Debt Free By 29!!!
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lucy-lou
Posts: 55 Forumite
Evening all,
I am new to all this but have been stalking the debt free wannabe diaries for a couple of days now and feel that after a number of years of believing I had had a light bulb moment (but never making any inroads into my debt) I finally realise I have to clear the debt I have to move forward with my life .... time to grow up!!
I have been incredibly lucky over the past year I am a retail manager who got out of BHS 1 year ago (before the collaspe) and now earn 50% more but still haven't paid down the debt.
I live with my parents so have no outgoing as such just fuel and normal car expenses. I know that my downfall is holidays (at least 5 per year) and socialising.
I have had a help to buy ISA since December 2015 and pay in the full £200 each month and my parents gave me the £1000 to open it with (think otherwise they think I will never leave ). I pay no rent as long as I can show that £200 going into the ISA every month so can't change this to debt payments.
So I turn 29 in 6 months and HAVE to be debt free by this date (March 2017) so that I can focus on saving additional money to buy a property of my own! I don't want to hit 30 still in debt and have no plans/way to leave home .
So here goes my debts laid out:
Barclayc@rd 1 = £976.90 @ 23.9%
Barclayc@rd 2 = £1865.10 @ 0% till October 2017
N@tionwide = £1156.45 @ 0% till April 2017
Total = £3998.45 :eek:
Now for a plan!!!
I am new to all this but have been stalking the debt free wannabe diaries for a couple of days now and feel that after a number of years of believing I had had a light bulb moment (but never making any inroads into my debt) I finally realise I have to clear the debt I have to move forward with my life .... time to grow up!!
I have been incredibly lucky over the past year I am a retail manager who got out of BHS 1 year ago (before the collaspe) and now earn 50% more but still haven't paid down the debt.
I live with my parents so have no outgoing as such just fuel and normal car expenses. I know that my downfall is holidays (at least 5 per year) and socialising.
I have had a help to buy ISA since December 2015 and pay in the full £200 each month and my parents gave me the £1000 to open it with (think otherwise they think I will never leave ). I pay no rent as long as I can show that £200 going into the ISA every month so can't change this to debt payments.
So I turn 29 in 6 months and HAVE to be debt free by this date (March 2017) so that I can focus on saving additional money to buy a property of my own! I don't want to hit 30 still in debt and have no plans/way to leave home .
So here goes my debts laid out:
Barclayc@rd 1 = £976.90 @ 23.9%
Barclayc@rd 2 = £1865.10 @ 0% till October 2017
N@tionwide = £1156.45 @ 0% till April 2017
Total = £3998.45 :eek:
Now for a plan!!!
Barclaycard 1 = £976.90 / £0 remaining
Barclaycard 2 = £1865.10 / £0 remaining
Nationwide = £1156.45 / £0 remaining
Total = £3998.45 / £0 remaining :j
:dance: DEBT FREE DATE 24/03/2017 :dance:
Barclaycard 2 = £1865.10 / £0 remaining
Nationwide = £1156.45 / £0 remaining
Total = £3998.45 / £0 remaining :j
:dance: DEBT FREE DATE 24/03/2017 :dance:
0
Comments
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Hi Lucy-Lou !
I cleared my debt and got my mortgage finally at 34 , best thing I ever did ! However debt is on the up again
Good luck with the debt busting / saving
Mobo xxCC1-£1729.53
CC2-£4323.00
LOAN-£14,519.05
TOTAL DEBT £20,571.58 :eek:
Then there's the mortgage0 -
Hi Mobo,
Thanks for the reply, it definitely helps to hear/read other people's success stories! Feel like most of my friends have already achieved home ownership so now realise I wasted so much money I should have saved. Anyway onwards and upwards.
Lucy-Lou xBarclaycard 1 = £976.90 / £0 remaining
Barclaycard 2 = £1865.10 / £0 remaining
Nationwide = £1156.45 / £0 remaining
Total = £3998.45 / £0 remaining :j
:dance: DEBT FREE DATE 24/03/2017 :dance:0 -
So....
I have spent some time looking at my account and seeing what spare money I have until payday (2 weeks today not that I am counting!).
I have kept myself £200 back to spend on socialising, beauty etc (£100 per week, not sure if this is excessive?).
