Finally debt free after 2 and half years!

[tinglee0021]

@holyaspirations Weird he never mentions that. I guess it's not great advice to tell someone to take out another credit card. But the 0% interest is really a game changer in getting ahold of your finances. Yeah it costs 3 or 4% to get it, but after that you can rewllt come to terms with 'I need to pay for x within y months and I'll be free'

 

[jredshaw]

@tinglee0021 People who are in this mess are there because they are not very disciplined. I had so many attempts at doing this but I just kept making my debt bigger and only really paying off interest.

I now have a massive down payment fund waiting to be spent when I come across the right house.

Different things work for different people but I essentially became debt free in that 32 month period and actually had more money to play with as I started going out less, eating out less. Being more cautious on what I bought etc.

 

[tinglee0021]

@jredshaw Yeah definitely a big part of it also. Was more a comment on the Ramsey steps than general values

 

[femi1632]

@jredshaw I am proud of you learning to cook. It's a great way to entertain and when you get that food shop at £30-40pw you can be so smug. It feeds your other frugality. Literally had a conversation tonight about how I never buy coffee out

 

[jredshaw]

@femi1632 Yeah it's a game changer, I probably go above what other folks do and some may even consider it boring but her is a typical week:

Sunday I cook a dish, usually a curry. I then divide this into 4 portions so have one on Sunday evening and then it's lunch 3 days a week for when I work from home.

Dinner during the week has become me buying 4 chicken breast which the butcher cuts in to cubes. I then marinate it. I will put a small amount into the air fryer while I cut up a large salad. It can be boring but a) so much healthier and b) really keeps my weight in check.

Breakfast is just musli and yogurt.

For a single person that brings down the cost significantly, some weeks on a Saturday I will treat myself to a take out or if funds are low I will but something from M&S to put in the oven.

Some folks I have discussed this with are like how can you eat the same thing all week or don't you get bored of salad. Once you get used to it it so problem at all. I have even noticed eating salad every night has even changed the way I look at fast food, if I had it more then once in a while it actually makes me feel wretched.