Start of my Debt-Free Journey

Wee_Pilsbury

lilykins wrote: »

Thanks again everyone, your advice valued as always.

Have managed a NSD today- also DH has cancelled Sky but doesnt come into effect until end of April, thats a saving towards paying off the debt.

Have switched the central heating off and am hoping not to have to use it again until September (do you think thats too opptimistic?).
Does anyone know what the cheapest heater is to run, just want to get something cheap to take the chill away in the lounge in the evening. Have dug out thicker dressing gowns and jumpers.

Been driving the car very carefully in order to get more MPG.

Sticking to my menu plan and not resorting to take-aways at all, major achievement- everyone was right, meal planning is fab, not only saving money but also saving time. Havent got home from work, spent ages trying to decide what to cook and then finally resorting to take-away because too tired and hungry to think. Have found it hard initally to spend Thurs evenings trying to think of orginial meals, but have managed different things for two weeks, may try to do another week and then rotate. The old style boards have great ideas.

Wee Pilsbury your ideas are great, did you have much debt previously, would love to hear your story.

Zarazara, love the 5 pleasures board, I'm feeling grateful for my lovely family, hope to make my DH proud by following this through, not giving up as I usually do.

Most of my credit cards and loans are paid towards 15th of month, cant wait for April to review the balances, will update my signature then. Fingers crossed for a noticeable reduction in debt..............................................

Morning Lilykins

Hope today finds you well

My story is quite simple really. I've had two periods of debt - the first time was 11 years ago and I did a self administered DMP and got it sorted. The starting debt there was about £16K!

I obviously liked being in debt because I did it again . This time (2 years ago) I ended up in debt after a broken relationship and a good part of the debt came from that and from expenses of buying a flat (cheaper than renting) without a lot of savings. The total this time was £10K . I'll admit to a bit of overspending as well though - sometimes I think I did it to cheer myself up although I would never be as cheerful when the credit card bill arrived :eek:

However, in January 2010 (I think) I finally came fully out of lurkdom on this forum and with the support and advice from here I have reduced my debt to £1800 - it will be gone by June! Even better than that, I've even managed to get myself 2 stars on the forum and I'm well chuffed:j - now I'm a MoneySaving Stalwart!

Seriously though, you will get there in the end. You will have good days and bad days, spendy days and not so spendy days; but the end to it will come.

[Deleted User]

Wee_Pilsbury wrote: »

Morning Lilykins

Hope today finds you well

My story is quite simple really. I've had two periods of debt - the first time was 11 years ago and I did a self administered DMP and got it sorted. The starting debt there was about £16K!

I obviously liked being in debt because I did it again . This time (2 years ago) I ended up in debt after a broken relationship and a good part of the debt came from that and from expenses of buying a flat (cheaper than renting) without a lot of savings. The total this time was £10K . I'll admit to a bit of overspending as well though - sometimes I think I did it to cheer myself up although I would never be as cheerful when the credit card bill arrived :eek:

However, in January 2010 (I think) I finally came fully out of lurkdom on this forum and with the support and advice from here I have reduced my debt to £1800 - it will be gone by June! Even better than that, I've even managed to get myself 2 stars on the forum and I'm well chuffed:j - now I'm a MoneySaving Stalwart!

Seriously though, you will get there in the end. You will have good days and bad days, spendy days and not so spendy days; but the end to it will come.

Thanks so much for that, I know I'm too nosey but honestly, it really does help to hear that people can get out of debt- really hope I can tell the same story one day.

Did you find it difficult to stop spending? Did you put budgets on your food shop etc? Its just that I'm trying to budget at the moment, it is difficult not to just go and buy something to make myself feel better but I cant go back to the way I was.

You have done so well and its so good of you to share you story.
Many thanks and Very Best Wishes for June x

dave1961

Hi Lilykins,
Yes it was hard at first, but I was prepared for that, as the person who help me sort it all out, had refered to the first year as the "year of pain", and that is exactly what it was, we had nothing, no holiday, no new clothes, no nights out, no luxuries what so ever. But we did have a plan, and believe, both of which are very, very important.

Lily you are not running-before-you walk, you are planning long term, this is important, see beyond getting out of debt, too getting mortgage free aswell...a great plan.

Good luck for the future, and remember believe you can get debt free, because you can and will !

Wee_Pilsbury

lilykins wrote: »

Thanks so much for that, I know I'm too nosey but honestly, it really does help to hear that people can get out of debt- really hope I can tell the same story one day.

Did you find it difficult to stop spending? Did you put budgets on your food shop etc? Its just that I'm trying to budget at the moment, it is difficult not to just go and buy something to make myself feel better but I cant go back to the way I was.

You have done so well and its so good of you to share you story.
Many thanks and Very Best Wishes for June x

Don't be daft - you can never be too nosey on this forum I think .

It's strange really, but I didn't find it too difficult to stop spending at first - I became quite determined actually! I'm lucky because I live within easy striking distance of all the major supermarkets plus the budget ones as well so I could go between them to get what I needed and I could check who was selling things cheapest.

