What has your debt stopped you from doing in life?

A question about : What has your debt stopped you from doing in life?

Just wondered what impact your debt has had on your life and the decisions that you can make? I am just completing year 1 of a year 3 of my debt busting programme. Although I'm pleased with the progress I'm making, I can't help but ponder on what an impact being so heavily in debt has caused.

We can't move house at least for another 5 years due to debt busting then saving for a deposit for a bigger house (we hate where we live currently so definitely feel trapped), we have signficantly delayed starting a family to try and pay the debt off but I'm not getting any younger so can't really wait much longer and just the day to day stresses and strains of not feeling that your money is your own.

Of course, on the positive side, I now have an appreciation for money management and budgeting and I will take this forward for the rest of my life and if I'm bless with child(ren) I will make sure when they are old enough, I pass these messages on.

It's just been a difficult lesson in life and has made a major impact on the decisions that we can take.

Just wondered if anyone else's debt has hampered their life significantly and how?

NYD

Best answers:

• Not been able to buy a house, a car, go on holiday or have nice clothes.
  Also think especially when I was in debt the first time it stopped me dating, couldn't justify dressing up, looking nice going out etc.
  Pretty much made me feel like an idiot. Loss of confidence.
  in short a right pain in the !!!!!
  xxx
• Same as above and it's stopped me being spontaneous.
  Every decision was either a stuff it ( and regret afterwards, tinged with guilt) or a straight forward no.
  Only been debt free for a month but can now say - why not and enjoy it.
  On the other side it previously gave me an excuse of not doing something if I didn't want to do it.... Now I will have to come up with another reason or be honest??
  Xxx
• With me working shifts and my wife being a part time teacher and only working wed,thurs,fri its stopped us just thinking !!!!!! it lets jump on a plane and have a few days away
• for me moving out of my parents house and branching out on my own at the age of 42
• It's stopped me doing so many things but the most upsetting was having to go back to work when my DS was 8 months old. If only I could have seen into the future when I was young I would have saved so I could be a SAHM as long as possible.
  I missed his first steps, he was at kindergarten.
• Travelling the world, quitting my job to go to uni, keeping my house following my divorce - I wish I'd been more sensible!! Might have to leave it too late to have kids.
• Oh gosh loads!!
  Learning to drive, buying a car, owning my house, holidays, delaying my wedding, not being able to just go out for lunch/dinner whenever I am invited.
  Having to really budget for everything.
  Its horrible really I have been in debt since I was 18 years old & 1 day & I will be 31 in March.
  Dxxx
• Hi everyone - thanks for posting. It's mad isn't it, the impact debt has on our lives. It's touching when you hear about the things that we've missed out on, especially when it comes to family.
  Nice to see you Dolly Rocker!!! The old thread - debt free in 2015 - is still alive!
  I got my first credit card at 18 and the rest is history.... and I've just turned 34. Eek. That's not good. I'm glad the banks started to say no otherwise where I would be now?
  I was talking to a colleague today who was telling me his daughter is moving out on Friday. She is 21 and has just bought a house with her boyfriend and both have brand new cars, all bought and paid for. I wish I had done that but then again I went to uni but even then, my dad paid my rent, I got a grant, a loan and I worked and I still managed to finish uni with over Ј10K in debt so I was destined to be a debtor. Not anymore......
  NYD
• The main thing (and my reason for ending up on here) is pretty much cause I found my dream house... it required work but was beautiful pink granite little cottage. It was all detached with a great garden and I could see myself living there forever.
  If I had realised that I could overpay my mortgage when I got one and done that and not ended up in debt and with a loan, then I could have bought it (with a large but manageable mortgage).
  Instead, I sit here thinking about it and wishing I could change the past.
  However, on a positive note... it has made me have my light bulb moment. Now the plan is to make my dad proud and get myself debt-free. (sorry, it's corny but true).
• Yeah I try to be positive mostly but sometimes it just grabs hold of you & you think what the hell have I been doing!
  Glad it doesn't happen often tho - phewwwwwwwwww
  I will pop on over & say hi.
  Dxxx
• Great thread, not exactly positive but a worthwhile discussion! Debt has allowed me to do stuff in the past, like buy my house and run a car, but is preventing me doing things now. No holidays abroad, no home improvements in the last ten years apart from a lick of paint, running an old car and an old motorbike despite my wife and I earning average wages.
  At this stage in my life I seem to be putting money into my future (pension, savings) and my past (loan, mortgage) with just enough left for the bare essentials in the present! I'm sure plenty of others can identify with how that feels. Roll on Jan 2017, my debt free date!
• It's stopped us from having any holiday in the last few years even a modest self catering one. We've never been ones for extravagant holidays or extravagant anything and I think that's mainly down to poor financial planning. I know these are wants rather than needs but a break from the norm does do wonders for the soul.
• Another one here who got into debt at 18, and at 32 is still in it.
  Worked in a bank service centre at 18, and they used to get branch staff in telling us we were pre-approved for overdrafts / credit cards / loans - and silly old 18 year old me didn't think of the consequences.
  I've not missed out on holidays etc, as those as partially the reason for my debt - but I have missed out on everything my friends have managed like buying a house (or even renting) and having kids. My debt stopped me from dating, as I was sure no man would want to get involved with someone heavily in debt, and I knew if the time came that they wanted to buy a house that I wouldn't get a mortgage.
• Yup me, was 18 when I got into debt & I will be 31 soon.
  Dxxx
• I'm 37 and turning 38 next year... Thanks to a combination of debt and gambling (with a bit of alcohol, depression and self loathing on the side) I've pretty much screwed up the last 10 years of my life :-(
  On the plus side, most things are behind me now with my demons well and truly under control (thanks to everyone who has helped along the way!).
  Life is getting better everyday now though, the only way is up up up!!!!
  MB