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Debt free diaries

A place for MoneySavers to share their journeys towards debt-free living.

Mobile phone debt
Hi not sure I’m in the right place but looking for any advice really, my mum was paying my phone bill and my contract ran out Oct 2017 so she cancelled the direct debit etc. In Jan 2019 she had a letter from Lowell portfolio stating she had a £39 debt for this old mobile phone so I quickly paid it off because she’s upset…
Unsecured Debt Free by 2021
Hello All. This is the start of my journey to becoming debt free (not including mortgage) by 2021. No more loans, credit cards or catalogue purchases. Smoking stopped, car sorn so no more tax or insurance. internet tv and magazine subscription cancelled. Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet Monthly Income…
Lantern text messages but no debt?
Hi, I’m not sure if this is the right place to post. However I need some advice. Since April I’ve been receiving text messages from ‘Lantern’ first asking me to access my Lantern account (I’ve never owned one or even heard of Lantern) or call them using a reference number. I ignored it. I received a second text two days…
New challenges for OrangeFairy 😝
Hi all, I haven’t been on MSE for a while but it has really helped me in the past. We cleared all out debt to save for a house- we have achieved that goal but now have a bit of debt due to the house move and purchases. It isn’t unmanageable but hoping to concentrate on it over the next few months- it will be harder this…
I'm debt free!
Hi everyone, it wasn't much of a diary as I cancelled my broadband to keep costs down which meant I couldn't log in. So I now have to let everyone know, a) because I'm pleased with myself and b) because I'm hoping to inspire others, that I am now debt free. :D I was credit card debt free on 30/05/18 (had started with about…
Clean slate
Hello diary land. I am a thirty-something stay at home single mum. Also, long time reader of this particular part of the forum. I am not in debt at the minute, but feel my money is getting away from me. I think I would benefit from somewhere to log my thoughts and keep myself accountable. This seems like just the place!
Starting my diary again...
A bit about me... I'm 25, still living at home & have a decent paid job with a bank. I have been a member of MSE for a while now, and did used to be a regular poster but haven't been on for a good year or two (maybe more :o )! I currently have outstanding debts of £8,828.86 which consist of a loan from my Grandparents, a…
The Final Few Months of Debt
Hello, this is my first post in this forum so please be kind. I just wanted to share a little bit of my story in the hope it might resonate with one or two people in the same position I was. I'm a single 35 year old male who's been in debt for most of my adult life. There was a brief period around seven or eight years ago…
Repaying my (old) life away!!
After being a long-time lurker I have decided to bite the bullet and start my own thread.:j:j I am a 28yo Mother of 2 boys, I am roughly in about 8K of debt (cc and bank of mum) I earn a decent wage, have spread sheets coming out my ears for monthly expenses (bills etc.,) but its what's left over that seems to vanish. My…
Getting Debt-Free despite Struggling with MH problems
I have quite a lot of debt: £7000 ''normal' debt' - paying this off at £335 / month £6000 'debt to a family member' (no interest on this one, and can perhaps vary the payments a bit' - paying this off at £50 / month £127000 'mortgage debt' - paying this off at £600 / month - not really significant to me at the moment, my…
Here we go again
We are virtually debt free but the purse is going to have to be padlocked, I need to build up a decent emergency pot pretty quickly. My OH is 86 and in poor health, should anything happen to him I would have to pay full rent and council tax until my financial situation is sorted out. Funeral plans in place for both of us,…
People keep on learnin’
Wow, here we go. Hi folks, and welcome to my diary. I am principally keeping this log as a testament of my recovery from a life of serial debt, lies and dishonesty. It may well prove to be educational, entertaining and useful for others if so, so much the better. I should note that a diary is an entirely alien concept to…
Saving and losing weight diary
I've been lookof for somewhere to log down my weight loss journey, so thought I'd stick to here (hoping that's OK) I weigh the most ive ever weighed. I told myself once I got debt free, I would crack on with losing weight and I've haven't! So deep breathe, I weighed myself today and I weigh 14stone.6.... Yikes!! The most…
My mum is homeless.. advice needed
I need some advice..... If you have been reading my thread from the beginning, you will be aware that I have had trouble in the past with my mother. She told me the other day that she is homeless (she really is) I haven't let her stay with me this time round so I am filled with guilt that I am doing this but I have reached…
A Frugal Life for Me!
Hi... a bit about me, I've been struggling with debt for a few years, I always seem to have a lightbulb moment when I'm on holiday, possibly because I have time to take stock of my situation. I'm 40 years old now and can't believe that I have so much debt... over £26k just on credit cards :eek: I am married with a son... I…
Adventures of the Boy & Me: Part 3..
Hello, Yet another year has passed and now we are into 2019! 2018 was quite a good year for the boy & me, aside from a few wobbles. It was quite an expensive year with everything we had going on but we had lots of adventures and made many memories we can look back on. That is all that matters. What brings me back here? I…
Here I go again ----
Hello 2 years ago I became debt free :j In the past two years I have managed to rack up £12,309.44 :eek: I do have some excuses but at the end of the day they are just excuses. I am really disappointed with myself for getting myself into a worse position than I have ever been in before. I now realise my major issue is that…
Fixing my mistakes
I've been scared to post here. I've written this new diary 50 times already and never pressed send. Since my last update on my last diary I have really messed up. I've taken out a £10k loan, spent more on the credit cards and wasted away all my emergency savings. I shouldn't have access to credit when my mental health is…
CCJ query
Hi there, I'm trying to get a ccj removed from my credit file and need some guidance. I had a ccj against me in 2017 which was paid within one week. However, due to a couple of reasons, I applied for the certificate of satisfaction after the 30 day period to have it removed from my credit file completely. My query is that…
New Year New Diary :)
Hello fellow MSE'rs. I umm'd and ahh'd about creating a new diary to replace the old one, but so much happened last year between the start of my diary and now that my debt didn't really go down much (bought a car, wrote off a car, bought a new car, christmas, etc) so I thought I would start fresh with this new one, to…

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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Debt free diaries

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