the job and career path I'd followed for many years and don't feel I can or should go…
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15months to debt free - I hope
Well I thought it was time I started a diary having put my two pennorth into several others. Brief bit about me. I am a retired careworker having done other things as well. I have a husband who has mental health issues and 3 old dogs. A 15 year oldJack Russell X who has heart and kidney failure so I am not sure how long we…
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Giving Up/Cutting Down Alcohol Thread part 18
Welcome!! Here we are again, time for a new thread, new starts and new challenges. Let's take a trip down memory lane and remind ourselves of In Search Of Me's original post on February 24th 2008 in Part 1: And here's what she started!!! Part 17 is HERE Part 16 is HERE Part 14 and 15 is HERE Part 13 is HERE Part 12 is HERE…
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2020++ - smiling and waving and looking so fine
Hello welcome to my shiny new 5 years (I hope) diary. The title is based on my favourite lyric from the Bowie song 5 years - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bcnO3VQ_fc - I commend you to go and have a listen - its the live Old Grey Whistle Test version and is hauntingly beautiful. Why a 5 year diary - well its is…
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Moving on with things
I have debated posting this for a few days or so. One of the main reasons I wanted to post an update is because recently I said goodbye to my car for good having made the decision to lease another electric car through my business. A decision I simply think I wouldn’t have made without having been on here. My wife and I are…
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2024... Debt no more🤘
Hi all, here I go to ridding myself of debt for the final time. I don't want to work forever and would like some good savings before I reduce my working hours. I'm not getting any younger and suffer with various ailments so instead of borrowing I need to pay off what I owe and save instead. Previous borrowing was always…
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Must try harder!
To echo the words of many a school report, I must try harder! My dad often quoted ‘a fool and his money are soon parted’ and it’s taken many years and losing my dear dad before I really took it to heart that I am that fool. My position isn’t terrible, but I’m terrible with money. I often get to the middle of the month with…
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Budgeting by the beach
I've been on here lurking for some time, and I think it's time I started my own diary and keep it updated. I originally tried to get this diary started in 2021, but just wrote one post which I then deleted. I've decided to resurrect this one on Friday 6 May 2022. Last year I decided I needed a fresh start, so I moved close…
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An in-between phase
I am largely starting this thread so as to not rudely put a long whinge on the lovely @foxgloves and @EssexHebridean threads! I will talk a little more about my slightly unsettled life situation in due course, but for now, just whinging 😂 Today I have been trying to switch to a more money saving phone contract. It has been…
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Keeping afloat till I can get round to the debts!
So here goes with a brand new diary. With the financial situation across the country as it is I'm going paycheck to paycheck and debts seem to be going up not down. It's time to take stock. Focus on the money actually lasting the month and forming a new plan. I've never been one for following the American debt fella but I…
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The Mental Debt Struggle...
I've known that this diary needed to be started... But I've run away from the idea as the accountability made me nervous and I didn't think anyone would want to read it. But then I realised it would be financially and mentally therapeutic for me, and that's the whole point after all. I've read other diaries and gained so…
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Time to Face The Music
We have decided as a couple that it is time to face the music and start paying down some of our debts. We are lucky that we are both in jobs that pay ok but we have at times been living beyond our means and now it is time to start reining in the spending and making a concerted effort to cut the debt. Moving house last year…
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Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend
Happy New Year to readers old & new! Well, it's time for a new chapter. My old diary ("Put away your purse & become debt averse") achieved pretty much what I intended. I shared the story of how I got into debt at the age of 19 & stayed that way until a pretty enormous lightbulb pinged on during my early 40s, I've shared…
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One final push BPD vs DFW
Good Afternoon all, I have been debt free before and even had a good little pot of savings. But in 2022 I suffered from a BPD spiral so big it landed myself (35f) and my husband (35m) into £32k worth of debt in a mere 6 months with nothing to show for it. Since then I have been signed up to Stepchange and am down to £23k…