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Small steps lead to big changes...
I thought I'd start a new diary for the new year. It always feels like time for a nice fresh start, and whilst I don't really make resolutions, it's always nice to have a plan of things I'd like to achieve. After many, many years of struggling, it feels like my finances are finally on a more even keel, and I have for the…
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Keeping afloat till I can get round to the debts!
So here goes with a brand new diary. With the financial situation across the country as it is I'm going paycheck to paycheck and debts seem to be going up not down. It's time to take stock. Focus on the money actually lasting the month and forming a new plan. I've never been one for following the American debt fella but I…
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Budgeting by the beach
I've been on here lurking for some time, and I think it's time I started my own diary and keep it updated. I originally tried to get this diary started in 2021, but just wrote one post which I then deleted. I've decided to resurrect this one on Friday 6 May 2022. Last year I decided I needed a fresh start, so I moved close…
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From debt to freedom...
For a couple of months I have been lurking and reading diaries which have been helpful and inspiring. I thought that I would start a diary to keep myself focussed on getting rid of the debts. I am a working mum, recently separated from my husband. I have a large family which makes for an interesting and busy life! I have…
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Giving every £ a job
I've decided to be brave and continue my journey from lurking on these boards, through posting on these boards and I now feel ready to start my own diary. I don't actually have any debt anymore but I am very bad at saving so I've decided to set myself savings goals and treat them as debts to my future self. I was…
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My Intentional Journey to Debt Freedom
Hello everyone I have been following along for several years but only started posting recently. I have followed some inspiring journeys on this board and been amazed at the progress people have made - yet somehow never applied it to my own situation or considered that the lessons might be relevant to me. A little about me…
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The Mental Debt Struggle...
I've known that this diary needed to be started... But I've run away from the idea as the accountability made me nervous and I didn't think anyone would want to read it. But then I realised it would be financially and mentally therapeutic for me, and that's the whole point after all. I've read other diaries and gained so…
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Find the SecondStar and soar, and then straight on till the morning…
This feels like an appropriate time for a finance thread. I’m in County Down, Northern Ireland. Story time: My ex partner and I broke up 2 weeks ago. We had been together for 4.5 years, we bought a house together as joint tenants 2 years ago, and had been combining incomes and savings for 2 years. We have separated our…
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One man band......
Evening. I've been here before and closed down my diary, but I missed having people to talk to about my financial woes. Not one person knows my situation and makes the burdon quite heavy. I have considerable debt. It was at £45,000 and now sits at £27,000. It's a mixture of leaving my first partner and taking on all our…
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Small Business, Big Debts
Hello all Debt free wannabes! :) I posted on these Forums over 10 years ago, and it made such a huge impact on my (successful!) attempt to get debt free, but a LOT has changed in the last 10 years, so I’m back again! The accountability and kindness I received back then was invaluable to me, so I hope to bring some of that…
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My journey to health, wealth (well, saving for works to house, so not really!) and hobbies
Starting a new diary as feel like I need a fresh start/new motivation. 43, married, 2 young DC. Work almost FT (28 hours) in a professional job. No current debt (other than a mortgage) but been in serious debt in the past due to stupid choices, mainly to try to keep up with the Jones's. Still have a tendency to feel…
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Managing Mat Leave
I've been meaning to start a diary thread on here for a little while. I'm due to start mat leave in 8 weeks which was not entirely planned, meaning from a financial point of view it's a little tight. Definitely manageable but we need to keep track of a few things as we have some debts we're paying off as well. I'm hoping…
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My Debt Detox
Evening everyone, I've taken the first leap into clearing up the mess of debt I have accumulated over the years, and frankly feel petrified. So thought by starting a diary I can (hopefully) look back in the future & give myself a pat on the back for getting things sorted. Debt crept up on me through a mixture of poor…
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KMNs diary - curbing spending and maximising saving with a new baby
So maybe a bit random to have a diary when I'm not in debt, but I am about to start my maternity leave (at the end of the month) as we prepared to welcome our first child in early March. We are incredibly lucky to be quite comfortable, own our home (mortgaged) and both able to put some money in savings at the end of each…
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Accountability Queen
Hello everyone :) I've had a couple of years of big expenses, some expected and some not. Our house desperately needed new windows and then earlier this year mine and my husbands cars needed work doing unexpectedly, I actually had to replace my car in the end. We have a holiday booked for summer which was booked a long…
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On the path to financial security
Hello! I’ve struggled with money management for around 10 years, ever since I left home aged 15. I’m in around £10,000 of debt from credit cards, store catalogues and unpaid bills (not through being unable to afford them, just through becoming very overwhelmed and avoiding the issue). I’m in a much better place mentally…
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Milann’s mutterings through retirement
I thought it was about time for a new diary. Ive been a member of MSE many years now and got my debt down from £20,000’s to a big fat ZERO. I kept the debts to myself as I was the one who built them up. Dh would have been ok and we’d have worked through them together…..but it was my mess that I wanted to clear myself and…
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MeandO's money-shuffling
Long time member here, sneaking back over from the MFW board... Previous diary here for those that want a back story: Money-shuffling towards mortgage freedom — MoneySavingExpert Forum Although my only debt is now my mortgage I've had to shift my focus from OP'ing to building up my savings instead, so don't really feel at…
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Evasive action! Stop the trench becoming a hole.
I need to take evasive action, and I need to hold myself accountable. I'm not going to call where I am a hole. It's still a rut. A trench. I've got savings, but they are in accounts where they earn good interest rates so I hate touching them. I've just moved house, and I've been doing a money shuffle every month, borrowing…
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Sixty Thousand to clear in 4 years!
I had a previous diary that worked well but drifted away from and didn't keep up with the changes in my life. At that point I had a similar debt but in a sense less to show for it and less able to pay it off. Now with a 2nd baby on the way our little family will be complete and I want our finances and other aspects of our…