I was being swallowed by £120k debt but cleared it AND became mortgage free on a low income using the ‘pound job' method
ONCE drowning in £120,000 worth of debt, Harriet has completely transformed her life.
Not only has she paid it all off, but she's also become
Advertisement
1
Harriet revealed her top tips for getting out of big debts
Credit: TIKTOK
Now, through her TikTok account, '
'No one teaches you this when you're broke, but I will,' Harriet says in one of her videos.
'If you're barely making it through the month and your debt feels like it's swallowing you whole, this is for you.'
With a relatable and empowering approach, Harriet introduces herself as someone who has been through the same challenges and comes out the other side debt-free, including her home.
Advertisement
READ MORE ON MONEY
Her step-by-step advice is designed for those who feel overwhelmed by their finances, especially when every pound counts.
Harriet begins by urging people to prioritise survival: 'Food, shelter, electricity - these come first.
"
She then emphasises the importance of using a zero-based budget, where every pound is assigned a specific job.
Advertisement
Most read in Fabulous
Even for those earning between £800 and £1,000 a month, Harriet insists that budgeting down to the last penny gives greater control over finances.
Her tips don't shy away from tough decisions either. 'Cut ruthlessly,' she advises.
I'm in £15k worth of debt but STILL have TWO gardeners - people might judge me but they are an essential and a godsend
'No Netflix, no takeaways, no unnecessary subscriptions. You're in survival mode now - luxuries can wait until you're out of debt.'
Tracking every penny is another cornerstone of Harriet's strategy.
Advertisement
Whether it's through a notebook, an app, or her favourite method - the Cash Envelope system - she believes that awareness is key and not to 'bleed money' that you can't see.
Harriet also recommends creating a
mini
emergency fund, even if it's just £100.
It's the only way to change your situation. It's really hard but possible
TikTok comment
She warns that without it 'every emergency' like a flat tire 'can wipe out your entire budget.'
While she acknowledges that the journey to financial freedom isn't easy, Harriet reassures her audience that it's possible.
Advertisement
'I did it too,' she says with confidence.
Her video, which was shared on 9 June, has received 48.1k views and 51 comments.
The Zero Based Budget! Never heard of this before
TikTok comment
One person wrote: 'This is such great advice.
'It's the only way to change your situation. It's really hard but possible.'
Advertisement
A second commented: 'In £5k of debt and paying off slowly, also paying myself £25 a week with the goal to make £5k whilst paying off my £5k.'
And a third said: 'Thank you Queen,
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Streaming surpasses traditional TV for first time as Netflix and Prime Video dominate screens
STREAMING giants including Netflix and Prime Video eclipsed traditional TV channels for the first time last month. Some 44.8 per cent of TV viewership was through the newer media platforms. 2 Streaming took over traditional TV last month It compares with 20.1 per cent watching terrestrial TV — known as broadcast — and 24.1 per cent tuning in to cable such as Sky. It is the first time streamers have surpassed the combined total of their rival categories. Big titles such as Clarkson's Farm on Prime, Andor on Disney+ and Netflix's final season of dark thriller You have helped boost the platforms' figures. The milestone marks a steady shift which has seen a near-doubling of streaming viewership since 2021 when it made up 26 per cent of TV use. READ MORE TV NEWS Cable then dominated with 39 per cent while broadcast was on 25 per cent, figures reveal. YouTube holds the biggest share for the streamers at 12.5 per cent. Others contributing to the domination were Paramount (2.2 per cent) Warner Bros Discovery (1.5 per cent) and Peacock (1.4 per cent). Karthik Rao, boss of data specialists Nielsen, which launched its Gauge report on viewing statistics in May 2021, said: 'It's a credit to media companies. Most read in News TV 'They have deftly adapted their programming strategies to meet their viewers where they are watching TV, whether it's on streaming or linear platforms.' Amazon Prime cancels beloved drama despite show having two-season order and furious fans vow to boycott streamer 2 Streaming giants including Netflix and Prime Video eclipsed traditional TV channels for the first time last month Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Nothing will ruin my camping trip… I hate couples having noisy sex & get revenge in a sly way, my grandkids cringe
