The Debt Free Roll Of Honour

The_Only_Girl

Gettingtherequickly wrote: »

Just been told by MSE Andrea to nip over here so that I can get a badge!

Been debt free a couple of years now, but as I did everything in reverse, I think that at its height, my debt was over £30k. But with determination, I did it.

Where ever you are in your journey, you will get there and the relief at the end will be the most amazing feeling. Make no mistakes, there will be good days and bad days, but the bad days will get fewer & fewer.

You will get there!

Hi gettingtherequickly welcome to the debt free roll of honour. Well done you for becoming debt free AND remaining debt free! Those two are difficult mountains to climb and it gives us encouragement that it can be done!

There will be good days and bad days indeed, both before and after becoming debt free. During bad days, just remember:

"There is no shortcut to anywhere worth going."

Apple_Crumble

a. lightbulb moment: end of 2005
b. Debts at their highest: over 40K
c. Debt-Free Date: 10th October 2015
d. Your one pearl of wisdomFollow Martin's Mantra: "Do I need it? Can I afford it?"
f. Which forum threads helped you: Old Style MoneySaving


In 2005 I entered a DMP with Payplan that was supposed to last until 2019. I sent the last overpayment today, 4 years early :j

My next step is to overpay my mortgage every month by the same amount I was paying towards my debts. I have checked and my mortgage allows me as many overpayments as I want without penalty:D

LionessInWinter

Congratulations Apple Crumble, well done !!!

12_month_challenge

Congratulations apple crumble :beer:

WOW, and thank you for sharing. its posts and success stories like yours that helps people like me to focus on also becoming debt free.

Good luck with getting your mortgage down too. I certainly hope and pray that one day I too will be writing a post like yours.

It proves that it is indeed possible and achievable to pay off debt regardless of the amount

Thank you again for sharing your good news.
xx

12_month_challenge

her_welshness wrote: »

a. The date of your lightbulb moment - 2011-12
b. Debts at their highest - £18,000
c. Debt-Free Date - 16 September 2015
d. Your one pearl of wisdom: step out of your comfort zone and earn some extra money, any job or revenue stream you can get your hands on. Mine earned me between £80 and £200 a month which created a spending buffer.

I have been in debt since I was at Uni. With many of us it starts with a small overdraft, which you then increase little by little because you stupidly think that its 'free' money and it will be paid off one day by a benevolent member of your family.

Once I graduated from Uni and into a full-time job that overdraft got turned into a loan. That loan got consolidated and re-consolidated. What I didn't realise until a few years ago was that many people have done this, but no one ever really talks about it.

So what changed? Circumstances and ultimately reflection on the whole sorry state of it. I was made redundant in 2009 and although the payout was good I just spent it and went into my overdraft whilst still being unemployed. Frightening is an understatement. I managed to find temporary work but was unemployed again a year later. Dark days. Scraping money together. Selling jewellery that you don't want to sell.

Slowly, things started to change. I got a temporary job in 2011 which changed into a proper job. It took another 6 months to then slowly pick up the pieces and realise that I was still in a high amount of debt and overdraft and I needed to work at it, because otherwise I would spiral back downwards again.

Acknowledging the amount of money that you don't have was the first real step to tackling the debt. Yes it is bloody depressing but once you start that budget and seeing your outgoings right in front of you then you can make a start. Coming onto this forum and reading some of the diaries on here is also a very inspiring experience and learning from amazing folk who are clearing their debts amidst trying to cope with real life.

I do not regret ever being in debt. Its been a horrible place to live in for years but its made me (corny) a stronger person, almost like a metamorphosis. The outcome is that I am a happier person. I can enjoy a lunch out once a week. I can now afford to buy my husband supper once a month. I joined a gym a few months ago and have dropped a stone in weight. I have an emergency pot and am saving up for a holiday next spring. Life is better. Thanks debt!

What an inspiring read

Thankyou for sharing

freespirit66

Hi, i have only just found this thread:

1. Lightbulb moment Jan 2010
2. Debts at their highest £30,000
3. Debt Free date 20 June 2014
4. Pearl of Wisdom - pay off the smaller debts first then throw all what you can afford at the higher debts, this struck a cord with me when i heard :money:say it
5. I have found tips and advice from all different threads on different forums helped me to be more frugal

My lightbulb moment was back in 2010 when we were getting to the credit limit of about 4 credit cards and an overdraft that was permanently maxed out. So i made a decision there and then that i didnt want to be old and still in debt and still worrying about paying for things! I tried to cut down wherever possible, but wasnt helped by exH still using credit cards for anything and everything, at one point even buying an american truck for £6000 :eek: on a card! However i kept plugging away and then xmas 2011 we separated and he left me with over £3000 in debt with the help of my gorgeous kids i managed to get these down and finally paid off in June 2014. I have learnt so much from being on mse from martin and all who post on here and these tips and ideas about cutting down have helped me massively, i still use a credit card now and again because sometimes in life we have situations where we have to but i always pay it off so it doesnt build up, i never ever want to be so scared when the post drops through the letterbox again! I live on very little but it doesnt matter as long as my bills are paid at the end of the day!

pixie1

Lightbulb moment: October 2004

Debts at highest: £25,000

Debt-Free Date: May 2008

Pearl of wisdon: Dont put it off - do something about your debts as they wont just go away. If you need help (I did, the CCCS were amazing!) ask for it and get it. Oh and dont give up!

ice_babe

Lightbulb moment Nov 2012
Debt at highest £10,500
Debt free Oct 2015

We paid every single spare penny into our debts, now to start saving ��

Gettingtherequickly

freespirit66 wrote: »

Hi, i have only just found this thread:

1. Lightbulb moment Jan 2010
2. Debts at their highest £30,000
3. Debt Free date 20 June 2014
4. Pearl of Wisdom - pay off the smaller debts first then throw all what you can afford at the higher debts, this struck a cord with me when i heard :money:say it
5. I have found tips and advice from all different threads on different forums helped me to be more frugal

My lightbulb moment was back in 2010 when we were getting to the credit limit of about 4 credit cards and an overdraft that was permanently maxed out. So i made a decision there and then that i didnt want to be old and still in debt and still worrying about paying for things! I tried to cut down wherever possible, but wasnt helped by exH still using credit cards for anything and everything, at one point even buying an american truck for £6000 :eek: on a card! However i kept plugging away and then xmas 2011 we separated and he left me with over £3000 in debt with the help of my gorgeous kids i managed to get these down and finally paid off in June 2014. I have learnt so much from being on mse from martin and all who post on here and these tips and ideas about cutting down have helped me massively, i still use a credit card now and again because sometimes in life we have situations where we have to but i always pay it off so it doesnt build up, i never ever want to be so scared when the post drops through the letterbox again! I live on very little but it doesnt matter as long as my bills are paid at the end of the day!

Hello Free :hello::hello:

freespirit66

GETTINGTHEREQUICKLY hi yourself!! I didnt know this thread existed but am now the proud owner of a badge (oh the little things in life)