Trying to stay out of debt! [35/AuDHD/Cats/Frugal Living]

Catlady2025

Today I made a final payment to my last credit card and cleared all my debt! 

I made a clock app account about 3 weeks ago charting my progress and it lit a bit of a fire under me. Today I made the last payment and I feel awesome about it! 

To celebrate I bought myself a TooGoodToGo bag! Really proud because I thought about ordering a  take away but decided not to!

Now I need to focus on some saving/investment goals otherwise I'm just going to keep buying stuff I really don't need. 

Also planning to do a car boot within the next few weeks. I've been decluttering and reorganising, throwing out some stuff and putting a lot in piles to sell. A friend has a pasting table I'm able to borrow!! 

the_end_of_the_rainbow

Catlady2025 said:

Today I made a final payment to my last credit card and cleared all my debt! 

I made a clock app account about 3 weeks ago charting my progress and it lit a bit of a fire under me. Today I made the last payment and I feel awesome about it! 

To celebrate I bought myself a TooGoodToGo bag! Really proud because I thought about ordering a  take away but decided not to!

Now I need to focus on some saving/investment goals otherwise I'm just going to keep buying stuff I really don't need. 

Also planning to do a car boot within the next few weeks. I've been decluttering and reorganising, throwing out some stuff and putting a lot in piles to sell. A friend has a pasting table I'm able to borrow!! 

Congratulations 🙌 

vampirotoothus

Congratulations on being debt free. What will you be saving for? V x

1stTimer

Congratulations on clearing your debt!

southern_chick

Great news on being debt free xx

Catlady2025

Thank you so much for the congrats! I do feel proud to have done it in such a short space of time. 

I really need to come up with some savings goals and intentions as I keep thinking about what I could buy now. 

Honestly, I'm at a bit of a loss as to what I want now. I would love to own property but that feels like a pipe dream as I would need such a huge chunk for a deposit. I guess if you want something bad enough you just have to work for it? 

I could think of a lot of things I want that aren't necessarily 'needs'. The cat tree has seen better days (it is 8 years old) and I found the exact same one. I'd be tempted to get another one. Definitely need to take some time to think about it. 

dawnybabes

Congrats on being debt free 🍾🍾🍾

Catlady2025

It's been a while and I wanted to check in and talk about how difficult it has been to curb my spending urges. 

I feel like whilst I was in 'pay off debt' mode it was easy to talk myself out of purchases. I was in debt and literally couldn't afford to be eating take away or buying things. I know it wasn't a lot of debt, but I'm sure this is something that a lot of people experience when suddenly they've achieved their goals. I used to stream on Twitch and once I reached affiliate status a switch flicked in my brain and I stopped streaming altogether - losing all the momentum I'd gained. 

Returning to the debt, the next day after I made my last payment I wanted to go out and buy something. 

I have considered what savings goals I want to work toward but when I think of the small things (like a new cat tree, or carpet in the hallway) I think 'Well, I've managed this long, do I really NEED it?' so then I think of the big things and honestly the biggest thing that I want in my life is a house of my own. Basically because I'd like a little bungalow with a garden and no neighbours which feels like a pipe dream as it is just me (and likely will be for the rest of my life - aside from the cats but they don't pay rent.)

I did some calculations (including mortgage calc) and figured it would probably take me 10 years to save up enough for a deposit for a small home, which is incredibly demotivating. Especially as that is with very little spending - even on groceries. 

Maybe I could go hardcore and make it my personality??? 

1stTimer

Ahh catlady2025…. I literally came back to my diary in April because of the exact same mentality!

I bust a gut getting to the goal but once it’s done I’m left almost empty with a what now attitude, I def think that’s how I’ve also slipped back into spending over the years so totally get where you are coming from.

like you I’d love to own my own place but with the prices now and the length of time it’ll take to save whilst paying rent it really is demotivating 😣 
I’m still undecided on what next so will be keeping an eye on your diary for any ideas but in the meantime do you have an emergency fund saved? Maybe you can set a new goal for something like a holiday etc?

vampirotoothus

Hi I have seen this week that some lenders are now doing 100% mortgages, which means your dreams are achievable, albeit the interest rates are just under 6%. Get dreaming and get saving! Good luck V x