GOING on holiday with grandparents is a treat many children look forward to, knowing they'll be spoiled rotten with ice creams and round-the-clock attention. But Emma Parsons-Reid isn't your typical sweet granny. Advertisement 5 Emma Parsons-Reid blasts campers for hanging their undies out to dry or having noisy sex when on a camping trip with her grandkids Credit: Supplied 5 Emma reveals her grandkids believe that if they survive a camping with their gran, that they'll survive anything Credit: Supplied 5 She brings M&S food for her family to cook at home most of the time, but they might enjoy one meal out Credit: Supplied 'The children always say going camping with me is a rite of passage,' says 58-year-old Emma, from Cardiff. ''If you survive this, you'll survive anything,' is how they look at it.' Emma has exacting standards and has told off fellow campers for having sex within earshot of her grandkids. She even sees red if people hang their knickers outside to dry. 'I'm a nightmare nan 24/7 and that isn't going to change just because we are on holiday,' she warns. Advertisement READ MORE IN FABULOUS 'I don't like people draping underwear outside their tent or caravan. It's awful, so uncouth. 'Pack enough pants for your trip and wash them when you get home – or go to a launderette. 'You don't need pairs of pants hanging in a line like a ship's sail. No one needs to see that. It ruins the holiday photographs.' Advertisement Most read in Fabulous A whopping 42.2 per cent of Brits go camping at least once a year according to the latest statistics. But for camping fan Emma, standards are slipping – and nothing is guaranteed to rile her more than the sound of couples getting frisky under the stars. 'I'm a broken man, but memories made' says RTE's Donal Skehan after dreamy camping trip to Irish coast with family 'People get randy when they go camping,' she says. 'I'm not sure if it's the hot nights or the light evenings – coupled with a few drinks – but I get annoyed if I hear them. Advertisement 'The girls aren't silly. They know what it sounds like and it's mortifying. I get especially annoyed if the noise is keeping me awake at 2am and they're still going at it.' The next morning, Emma says she takes great pleasure in waking up couples she's heard bonking within earshot of her granddaughters – Elise, 17, Isabella, 15, Scarlett, 13, Lucy, 10, and Ivy, eight – during the night. 'Bang and clatter' 'On my way to the shower block, I'll bang and clatter and make lots of noise so they don't get a lie in. 'On one occasion, when the girls were small, I made them sing a few rounds of Row, Row, Row Your Boat really loudly, just to put a couple off.' Advertisement It's usually only her two youngest grandchildren that holiday with her now. 'The older ones don't come any more and I think that's a huge relief for them,' says retired civil servant Emma, who favours Welsh coastal resorts like Porthcawl. I get especially annoyed if the noise is keeping me awake at 2am and they're still going at it 'When they talk about camping with 'Nooney', which is what they all call me, it is like they are telling a survivor's story. 5 Emma, above with a head torch, has told off fellow campers Credit: Supplied Advertisement 'The two youngest get very embarrassed. You see their faces drop when I march off to tell someone off, or start complaining about the state of the site to the manager.' Emma reads fellow campers the riot act if they make noise after 10pm – and hates fire pits and barbecues. 'I don't care if they get annoyed. Looking after the grandchildren can be tiring and I just need a good night's sleep,' Emma, who holidays with her grandchildren and husband Kev 64, a retired engineer, to give her own daughter Hannah, 35, a break, says. 'And there is nothing worse than sitting downwind from someone's barbecue smoke. I don't want to get a whiff of other people's smelly sausages.' Advertisement Emma packs M&S food for her family, often enjoying French sticks, ham and salad. 'Why can't we go back to how it was in the 1970s, when everyone was polite and followed some camping etiquette?' says Emma, who refuses to spoil the children with ice creams or seaside souvenirs. 'They love going into the shops, but they're full of plastic tat and I won't allow it in my tent. 