Thank you

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

7 Years ago I joined MSE looking for advise on debts. I had a 1yo daughter, a useless fella and we jointly owed £34k worth of debt (as I was stupid enough to allow him to control our finances and signed paperwork without checking!!! :EEK:....) We had bailiffs at the door, CCJ's, court summons and were up a creek without a paddle. So I came here, and we were given some direction (and a paddle!!)

Me and "useless" started making monetary payments and fired off letters, and eventually we dragged ourselves up. Family of 3 became a family 4, "Useless" went out the door so we went back down to 3, and slowly I became "debt free"

Fast forward to today: I own my house, I have savings, my children have savings and I am playing the banks at the interest game. My CCJ's are long gone but I still find myself religiously checking my bank daily. But more importantly, I budget and live within my means

Someone on here gave me an excel sheet 7 years ago - It's still going strong!! It's been "upgraded" mind I've kept my original files and its a brilliant way to see exactly how far I've come.

Each year, I review my finances on here with an SOA. Today I was going to post that SOA but stopped myself. Reading over it I realised I didn't need anyone to tell me where to save money (I know I overspend on kids activities) and that I knew I couldn't reduce my household bills any further because I have the best deals (at the moment)

But I also stopped myself because last time I did an SOA it upset someone, who laid into me because I wasn't "in debt" and had a surplus. That person was really struggling, and I don't blame them for being upset, They couldn't see a light at the end of the tunnel (and if they did, they probably thought it was a train....)

I don't post on here as much as I used to all those years ago, I dip in now and again to see whether I can help anyone else, the way I was.

For those of you still going through your "debt years" - Keep going!! Get upset, get angry, lose sleep, but KEEP GOING.

I cant remember the peoples names who helped me, that's really bad isn't it? But if your reading this and recognise me, from the bottom of my heart:

THANK YOU

dirtycredit

Nice post! I think most people on here (me:D) love to read these stories so that they can see what can be done with a bit of budgeting and determination and as you said that there's light at the end of the tunnel no matter how long the tunnel is!

Save
Save

Iwanttobefree1

Awesome post, very inspiring. I very just started a diary in the hopes it will keep me on track and also spend lots of time reading through others post to get more ideas. I hope to be in a similar situation as you in 7 years. At the moment my debt free date works out as 8 years and I don't want it too take that long.
Well done you xx

rockabillygirl

Fantastic post. Well done on your achievements. Great to read things like this to keep me going. Thank you.

louby40

Great post. Well done.

What did your excel spreadsheet look like? I've got one that I use weekly. But it only tells me my incoming/out coming money. It states I have £600 a month left but I go over dawn every month.

Could you post a link to your blank excel sheet please.

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

jondav wrote: »

I am relatively new here so I am not familiar with your older posts etc but just wanted to say what a great post!

We are going through some struggles at the moment ourselves and to read success stories like yours just keeps that fire burning......makes you get up in the mornings and keep fighting!

If this sounds at all patronising it is certainly not meant to be, but a massive well done to you for getting to where you are now and being back on track!!!!

No not patronising at all 😊 head high, back straight, look forward and keep going. You'll get there!

dirtycredit wrote: »

Nice post! I think most people on here (me:D) love to read these stories so that they can see what can be done with a bit of budgeting and determination and as you said that there's light at the end of the tunnel no matter how long the tunnel is!

Save
Save

Budgeting saved me. My head was fried but my excel sheet is a god send. It goes different colours depending on how much money is I'm the account. It's 'nice' to go through the years and see it go through the 'traffic lights' (red over drawn, Amber 'in credit less than £99' to green 'over £100')

Iwanttobefree1 wrote: »

Awesome post, very inspiring. I very just started a diary in the hopes it will keep me on track and also spend lots of time reading through others post to get more ideas. I hope to be in a similar situation as you in 7 years. At the moment my debt free date works out as 8 years and I don't want it too take that long.
Well done you xx

Diaries are ace, keeps track on where you're 'wasting' money - mine was breakfasts at work!

Even debt free in 8 year is an achievement, but just review everything, as often as you like, make sure you aren't overspending / overpaying and start 'PIN' money. Any money you save, buy yourself a chocolate bar and put the rest towards the debts. I can highly recommend Curly Wurlys!

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

louby40 wrote: »

Great post. Well done.

What did your excel spreadsheet look like? I've got one that I use weekly. But it only tells me my incoming/out coming money. It states I have £600 a month left but I go over dawn every month.

Could you post a link to your blank excel sheet please.

The basic one I used was similar to yours but I did it for a year! I used formulas to input costs etc on bill dates. It meant I could look ahead as see if I was going to be over drawn, if I was I could do something about it

I'll post it soon

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

Urgh I just wrote something out and it deleted it!!

This is what my budget looks like:

(http://imgur.com/EGvhqf3)

The green line is income
Amber line is previous days balance plus income
Red line is out goings

White bars are to put what I've had going in/out so I can see where it's going

The bottom is the balance. If you set a conditional format you can make it go different colours (helps to see when you're due to go overdrawn)

The grey blocks are weekends / bank holiday (payments go in / out after with my bank)

I then have my bills underneath and how much they are:
http://imgur.com/zKmUO0P

I use excel sums to add these into the budget (that way if my bills go up/down I just need to change this figure,not the whole sheet)

Just remember to change the sum to the correct number once everything's been paid otherwise if you change the 'bill' you're whole excel sheet will change.

http://imgur.com/EvxEMgg

If anyone would like a copy of my excel sheet pm me your email and I'll send it.

louby40

Thanks PM sent

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

I've sent it Hope it helps!

takingcontrolatlast

Many congratulations and enjoy your debt free status - i can only try harder and look forward to the day I eventually get there!



WELL DONE :j