**Update** My debt free problems

amosworks

My body is confused
...I suppose because I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

I've spent all of my adult life in debt, since getting credit shortly after turning 18 until I'm nearly 25 I've been totally owned by creditors for all of my adult life.

I got home today to find the Royal Bank of Scotland caved in to my bank charges litigation and paid me the total sum of £2,749.76. Within 5 minutes of being home I've just become debt free for the first time in the last 7 years of my life. I'm so dumb with shock now I can't explain how I feel, I'm both happy and sad and overjoyed and angry all at the same time.

I've never posted an SoA because I started my journey to debt-freeness before I found MSE (which is bitter-sweet as I feel like my path could have been easier had I started here first). I've been up to £10k in debt which I've tried very hard to pay back, and most of my struggles most people don't know about because I couldn't tell anyone about it like I can tell you folks absolutely anything.

I once didn't eat for 3 days as I couldn't afford it, that was a pretty low point for me. Other low points include the times I had to pawn my stuff and couldn't afford to buy it back so lost it, and the times I had to let my family down when something money related stopped me from even buying a card for a special event

But no more. In my hands I now hold 2 bankers drafts that are greater than the sum of debt I currently owe, and I still have about £5k in unpaid wages in other litigation I should hopefully get in the next couple of months. I can't believe it and I'm so sorry for going on about it, but it seems like after being kicked by creditors for the last 7 years I've finally go the ability to be debt free as soon as I next have a conversation with a bank teller

At this point I don't even care that I have some CCJ's against my name, I really have no intention of applying to get [strike]credit[/strike] debt again. I've fought so hard over the last year to try and make 2006 the debt-free year for me, and this was before I even heard about the bank charges.

I'm still working on 27 other legal cases (25 DCA's who have charged me and bank charges for sister and OH), and with my unpaid wages and the extra cash work I'm doing at the moment, I think not only will 2006 be my debt free year but the first year I also max out my ISA allowance :cool:

I know though that I will never ever be wasteful of money again, I actually enjoy being frugal. I love rummaging around in charity shops to get first pickings on brand new undiscovered designer gems, I love the thrill of the Tesco R&R (and incidentally the 12 page letter of complaint to Tesco seems to have produced a flurry of activity which will hopefully lead to lots of vouchers for free food :cool:), and most of all I enjoy not spending money more than I used to enjoy spending it.

I'm still sharing a big (but cheap) house with my best mate and her boyfriend's gonna move in soon which will make it even cheaper to live here and I see no need to move any time soon, my folks are about to buy me a car, I'm going to enjoy my first ever holiday abroad in August (free of course :cool:), and I'm currently working with an associate on a new business venture which has me really excited. I just can't believe the turn around in my life (and incidentally I started re-reading The Luck Factor book mentioned in the DFW Virtual Book Club thread just a fortnight ago!! lol)

I'm gonna shut the hell up now as I don't want to seem like I'm bragging or boasting, I do want to try and retain a modecum of modesty. But still, yeehar! Go chicken, go chicken, it's your birthday, it's your birthday!!

I've been hanging around on the Savings & Investments board for a month and a bit now anticipating I'd get G'd-up several months in advance but it seems too late though lol, but I don't want to stop visiting you guys here. You're quite simply the best and made the last furlong of my journey not only possible but enjoyable, and for that I am eternally grateful to each and every one of you and hope I can always offer you my support and the little wisdom I have in return whenever it might be needed.

Debt Free-Wannabe is the best place on earth

No, it really is!

LJD1_2

Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! I'm getting close to being debt free and you've just given me the biggest boost going. YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

lynzpower

Amos, so thrilled for you :T

I know the sensible place to be is savings & investments, but this place wont be the same without you here, so make sure you come back and give us your valued opinions and info

Thanks for being here to welcome me too

Congratulations again
Lynz
xxxxx

Spirited_2

Congratulations xxxx

It's great to hear the success stories as I'm just at the begining, and it's good to kno that people really have done it.

Best Wishes xxx

fivemice

That is fantastic news!!
Having just started my DFW journey, it's lovely to read such a positive story. I need to pull my finger out and plug my printer in so that I can print my letters to Natwest/Abbey/Capital One and get my charges back, I reckon I have about £600 and my OH has more than that, so we might even get a summer holiday next year!

Well done you!!!

tru

Congratulations :T :j

So pleased for you

:beer:

Sugar_Coated_Owl

Well done you :j that's great news :T

You should be really proud of yourself.

Good luck for the future.

Peppa_Pig_5

Wow Amos, just wanted to say congratulations and I have a lump in my thoat now and want to cry with joy for you. So glad you won your banks charges. I have been a little frightened lately to go ahead with my claims for Capital One and Abbey, as the replies I had were offputting. But now I must get over to the bankchargeshell web site and go for it. Only about £400 so far, but its a start.

Well done you
Peppa
x

Kevicho

have another (b) bud

im only a few months behind ya, but ill see ya at all the millionaire club meetings we will organise in the not too distant future

Mrs(no)money

Congratulations and well done :T - you've certainly endured some tough times and have proved to us all that there is light at the end of the tunnel! As for whether to laugh or cry...you laugh, coz your post made me cry!:o

Ali-OK

Fantastic news - well done :T :T

I admire your determination and good luck with your ventures this year!