I am also going away on a european city break at the end of the month (just before payday and have kept back some money in savings to cover spending money whilst I am away - see I know holidays are my downfall!). I already piggy bank money for fuel into a separate account so all fuel costs are also covered. As a result I have paid off:
£0 on N@tionwide leaving £1156.45
£750.90 on Barclayc@rd 1 leaving £226
£90.10 on Barclayc@rd 2 leaving £1775
Total remaining £3157.46
I am going to aim for a payment a day just to keep lowering those balances I will get there!
Finding it so helpful to write all this down. Feel like I have to prove to you all and myself that I can do this!!Barclaycard 1 = £976.90 / £0 remaining
Barclaycard 2 = £1865.10 / £0 remaining
Nationwide = £1156.45 / £0 remaining
Total = £3998.45 / £0 remaining :j
:dance: DEBT FREE DATE 24/03/2017 :dance:0 -
I know what you mean , I love reading peoples success stories on here very motivating !
I wish I could turn back time to when I was 18 and not get that first loan , but it's all spilt milk now !
You must be really looking forward to kicking the debts a** and starting the next chapter of your life It's amazing and well worth the hard work !
Mobo xxCC1-£1729.53
CC2-£4323.00
LOAN-£14,519.05
TOTAL DEBT £20,571.58 :eek:
Then there's the mortgage0 -
Right so having just completed my last post my OCD with numbers not being round kicked in!! Therefore I have just made my PAD for today!
£6.45 on N@tionwide leaving £1150.00
£1.00 on Barclayc@rd 1 leaving £225
£0 on Barclayc@rd 2 leaving £1775
Total remaining £3150.00
This us much better! Can't wait for payday and for the debt to drop below £3,000.
I will not spend on the cards, I will not spend on the cards!!!!Barclaycard 1 = £976.90 / £0 remaining
Barclaycard 2 = £1865.10 / £0 remaining
Nationwide = £1156.45 / £0 remaining
Total = £3998.45 / £0 remaining :j
:dance: DEBT FREE DATE 24/03/2017 :dance:0 -
I only got my first credit card as we were targeted with how many we opened each week at work and we're 1 short one week and said I would do it :mad: think I was 20 at the time. I said I would never use it but a £5000 limit was far to tempting for someone so young. I knew I would have to pay it back - but thought it was so worth it for the reward vouchers I received - so stupid!!!
Anyhow that's how I got into this cycle now to get myself out!! I haven't increased my balance in 2 years but it hasn't gone down either everything I pay off ends up going back on (holidays, gig tickets, nights out, clothes, presents etc) I must stick to my £100 a week and I will get there.Barclaycard 1 = £976.90 / £0 remaining
Barclaycard 2 = £1865.10 / £0 remaining
Nationwide = £1156.45 / £0 remaining
Total = £3998.45 / £0 remaining :j
:dance: DEBT FREE DATE 24/03/2017 :dance:0 -
I'm 27 and have now had a mortgage for a year. Just over 4 years ago I had debts in excess of 15k, funnily enough they were from socialising and holidays, but I was young so didn't really care.
Back to the point, I paid all my debts off with hard work, earning only 21.5k a year.
And what might surprise you is I haven't been on holiday with the lads or the mrs for 4 years.
It's all about priorities, crack on going on holiday and socialising but paying £1 off a credit card isn't going to get you anywhere very fast!0 -
Good luck on your journey, you can do this!
The ISA sounds great and liking the idea of your parents helping out by your Rent being paid into ISA instead. I might think about that with my kids when they are older.Debt =£5,829.57 Aug 17 /£5,598.05 Mar 17/ £6,310.36 Feb 17/ £6,468.06 Jan 17/£6,593.06 Dec 16/ £6,545.36 Nov 16/ £6,886.82 Oct 16
SPC #0370 -
The £1 was just an additional payment to round down my balance (I like round numbers). I had already paid £840 off this morning first!!!
Not sure I will get to no holidays but cutting back is definitely on the cards.Barclaycard 1 = £976.90 / £0 remaining
Barclaycard 2 = £1865.10 / £0 remaining
Nationwide = £1156.45 / £0 remaining
Total = £3998.45 / £0 remaining :j
:dance: DEBT FREE DATE 24/03/2017 :dance:0 -
Great start Lucy-Lou !
Mobo xxCC1-£1729.53
CC2-£4323.00
LOAN-£14,519.05
TOTAL DEBT £20,571.58 :eek:
Then there's the mortgage0
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