Single income, AuDHD, £29k debt, no savings...turning the ship as of 2025!

Cara_

Hello Puffintail

I have just read through your diary and you've got off to a great start. Although, you might not have all the money for your car bill, you are moving towards having half the amount which will be a big help. 

In the past few posts you sound much more in control - it helps knowing where you money goes and I'm sure you will soon be able to save money on groceries etc. You are just starting on the debt free path so it will take time but as the months pass, it will be ticking along and the balances will start to reduce as they have now been transferred to 0%.

I'll follow your progress - good luck.

Cara

puffintail

Cara_ said:

Hello Puffintail

I have just read through your diary and you've got off to a great start. Although, you might not have all the money for your car bill, you are moving towards having half the amount which will be a big help. 

In the past few posts you sound much more in control - it helps knowing where you money goes and I'm sure you will soon be able to save money on groceries etc. You are just starting on the debt free path so it will take time but as the months pass, it will be ticking along and the balances will start to reduce as they have now been transferred to 0%.

I'll follow your progress - good luck.

Cara

Thanks so much, Cara, this means a lot. I live alone (apart from the animals), work full-time, haven't had much/any family over the years (especially since age 29, now late 30's) - this forum gives me a community who know all of my financial 'dirty laundry', aren't intimidated/scared by it, and gently hold me accountable in a way that I appreciate.

puffintail

Musings

I, like many of us (I'd risk guessing) are extremely competent at giving ourselves a rough time about our financial decisions, impulses, (ill)management etc

So, to balance this, I wanted to end the weekend by reflecting on the positives of my money management:

1) I've been a devoted, active user of TopCashback and Quidco at every given, possible opportunity. 
2) Despite the internal mountain-climbing effort that it can take, I have consistently utilised selling platforms, like eBay and Vinted, to mitigate any special interest impulse buys.
3) I embrace full accountability for and take action, despite the shame and fear, to reduce debt and, collaterally, stress.
4) Some of my life's most glorious memories couldn't have happened if I didn't have access to credit (getting my ADHD diagnosis, learning to ride a Motorbike, getting to meet and spend time with Sir David Jason, being able to cover vet fees where the insurance let me down)
5) I am lucky to have been able to buy a small house, back in 2019, with money I'd saved.

6) I am fortunate that I have been able to secure long 0% balance transfers to help me on by DF journey.
7) I have always loved bargains, and, more specifically, bargains relating to items I actually need.

With some additional gratitude nods to a couple of points of relevant context (the following is *not* for the purposes of throwing any shade to anyone on the opposite side of any of these points, they exist only as my reflections in an effort to encourage some self-compassion)

 I've never had (nor will be receiving) any inheritance, of any kind.
I'm fortunate not to like alcohol, at all, likewise cigarettes (for those with addictions/use disorders, I know these can be real drains on finances)
  I work in the public sector, full-time, run a charity on the side and have been a single income household since moving in, in 2019. No bonuses and my own imbalanced generosity are part of the explanation for where I am, financially, now.

I'd love to hear about the things that other people recognise as their own financial strengths/kudos, too?

Cara_

I'm glad my comment helped.

You have a lot of positives; I agree that we are harder on ourselves than we would be to other people, so do take time to appreciate the good things/small wins. 

If you post regularly, you will be able to see your progress and I'm sure it will help to read your musings, especially if your hit a difficult time with the debt busting. 

enthusiasticsaver

Well done on the BTs and the positives above.  I have lots of neurodivergence in my family and impulse buys and struggles to stay focused can be a challenge for some of them too so kudos on being so proactive so far.  You seem to be doing well on the selling front for the car bills and hope you can manage to continue building that up.  Even after this bill is paid I would get in the habit of putting money aside regularly for car bills and expenses. 

puffintail

Yay I just got a £5 gift card for Amazon for completing a survey sent via Ipsos on behalf of Sport England. I've applied it to my balance. Mega wins for my wonky brain wiring, as well as finances because:

1) remembering to do the survey was a challenge
2) actually doing the survey was a challenge
3) claiming the reward was a challenge
4) adding the reward to my balance (aka not forgetting to) was a challenge 

I think it's really important (for me) to recognise and celebrate the small bits of income, £1/£2 etc, because I want to coach a shift in my mindset from "it's only £1/£2/£3 spend, it doesn't matter" to "every penny is important" but I need to be careful not to swing into too much of a deficit/scarcity mindset, for the stress that can cause.

I've not had anything further from Prolific, since registering and being on a waitlist...I might see if I can chase up to understand timelines...

puffintail

Health is absolutely battering me at the moment, my immune system has been chronically low for the last 6 months, the main struggle has been ridiculous fatigue and, currently, very sore, swollen, broken skin on both eyelids and under my mouth. I grew up with skin issues, so have frequently been prescribed topical steroid cream, but it think it's caught up with me and I *may* be experiencing an adverse affect called "TSW" (despite using it sparingly).

It's getting me down, but we're on the way to Spring, and I've been lucky getting through most of my life without allergies/illnesses/operations, never needed glasses and had my first ever filling at 36 years old.

Anywho, I proudly updated my signature with some progress on saving pots, specifically the Emergency Fund, which comes out of my salary before it hits my account, and is in a Credit Union PrizerSaver account (meaning there's a small chance to win additional cash each month)

I've also started a Pets Emergency Fund, and, of course, I've got the great big car bill on 13th Feb, but I'm grateful to have managed to gather together nearly half - stressful but glad to have done it.

I've had a few Ipsos Isay surveys, a few AngelFish assessments, but none of those have come to fruition yet.

I'd quite like to drop below £29k debt this month, but that means finding £130 to throw on to the debt, which, seeing as I've got the big car bill, is probably unlikely. I've got a few little things I can list on eBay/Vinted when I can afford the energy, outside of the day to day chores/adulting.

Cara_

That's great news on the Amazon gift voucher.

Definitely celebrate the small wins as they do add up and saving a few £s is not just about the money but a change in mindset as you are now moving to thinking about how/what you spend. Adding some treats into your budget should help stop you from going too far the other way plus, it's nice to have something to look forward to.

I'm sorry you are having problems with your skin and I hope it clears up quickly.

If you don't reach your target of dropping below £29k this month, you will in March and perhaps you could have a small celebration when you do.

puffintail

Cara_ said:

That's great news on the Amazon gift voucher.

Definitely celebrate the small wins as they do add up and saving a few £s is not just about the money but a change in mindset as you are now moving to thinking about how/what you spend. Adding some treats into your budget should help stop you from going too far the other way plus, it's nice to have something to look forward to.

I'm sorry you are having problems with your skin and I hope it clears up quickly.

If you don't reach your target of dropping below £29k this month, you will in March and perhaps you could have a small celebration when you do.

That's a great idea, re March, of celebrating dropping below £29k. I'll have a think of something celebratory that I'd really enjoy ☺️

puffintail

I've just spent the morning setting up YNAB app, linking my accounts and reflecting the savings headers in my Starling account (which is primarily where I am keeping my savings pots).

After a month trial, it's £99 for the year...I've never stuck with a budget before, so I think it'll be worth it if I'm keeping up with it by early March, but it is another yearly cost.

What do others think?