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The Cutting Down Alcohol challenge for December & 2025 :)
Welcome to the Cutting Down Alcohol challenge for the month of June and for 2025! This challenge is all about helping people cut down or even give up on their alcohol consumption, mainly for health reasons, but it can also save a lot of money, because the cost of buying alcohol really mounts up over time and sometimes you…
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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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Moved: New Leaf for 2026 - Dire Debts
This discussion has been moved.
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I can do this...step by step
Hi all, I've been lurking on the forums on and off (mostly off) for sometime now and had "that moment" when I have come to realise I'm really over my head and hiding behind yet more loans and further debt won't help. I feel I have got to this stage by each time taking a new loan to consolidate the last while spending more…
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Spendy Wendy to Saver Savvy
After lurking for what seems an age, I have finally created an account and started to interact this forum :) For years I feel that we have been flying by the seat of our pants, not planning in advance, using savings and investments to pay for holidays and other luxuries and just not really having control on our finances.…
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The Final Bite of the Cherry- Journey to Clear £66k
I have been here so many times, but I am determined to make this the last. This is not my first diary but the other attempts haven't worked so I've gone for a shiny new one. A bit of background. I have been in and out of debt most of my adult life. I was doing well staying out of debt until this summer when we completed on…
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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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Moved: Missing payments between step change and British Gas
This discussion has been moved.
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Are we nearly there yet?
I've been on these forums for nine years (according to all the messages I got from MSE Badger when I signed back in after a few years break), so it's been nine years that I've struggled with money. DH and I entered our 'living together life' with £2k worth of debt, and I remember thinking we'd never get out of it. It…
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Calm not chaos
Hi! I've been here before (a few times) and still not tackled the debt. Currently living in a world of repayments, credit card shuffling, pay-in-3 and flex chaos... I've tried the obsessive budgeting every penny approach and it doesn't work for me - see also healthy eating/exercise/home improvements etc etc I need calm and…
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My long overdue journey to becoming debt free!!
Hello, I've been lurking on here for a good few years now, and I have decided its time to finally, and for once and for all, to sort my sorry financial mess out! I wont bore you with all the gory details of how I got here, it would just be a list of excuses and justifications, when the hard reality is I spend more than I…
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One Day More...
...another day to becoming debt free I want this diary to be my accountability mirror and to
inspire others who find themselves in the darkness and grip of debt, wandering
the abyss as they drowning in struggles to find hope and solace in the
knowledge that they're not alone and that there is a way to get their life…
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I can do it: £41,000 debt in October 2023. Debt-free in March 2027?
Updated Debt-Free Plan October 2023 I updated my debt free plan to including paying off secured debt (including student loan). Now buying house in Autumn/Winter 2024, pushing back my DFD by 2 years to 2027 (was 2025). Starting debt in October 2023 Total debt: £41,265.45 -Credit cards: £12,532.70 -Loans: £11,248.18 -Student…
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Single income, AuDHD, £31k debt, no savings
I’m trying to decide what to do, between instigating the
process towards a self-managed DMP, or ‘just’ continuing to try and pay debts
each month until it is clear (likely in around 4-5 years…) I would really value the thoughts of those in this forum – I don’t have any
family to discuss this with, and live on my own (with…
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Finally taking back control after a decade of debt
Hello, Long-time lurker, first-time poster. I've had CC debt ever since moving to London after university around 9 years ago. Coming here for work on a very low wage, I quickly ate through my savings and started racking up debt on credit cards, without any real means to pay it off. Came to a bit of a head when I ended up…
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My diary of getting 'nearly debt free' by the end of 2026
Hello! We had an awful couple of years financially, genuinely due to no fault of our own (house moves falling through, ripped off by a builder, our car being written off you name it, it happened). It left us in quite a bit of debt. We are now totally settled and tackling the debt. I earn £50k a year and my husband similar.…
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Long Road To Pay Off Debt
Wanted to make a thread to hold myself accountable. Also to see if there is any way we can make savings. Took out loans and credit cards due to a wedding and debt consolidation really. Not taking out anymore credit and working off paying all this down. Thanks for reading. SOA below. Income (Me & Wife) - 4696.08 Life…
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Looking forward to be debt free - one day 🤞
Sat and worked out my debts today (excluding mortgage) and feeling sad but at the same time ready to face the truth that I need to repay £29,318.21 in total. My debts are Loan 1 - £15,738.41 Car Loan 2 - £9800 Caravan Cc - £1716.40 Sofa - £2063.40 My savings are currently £0 as had to move funds to cover this months bills…
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Juggling mum/work life, whilst looking after my future self, both financially & healthily
Hiiiii, So I thought it was time I started a new diary as my old one got a bit complicated. A little about me. I’m a mum in my 40’s, my husband works away a lot, I work full time, and I have 2 children a tween and a teen. Along with 2 noisy cats. The last few months have been hard financially, and my work is teetering on…
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Three Years of Tears to Yippee I'm Debt Free!
Hello All... This week I have finally faced my debt demons and I know I have to do something about it. I am 59 years old, married and financially, to the outer world I look like I am doing well, I have a good income, I go on nice holidays, drive a nice car and live in a nice house but I have been for the last few years…
