Happy Vietnamese woman walking on a beach at sunset

You are not "in debt"
You "have some debt"

The times I told myself I was in debt I felt like I was being squelched & sucked into thick gloopy quicksand!

By changing my thinking to I have some debt - evolved how I handled it.

I had a project to manage. That was all. It was a practical assignment that I would find the best solution for.

That meant I tackled it with a business head, not my emotional wreck one!

What is your situation?

How are you feeling?

We all borrow money, either from family or from an official lender. And we pay it all back. With varying degrees of interest on top.

So it costs us money to borrow money.

Unlike savings that earn us money until we need to use it.

For some of us, it is a way of life.

For others, it's a short-term means to an end.

Like getting a car loan, or a new sofa on a buy now pay later (BNPL)

Or even just popping an unexpected but essential expense onto your credit card.

Mortgages are the biggest loan we'll ever take on but unlike most other things, you invariably make money on your property so for me it feels different to other debts does it to you?

Life can hit you right in the guts sometimes & most people that call up for debt support with Step Change have suffered an unexpected financial blow.

Often they've been struggling for months, even years & only seek help when they're in that quicksand & their mental health is at a low ebb.

Don't leave it to fester for months or longer, you'll feel unwell with all that burden on your shoulders & there may be a simple solution you'd not considered. By talking to an expert like Step Change or The Money Charity, you can get proper support before it all gets out of hand.

The best thing that money can buy
is
freedom from worrying about money

~ unknown

essential freebie template

Free
Essentials Only Budget Template

I have various gorgeous templates but if you're in debt you are welcome to get your bearings with this specially formulated free template.

When you're up against it, compartmentalising your essential only spending feels less daunting than doing a budget for everything.

This simply shows you your survival budget.

Enter your income & any benefits you might receive, then enter how much you spend for each area.

It's customizable & made in google sheets so you can use it on any device. It all adds up for you.

You can also just use it to guide you on a notepad & get your calculator out.

It works out for you how much you have left over after your "Can't live without" essentials.

This will clearly show you how much you have to be able to pay off more debt each month as well as have some money for nice things.

If there is very little left - seek help using the links in the resources below.

Useful Tips & Extra Resources

What to do first?

🤍 Admitting to yourself you could use some help, extra eyeballs on the situation is a great start. Could it be a friend, partner, or better still a professional expert?

🤍 Talking to a loved one is a tonic, a release & a weight off. A good friend will always listen. There's a chance they're feeling similarly too.

🤍 Do you think you have moved over from manageable to unmanageable debt?

🤍 Is paying off what you owe having a significant impact on how you feel, how you manage day to day or how much you have got left to "survive" off?

🤍 Make a list of each place you owe money.

Under each header write how much money you currently owe

And how much the APR is, this is the interest rate charged on your loan.

How much are you paying each month in interest?

What to do next?

🤍If you feel in any way that you are uncomfortable with what you see, it's time to seek financial advice for FREE.

🤍 Step Change offer amazing 121 support that is confidential.

🤍 They have a series of help they can give you, they try the first one on to see if it fits. If it doesn't they go down a layer until they find the best fit for you.

🤍 They call off the hounds - if you're getting letters, calls, texts, they call them off to give you breathing space

🤍 Debt & mental wellbeing go hand in hand. If you have some mental ill health there is a chance you have some difficulties managing your money.

If you have difficulties managing your money, there's a good chance this is going to get you down to the point of anxiety, depression & more.

🤍 Know you are never alone. You are not the first nor the last person to need support.

And there are many very wealthy professional business owners that find themselves in trouble so you do not have to feel like a prize idiot.

Or useless.

Or anything else you want to batter yourself with.

You have some debt & you're going to get it sorted.

A few Tips

🤍 Citizens Advice are also brilliant.

🤍 Money Helper is full support & is backed by the government so their benefits information is spot on

🤍 Turn 2 Us is fighting poverty in the UK & offers benefit support

🤍 They will all work through your budget with you. If you haven't made one they will help you to make one. If you want to make one yourself, start with your essentials.

Here's your FREE TEMPLATE

🤍 You will find lots of loving support, video tutorials & blogs here on this website but as debt advice is FCA regulated I want you to feel confident to go seek this level of support with one of these.

🤍 Earning your way through debt is powerful.

You will no doubt have explored extra hours at your work, an evening job, online opportunities like selling your unworn clothes & unused home items.

Maybe you already have a side hustle?

Having a lovely team & supportive mentoring makes a massive difference when you're starting out & running a part-time business.

English doesn't have to be your first language, it can in fact be your superpower as you can help your expat community so much more.

For more inspiration press play on the short videos below & book in some phone time with me for a nice no-nonsense, no expectations chat.