The "Pay ALL your debt off by Xmas 2012" challenge - PART 3!!!

InsertWittyName

As 'mentioned' earlier, it's now payday and I've paid the remainder of my debt off!

I'm now officially debt free!

#055 £16,570.76/£16,570.76 (100%)

Good luck to those that are also close (jakes-mum, psychopathbabble et al.) and those not so close. Every penny counts!

Over the last 15 months I've learnt a lot about finances and a lot about myself... I would offer these tips:

• Treat yourself when you can proportionately. If you clear a £500 debt and close the account down, celebrate (but keep it proportionate and low key )
• The two greatest efforts you can make is to decrease your outgoings and/or increase your incomings. A combination of both is ideal. This past year I budgeted the family so we were comfortable, but not extravagant. Alongside that I started self employment (on top of the regular day job) and increased our income significantly. If someone is willing to pay you to do your day job then someone else is generally willing to pay you to do it on an evening and weekend too :T
• When it starts to get you down, accept it. It's a hard slog, but keep the end in site (refer to the 'proportional' treat above )
• Don't go to extremes. Eating beans and toast for 9 months instead of eating sensibly to achieve your DFD 1 month earlier is not sustainable!
• Offer your experience and advice to others :A
• In line with above, listen and learn from others too.

Thanks for all the help along the way!

I'm not going anywhere, like most of you I now have aspirations of savings/house deposit etc. and wouldn't make the journey without you all

Kerfuffle

InsertWittyName - Congratulations :T:T:T

Well done you, you must be so chuffed

:beer:

:j:j:j

vw_campervan_mum

Brilliant Insertwittyname! Well done on shifting that big chunk of debt. Great tips too :A

mf0u1098

InsertWittyName - ahhhhh my dear competitor and debt busting buddy.... I am sooooooooooo happy to read your post. You may have beat me to the finish line but I'm not far behind. I think what you have achieved this year has been phenomenal. I'm not just saying this but you have been an inspiration to a lot of people on this thread with how focused you have stayed throughout the year. You embody the phrase "Keep calm and carry on!"

I'm in work now but will get your very own DFBX12 Roll of Honour post sorted later on this evening.

Congratulations again xxx

SpagBol

Huge congrats INSERTWITTYNAME, you should be very proud! :j:beer::T:T:beer::j:T:beer::j:beer::T

Can I be cheeky and ask what you did in the evenings and at weekends. I have given up my second job now as it is too intense doing both (was ok ish for a year but not sustainable long term) but am thinking of starting my own business. Not sure if I should be doing something else though...

InsertWittyName

Thanks all

@SpagBol

I'm a pretty well established iPhone app developer during the day, so it's fairly easy for me to pick up freelance jobs to do the same for evenings and weekends.

I'll also be investing a bit more into it this next year - it's a nice feeling that if I ever got made redundant from the day job we could 'survive' on my freelance work until something else came up. Although the current market for iPhone developers is definitely in my favour!

mumsiemum

InsertWittyName wrote: »

#055 £16,570.76/£16,570.76 (100%)

Good luck to those that are also close (jakes-mum, psychopathbabble et al.) and those not so close. Every penny counts!

Over the last 15 months I've learnt a lot about finances and a lot about myself... I would offer these tips:

• Treat yourself when you can proportionately. If you clear a £500 debt and close the account down, celebrate (but keep it proportionate and low key )
• The two greatest efforts you can make is to decrease your outgoings and/or increase your incomings. A combination of both is ideal. This past year I budgeted the family so we were comfortable, but not extravagant. Alongside that I started self employment (on top of the regular day job) and increased our income significantly. If someone is willing to pay you to do your day job then someone else is generally willing to pay you to do it on an evening and weekend too :T
• When it starts to get you down, accept it. It's a hard slog, but keep the end in site (refer to the 'proportional' treat above )
• Don't go to extremes. Eating beans and toast for 9 months instead of eating sensibly to achieve your DFD 1 month earlier is not sustainable!
• Offer your experience and advice to others :A
• In line with above, listen and learn from others too

:T:T:T:T:T:T Congratulations !!!! what a brilliant achievement - I bet you feel epic!!!

Also thanks for the great tips - especially the hard slog bit - it encourages us to keep going

I hope you are going to have a fitting celebration!

MM

Ruthy1604

InsertWittyName wrote: »

As 'mentioned' earlier, it's now payday and I've paid the remainder of my debt off!

I'm now officially debt free!

#055 £16,570.76/£16,570.76 (100%)

Good luck to those that are also close (jakes-mum, psychopathbabble et al.) and those not so close. Every penny counts!

Over the last 15 months I've learnt a lot about finances and a lot about myself... I would offer these tips:

• Treat yourself when you can proportionately. If you clear a £500 debt and close the account down, celebrate (but keep it proportionate and low key )
• The two greatest efforts you can make is to decrease your outgoings and/or increase your incomings. A combination of both is ideal. This past year I budgeted the family so we were comfortable, but not extravagant. Alongside that I started self employment (on top of the regular day job) and increased our income significantly. If someone is willing to pay you to do your day job then someone else is generally willing to pay you to do it on an evening and weekend too :T
• When it starts to get you down, accept it. It's a hard slog, but keep the end in site (refer to the 'proportional' treat above )
• Don't go to extremes. Eating beans and toast for 9 months instead of eating sensibly to achieve your DFD 1 month earlier is not sustainable!
• Offer your experience and advice to others :A
• In line with above, listen and learn from others too.

Thanks for all the help along the way!

I'm not going anywhere, like most of you I now have aspirations of savings/house deposit etc. and wouldn't make the journey without you all

Congratulations InsertWittyName - I am so pleased for you

rubywhatashmoo

:beer::beer::beer:CONGRATULATIONS INSERTWITTYNAMEHERE!!! :T:T:T:T

And with time to get used to having "spare" money by xmas too!! Well done

suzitiger

InsertWittyName wrote: »

As 'mentioned' earlier, it's now payday and I've paid the remainder of my debt off!

I'm now officially debt free!

#055 £16,570.76/£16,570.76 (100%)

Good luck to those that are also close (jakes-mum, psychopathbabble et al.) and those not so close. Every penny counts!

Over the last 15 months I've learnt a lot about finances and a lot about myself... I would offer these tips:

• Treat yourself when you can proportionately. If you clear a £500 debt and close the account down, celebrate (but keep it proportionate and low key )
• The two greatest efforts you can make is to decrease your outgoings and/or increase your incomings. A combination of both is ideal. This past year I budgeted the family so we were comfortable, but not extravagant. Alongside that I started self employment (on top of the regular day job) and increased our income significantly. If someone is willing to pay you to do your day job then someone else is generally willing to pay you to do it on an evening and weekend too :T
• When it starts to get you down, accept it. It's a hard slog, but keep the end in site (refer to the 'proportional' treat above )
• Don't go to extremes. Eating beans and toast for 9 months instead of eating sensibly to achieve your DFD 1 month earlier is not sustainable!
• Offer your experience and advice to others :A
• In line with above, listen and learn from others too.

Thanks for all the help along the way!

I'm not going anywhere, like most of you I now have aspirations of savings/house deposit etc. and wouldn't make the journey without you all

What a lovely post, well done InsertWittyName!!! :T:T:T:T:T:T
I could do with your help next year to get me out of debt, especially when earning extra income is concerned. It is difficult to shift the debt when it is almost 2/3rds of my annual income large, BUT if I can increase my income the snowballing effect would be significant.. :rotfl:Share your secrets with meeeeeeeeeeee