The Debt Free Roll Of Honour

Hell1

:j I really didn't think I would make it here...


LBM August 2007

Debts at highest £30,000

DFD 29th August 2010

My one pearl of wisdom...

I think I did the lot, budgeting, meal plan, lodgers, charity shop buying, but mainly it was the well-paid but horrible extra job, - anything I earnt went straight towards debt. - Any extra I earned at my main work, ditto.

The major thing I have learnt is to change my mindset, and come on here regularly.

Good luck to everyone, and thanks to Martin and the DFW community.

Hell:j

mummum2

Well done Hell, a massive amount shifted and enjoy your debt free status :j:j:beer::beer::T:T

MM2.

herewegoagain2010

My hubby and I have finally made it today. It's been a two stage journey. We kidded ourselves into thinking we were seriously paying our debts off from Summer 2008. We'd have a good couple of months and then a bad spending month and the cycle continued until 31/12/09. I'd been reading the forums since 2008, but never joined. The new year was our true lightbulb moment!

First Lightbulb...more of a small candle moment
a)LBM Summer 2008
b)£12500

Our true Lightbulb moment
a)LBM 31/12/09
b)£7474.21
c)DFD TODAY:j 5/9/10

d)Tip.....Don't put off what you can do today and stay focused!

mummum2

Well done herewegoagain2010! Great achievement, enjoy your df status :beer::j:beer:

MM2

Pooky

I've just made the final payments.....blimey!

Debt at highest £28k
LBM - 2002
Debt free as of today.

The debt monster can be well and truely laid to rest in this house.

It's been an utterly pants time for the past 18 months and whilst the debt being gone is a huge relief the pants bit still continues.

The debt came from several sources, house renovation and subsequent sale forced by divorce (silly me put the debt in my name only), car troubles, dodgy landlords and the spiral of overdrafts.

We started clearing what we could back in 2002 but wanted to maintain a balance of what we felt was important (me being home with the kids) Luckily my lovely DH was on a good wage and this was possible. Our approach was slow and steady and we swapped things around to low rate or 0% when we could.

Things went a bit pear shapped 18 months ago when DH was involved in a car accident, the ongoing issues from that have left him mainly in a wheelchair and without the energy, enthusiasm or concentration levels to go back to work at the moment. Sick pay stopped after 3 months and a PHI policy was supposed to kick in to cover his lost wages.......finally, 18 months after the accident we've had the back pay and it's meant that the debt is now gone. Making the debt repayments over the past few months has been hell but we managed it - just.

So yes, we're debt free. But I'd happily go back to £28k to have DH's health and mobility back.

saorsie

Congratulations on being debt free Pooky but sorry to learn of the circumstances that brought it about - at least you both can now concentrate on OH's health and wellbeing without that shadow hanging over you

Take care

-s-

Nottoobadyet

LBM January 2010

Debts at highest £13,000

DFD 1st October 2010

My one pearl of wisdom...

You CAN live within your means, even if you are young and in London!

I got my debt in one fell swoop as its the tuition for my Masters Degree. I borrowed it from my mum, who I have managed to pay back way ahead of time thanks to the wisdom and good cheer of the DFW and OS boards. I've just paid her back, and she'll use the final tranche (£8000) to pay my granddad for the money she borrowed to put my sister through uni.

When I first finished school and started working, I was running to the end of my funds every month. I was quite unhappy in my relationship, had made some poor financial decisions (got a bigger flat in the hopes of having a cheap flat share, wasn't always able to keep lodgers, etc) and generally spent to make myself feel better. It was finding this board and seeing all the people getting their act together that inspired me to get my show on the road and get it paid off.

I sent off my last payment yesterday, and today I am meeting with people at work (I work for an international charity) to talk about being relocated abroad long term. This is super exciting for me, and now that the debt is gone I can accept a big pay-cut to make things happen. Dignified poverty, here I come!

Thank you again to everyone that has made this journey possible and so much fun. ((hugs))

mummum2

Well done nottoobadyet and good luck with the job relocation abroad.:j:beer:

MM2

determined_new_ms

Lightbulb moment: erm kinda in 2 phases, around summer 2007 originally but didn't take it serious. Jan 1st 2010 was the date I made the firm committment to clear it

Debts at their highest £6500 (01.01.10)

Debt-Free Date 25.10.10 (today )

One pearl of wisdom ooooo soooooooooooooooo hard to chose! Gonna have to have a couple I'm afraid 1. changed my lifestyle to fit my income, learning to draw up a budget & stick to ot. 2. Find ways to do the things I want for less money or ways to raise money if I can't afford it. 3. Posting on the daily small things thread has helped me beyond anything else I think. Its been a combination of the moral support I got there as well as gathering ideas to reduce costs (couple of corkers 1. wash out sandwich bags and hang on the line to dry & recycle 2. get meat out of the freezer 36-48 hours before you need it & put in the fridge to reduce elec costs (thanks Dawn & Olive respectively :A)).

And that's me, looking forward to saving for our plans to relocate to Brazil

sveika

Nottoobadyet - really touched by your story - very well done! applause for you..