2019: Focus & Flow

72 Posts

I’ve read other people’s diaries and seen the 20k debt which makes my 9k look pathetic but debt is debt and I need to shift it.
Between the beginning of 2017 & the end of 2018 I found myself in a spiral of debt brought about due to my health, An operation which left me unable to work for nearly a year ruined my chances of progressing in my career and caused a sink hole to open up in my bank account. I quit this summer gone because I couldn’t cope with the lack of progression and compassion from my new Manager about her choice to overlook me for promotion due to my time off. Since I have had only one job and that’s been a temporary Christmas Position which is now coming to an end.
I am forever an optimist though and have 2 interviews lined up for next week. I can’t be out of work again because I have rent to pay. I’ve maxed out my credit cards, taken out a loan I’m telling my partner is another credit card, he would flip if he knew the truth and I hate with every ounce of my self-worth taking handouts from my family. I’m fed up with being the broke sibling. I want to pay for my own rent and food. And I’m sick to the teeth of being jealous of my brother who has a successful career, his own house and is always happy happy happy. I must remember it’s not my fault I had a disease, my health had to come first.
So for 2019 I have a word to inspire me - FOCUS.
I want to focus on...
I will share how I do this in my diary so I can hold myself accountable but also to inspire you too. Below is what I owe right now, which is likely to get worse before it gets better due to the job situation going into January.
Ideally I’d like to repay my loan in less than 6 months so I can save a little money to go away with my partner on our 11 year anniversary in September
So it’s going to be fun watching the debt vanish :j
DEBT (Updated regularly)
Between the beginning of 2017 & the end of 2018 I found myself in a spiral of debt brought about due to my health, An operation which left me unable to work for nearly a year ruined my chances of progressing in my career and caused a sink hole to open up in my bank account. I quit this summer gone because I couldn’t cope with the lack of progression and compassion from my new Manager about her choice to overlook me for promotion due to my time off. Since I have had only one job and that’s been a temporary Christmas Position which is now coming to an end.
I am forever an optimist though and have 2 interviews lined up for next week. I can’t be out of work again because I have rent to pay. I’ve maxed out my credit cards, taken out a loan I’m telling my partner is another credit card, he would flip if he knew the truth and I hate with every ounce of my self-worth taking handouts from my family. I’m fed up with being the broke sibling. I want to pay for my own rent and food. And I’m sick to the teeth of being jealous of my brother who has a successful career, his own house and is always happy happy happy. I must remember it’s not my fault I had a disease, my health had to come first.
So for 2019 I have a word to inspire me - FOCUS.
I want to focus on...
- Getting a full-time, permanent job
- Repaying my loan
- Getting out of the red
- Discovering ways to earn extra on the side to speed up repayments
- Cut down on food spending without eating less
- Spending less time on social media & more time with loved ones
- On me and what I want to do, not what others are doing
I will share how I do this in my diary so I can hold myself accountable but also to inspire you too. Below is what I owe right now, which is likely to get worse before it gets better due to the job situation going into January.
Ideally I’d like to repay my loan in less than 6 months so I can save a little money to go away with my partner on our 11 year anniversary in September

DEBT (Updated regularly)
- Credit S: £1774.86
- Credit H: £2745.18 || Now £2717.73
- Credit V: £2046.45
- Loan: £2552.25
- Current Account: £247
Start £9365.74
Now £9337.69
Total debt 12/18 £9365.74 | Now: DEBT FREE
House Deposit 11/21 £11,192 | Need £25k
0
This discussion has been closed.
Latest MSE News and Guides
Replies
Good luck with your journey and with us all rooting from the sidelines you will get through it all. Many posters have climbed from bigger holes, albeit you may have more headwinds than most
2022 Achievements: Mortgage Neutral, Net Debt Free, EF filled, Retirement Planned, More Unfit, Heavier
2023 Targets (as of 1/1/23): Steps-23K/2500K - Weight - 0lbs/24 - Savings-#57-MFW £400/£10800 - #17-365x1p 1p/£667.95
2023 Achievements (as of 1/1/23): 5km (treadmill)-51'39" - 2km C2 Erg -9'54 - R-Day 272 Days - PMA Save/Earn - £135
I'm a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Over 50s, DFW and Pensions boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing [email protected] All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
I really like your point of "Focus: on me and what I want to do, not what others are doing"
This is such a great idea. It's all too easy to get pulled in every direction, leaving very little time for what you actually enjoy. I hope it all works out!
SaF x
My number should be 71 (That’s what I’ve asked for) but I’ll be adding my percentage in my signature too. I’ve never done this before but because I want to pay off my loan in 2019 (by June ideally) I am finding any way I can to make it happen.
My 1% is £26 which doesn’t sound a lot at all when put like that but I will need to find 9 ways to make this each month to clear my debt in 2019, so I’m hoping to sell a couple of big items or earn extra so I can exceed this target each month & pay it off sooner.
Ways to make my 100%
This all sounds so much fun having a plan to pay it off! It’s kinda like a game
DVD's/CDs are a hard sell
Couple of things there that may be effort traps - MSE Competitions - lot of effort and whilst prizes are nice but not saving/earning money. Also ebay can be time consuming - make sure you work your costs out
retireving photos from laptop can be done - if the disk or windows is broken - try booting from Linux USB stick and then saving files to a second USB.
(sorry bit brief had written longer response but MSE WAF trashed it)
2022 Achievements: Mortgage Neutral, Net Debt Free, EF filled, Retirement Planned, More Unfit, Heavier
2023 Targets (as of 1/1/23): Steps-23K/2500K - Weight - 0lbs/24 - Savings-#57-MFW £400/£10800 - #17-365x1p 1p/£667.95
2023 Achievements (as of 1/1/23): 5km (treadmill)-51'39" - 2km C2 Erg -9'54 - R-Day 272 Days - PMA Save/Earn - £135
I'm a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Over 50s, DFW and Pensions boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing [email protected] All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
its pay by results so you better be good!!
2022 Achievements: Mortgage Neutral, Net Debt Free, EF filled, Retirement Planned, More Unfit, Heavier
2023 Targets (as of 1/1/23): Steps-23K/2500K - Weight - 0lbs/24 - Savings-#57-MFW £400/£10800 - #17-365x1p 1p/£667.95
2023 Achievements (as of 1/1/23): 5km (treadmill)-51'39" - 2km C2 Erg -9'54 - R-Day 272 Days - PMA Save/Earn - £135
I'm a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Over 50s, DFW and Pensions boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing [email protected] All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
The best way to pay off my debt will be left over from wages after bills and rent. Plus getting a second job will help tremendously. I have to get that first job first though
Solicitor/survey savings 300/1700
Emergency fund 0/1000
Buffer fund 0/200
**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~**
MFW. Finally mortgage free February 2021****
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.
***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.
It starts with you, it starts from now. *** It is ok to be me.***
***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***