Not Quite Debt Free but...

t4mof

...today I've finally paid off all my credit cards.

As you can see from my signature the situation was quite desperate in 2008 (and long before!) but with help from this site, careful budgeting and small, clear goals it's all gone.

And to celebrate DH and I have opened our first ISAs :money:

They won't have much in them to start with as I've still got some debt to clear which should be gone by September if the plan stays on track. From October onwards though, I will be putting in as much as possible with the aim of saving for new double glazing next summer.

My life has been so focussed on clearing debt for the past 3 and a half years that it all feels a bit odd at the moment.

Good luck to all those still paying off debt. It can be done and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Takeaway_Addict

fantastic job!

Well done!

Biggest change you have done then?

t4mof

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

fantastic job!

Well done!

Biggest change you have done then?

Not shying away from my bank account!!

I used to go to cashpoints and hold my breath while I waited to see if it would give me any money.

Now I check my online bank almost daily and know almost to the penny what is in there and what is left to come out.

My monthly budget is on my laptop and several times a week I check that there is enough money to cover what still needs to be paid.

Deep_In_Debt

Well done!

I was in a similar amount of debt as you in 2008. I'm also not quite debt free yet but will be by the end of the year hopefully.

It's been a long, hard slog but it'll be worth it in the end.

I'm pretty obsessed with my online banking (I check it at least once a day!) as it's lovely to see my account in credit even 1 day before pay day! I've also enjoyed budgeting and money saving it's become a bit of an OCD.

Nan63

Well done, that is a fantastic achievement! I also paid off a credit card today so feeling a bit smug myself.

:T

t4mof

Nan63 wrote: »

Well done, that is a fantastic achievement! I also paid off a credit card today so feeling a bit smug myself.

:T

Well done too...

To be honest, having had some sort of credit card debt for the last 16 years, I never thought I'd have none.

Time_to_face_the_music

Congratulations t4mof. I really think that success stories like yours inspire lots of people. Well done :T

sistafromanothermista

Well done :j
I agree, these threads certainly inspire me, especially when i see you were in a similar debt situation to me.
What you said about not checking the bank is so true, i can't remember the last time before my LBM i checked a cashpoint!

Well done again to every1 on this thread, you are an inspiration to the rest of us :beer: