I'm in £15k worth of debt but STILL have TWO gardeners – people might judge me but they are an essential and a godsend

The Sun

4 days ago

A WOMAN has caused controversy after revealing she still uses two gardeners - despite being in £15,000 worth of debt.
Megan previously found herself sparking backlash when she admitted she still employs a cleaner, despite her financial situation.
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And now she's revealed she also enlists the help of not one, but two gardeners.
However, in a video on her TikTok page, Megan said she wouldn't be able to look after her two gardens and giant hedge on her own.
"We have quite a big front garden and then we have a 60 foot hedge and then we have a back garden, and I just cannot be doing that myself," she said.
She added that she "really, really got into" gardening herself during the Covid-19 lockdown, but when she went back to work it was "impossible to stay on top of it".
"So I hired gardeners and they are a godsend," Megan said.
"We have two for half an hour every two weeks.
"They are so good, they get everything done, they get the whole lawn done, they get all of the hedges done, they get all the weeding done.
"And it means that I don't have to worry about it and I can come back enjoy my garden and it's just done!"
Megan also said the gardeners are "really cheap", as they first used them when they weren't "that established", so they paid a minimal amount and the gardeners have never increased it for them.
"So yeah, what do you think about having gardeners when paying off debt?" she sighed.
I racked up £15k debt - here's how I paid it off as a single mum
"I'm going to get crucified for this because when I admitted to having cleaners and I don't have a cleaner now but when I did say I had a cleaner the Internet went wild!"
"This will definitely be a controversial one!" she wrote in the video caption.
"What do you think about having gardeners when in debt & paying it off?!
"They're something I really considered stopping at the start of this journey but don't think I ever could!"
However, the majority of people in the comments section admitted they agreed with Megan that gardeners were worth paying out for.
"I've got one. It's out of necessity," one wrote.
How to cut the cost of your debt
IF you're in large amounts of debt it can be really worrying. Here are some tips from Citizens Advice on how you can take action.
Check your bank balance on a regular basis - knowing your spending patterns is the first step to managing your money
Work out your budget - by writing down your income and taking away your essential bills such as food and transport
If you have money left over, plan in advance what else you'll spend or save. If you don't, look at ways to cut your costs
Pay off more than the minimum - If you've got credit card debts aim to pay off more than the minimum amount on your credit card each month to bring down your bill quicker
Pay your most expensive credit card sooner - If you have more than one credit card and can't pay them off in full each month, prioritise the most expensive card (the one with the highest interest rate)
Prioritise your debts - If you've got several debts and you can't afford to pay them all it's important to prioritise them
Your rent, mortgage, council tax and energy bills should be paid first because the consequences can be more serious if you don't pay
Get advice - If you're struggling to pay your debts month after month it's important you get advice as soon as possible, before they build up even further
Groups like Citizens Advice and National Debtline can help you prioritise and negotiate with your creditors to offer you more affordable repayment plans.
"I cannot physically maintain my garden. I go without many things so I can afford him because the stress of it looking a state would do me in!"
"Me and my husband have a hedge the same, the effort and time it takes to cut ourselves is just ridiculous and it never looks straight!" another added.
"Paying someone to come and do it with proper tools and knowledge is so much better and it takes them a fraction of the time, and they clean it all away after."
"Some things are worth paying for. it would likely take you longer than them too," a third wrote.
"Oh god soooo much longer!" Megan replied.
"Took me 3 hours to just do the hedge once and it looked awful hahah."
"Absolutely do it," someone else urged.
While another admitted: "I get my nails done every month! I owe £13,500.
"I'm not giving up my nails!!"
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