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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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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…
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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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Mummyto3boys crawls out of the mire mark 2
So it's been years. So much so my old diary is closed, shut up like a long forgotten relic. The baby I last had is almost 12 😱. I still have debts but great things have happened. Such as I have paid off our mortgage, then moved home and still have no mortgage! I haven't been in my OD for years. I have a job I adore which…
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Must try harder…again!
Well, here I am, back again! I have missed our chats, your worldly wisdom and opinions on biscuits! After losing my old dog in January I took a while to sulk, wallow in sadness and grump quietly…you know how it is 😖 Anyway we quickly cracked on the dog front and I have a 17 week German shepherd sleeping against my leg. We…
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Debt Free Diary Newbie. Post 1
No clue where to start but hoping, like others, that tracking my situation will not only hold me more accountable but help me see some progress in my thinking, spending, saving and what not! Total Debt to date 9th July 2025 Student overdraft from 2015: £1550 now at £330 Credit card from 1999:£5615 now £2068 (0% Interest on…
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Go your own way
Hi team, I'm new to the MSE forums, having joined in March to help me clear up my credit report and improve my financial intelligence post-IVA. Thought I would get a diary going to tell my tale so far and share some insight on how I'm now 'going my own way' with my money having ditched the debt. So, here's my story so…
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Switching stories
Hi all, new to forums so not sure if this is the right place but I'd really appreciate some guidance on how to fix situation. Last month I decided to take control of finances and applied for and received a new credit card with 0% to pay off old HSBC credit card debt. All went well EXCEPT that after the balance had been…
