The Debt Free Roll Of Honour

Lula-Hula

Congratulations Swinstie - really well done to you

dianadors

Lightbulb moment: Sometime in 2004 - Prevuiously I had worked for RBS and was indoctrinated to think that debt was good!
Debts at highest: £8000 credit cards £27,000 mortgage

Debt-Free Date: Today!
Pearl of wisdon: Its like dieting (which I am not as succedful at!) Don't beat yourself up if you fall off the waggon - and try to get into the mindset of enjoying the challenge. Never buy anything if you can get it for free (and I dont mean stealing! ) So many people throw things out that are still ok to use. Ive just fitted my kitchen out with a cast off kitchen and it looks fab! The Freebies board (and especially cinema tickets etc) became a new hobby. Frugal thinking - meal planning, economical meals etc My sis and one of my pals automatically send me their cast off clothing to have a look through before chucking them out. I am the original skip rat! Holidays since the lightbulb moment have all been in our bargain tent - and I much prefer them to when we used to jet off abroad. No more loans - EVER! and no credit cards either. I feel as if I got "greener" whilst getting debt free. Just to say to all those working hard at it - ignore any one who sniggers at your "tight fisted " antics, carry on because its a great feeling when you get there. And many thanks to MSE and all who post here because it was this site that inspired me and got me there, and made it feel ok - indeed fashionable - to be frugal.

mrscmr

A. The date of your lightbulb moment - November 2008
b. Debts at their highest - over £500K !!! made up of £140K of cc and loans - the rest was mortgage!
c. Debt-Free Date - 28 March 2011
d. Your one pearl of wisdom. Never think that just becos you have a huge income that you are safe from debt. We had a massive income, which suddenly stopped, we were in denial for too long and were too greedy for things we didnt need. Never underestimate yourself and get your head into the right zone and beat the debt - good luck
e. And if you had a debt diary on DFW, a link to it https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1563577 my diary which saved me and gave me an outlet to express how i felt.

saorsie

Congratulations to you both ~ I love reading success stories like these.

Enjoy your moments ~ you both deserve them :j

-s-

KipKip_2

oh my!!!! how much (and how long!) have i been looking forward to posting on the debt free roll of honour!!!!

A. The date of your lightbulb moment - May 2009 - when I realised I wanted to become a midwife!

b. Debts at their highest - £16,850

c. Debt-Free Date - today!!!! Friday 15th April 2011!!!!

d. Your one pearl of wisdom - I couldnt have done this without my all singing and dancing spreadsheet, plus "payment a days" REALLY helped with paying off my credit cards - plus i loved getting my statements through with tons and tons of mini-payments on there! :-)

so happy today! this weekend will be my first debt free weekend in nearly 10 years, and i intend to celebrate with lots of wine!:T:T:T:T:T

skaps

Well done to you all who have become debt free. Am always happy to see this thread come up in my user page. Love hearing all the stories and am always surprised how quickly lots of debt has been paid off. Hope to be posting here some day in the future.

BabyBetty

Congratulations mrscmr on becoming debt free :beer:,

Have really enjoyed your diary.

I can't wait to be able to post that I am debt free.

BB

mrscmr

thanks baby betty.. i think if i hadnt had mse and the diary i would be in the nut house right now... it showed me i wasnt alone, i learnt that it can happen to anyone and i learnt how to deal with it and finally beat it. i have met so many lovely people on the forum

chickilegirl

Light bulb moment march 2008 - ex husband walked out time to face the truth!
Debts at highest £11500 - half of what i owed with my ex - (excludes the 210k mortgage he left me to pay!)
Debt free march 2010
Pearl of wisdom Face it, head on, get help, get advice and tackle it. The debt free feeling is immense, 12 months on it hasnt faded

rupe34

well done to all - but especially to Swinstie!! blondette-extraordinaire!! Proud of you xx