Mum of four explains what helped her clear £15k debt after ‘sleepless nights’

Regardless of someone’s income, debt can still cause “heartache” and problems within a family which is what forced Kelly to take action and take part in a debt management scheme. In an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, she explained her journey with debt and how she was able to make small changes to reduce it. She wanted people in similar situations to her to know it’s possible to get out of the bad borrowing habits.

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“I have also really had to think about my reasons around spending and I’m more insightful about this now.

“I realised that spending was an emotional habit for me and that I had continued this cycle from early adulthood all the way to my late thirties.”

With four children, Kelly mentioned the stress that Christmas brings, and how she plans to manage the upcoming months without overspending.

She said: “Christmas has always been a big financial pressure for us.

During the interview, Kelly highlighted the reason behind her spending played a pivotal role in how she was able to reduce debts.

She explained the need for accountability about how people unfortunately find themselves in their situations.

Sometimes debt is out of people’s control due to loss of income, or an accident however it’s so important for people to seek help.

Kelly’s husband suffers with ADHD and finds debt and money very stressful. Kelly explained that she used to pick up unexpected bills to try and limit her husband’s stress and put this on her credit card.

However, as she’s on a much lower income than him, she would never be able to afford this, only adding to the struggles. Her husband’s initial reaction to Kelly’s debt was what made her realise “that there was a problem” that she needed to address it.

“It has caused me many sleepless nights,” she explained.

Kelly said: “To anyone facing financial worries, I’d recommend sharing your struggles with loved ones – it can feel very isolating and lonely keeping it to yourself. I also found Facebook groups and online tracking apps to be really useful, as they helped me to see what the ultimate outcome would be.

“It’s great to see apps like ilumoni, helping people understand and manage their borrowing in simple steps based on their priorities and payment timeframes. Ever since the first day when I started regaining control of my finances it has become easier to breathe, knowing that I am on the right track. We now have around £30,000 on credit cards, in a year that’s £15,000 gone. We still have some way to go, but we now have emergency funds for unexpected bills or expenses.”