Debt Free in 2015 - Who's with me?!?!?!?

[Deleted User]

Newyorkdreams wrote: »

Hey guys and gals - it's been very quiet in here recently! How's everyone doing? Just trucking on I presume! Life is busy here....too many nights out to get stuck into my debt and diet! But hey, life must go on whether £55K in debt or not!!! LOL I am trying very hard but get very frustrated and disheartened with my lack of progress. Got my first wage last month in my new job and the extra I made went in one hand and out of the other - I feel like 'what's the point'? I've been having this thought a lot lately - can't see light at the end of the tunnel, it's so hard, poor me, blah blah blah - it's all c**p really because we got ourselves into this mess and we need to get out of it.

Diet not going well either! Please-let-me-be-lucky - Im rejoining SW on Weds and I'm going to stick to the old red/green plan. I can't lose weight on the EE plan as my portions are too big (I also have PCOS so I need to reduce my carb intake). I'm really wanting to get to goal this year! I lost 5 stones for my wedding in 2009 with SW so I know I can do it!

NYD xxx

I am exactly the same my darling.

Had lots on so been eating & drinking lots.

Also spending way too much money so only being paying the minimum on my CC's the past couple of months :mad:

We will get there in the end I suppose.

Diet is worse than ever - I am going to be getting back on it & I bought that Josie Gibson 30 Second Slim workout DVD so will start that tomorrow - this has got to help.

Dxxx

[Deleted User]

Debtbusterintraining wrote: »

I know how you feel NYD,I get sooo frustrated too,I just feel the journey is taking too long. I started this slog in jan 2012 and all last year I was really fired up and motivated but I feel the the first few months of this year that I have lost my focus a bit and life keeps getting in the way(because I let it) for paying back more. So I'm not really on track for being debt free by dec 2015 and i need to catch this up some how. I seem to do better when I have less money but when I have extra I just spend it,nobody to blame except myself really.
My loan payment has gone out again and my debts have fallen to £23984.01 meaning I have now repaid a quarter of what I originally owed last January which I should be feeling good about but knowing I'm not on track had taking the shine off it. So I have given myself a good talking to,wrists slapped etc and my new mantra is I must do better .
Hope everyone has a Happy Easter x

Wow you have done amazing 1/4 of your debt gone forever!!!

I am kinda losing track for the 2015 debt freedom but I will try to make up for it next year I promise!!

Dxxx

antonic

I will be DF on June 2nd 2013 when I have paid my last instalment (only 3 to go).

Debtbusterintraining

Wow antonic that must be a good feeling, you are so close now.

antonic

It is and I cant wait.

But tbh I am glad I did it this way and refused the siren calls of an IVA when I first started my DF journey.

miss_empty_piggy

Well done Antonic - good for you x

miss_empty_piggy

I need to have a review of the situation. Started really well in Jan and Feb, managed to save some money for Xmas and got all cc's sorted out onto 0%, car insurance payments down and things were looking good. Then had to pay out a big unexpected bill and washing machine broke down so am saving for that, so feel like I'm standing still a little bit. I will be sorting paper work out over the next few days so should have some better idea of figures. I want to see that it has come down, even if it is just a little so I feel like I'm getting 'somewhere', even if it's just not further into debt. On the plus side did a big checklist of everything in the cupboards and fridge and been shopping and spent £25.00 (with £5 off next £40 shop voucher gained). As I'm at home this week there will be no need to fill the car up with petrol which should hopefully save me £40.00, plus going in to work on Monday to do some overtime so should make about £100 which can go towards the coffers.

Need to be a little more proactive also. It is car boot sale weather and I have plenty to sell so all can go towards the debts.

Good luck frugalling folks :0)

castlelough

Hi everyone,
Sorry I haven't logged in for a while. I had a few weeks there where I just didn't feel like logging in to moneysavingexpert. I kept on plodding with the debts, but I didn't feel like visiting! I suppose we all go through rough patches on this journey. Hope you are feeling a bit more positive NewYorkHopes - just try and forget the less than perfect months, and jump back in again for April. We can do it!

Antonic it is really inspirational to read your post - you've almost done it, and I can see by your LBM that it has been a very long journey for you. If you have any tips for us we'd be very grateful .

I have managed to reduce my debts by another €1000 since I last logged in, so I'm delighted to have gone below the €10k mark. I haven't made much progress with the CC, which I was a bit disappointed about, but I decided to focus on the OD and get rid of it. I read an article about getting mortgage-ready recently and it was one of the key points they advised. Going into your OD every month just looks so bad to the banks. My CC is costing me so much more and I just wanted to work on that, but I had to give myself a bit of a talking-to as I will need to work up about six months history of 'living within my means' with no overdraft use. And I haven't the discipline, so I've reduced the limit, and when I get paid on Thursday I will instruct the bank to close it altogether. I now know that I can operate within my salary, when I budget carefully and know what is coming out and when and how much it will cost. I just can't wait to close it. :j
I've found it tough not spending money on things that I really want to buy, but I am staying away from the shops, and I know that this is just for now. It will be worth it in the end, won't it?!!

Hope everyone else is doing well. Big waves to DollyRocker and everyone else.

antonic

Thank you for the thanks Castle - I really appreciate them !/

My top tips to succeed :

1) Dont set yourself an impossible target to repay in, give yourself some leeway,
2) Set your budget at a reasonable figure so you can still afford to live !
3) Set yourself a target of having a holiday per year (even if its just a weekend away staying with family, or the family pay) because you need a break away ! - I have done this every year, even if it means going to stay with my younger brother.
4) Keep in touch with your DMP provider and co-operate with them, it makes life a lot easier !.
5) I dealt with my original 7 year debt (now 7 1/2 years) by breaking it down into yearly segments, once I had completed the first year I thought I have only 6 more to go.
6) Make your monthly payments and if you have a problem tell them !.
7) Tell your family ! - I told my dad and he was so proud of me for dealing with it !
and finally what worked for me
8) If you have a vice like smoking or drinking (it was drinking for me) try to stop as that money you will save will make a hell of a difference to your budget - I used to spend approx £80/month on booze, now I have stopped (77 weeks AF for me now), I have found better uses for that money !.

Good luck on your DF journey and well done for deciding that you need to d/w it !.

castlelough

Well, I got paid on Thursday last and I took great pleasure in making a beeline for the bank on Friday and officially closing my overdraft forever! I am so, so happy! There was only €50 left on it at this stage, but it is finally gone! It feels like a great achievement! I had a yummy latte to celebrate and realised that it was a great start to a new year (my birthday was on Saturday - 34! :eek:)
I also got a little surprise in my bank account from the taxman - a refund of €418! So I put €318 of that off the credit card and €100 will be spent on heating oil. Have gotten used to being so disciplined!
Am making great progress on the credit card - well below last month's €3000..... I just can't seem to get there quickly enough!
My parents gave me some money for my birthday, but I've ringfenced that for some retail therapy and my sisters gave me a voucher too. DH paid for my car repairs.
So I am feeling very positive this week!
Have been so careful with my income since my LBM in July 2012. I cannot wait to clear the credit card - I'm aiming to be clear by July 1st this year, the anniversary of my LBM!
Then I'm going to take a couple of weeks break from all the frugality and buy new clothes!!!!!!!!!

Hope everyone else is doing well xxx