'Awful' 'If they want to buy something and I think it's decent enough, I'll allow it, but I'll make them do some chores first – maybe the washing up. I'm very tight and I work to a budget. Advertisement 'And they eat enough rubbish without me buying them ice creams every day. We might have one meal out, but I'll cook the rest of the time.' On one occasion, Emma suffered a slipped disc and carried a pink lilo with her everywhere, so she could lie down – much to the embarrassment of the grandkids. 'The pain was awful,' she recalls. 'We'd only just arrived and I didn't want to cut the holiday short, so I carried this everywhere we went so I could lie down on it. I couldn't sit down, I had to lie down – even in restaurants and at the arcades. Advertisement 'Everyone looked at me like I was insane and the kids were embarrassed. 'On one occasion, they made some friends who were asking them why their nan was always lying down on the lilo. They hated having to explain it every time.' Who the kids play with is another bone of contention whenever they're away. 'I don't let them play with just anybody,' Emma says. 'If they meet someone, I'll go round to check out the family's tent and make sure they are appropriate. Advertisement 'If they are in a caravan or a campervan I'm usually OK with that, but I will have to walk past to assess the family. If they are drinking a lot, or if there are cans lying around or knickers hanging out, I'll pull the grandchildren away. You can't be too careful. I have complained a lot, but we've had some fun times 'I certainly wouldn't want them playing with rough kids, or rude children that answer back.' In fact, if Emma's granddaughters fail to find suitable playmates, Emma thinks nothing of recruiting some herself. 'I prefer to choose their friends for them,' she says. "You'll often see me approaching more palatable kids if I see a nice family. Advertisement 'I'll ask them their names and say they can play with my grandchildren if they like.' Emma often calls out slovenly campers and the state of site facilities. 'If I think someone is being too messy or leaving a lot of litter, I complain,' says Emma. 'I'm always on the phone to the owner. 'The shower blocks are often disgusting, so that is a common complaint. People often leave a mess all around the basin, but the worst is when they forget their pants and leave them hanging over a rail. Disgusting. That would definitely have me marching down to the site office. Advertisement 'And I can't stand men that go to the showers with their guts falling over the top of their towels, letting it all hang out. ''Morning love,' they go, but I blank them if they are disgusting.' Despite her never-ending complaining, Emma says she and the granddaughters cherish their shared camping trips. 'The kids have the best memories of those times,' she says. "We are planning to go back to Fontygary in the Vale of Glamorgan for three nights in August." Advertisement 'It's always the nightmares they remember. They'll say: 'Do you remember when Nooney did this or that?' and then fall apart laughing. 'They'll remember me telling someone off for having sex, or when the dog had diarrhoea in the campervan. 'We once parked under an acorn tree and all night the acorns dropped onto the roof keeping us all awake. 'I have complained a lot, but we've had some fun times. The kids ridicule me, but it makes me smile as I know they won't forget me when I'm dead and buried.' Advertisement 5 The gran takes great pleasure in waking up couples she's heard bonking on the site Credit: Supplied
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Mum explains the exact cosmetic work she's had to look ‘snatched' but people are astonished after clocking her REAL age
A MUM has left people stunned after revealing the full extent of cosmetic work she's had done - while also sharing her real age. Jess Bloom, a 34-year-old nutrition coach and TikTok creator, has been open about her beauty routine, detailing everything she's done to achieve her 'snatched' look. Advertisement 2 Jess Bloom shared her beauty regime but trolls have shared their thoughts about it Credit: tiktok/@jessbloom_ She shared a video on her TikTok page ' Starting with the basics, she explains how she's been maintaining She explains that having a fresh set of HD brows makes her feel very 'snatched' in the morning. Jess also swears by her Korean Advertisement READ MORE ON BOTOX As a busy mum, it's her go-to for cutting down on time in the mornings. She explained that she can't be 'bothered' to Instead, she'll just throw on a bit of tinted moisturiser and blush then she is 'ready to go.' When it comes to skincare, Jess opts for a natural approach, combining red light therapy with good nutrition. