We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Milann’s quest for a new me in 23
Options

milann
Posts: 11,386 Forumite


I’ve been on the boards now for quite a while now. I’ve been debt free for a few years but it’s been a struggle staying that way sometimes and would have been easy to fall back into not paying the cc off in full each month.
My LBM was 17 years ago today when I was rushed into hospital with a perforated bowel. In my more lucid moments I was more worried about my finances than my health. I spent 6 weeks in hospital, several bouts in ICU and they sent for the family twice as I was very poorly. I’d had 2 ops, MRSA, pneumonia and came home with a stoma. It took me a year to get back to work…..unbelievably work didn’t have a plan for support staff being off long term. I had no idea how long I’d be paid. Anyway I was paid 6 months full and 6 months full pay. In a funny old way being so poorly made me rethink my life. I found out who the genuine friends were, couldn’t go anywhere so didn’t spend much. Ppi paid the minimum payments on my many ccs. I finally courage to see how much I owed at that point it was around £25,000😳😱😳😱 - my Dh knew nothing about it…if he had we’d have worked together to pay it BUT my stubborn pride meant I’d built the debts I was going to pay them myself.
My LBM was 17 years ago today when I was rushed into hospital with a perforated bowel. In my more lucid moments I was more worried about my finances than my health. I spent 6 weeks in hospital, several bouts in ICU and they sent for the family twice as I was very poorly. I’d had 2 ops, MRSA, pneumonia and came home with a stoma. It took me a year to get back to work…..unbelievably work didn’t have a plan for support staff being off long term. I had no idea how long I’d be paid. Anyway I was paid 6 months full and 6 months full pay. In a funny old way being so poorly made me rethink my life. I found out who the genuine friends were, couldn’t go anywhere so didn’t spend much. Ppi paid the minimum payments on my many ccs. I finally courage to see how much I owed at that point it was around £25,000😳😱😳😱 - my Dh knew nothing about it…if he had we’d have worked together to pay it BUT my stubborn pride meant I’d built the debts I was going to pay them myself.
There were ups and downs - a couple of changes of jobs but mainly health related that got in my way. A stoma reversal, a couple of cancer scares which thankfully turned out to be unfounded, a spinal bleed which left my leg paralysed below my knee for several months. The feeling and use did come back but not before giving way quite in a quite spectacular way resulting in a fractured elbow which eventually needed a lower arm reconstruction and replacement radial head in my elbow. Somewhere in the middle of this lot I became debt free and was determined to stay that way 😃👍😃👍😃👍😃👍
Life was plodding along quite happily until my intestines decided they were bored and perforated again just over 2 years ago. This resulted in a permanent stoma. I’d been off work longer than I’d been I work and work decided it was time for early retirement through ill health. I agreed and did eventually get a small works pension. I can’t claim my OAP for just less than 2 years 😡don’t even me going on THAT.
Life was plodding along quite happily until my intestines decided they were bored and perforated again just over 2 years ago. This resulted in a permanent stoma. I’d been off work longer than I’d been I work and work decided it was time for early retirement through ill health. I agreed and did eventually get a small works pension. I can’t claim my OAP for just less than 2 years 😡don’t even me going on THAT.
I’ve been finished from work officially just over a year. What I hadn’t expected was the feeling of being a bit lost with no real purpose. So I went off the rails with snacking and sitting basically being a couch potato. I do try to be active but tend to go at it like a bull in a China shop then mess myself up and have to rest. I have arthritis in my knee and hip and my arm still gives me a lot of trouble.
Anyway I’ve got my headspace in the right place to restart at Slimming World and actually use the gym membership I have - I need to stop wasting my cash and loose the 2 stone one way or another I’ve put on since my last surgery. I’m approaching it with a different mindset and am determined to do it.
l have started the year without owing a penny to anybody and intend to keep it that way.
So if you haven’t fallen asleep with my ramblings yet - well done 👏👏👏👏
I’m going to write about my journey in a bid to keep me on track once and for all 🤞👍
Anyway I’ve got my headspace in the right place to restart at Slimming World and actually use the gym membership I have - I need to stop wasting my cash and loose the 2 stone one way or another I’ve put on since my last surgery. I’m approaching it with a different mindset and am determined to do it.
l have started the year without owing a penny to anybody and intend to keep it that way.
So if you haven’t fallen asleep with my ramblings yet - well done 👏👏👏👏
I’m going to write about my journey in a bid to keep me on track once and for all 🤞👍
January spends - £587.58
13
Comments
-
Happy new diary! What a lot you've been through, hopefully you've had your share of health issues now. Good luck with your new journey and don't try to do everything at once, small steps win in the end.I get knocked down but I get up again (Chumbawamba, Tubthumping)3
-
Thanks SA a new diary seemed appropriate today on the anniversary of my LBM and new way forward 👍 There have been some tough times (you know all about tough times too) but lots of lovely time as well😃January spends - £587.581
-
Welcome to your new thread @milann. I will look forward to following your journeyI am a Senior Ambassador on the Competitions Time Board and the Old Style MoneySaving Board.
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 forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
My Diary Link My Frugal Year 2023 My Frugal Year 2023 — MoneySavingExpert Forum
My Challenges
Make £2023 in 2023. £3.16/£2023 Make £2023 in 2023 — MoneySavingExpert Forum
Compers Challenge 2023 0 Wins Compers challenge 2023! — MoneySavingExpert Forum
2 -
Thankyou I love comps.January spends - £587.581
-
I’ve just won a bid on a free local site for a spiraliser. I gave mine to my ds. Hopefully it’ll be in good nick. I might get back into courgetti 😂January spends - £587.582
-
Posted this on your other diary initially then realised you'd started a new one!
Sounds like you had a lovely Christmas Milann - glad to hear it and that all the family enjoyed it to. As for the unopened bottle of gin - wrap it up as part of a birthday present for DD later in the year maybe as it sounds like she'd appreciate it and it would save you a few extra pounds too?
A shame about the coat - just not the right cut for you by the sound of it if it fitted the shoulders but not elsewhere - every brand cuts slightly differently doesn't it.
Happy new diary!🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her2 -
Happy New Diary Milann have subscribed .Life is an adventure, never stop exploring.2
-
Following, I might not always have time to post but I do do silent pom-poms shoogling. Love how you encourage others in this journey.My mortgage free diary: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6498069/whoops-here-comes-the-cheese
GNU Mr Redo3 -
Another person who always had such a big diary I never got round to starting! I am happy and feeling inspired right now. Always liked seeing your comments on other posts.Debt free Feb 2021 🎉1
-
Thankyou for your kind comments.I’ve just collected my free spiralizer and it’s like new. I used to use mine quite a lot. Hopefully I’ll get back into the swing of using it.
Not a penny has escaped from my purse today 😃January spends - £587.582
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 351.1K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.6K Spending & Discounts
- 244.1K Work, Benefits & Business
- 599K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177K Life & Family
- 257.4K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards