My DebtFree Day Beckons

GreyPilgrim

31 days and counting guys...I just wanted to share a thank you with everyone who posts here. I sadly had my 'lightbulb' moment before I even came across the site (and only found it whilst looking for savings advice so I would know where to stick money once I had some to spend), but reading other posts has kept me focused and kept me believing one thing - if you approach everything with the attitude of "well I could do it this way, but if I do it another way I'll save 10p", you bring that debt free date closer and closer. Where previously I've had the attitude "it's only a 10p saving", I now think twice about everything. Balance transfer deals on credit cards...attacking the high interest rate loands first... I've moved bank accounts to one with a better interest rate, so that the (pittance) little I have in there earns a few more pence every month, buy own label food, bought clippers rather than visit the barbers, walk rather than use the bus, buy cheap stuff for lunches rather than take away, bank copper rather than let it accumulate so that it's earning interest (again, may even be 0.0001p!!). Nothing is too little. Everything is better in my account than someone elses.

As I said, I had the lightbulb moment before I found the site, but I don't think I would have kept it going so long without the motivation of everyone who posts. You really are great.

But I'll still lurk around I guess...

duncans-mum_2

A very well done for getting near to the end of your journey. Yes I think you do need to stick around as I am sure your experience to others at the beginning of theirs will be greatly appreciated.

Imelda

Hey Grey Pilgrim!

Well done! :j I cannot wait until that day, this last month will probably go so slowly.

If you don't mind me asking, what was your debt at its highest and how long has it taken you? Do you have any plans for your new debt free life?

I do hope you'll stick around here.

lynzpower

I bet giving up the smokes accelerated things too :T double well done to you GP

GreyPilgrim

Imelda wrote:

Hey Grey Pilgrim!

Well done! :j I cannot wait until that day, this last month will probably go so slowly.

If you don't mind me asking, what was your debt at its highest and how long has it taken you? Do you have any plans for your new debt free life?

I do hope you'll stick around here.

It's hard to say what the highest debt was, really because I had a lot of BAD personal debt, then my girlfriend pretty much supported me while I paid it off, then we took stock of her debts after we got married (which were lots, but she had kept on top of them and not defaulted). I would say about £12,000 in four years (but I'm aware when I've made estimates on other threads it varies a lot)

The debt has gone up and down a lot because I think we've only REALLY focused on it for the past year. Before that we pretty much just paid minimum payments, ate out, had holidays. If I'd been a debt free nerd since my lightbulb moment, I could have been a rich man by now.

Plans now are:

just get something saved in case of an emergency so that we have some sort of cushion. I've never had that before.

STAY a debt free nerd and never think "hah, I'm debt free, time to waste money"

Only use my credit card for living expenses and pay it off in full at the end of each month

Only buy things when I've saved for them, avoid all "buy now, pay september" offers

Call the Student Loans Company from time to time and ask how much I owe them, and when the snotty rep says "err, you don't owe anything sir", reply "YEAH I KNOW - GREAT INNIT!!"

lady_fuschia

Another one of these stories! I love them! Well done, it's really encouraging to read about your (approaching) success.

GreyPilgrim

lynzpower wrote:

I bet giving up the smokes accelerated things too :T double well done to you GP

Confession time...all that time I was banging on about Allen Carrs EasyWay to stop smoking....I'd actually fallen off the wagon after who knows how long and was actually smoking again...I was on a long drive and just got the urge...pulled into a service station, bought a pack, smoked one...almost puked.

Binned that packet, but within a few weeks I was back on twenty a day.

Sorry. I feel so dirty,

Anyhoo, I read the Allen Carr book again. It was A LOT harder to stop this time, but I did it. Last ciggie was 37 days ago ( 23/5/2006 at 2pm).

Feel free to taunt / mock me.

kathfisch

GreyPilgrim wrote:

Confession time...all that time I was banging on about Allen Carrs EasyWay to stop smoking....I'd actually fallen off the wagon after who knows how long and was actually smoking again...I was on a long drive and just got the urge...pulled into a service station, bought a pack, smoked one...almost puked.

Binned that packet, but within a few weeks I was back on twenty a day.

Sorry. I feel so dirty,

Anyhoo, I read the Allen Carr book again. It was A LOT harder to stop this time, but I did it. Last ciggie was 37 days ago ( 23/5/2006 at 2pm).

Feel free to taunt / mock me.

No mocking required, you've quit again and thats the main thing!

Congrats on your impending debt free status, I'm sure it'll feel amazing!!! :T

LJD1_2

Well done on your nearly debt free status. Well done on trying to give up smoking again. It took my best friend two attempts to stop and she's not had a cigarrette for three and a half years now. Keep it up!!!!