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous She admits she Her journey with injectables, however, has been a long one. I'm 30 & have had 4 BBL's - trolls say my bum looks like a wisdom tooth but I don't care about the risks, I want curves Jess first had lip filler back in 2014 at the age of 24, and has had it topped up every couple of years since. But pregnancy brought unexpected challenges. Advertisement 'My lips just blew up - they were horrific,' she shares. Unable to dissolve the filler while breastfeeding, Jess admits the situation affected her self-esteem and even pushed her to stop breastfeeding earlier than planned. One of my regrets for my wedding was getting Botox six weeks before because I didn't like what it did to my face Jess Bloom Determined to feel her best for her wedding, she documented her journey of dissolving and refilling her lips on TikTok, eventually finding a look she's happier with. As for Botox, Jess has tried it but doesn't plan to continue. Advertisement She explained that she had it in three areas - forehead, crow's feet, and frown - but 'didn't really like it' on herself. 'One of my regrets for my wedding was getting Botox six weeks before because I didn't like what it did to my face,' she says. Mixed opinions Her video gained 189.8k views and 811 comments after one day of the video being shared. Many rushed to the comments section to share their thoughts - along with some people who 'unfairly' trolled her. Advertisement One wrote: 'I'm convinced Botox and filler is making people look older.' A second commented: 'You look so much older than me, I'm the same age.' Negative comments are from jealous, miserable souls - hope you're taking zero notice TikTok comment While another added: 'You look great. 'You're obviously naturally pretty and have great skin and hair but I have to agree with those saying you look older than 34. Advertisement 'Not sure what it is but I would place you closer to 40.' However, she also received support from others. One wrote: 'Your skin is stunning. I must try a lash lift. I used to get extensions but couldn't be bothered now.' A second addressed some of the negative comments she had received by adding: 'You look gorgeous. 33 here and swear by a lash lift! Advertisement 2 Many people have told her to ignore the negative feedback she has gotten Credit: tiktok/@jessbloom_ "Pregnancy was such a hard time for me self esteem wise too. 'Don't feel bad about 'Ps. negative comments are from jealous, miserable souls - hope you're taking zero notice.' Advertisement A third said: 'These comments are wild. Your skin is INSANE! As if you don't even have Botox!!! 'Wouldn't believe it until you moved your forehead. You look unreal girl! 'I'm 35 and can confirm you absolutely look younger and nothing like these horrible, jealous comments are saying. 'Maybe we should send them all the products you use so they don't need to feel jealous and feel better about themselves.' Advertisement Do's & Don'ts before and after Botox Dr. Aamer Khan reveals the do's and don'ts with Botox Do's Before Botox Consult a qualified practitioner with medical training and experience. Inform your practitioner about all medications, supplements, and medical conditions. Avoid alcohol and blood-thinning medications (aspirin, ibuprofen, vitamin E) for 24–48 hours. Stay hydrated and have a light meal before your appointment. Ask questions about the procedure, expectations, and outcomes. Don'ts Before Botox Avoid retinol, glycolic acid, or exfoliants on treatment areas for 24 hours. Don't schedule within 2 weeks of major events to allow time for the treatment to work and any healing. needed, possible bruising, which can occur. Reschedule if you're feeling unwell (cold, infection, etc.). Try to avoid makeup on the day of treatment, unless it is mineral make up. Do's After Botox Gently move treated muscles (smile, frown) to help Botox settle. Stay upright for 4–6 hours post-treatment. Apply cold compresses gently to reduce swelling if there is any. Use mild, non-active skincare to keep skin clean and calm. Don'ts After Botox Do not lie down or bend over for at least 4–6 hours. Avoid touching or rubbing the injected area for 24 hours. Skip workouts and heat exposure (gym, saunas, hot yoga) for 24 hours. Don't apply makeup or active skincare for at least 12–24 hours. Avoid alcohol and blood thinners for 24 hours post-treatment. For any concerns post-treatment, always contact your provider directly. Mild redness, swelling, or bruising is common and usually subsides within a few days.
