Reasons to be cheerful

rdchick

#13 knowing that once the debt has been paid your wages will be yours to do as you wish with!

determined_new_ms

we struggled with debt for years & finally cleared it off last Oct - things to be cheerful since:

#14 I now know how to manage my money, save for what I want & can afford what I buy

and today #15 I just found out my lovely oh has bought me a book I have been wanting to read for ages & there is about a 10 yr waiting list for it at the library!

Chrisblue1962

Just reading this thread has cheered me up.

I'm on a DMP with at least 10 years to go until I'm debt free and was feeling fed up earlier this week.

This thread shows that loads of people are turning things around, sorting out their debts and improving their and their loved ones lives.

Well Done to you all and Thank You for cheering me up :T:T:T
...it's payday on Monday and I'm still within my budget (just ).

Sarah75

Just thought of another...

#16 Appreciating what I have

I used to go out and buy whatever I wanted without thinking about it, mostly on credit, but it got to a point when I didn't value anything or really appreciate anything. I'm lucky enough to be going on holiday in a few weeks and for the first time in years I've not paid for it on credit and I won't be taking a credit card with me. For my spends I have a pre-paid card that I learnt about on the MSE site and the remainder is in cash. The best thing is I won't feel guilty when I come back and the bills start rolling in because there won't be any bills :T I may even bring some money back with me which will be a novelty :rotfl:

brenda10

#17
6 years ago I lost my job and was plunged into debt (from 24,000 yr salary to 5,000yr) My husband worked to a local council for £200 wk wage. Before my job loss I never checked prices but never wasted. I never haggled or spent long enough checking the best price for house/car insurance etc. We had a 60,000 mortgage. Over the past 6 yrs I have purchased 2nd hand everything incl clothes etc, I have still had the latest fashion for a great price. Bought tesco value and Lidl foods=great quality/low price. We still have our 1998 peugeot 306 going well with 200,000 miles on the clock. I am moving towards debt free. I didn't pay my mortgage off yet but put the money I saved over the past 6 yrs(£48,000) into a 4.2% savings account for 5 yrs making £170 mth versus £52.50 per month interest on mortgage=£118 profit in not paying my mortgage off just yet. I have scrimped and saved but little by little I have got there and am now just £12,000 away from being debt free. Never give up, look at the bigger picture. Our mortgage still has 9 yrs to run until my husband is 69. Everything is possible. Martin has guided me through rough waters, he is my HERO.
Thanks Martin

marksmith001

Hi everyone, New on this forum and have no idea about this.

dell33

toothfairybuttkicker wrote: »

No8. Spending time with the kids doing free fun stuff rather then dragging them round the shops!

yes that is so good, says she who is heading off to the beach for the afternoon with the kids with a box of pringles (half price at the moment) and a bottle of orange pop. Simple pleasures. If I was to bring them to the cinema & buy goodies I wouldnt have much change from 50 quid.

dell33

This is such a wonderful thread. We are also on a mission to reduce our debts and being a lot more frugal, what I like most about it is the effect it has on our kids, especially our teenagers. They appreciate what they got so much more now every one is being more frugal. I like seeing them being careful with their money. My DD is now using webtexts to send her text messages because her free txts have run out and she wants to hang onto what credit she has left.

My DS is 17 and has not managed to pick up a summer job, we give him a tenner a week for doing jobs, he cuts grass for a neighbour and has got some money from his grandparents. He has managed to save enough to buy a new phone this summer and still have some left over.

I also love the fact they expect a lot less from you which makes my life less stressful. Nice to go back to simple pleasures with the kids and it makes them a lot less like spoilt brats.

rockstar44

Answering the phone when it rings without worrying that it's someone asking for money! That's a great feeling!

Infact someone phoned yesterday to ask if I needed 'help' with my debt! No thank you I'm managing fine!

Can't wait for the phone call when I can say ' What Debt?' :rotfl:

MrsB2100

#18 - Learning to cook properly and cheaply! We lived on ready meals, takeaways and just nasty stuff for years, till we learned to cook ourselves decent, tasty, CHEAP meals! I'm not saying that we're gormet chefs, but we do enjoy trying new things that we've seen as ready meals and making it ourselves now!.