What has your debt stopped you from doing in life?

Newyorkdreams

Just wondered what impact your debt has had on your life and the decisions that you can make? I am just completing year 1 of a year 3 of my debt busting programme. Although I'm pleased with the progress I'm making, I can't help but ponder on what an impact being so heavily in debt has caused.

We can't move house at least for another 5 years due to debt busting then saving for a deposit for a bigger house (we hate where we live currently so definitely feel trapped), we have signficantly delayed starting a family to try and pay the debt off but I'm not getting any younger so can't really wait much longer and just the day to day stresses and strains of not feeling that your money is your own.

Of course, on the positive side, I now have an appreciation for money management and budgeting and I will take this forward for the rest of my life and if I'm bless with child(ren) I will make sure when they are old enough, I pass these messages on.

It's just been a difficult lesson in life and has made a major impact on the decisions that we can take.

Just wondered if anyone else's debt has hampered their life significantly and how?

NYD

Buffythedebtslayer

Not been able to buy a house, a car, go on holiday or have nice clothes.


Also think especially when I was in debt the first time it stopped me dating, couldn't justify dressing up, looking nice going out etc.


Pretty much made me feel like an idiot. Loss of confidence.


in short a right pain in the !!!!!




xxx

Eyes_wide_open

Same as above and it's stopped me being spontaneous.

Every decision was either a stuff it ( and regret afterwards, tinged with guilt) or a straight forward no.

Only been debt free for a month but can now say - why not and enjoy it.

On the other side it previously gave me an excuse of not doing something if I didn't want to do it.... Now I will have to come up with another reason or be honest??

Xxx

Matthew_c

With me working shifts and my wife being a part time teacher and only working wed,thurs,fri its stopped us just thinking !!!!!! it lets jump on a plane and have a few days away

sexyshark

for me moving out of my parents house and branching out on my own at the age of 42 :mad:

parsniphead

It's stopped me doing so many things but the most upsetting was having to go back to work when my DS was 8 months old. If only I could have seen into the future when I was young I would have saved so I could be a SAHM as long as possible.

I missed his first steps, he was at kindergarten.

skye

Travelling the world, quitting my job to go to uni, keeping my house following my divorce - I wish I'd been more sensible!! Might have to leave it too late to have kids.

[Deleted User]

Oh gosh loads!!

Learning to drive, buying a car, owning my house, holidays, delaying my wedding, not being able to just go out for lunch/dinner whenever I am invited.

Having to really budget for everything.

Its horrible really I have been in debt since I was 18 years old & 1 day & I will be 31 in March.

Dxxx

Newyorkdreams

Hi everyone - thanks for posting. It's mad isn't it, the impact debt has on our lives. It's touching when you hear about the things that we've missed out on, especially when it comes to family.

Nice to see you Dolly Rocker!!! The old thread - debt free in 2015 - is still alive!

I got my first credit card at 18 and the rest is history.... and I've just turned 34. Eek. That's not good. I'm glad the banks started to say no otherwise where I would be now?

I was talking to a colleague today who was telling me his daughter is moving out on Friday. She is 21 and has just bought a house with her boyfriend and both have brand new cars, all bought and paid for. I wish I had done that but then again I went to uni but even then, my dad paid my rent, I got a grant, a loan and I worked and I still managed to finish uni with over £10K in debt so I was destined to be a debtor. Not anymore......

NYD

[Deleted User]

Newyorkdreams wrote: »

Hi everyone - thanks for posting. It's mad isn't it, the impact debt has on our lives. It's touching when you hear about the things that we've missed out on, especially when it comes to family.

Nice to see you Deleted_User!!! The old thread - debt free in 2015 - is still alive!

NYD

Oh god I feel I cant show my face on that thread I started it then went AWOL!! This is me just venturing back on here!

It is amazing/shocking to see how debt has impacted us but it was made so readily available to us that we just snapped it all up!

Wish I hadn't now. If I think what I could have been doing now if I hadn't got myself in debt - makes me want to cry a bit tbh.

Dxxx

stewby

The main thing (and my reason for ending up on here) is pretty much cause I found my dream house... it required work but was beautiful pink granite little cottage. It was all detached with a great garden and I could see myself living there forever.
If I had realised that I could overpay my mortgage when I got one and done that and not ended up in debt and with a loan, then I could have bought it (with a large but manageable mortgage).

Instead, I sit here thinking about it and wishing I could change the past.
:undecided

However, on a positive note... it has made me have my light bulb moment. Now the plan is to make my dad proud and get myself debt-free. (sorry, it's corny but true).