I did put a budget down for shopping and initially I used it all up every week. Then I downshifted on almost all groceries (not Heinz tomato soup though ) and this made the biggest difference of all. I'll admit I was a bit of a brand snob in my previous existence but I have truly changed for the better. Sure, I still buy brands but only if they are on offer and cheaper than my usual stuff now. The result is that I still have a budget for shopping but I don't normally use it all.

I also cook more than I used to but I'm not obsessive about it - for me, ready meals have their place :cool:.

All of this budgeting and careful shopping has had a very weird side effect though - I've found that I've forgotten how to spend :eek:. Really, I'm not joking. I went on holiday with a friend last year and although I had to use money that could have gone to the debts I decided to do it anyway - under the heading of "Life's Too Short." Anyway, we had a great time but as we went along I realised I wasn't doing any real shopping for "stuff" - and I was an expert at "stuff" shopping before, believe me. It was weird. Seriously weird. I suppose what has really happened is that I've lost one habit and gained another (more prudent) one but best of all is that I'm much happier than I ever was and I don't feel like I'm scrimping .

Don't get me wrong, there have been times when I've been really fed up with it all. It's difficult if friends want to go for coffees and lunches all the time and to that end, I eventually just told my friends that I couldn't afford it because I was determined to pay off my credit cards - didn't tell them how much though. They were really good about it and it made me feel better about being able to say no.

Crikey! Look at the length of this post - I better stop or I'll have used everybody else's supply of words .

You will get there Lilykins and you won't look back!

[Deleted User]

Thanks Dave and Wee Pilsbury,
You are both inspirations, and both honest enough to admit it was tough at first. The initial 'high' of starting to sort things and it all being a novelity has worn off and I am now missing the shopping, feel as posted earlier that I had an angel on one shoulder and little devil on the other shoulder- I try to convince myself I 'need' some new clothes for work or a bottle of wine and although it sometimes feels great that I've resisted, sometimes I feel bit crap too. I am hoping that not shopping will become a habit at some point soon, I am trying to stay away from the shops.
When I do have to spend I hate it- don want it to start on my slippery slope of spending again.
Fingers crossed I'll get there

edi68

Hi Im a newbie never suscribed before but spent loads of time reading what every one has done to become df. My reason for joining is we have 2 credit cards and 2 loans to clear totalling 7k
myself and OH started clear these from jan 2011 in dec 2010 the balance of cc 1 was 3,800 balance now 1st april 2011 1,500 it feels really good to see it disapearing will talk about the rest of the debt another time.

Hope Ive done this ok please advise if not

Thanks

[Deleted User]

edi68 wrote: »

Hi Im a newbie never suscribed before but spent loads of time reading what every one has done to become df. My reason for joining is we have 2 credit cards and 2 loans to clear totalling 7k
myself and OH started clear these from jan 2011 in dec 2010 the balance of cc 1 was 3,800 balance now 1st april 2011 1,500 it feels really good to see it disapearing will talk about the rest of the debt another time.

Hope Ive done this ok please advise if not

Thanks

Well done edi68- thats a huge reduction in your debt. has it been difficult? I've been advised to enter debts into a snowball calculator (available on this site) and it advises you which debt to pay first and how long it will take to be debt-free, I need to do this also.

I have to learn patience, I have always wanted 'instant results' in everything that I do or I get fed up and give up. I am really trying to change, slow down and stop expecting instant results.

Becoming debt-free is going to take time and patience and I am hoping to enjoy the journey, appreciate how lucky I am and make life a little simplier for myself. I want to leave the rat race and stop keeping up with the Joneses, its such an awful pressure to maintain a 'perfect' lifestyle- when in truth striving for a perfect home and life has caused major debt and stress.

Still reading old style threads and they are provding lots of info.

Best wishes everyone :rotfl:

edi68

Hello again

Couldnt finish my reply ran out of space ? probably because I dont know how to do this properly my add on bit is that the job I have had for the last 17th month pays £200 per month more than my previous job but thats a whole other tale to tell in another place.

Will talk again soon looking forward to your reply.

[Deleted User]

Hi edi68,
I'm not very tech minded but I have never run out of space when replying. I just click on quick reply on the bottom of the page.

Thats great to have an higher paying job to clear the debt more quickly, you'll get there much faster. Going to try the grocery challenge this month, theres a thread for that. I'm hoping for £250- fingers crossed.

Since doing my signature of debts at end of Feb I hope things have reduced- that was when I cut up the cc's- will update it after my payday on 15th.

Keep on posting- we'll get there. :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

foxgloves

Lilykins......this is only a tiny thing.....for your ebay parcels, save strong brown paper bags & ordinary plastic carrier bags (not the flimsy ones from supermarkets). I cut the handles off, cut down one side & across the bottom to make a big sheet of plastic & use those to wrap most of my ebay parcels. I used to buy brown paper, but then the 'not spending' thing became such an ingrained habit that I started looking for a free alternative. A plus point is it makes your parcels waterproof too.....useful when you've got a postman who leaves them outside in odd places! One of the things I most enjoy about the 'old style' approach is that before you I buy things, I stop & think about whether I have anything else already that would do the job or whether I can make or recycle one of whatever it is. Sometimes, of course, I can't then off I go to buy one, but everytime I can, it feels like another little victory for someone who used to be completely devoid of any kind of common sense with money! ( I found some of my old journals recently & even I was shocked at how bad I used to be!)