This is a great thread, some very inspiring stories.
I have been in debt since I first got my hands on a credit card at 18 - for lots of reasons which I only now fully understand. Then I met DH and we were both bad at managing our money and lived just a fraction beyond our means for years. The debts grew and we shuffled money around and paid the minimum whilst still using the cards.
In 2019 our son got cancer. DH is self employed and didnt work for 3 months, I was living at the hospital with DS and DH drove the 100 mile round trip every day. We were spending a horrific amount on petrol and our finances were a mess.
One day I went to the M&S Food shop in the hospital to get DS some treats and knew I couldnt really afford to buy anything. I had this massive lightbulb moment when I realised how much our finances were adding to the stress we were under and it was all our own doing.
I came on here when things calmed down and I really thought we would have to throw the towel in, but I got some fantastic advice, we knuckled down, cut everything back and started throwing every penny at the debts. We have made huge progress but still have a long way to go. Being frugal is a way of life now and we never ever use the credit cards.
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I have been in debt since I first got my hands on a credit card at 18 - for lots of reasons which I only now fully understand. Then I met DH and we were both bad at managing our money and lived just a fraction beyond our means for years. The debts grew and we shuffled money around and paid the minimum whilst still using the cards.
In 2019 our son got cancer. DH is self employed and didnt work for 3 months, I was living at the hospital with DS and DH drove the 100 mile round trip every day. We were spending a horrific amount on petrol and our finances were a mess.
One day I went to the M&S Food shop in the hospital to get DS some treats and knew I couldnt really afford to buy anything. I had this massive lightbulb moment when I realised how much our finances were adding to the stress we were under and it was all our own doing.
I came on here when things calmed down and I really thought we would have to throw the towel in, but I got some fantastic advice, we knuckled down, cut everything back and started throwing every penny at the debts. We have made huge progress but still have a long way to go. Being frugal is a way of life now and we never ever use the credit cards.