Champagne supernova’s debt free to savaholic diary

ChampagneSupernova36 · 28 February at 4:29PM

Hi all — a little update from me

I thought it was time for a proper update because my journey hasn’t quite gone in the straight line I imagined when I first posted here.

When I wrote my original thread, I was approaching the end of my DMP and felt like I was finally about to cross the finish line into being completely debt-free. And technically, I did get there — but life, as it turns out, doesn’t always move in neat chapters where one problem ends and everything stays perfect forever.

So here’s the honest version.

After clearing my DMP, I didn’t suddenly transform into a flawless money expert. I didn’t wake up one morning immune to old habits or life circumstances. Over time, a couple of credit cards crept back in — not to anywhere near the levels of before, but enough that I had to stop and really look at myself again.

And strangely, this time felt completely different.

Before, debt came from chaos: low income, poor mental health, avoidance, and trying to fill emotional gaps with spending. I was surviving month to month, juggling too many creditors, constantly anxious, and honestly just exhausted.

Now? The situation looks similar on paper — a few balances to clear — but internally everything has changed.

The difference is control.

I know exactly what I owe.I know exactly how it will be paid off.And most importantly, I finally understand why the cycle existed in the first place.

Over the last couple of years I’ve worked on myself in ways that go far beyond budgeting spreadsheets. I improved my mental health, changed my lifestyle, focused on my physical wellbeing, and — crucially — increased my income. Looking back, I realise that part of my old struggle wasn’t just mindset; I simply wasn’t earning enough to comfortably sustain my life at the time.

Now I am.

For the first time, my lifestyle actually fits my income instead of being subsidised by credit.

I’m not throwing every penny at debt in panic mode anymore. Instead, I’m running a balanced system:

debts going down steadily each month
savings building at the same time
an emergency buffer in place
and still living a normal, enjoyable life

That balance has been a huge psychological shift. Previously I’d clear debt but have nothing left, which made it far too easy to fall back into credit again. This time I’m building stability alongside repayment, not after it.

So yes — I’m not currently at zero again.

But I’m also not the same person who entered a DMP twice before.

Today I have:

manageable balances that will realistically be gone by the end of the year
a clear financial structure
higher income and career progression
savings growing for the first time alongside repayments
and, most importantly, peace of mind

The panic is gone.

What surprised me most is that the goal has changed. I used to dream about being “debt-free” as some huge life moment with fireworks and relief. Now I realise the real goal isn’t a dramatic finish line — it’s stability. It’s waking up knowing every bill is covered, having money set aside, and not needing credit to feel safe.

That feeling has already started to arrive, even before the balances hit zero.

Looking ahead, my focus isn’t just debt freedom anymore. It’s long-term security: saving consistently, building a house fund, and creating a life where payday becomes almost irrelevant because everything is already organised.

If anyone reading this feels discouraged because they’ve slipped backwards after making progress, I want to say this: progress isn’t always linear. Sometimes the real victory is not avoiding mistakes entirely, but responding to them differently.

The old me avoided the numbers.The current me plans them.The future me won’t need to fear them at all.

So this is where I am now — not at the end, but firmly on the final stretch, and honestly feeling calmer and more hopeful than ever before.

I’ll keep updating as I go.

E x

in_need_of_direction · 28 February at 5:37PM

truly inspirational

MFWannabe · 28 February at 6:25PM

Fabulous post 👏

debtfreewannabe321 · 28 February at 6:41PM

Great update! 😃

ChampagneSupernova36 · 28 February at 6:48PM

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81903865#Comment_81903865

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81903944#Comment_81903944

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81903920#Comment_81903920

Thanks all :) I was a little anxious posting this as it might look like a step backwards on paper, but in reality I feel much more in control and heading in the right direction. ♥️

ChampagneSupernova36 · 7 July at 10:39PM

Well, I said debt freedom isn’t linear… and it still isn’t!

I haven’t suddenly become debt-free overnight, but I do feel like the penny has finally dropped.

For years, I was always looking at the next payday, juggling cards, using an overdraft, and living very much in the present. I earned a decent wage but never really gave every pound a job. It wasn’t that I couldn’t earn enough—it was that I didn’t have a proper plan.

The biggest change is that I finally do.

I’ve closed my high-interest credit cards, my overdraft is gone, and my remaining balance of £4,524.73 is now on a 0% deal until November 2027. Instead of panicking and trying to throw every spare penny at it, I’ve worked out a realistic plan.

My plan is to have three pots:

💳 HSBC – Pay around £400 a month (or more whenever I can). At that rate, it’ll comfortably be gone before the 0% ends, and any extra earnings will go towards clearing it even sooner.

🛟 Safety Net – Build an emergency fund so I never have to rely on credit again.

✈️ Australia & New Zealand – Save for my trips in advance so I can enjoy them knowing they’re already paid for.

For the first time, I’m planning for the future instead of borrowing from it.

I’ve also realised something about myself: credit cards just aren’t for me. Some people can use them and clear them every month, but I know my own habits. Once HSBC is gone, I genuinely don’t want to take on revolving credit again. It’s a bit like an ex-smoker—I just don’t want to go back there.

The funny thing is, I actually feel wealthier now than I did when I had loads of available credit. I have a stable job that I love, food in the fridge, a roof over my head, a workplace pension, and enough disposable income to save, travel and clear my debt at the same time.

I’ve still got a way to go, but for the first time in a very long time, I’m not just hoping I’ll become debt-free.

I’ve got a plan.