Making it official

pencakes

After being a MSE forum member for 5 years now (!!) I have been a serial lurker. My debt started to climb yet somehow I convinced myself it was all fine...

...until a very honest chat with my OH and I confessed all. Admitting to a relatively new partner that I was over £25k in debt was possibly the scariest thing I've ever done, but also the best thing I ever did.

That was September 2014, since then I've moved in with OH (the debt didn't scare him off, luckily!) been promoted now, passed my driving test and chopped £7.5k off my debt, closing credit cards and paying off one of my loans.

I now have just under £18k left to be truly debt-free. It's still a huge amount of money, but with an increased income, and reduced outgoings (my car is more shed than speed machine) I feel much more relaxed about it.

'Relaxed' an odd word to use when talking about debt and don't get me wrong, it's my no 1 priority, but I just feel like I'm in control of it now. I'm on the snowball road to normality and there's a calmness that comes with it. Anyone feel that way too?

It's not all easy, obviously, but the power of a site like this one, and super supportive people around me, mean that I will get there.

My aim is to be debt-free for 2017. It's a big ask, but I don't want this debt to hold me back any longer.

Here's to being DF, and to the amazing feeling of being able to ramble on this forum (it's a life-saver for someone like me who hates the real face to face stuff). :beer:

Bobarella

Good luck Pencakes.

pencakes

Bobarella wrote: »

Good luck Pencakes.

Thank you!

pencakes

Next steps are - boost my income and reduce spending.

I haven't eBay'd for a while so that definitely needs to be on the top of my list, but will have to research other options to give my income a little top up.

My car insurance is up for renewal next month and after getting a few quotes it looks like it'll drop by around £30 a month, maybe more. Being 30 isn't so bad after all!

I'm thinking of ditching the plastic (debit kind of course) and stick to cash only, after reading a lot of debt free diaries, it seems like that's a good way of keeping track of spending. I don't tend to spend too much these days, but I really want to up my debt payments and I bet there is more to spare from my monthly spending money.

OrrAvenue

Happy new diary!

Good luck on your debt free journey :T

mum2one

good luck with the next chapter xx

Former_MSE_Andrea

Good luck pencakes!

I'll dip in and out everyone now and then. Looking forward to following your journey

BEAT_THE_DEBT

Hi and welcome x

pencakes

MSE_Andrea wrote: »

Good luck pencakes!

I'll dip in and out everyone now and then. Looking forward to following your journey

Thanks Andrea!

pencakes

4 days until payday and desperately trying not to spend any money...

I fly to Russia this week for work, but at least that's all on expenses...just got to keep my purse closed on the way through duty-free!

My main focus at the moment is my overdraft, I started with -4,500 and now I'm getting to the end of each month hitting the -£1,200 mark which feels soo much better. I reckon I can keep below -£900 this month so maybe next month it will be almost gone. I just want rid of it now though.

Patience is a virtue :A