What has the DFW forum done for me?

January2015

It’s changed my view on my debt. It’s no longer a lead weight around my neck, causing me sleepless nights and endless worry. It’s now a challenge for me to sort the problem.



It’s empowered me by giving me the knowledge to know my rights and the creditors rights.


It’s given me an amazing set of virtual friends, who I can talk openly and honestly to about my debts. The responses can sometimes be critical - but this is in the spirit of helping rather than judging and I think is sometimes the short, sharp jolt needed to put me onto the right track. This non-judgemental support and friendship is, in itself, invaluable to me. There are very few people I can talk to about this problem in real life and being able to pour things out to others who are in, or have been in, similar situations is amazing. This has been a lifeline to me.


It’s provided me with ideas on how to manage my money better, challenges to make me think about what I do with my money (and in some cases just our day to day living).


It’s provided me with a place to record my progress, in my diary. I’m not really good at keeping a diary but I have gone back over my entries since I started and I can see the change.


The advert on StepChange indicates their input will help you to a better night's sleep. For me, it wasn’t StepChange – it was MSE DFW. This forum guided me through the setup with StepChange and answered the questions I was too scared, or too embarrassed, to ask them.


Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of those DFW members who’ve helped me get where I am today….still knee deep in debt but able to believe there is a way out and I have the knowledge and support to get there…..eventually.


Despite being tens of thousands in debt, having little spare cash, life really is good.



Thank you MSE and thank you to my DFW friends.

Tyrone_Black

It hasn't made the debt feel like less of a weight and to be honest it hasn't really given me any tips or tricks to make it easier, the latter probably because my situations isn't bad enough for some of the more radical stuff people here have to put themselves through.

I think it's shown me two things: Firstly, that banks would happily allow me to put myself in a hole for the rest of my life through endless offers of cheap debt, spat out by computers with no conscience involved at all. I should not have access to more than £20,000 of unsecured credit on a salary of just over £30,000, yet I do. If I'd continued down the old path I'd have been in a much, much worse situation pretty quickly.

Secondly, it's shown me how manageable my debts actually are. £6,500 (now more like £600) can be tackled fairly quickly. It always felt impossible before, but seeing so many people fighting their way out of much worse situations changed my mindset.

In summary, it's made two different light bulbs happen:

1. If I keep using cheap debt, I'll make things so much worse and by the time the banks say 'no' it will be too late.
2. What seemed like a massive debt that I could only hope to service and not pay back was actually nothing of the sort, if I made the changes I'd refused to make before.

The debt is still a huge weight on my mind, but what this forum has done for me without question is to speed up my process of getting it out of my life.

andyfromotley

Its given me focus and the belief that I can change my relationship with money. Lots of support and encouragemnt too.

Historybuff

It has supported me to see a clear way to tackle a huge mountain of debt with confidence and determination. Staying focused and taking inspiration from the folks on this forum means I am now well on the road to becoming debt free in the foreseeable future.

Ellieseleven

It has given me hope for a debt-free retirement and released me from the burden of debt as I move towards a new era.

It has taught me the value of money and helped me to live within my means.

It has given me many virtual friends with whom I can share my experience and they theirs.

It has provided answers to my many challenges and helped me to view the future with confidence instead of dread.

Ellie x

northerner999

This forum helped me realise

- My debt was a problem, not something that would sort itself out naturally as I earned more in the future.
- That sorting it out was not difficult, and gave me confidence to get on top of it, budget properly, and realise what luxuries I wanted to keep and what I needed to cut back on. It turns out it was nowhere near even the UK average, but felt like a lot.
- Helped me keep focus when otherwise I may have wavered and spent more than I could afford on something (I recently needed a new laptop, previously I'd have insisted I needed one much more expensive than what I opted for).
Ultimately I credit this site, and specifically this forum, as being the main reason I have a far healthier relationship with money than pre-LBM. Taking away the worry which came with not knowing if I'd be able to pay every bill the next month has made me a happier and better person, and is why I keep posting to offer encouragement and advice to people who are not as far along the journey as I am.

crazy_cat_lady

This forum and the people on it have helped me to realise that the only Joneses I want to keep up with are the ones on here.
It really makes a world of difference saving up and paying for something rather than having a 'buy now pay later' attitude. Makes things more enjoyable.

sourcrates

Well, I'm unsure how you'll all take this, but this forum has taught me just how many people are unaware of how to deal with there debts, and how most others don't have a clue what to expect once they default.

You get all sorts on here, the know it alls, the wanna bees, the haven't got a clues, and the high moral grounders !!

But most of all, and these are the people who really inspire me, you get the guys and gals who offer there own experiences, and give you there own time, to benefit the ones who arnt so clued up on debt issues.

I have to say January is top of that list, over the last year she has listened, and learned such a lot, but this also applies to a lot of those who post on the DMP support group as well.

There are others worthy of mention Fatbelly for one, offers exceptionally good advice to people thinking of a more formal solution, Fermi is always there to quote chapter and verse, I tend to let my heart rule my head at times, but hopefully my advice is useful to some, after all, that's why I do it !!!!

Little_Miss_Sunshine

It's changed our lives. I was a quivering wreck just before Christmas. Expecting the world to cave in because we were about to wave the white flag. I've had some amazing help and advise. It's taught me that debt is a bit of agame really, and it helps if you know all the rules. I don't mean that to sound flippant but I had no idea how clueless I was!
So thank you all

hydrangea_2

I've been lurking around here for four years now and gone from ££££ to 0 debts. It's my version of AA! Every time I need a nudge in the right direction I come back here for lovely and wise voices.

January2015

sourcrates wrote: »

But most of all, and these are the people who really inspire me, you get the guys and gals who offer there own experiences, and give you there own time, to benefit the ones who arnt so clued up on debt issues.

I have to say January is top of that list, over the last year she has listened, and learned such a lot, but this also applies to a lot of those who post on the DMP support group as well.

There are others worthy of mention Fatbelly for one, offers exceptionally good advice to people thinking of a more formal solution, Fermi is always there to quote chapter and verse, I tend to let my heart rule my head at times, but hopefully my advice is useful to some, after all, that's why I do it !!!!

Thank you - what a compliment. You have made my day :beer: