PURSE STRINGS
I’m a mum and I was in £27k of debt a couple of months ago – now I’m thousands better off thanks to a simple home hack
Scroll down if you are in need of advice on how to get debt-free
A MUM has revealed how she has managed to clear thousands of pounds thanks to a simple home hack.
Jasmine started her journey to becoming debt-free after reaching over £27,000 just before summer this year.
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Since then, she has been trying her hardest to pay it off and has discovered some savvy hacks along the way.
Jasmine, who is known as on TikTok, has shared a number of videos on her social media page in the bid to help others also clear their debt.
In one particular video, she captioned it: “My starting debt when i started this journey was over £27,000 and it's crazy how much i've managed to get down already.
“Hopefully I can smash some more debt over the next few months then focus on my car!”
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In the video, she says: “I thought it was time to do a debt update.
“If you don't know me, I started this journey on over £27,000 worth of debt just before summer and I've really been trying my hardest to pay this all off.
“I already managed to pay off my £1,600 Monzo Flex which was a massive relief because the money that was coming out from that was absolutely crazy.
“The next thing was to pay off my PlayStation 5 which was £540.”
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The mum explained that she had bought the PlayStation on an Argos card but had not paid that off for a whole year due to losing the card.
She says: “The interest ran out on the 17th of September.
I was drowning in £12.5k debt but cleared it all in a year by going to supermarkets - I even got paid for a bowling trip
“I was able to pay that off this month which I am actually over the moon about, because I'm not going to lie, I try not to panic too much, [but] I was panicking about that.”
Jasmine decided to take part in one of the latest money-saving trends called a “no spend month” - which encourages people to cut out all non-essential purchases for a set period.
She says: “So any money I had left over from that, I was literally haemorrhaging towards the PlayStation 5.”
Jasmine has also been selling old items from her home online.
She continues: “I then have been gutting out my house trying to sell as much as I can but I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I got the whole £540 from that.”
How to shift your credit card debt quickly
By James Flanders, Consumer Reporter
UK Finance reports that we spend a whopping £2 billion a month using our credit cards.
While that little strip of plastic makes everyday spending easy peasy, it comes at a huge cost.
According to The Money Charity, the average credit card debt sits at £2,485 per household or £1,312 per adult.
And if you're stuck on a credit card with a high APR and only making the minimum repayments, you could be forking out hundreds of pounds extra in interest charges.
For example, if you owe £1,312 on your credit card and are charged 24.8% APR.
If you don't make any more transactions and pay £100 a month in repayments, you will pay off the card by September 2025 but at £207 in interest.
However, by hunting around for a better deal elsewhere and switching to a balance transfer credit card with a lengthy interest-free period, you can save yourself £162.
If the same person was accepted for a 28-month-long zero-interest credit card with a 3.4% balance transfer fee and made the same £100 repayments each month.
They would pay off the debt sooner, in July 2025, and only fork out £45 towards the 3.4% balance transfer fee.
Before taking out a new credit card or increasing the amount you borrow, it's vital to consider the consequences.
You should only borrow money if you can afford to pay it back.
It's always vital to ask yourself if you need to borrow before committing to a new credit card, personal loan or overdraft.
If you use a credit card, I'd recommend that you always pay off your balance in full at the end of each statement period.
Lenders have a responsibility to help customers who are in debt.
If you're in a debt crisis, your first point of call should be your lender.
They might help you out by offering you a reduced interest rate or a temporary payment holiday - so check in with your lender if you're struggling.
Her next job now is to try and get some of her loan down.
She says: “I really want to fight against the loan and then when I get to Christmas, I'm going to have to start putting money aside for my car because I'll have about seven months then to really try to get that car paid off.”
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Jasmine's video gained lots of attention with many rushing to the comments section to share their thoughts.
Many commented on how “amazing” she is doing, and congratulated her.
Debt advice helplines
If you’re struggling with debt, there are several helplines available to provide support and guidance:
- StepChange Debt Charity: Call 0800 138 1111 for free, impartial advice and practical solutions to manage your debt.
- National Debtline: Reach out to 0808 808 4000 for confidential advice tailored to your situation.
- Citizens Advice: Contact 0800 144 8848 for guidance on managing your finances and dealing with debt.
- Money Advice Service: Call 0800 138 7777 for free, unbiased advice on your financial issues.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with these services - they are here to help you take control of your finances and find a way forward.
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