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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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In a rush.
Morning. I've been here before, but deleted my account as I probably overshared and then panicked that somebody I knew would read it. Me in a nutshell..... 2010- left my children's dad. He was abusive. Walked away with all of the debt. 2016- Had to sell the family home as I could no longer afford to maintain it or pay the…
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Kezzy's debt journey 2024
I've been a member here for a long time, but for the first time I am going to create my own debt free diary. A little about me:nhs nurse, married mother of 2, and 2 doggie children. I have a bit of a problem with gambling, but hopefully I'm addressing it now I have used gamstop to block myself from uk sites. Lightbulb…
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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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MeandO's money-shuffling
Long time member here, sneaking back over from the MFW board... Previous diary here for those that want a back story: Money-shuffling towards mortgage freedom — MoneySavingExpert Forum Although my only debt is now my mortgage I've had to shift my focus from OP'ing to building up my savings instead, so don't really feel at…
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A new chapter is ....... FINALLY HERE
So i'm sloping back in with a new diary, been missing (but still reading) for 10 months, MH took a nose dive in October, all work related and quite frankly horrid. After lots of chats with DH,crying and not really knowing what to do with my life I spoke to my manager and as of September I will be working less hours with a…
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Here's to the Fools Who Dream
I will be 60 on March 2nd 2026 and I am an old fool who is dreaming that the best is yet to come! I loved the film La La Land, always felt this song was about me ....... The Fools Who Dream (Abridged Version) "She captured a feeling A sky with no ceiling, the sunset inside a frame .... A bit of madness is key To give us…
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taking responsibilty to get me where I want to be
Good morning MSE'ers I have been reading diaries for the last few months and have found peoples stories so inspiring that I am hoping for some company on my own journey , this will be my own log which hopefully will motivate me at times of bleakness so I can look back on any progress I have made My sitituation is quite…
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Flying solo
I previously had a diary (well actually I've a few) but in June I had a big life shift which meant I disappeared for a while! I've had a few attempts at trying to pay off debt, made great progress and then progress stopped and the debt increased again. But this time I seriously mean business and I am determined to get this…
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A whole new world, for now
So, here’s the new thread I’ve been promising myself for a few months. My old one, that served me so well, is https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4855808 A potted history of me. I’m 49, live in NI with OH, DD and dog and DS is London based. Have been in debt for a lot of my life and came here post personal debt…
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Mortgage Free by 50???
Hi, long time lurker but first time poster! I am trying to
get my finances in order and stop lurching from paycheque to paycheque- only
taken me until the age of 40 to think this would be a good idea…hopefully
keeping a diary here will help me on the straight and narrow! A bit about me, married with two children- boy aged…
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F&F settlement letter offer or CCA . Not sure where to start. Thanks
Hi everyone, Thanks for reading my post. I have been reading through the forums and not 100% sure where to start. I am looking for some advice as I don't know whether I should try and negotiate F& F settlements or first to ask for my CCA, all taken out around 2011-2014. I have been paying £5 a month to each creditor for…
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I have a plan - so everything is fine
First of many posts….Currently I’m 49k in unsecured debt. I’ve posted SOA and had some support and so I’m going for a DMP. This was back towards the end of June/July so thought I would post what’s happened and where I am. So my SOA compared to today…..isn’t it strange that in my head I was thinking I was paying £1400…
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Let's get this sorted then!
Hey everyone, I went back to uni just before I turned 40, so have quite a lot of debt from that, and from generally trying to live whilst working and studying. I tackled a bit before the end of 2024, but that was mostly getting on top of things, doing some 0% balance transfers, and I paid of two small debts of about £250…
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All change for 2025
I thought I'd start a new diary to have a fresh start. After almost 21 years in my job, I've recently been placed at risk of redundancy. I'll find out for sure in the new year. If I manage to successfully challenge the redundancy, things will be very different at that employer next year, and if I do go, there will be a…
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Don't hit me with those negative waves Moriarity
I have lurked for a long time on this forum, then joined and lurked (and lurked some more). Maybe should have gone with an Adams family reference for the title but ho hum I'm here now. I think I'm ready to start a diary even though I've had one running through my head for months as I had my light bulb moment back in…
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10 years later yikes
Hello all Here again for round 2… my first diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4529627/can-i-do-it/p1 I’ve just looked back at this and as much as I really thought I knew what I was doing, it’s crazy to now see 10years later here I am. I was in my 20’s and ambitious and honestly looking back on it now how…
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A marathon not a sprint……
I’ve been knocking around this board for a few years now, but never been consistent with posting. I’ve decided to start a new diary to celebrate the small wins and help to keep me accountable. I feel like I’m at a bit of a crossroads in my life and feel motivated for change and improvement in several key areas of my life.…
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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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Giving every £ a job
I've decided to be brave and continue my journey from lurking on these boards, through posting on these boards and I now feel ready to start my own diary. I don't actually have any debt anymore but I am very bad at saving so I've decided to set myself savings goals and treat them as debts to my future self. I was…
