I’m a mum-of-two & couldn’t even afford Christmas fairy lights two years ago, now I’ve cleared £35k of debt – here’s how

MUM-OF-TWO Chloe Symonds explained that in 2019 she was drowning in debt and couldn't afford to pay for Christmas.

The savvy saver decided enough was enough and turned it around to find financial freedom.

“It was the missing Christmas lights that did it,” the 31-year-old carer from County Leitrim in Ireland, remembered.

“They may have only cost a few pounds to replace, but it was money we just didn’t have.

"In December 2019 I looked at the tree, and my two lovely boys, and that’s when I realised how huge our financial problems were.”

For years Chloe thought she was doing well in life. She said: “Growing up my family had no money. Taking on debt wasn’t seen as a bad thing.”

Meeting George at 17 the couple had their first child, Tyler, when Chloe was 22.

She said: “We were painfully broke. When Tyler was one, the only way we could afford to attend a wedding was to borrow money. We took a £250 payday loan without a second thought.”

For two years one payday loan followed the next.

She said: “One was for a fancy £330 car seat I was desperate to have. One loan and it was ours.”

In 2015, when their second son Darragh was born, they took out a £9,300 car loan.

Chloe said: “I was a carer for Tyler, who had anoxic seizures, and so wasn’t working. When we were approved for the loan I felt relief, and excitement that we had this fancy car. We were moving up in the world!

“Next came a van loan and a credit card. I thought we were doing great. We could meet the repayments, so why not?”

Engaged in 2017 Chloe planned a low-key, low-cost wedding. She said: “I was going to bake the cake and give guests stew for dinner. But people told me I couldn’t do that.”

The £10,000 credit card they took out to pay for their big day was higher than the £7,600 they initially planned to spend.

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Chloe said: “So, of course, that became our new ‘budget’. I became obsessed with getting ‘Chiavari’ chairs I’d seen in wedding films. George thought I was crazy, but I was adamant!

“George is a magpie and loves buying shiny, expensive things. I’m a ‘giver’ and like to spend money on other people.