Could any that has paid off or made a big dent in 25k + debts give me some hope?

Mrs_Sparkle

Hi Rebecca,

Take a look at my signature- my total is coming down slowly but steadily. I'm fairly happy with my progress although I know I could do a lot more and people like Southernscouser put me to shame.

A spending diary is a key thing to do when you're just starting out- it really helps to see where you fritter away £s without realising it. Next, get to know your weaknesses and take steps to avoid them. My big weakness is clothes shops so now I just don't set foot in them and I'm not tempted to spend- simple.

Oh, and remember that every penny counts. Quidco and Pigsback clicks may only be worth 10p a time but I do them every day and use my monthly Quidco payment to make an overpayment on my loan. If I see 5p on the ground I will pick it up and stick it in my coppers jar. If I see bread reduced to 10p a loaf I'll buy 3 or 4 loaves and freeze them. Each tiny action like that helps.

Lydia.42

Hi

I think if you have had 'the talk' with your OH, the hardest part is out of the way. That can be one of the hardest things to do, especially if one of you is not as serious about clearing the debt as the other. So long as you are both honest with each other, and can talk about the situation you will get there.

I think one of the best things i found when my OH and i sat and looked seriously at the mess we were in, was the relief we both felt that we were no longer dealing with debt on our own, and the total debt was not going to get any bigger. No matter how long it takes us, we have learnt our lesson this time and the relief is immense for the numbers to be getting smaller and not bigger.

I would be lying if i said the road was an easy one - it isn't. But with support from each other, and people on here you will get there. You might even fall off the wagon on the way, but there will always be someone here offering a hand to get back on......just learn from the mistake and carry on.

Good luck.

mjdh1957

I started out with a debt of around £25,000 and cleared it off in just under 4 years.

I can echo what sheraz2 says above, it's about altering your mindset and being determined to see it through.

As a result I am now debt-free and am very pleased with myself and more determined never to get into debt again!

Good luck!

clarab_3

A year ago £33k... now down to £18k and it dropping like a stone! the first 6 months were dificult but now I can breath easier... sleep at night!

the 3 things i owe this to are

• Claiming back my bank charges (gave me a great head start and some more spare to plough into other debts)
• The snowball calculator http://www.whatsthecost.com/snowball.aspx ( At times when you can't see the road ahead or it seems too long, it shows you the way and the light at the end of the tunnell
• This board. Never underestimate just how much the honesty and support of other people who have seen and done it will help.

All the luck in the world