-
Would you class this debt free?
Hi So I've been a careful user of credit cards and never paid interest and never took out a balance transfer. I recently used my Barclaycard rewards abroad and paid it off in full to avoid interest. I also have an m and s card that my husband and I have used for when we needed it. So we have worked out in December we won't…
-
First DMP Journey
I posted this in the debt-free wannabe section the other day: I got some really good replies and one of the reasons I’ve joined this forum. I’ve given notice to MW and I’m going to do it all myself. I’ve already requested CCA and had replies. I’ve set up a new bank account. I spent yesterday changing direct debits to come…
-
Time for change…..
After many failed previous diary attempts, I’m back again. I find I’m at my most focussed when posting regularly, so I need to commit to keeping this one updated 😊. I’m very conscious that I haven’t really moved the dial on any area of my life when reading through my previous diaries. I’m also very conscious that I’m not…
-
LB gets debt-free
Hello all. Today is the day that I realised I need to get my !!!!!! together. I have a significant amount of debt from the following; - extending my house (went over budget of course) - being fired and not having a job for 3 months - spending too much money on !!!!!! I don't need I have a great salary (£95k), but I've…
-
Together
Doing this together as a family. We were finally debt free a few months ago. We just had. Small morgage left. It felt really good our past debt had been from renovating our old home. We went without for so long to get it paid off. Then........ We bought an electric car £21000 loan. Now we are back in the land of worrying…
-
Old debt - advice please
My husband has received a letter from a solicitor- Nolan’s- requesting payment of an old loan that had defaulted 5 years ago. We don’t recall getting any letters before this - this letter is quite forceful stating if we don’t pay (£12,000) within 7 days they will issue a decree which will last 20years! The previous week my…
-
Old debt- how do I manage this?
My husband has received a letter from a solicitor- Nolan’s- requesting payment of an old loan that had defaulted 5 years ago. We don’t recall getting any letters before this - this letter is quite forceful stating if we don’t pay (£12,000) within 7 days they will issue a decree which will last 20years! The previous week my…
-
13 - Unlucky For Some
Not a DFW diary but a budget spending challenge diary for 2023/24. For the next 366 days I'm going to try and thrive on £13 per day which gives me an annual budget of £4,758. I hope to achieve this by going back to basics, growing my own vegetables, purchasing items secondhand, spending cash within the local community,…
-
Looking for some advice on finances
Hi, We are a couple in mid thirties looking to get a grip on our finances so welcome any advice. I often worry that we have too much unsecured debt and want to make a point of reducing that best we can but seeing some posts on here makes me feel a lot more fortunate than others. Few plus points in the coming months:- I'm…
-
When you owe more than your annual net salary
Today I cried, so many, many times. The fabulous lady at Step Change, the lovely man at Step Change, the lovely man at Halifax, Barclaycard, Aqua, I cried because they were all so kind. So fabulously lovely and I never expected them to be nice I cried because it will take me 6yrs and 3 months to clear my debt on a DMP. I…
-
Four years later
I follow this thread but my first post. Four years ago I owed £36000 to credit cards and the bank. I have a very good pension so never missed a payment. I decided after many years of debt this had to stop. My wife and I applied for and got 4 credit cards, up to 27 months no interest, I also got a low interest bank loan.…
-
Few false starts but my journey starts here
Hi all, Long time reader of these forums but here I am posting my journey to become debt-free and set myself on the right path, I am hoping this post will give me accountability in that its the first time I have let the world know about my debt. As with most people, my debt accrued at a young age of which it escalated to a…
-
Debt issues amongst others.
Hi my name is dave, I am currently working as a contractor in Germany for a while now and want to get back to the uk to my girlfriend. I have been in debt for over 10 years and pretty much all my adult life due to a gambling problem I have. I have addressed some of the problems which keep me in debt like not having access…
-
Currently clueless...aiming for awareness
Hello! This is my introduction post, I guess. I've been a member of MSE since 2014 but very much a lurker. I've always been useless with self-control. I eat too much, I stay awake too much, I spend too much, I worry too much, I'm messy, I'm distractible. It's all becoming a bit overwhelming at the moment, I thought at 37 I…
-
What a stupid idea that was.
Ok, so I will get myself out this in a few years, but what a stupid way of going about things and I really wouldn't recommend this! I paid for a property for cash, we were homeless and more than a little desperate ( no excuse really) but to do this I borrowed 25 thousand on short term borrowing, 2 ten grand loans and 5 on…
-
New To Budgeting And Clearing my 3 credit cards debt
Hi all, I've been reading on and off for a while and I finally took the courage to open my own Debt Free Diary, to help keeping myself accountable. It feels good, as I finally have a plan, but it's going to be a tough couple of years. I purchased a flat in 2021, so I'm repaying my mortgage every month, and at the time,…
-
Low (ish) debt but low income
Hi, new to the forum but hoping for some advice after burying my head for far too long about my debt due to low income and living beyond my means. To lay out the basics, I currently owe: Credit card 1.. £450.. monthly payment £28 Credit card 2.. £520.. monthly payment £33 credit card 3.. £800.. monthly payment £65 store…
-
Debt free by 40
I have been binging on diaries in the last few weeks, I didn't read any books since and watched very little TV. I love all the life stories and I feel so inspired and impressed, seriously amazing people around here! A few I have been reading recently are @CRANKY40 @girlatplay @WinterWarrior @Debt_Me_Out_Of_Here @Naomim and…
-
Watching my mindset shift and nudging it slightly along the way...
Hello everyone, Long time lurker, first time poster here. Having found so much inspiration from reading this forum over the years, on and off, I have finally decided to register properly and become a more active participant, and to start my own diary to keep myself accountable and focused on my journey towards financial…
-
Facing reality
So I have been hovering round and reading diaries for last few weeks but finally decided it was time to bite the bullet and share my own story. I lost my mum in April 2018 very unexpectedly, 6 weeks after we had moved into our new jointly owned property, and it through my life and my finances upside down. We had to sell…
