Isla's "the final stretch" diary

isla_red

Well the last of the cheques has cleared and this morning I paid the last £100 towards my debt. I am finally, officially debt-free! :j

I am SO pleased. I cannot thank everyone on this forum enough for being the inspiration, support and motivation that's got me through and rid of the last £2000 of debt as well as paying off my remaining student loan debt. I definitely could not have done it without your diaries and experiences reminding me every day what I had to gain by getting rid of the debt.

For the first time in a very, very long time (my entire adult life), I can finally look forward without worrying what is lurking on my credit card bill or will be taken off my salary by the student loans company. MSE has changed my entire approach to money and I hope that this will keep me away from going back on the slippery slope of debt. Even though I've paid off my original debt, I want to keep posting in my diary so that I can keep an eye on myself because it was so easy to get into debt in the first place.

THANK YOU all so much.

isla_red

Happy Friday diaryland!

I've had 3 NSDs this week and this will be my 4th. Sold another couple of books on Amazon so waiting a few says before disbursing my account to give me £10 for my sealed pot. Still waiting for a couple of people who owe me money to cough up but hopefully it won't be too long before they do.

Hope you all have a great weekend

isla_red

Happy Friday Eve! (excited for the weekend? Moi?!)

It's pay day tomorrow - hooray! Have managed a grand total of 18 NSDs so far this month Looking forward to being able to reap the benefits by paying for the trip with my friend in cash next week. It'll be the first trip since I was 17 that I can actually pay for up front and not be left worrying about the bill when we get home.

I'm still in the very early days of being debt-free but I'm trying to keep to all my MSE ways because I have realised how much temptation there is to spend out there.

isla_red

Happy Tuesday!

I've managed several NSDs through March so far which is pleasing. What I'm less impressed about is that now I have a zero balance on my credit card this has opened the door for the world and its wife to send me applications for various cards and loans! I keep sticking them straight in the shredder but it's really frustrating to see how much debt the credit companies would happily see you in.

isla_red

I enjoyed receiving my first ever £0 balance credit card statement last week, it was a really proud moment for me. Money is quite tight just now between on thing and another so very much sticking to the MSE ways to make sure I stay afloat. If I can get through this next month without incurring any additional costs I should be absolutely back on the straight and narrow but another very strict month of budgeting ahead. Just need to make sure I'm absolutely living within my means.

funnyflipp

Well Done Isla you must feel fantastic I hope you enjoy your trip later this year and that all your good habits stay with you

xx

isla_red

Thanks very much flipp! It's a great feeling but I am having to make sure I am very strict with my DFW ways now. Getting to the zero credit card / student debt balance has been a massive step for me but I still have a lot to learn about living within my means and not just buying for buying's sake. I caught myself at it last week wasting £10 because I wasn't really stopping and thinking about what I was doing. I have learned to leave the credit cards at home and if the money's not in the account I don't buy it. Baby steps but getting there

Good luck on your journey and you've got me hankering after a salad with that signature!!

isla_red

Wow I just realised it's been a whole year since I started my journey here on MSE! I can't believe it went by so fast.

I've recently discovered some PPI on an old credit card that I was definitely missold as I have no signed documents requesting it and from what I can gather it was an "opt-out" rather than "opt-in" application form. By my calculations I am owed approximately £500 of PPI but whether I can get to it is another matter. Looks like I'm setting off on a different journey for this year.

isla_red

Having researched the PPI a bit more thoroughly it appears I just don't have enough documentation to prove it was missold. On the plus side I am now in my second consecutive month of not generating a credit card bill because there has been no activity on my card. I am SO proud, I never thought I would reach the point of one never mind two months credit card payment free.