A mum drowning in £12,000 of debt says she has transformed her finances by making her own make-up and cutting her own hair.
Charlene Woracker had accumulated thousands of pounds in credit card bills, buy now, pay later schemes, catalogue debt and household energy bills after splitting from her children’s father.
The 35-year-old found herself relying on credit cards to cover essential expenses, with interest charges making it increasingly difficult to escape the cycle of borrowing.
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At her lowest point, the mum-of-four said the mounting debt left her struggling with insomnia and panic attacks, as she watched the balance creep up.
“It was really stressful and would keep me up constantly at night,” Charlene, a content creator from Sheffield, told What’s The Jam.
“Making minimum repayments felt defeating.
“Watching the numbers creep up every week really got me down.
“It was always at the back of my head and really affected my sleep.
“I had really bad insomnia and panic attacks.
“I thought it was impossible to get rid of.
“I’d had some of the debt for years, then when my ex left me, I had no income, so I was relying on credit for food bills.
“I was given a really high credit limit for catalogues, and it was really easy to spend on them.
“I used them and buy now, pay later to buy clothes and things for the house, but paying it back became difficult.”
One of her credit cards charged a staggering 33% interest, while she spent around a year making minimum repayments and feeling as though she was getting nowhere.
But it was the impact on her children aged 17, 15, eight and three that finally prompted Charlene to take action.
Charlene said: “I knew it would change the quality of life for me and my children – I wanted to prioritise holidays and making memories for them.”
Although she initially hoped to clear her debts within three years, Charlene began scrutinising every penny she spent, cutting unnecessary subscriptions, planning meals and contacting creditors to negotiate settlements.
One particularly unusual cost-cutting method she started was teaching herself how to make her own make-up and beauty products, cut and colour her hair and apply her own hair extensions.
Charlene said: “I gave up a lot of things that people might take for granted, like going out with friends, takeaways, unnecessary shopping and little treats.
“I didn’t go out for a year.
“It was really difficult at times, especially when I wanted to enjoy myself, but I was determined to tackle the debt and give my children a more financially secure future.
“I started making my own makeup and beauty products from scratch.
“I got DIY recipes from ChatGPT and used things i already had in the house like cocoa powder for bronzer.
“I also taught myself how to cut, colour and dye my own hair, and even learned how to do my own hair extensions.
“I basically became my own hairdresser and beautician.
“Before I started saving, I could easily spend around £50 a month on make-up, especially when replacing products or trying new things.
“On salon trips, I’d spend between £150 and £250 per visit for extensions, cut and colour.
“I was determined to save money wherever I could, and I realised just how much I could do myself instead of paying someone else.
“It took a lot of patience and practice, but every penny saved was another penny towards clearing my debt.
“I save around £150 a month by doing it myself.
“There were times when I felt like I was missing out on everything.
“Watching other people go out, enjoy meals, buy themselves nice things and live without constantly worrying about money was difficult.
“But I had to remind myself that I was making short-term sacrifices for long-term financial freedom.
“I learned to appreciate the smaller things in life and find happiness in things that didn’t cost money.
“I wasn’t prepared to sacrifice my future for a few hours of enjoyment.
“I knew the sacrifices wouldn’t last forever, but the benefits of becoming debt-free could last a lifetime.”
Her efforts paid off, and she made her final debt repayment in May this year, having started with approximately £12,000 to repay.
It took her just one year to fully pay off her debts.
She said: “I remember getting down to my final £100 after starting with approximately £12,000 of debt.
“Seeing that enormous amount reduced to almost nothing was an incredible feeling.
“Every payment had represented another little victory, and finally reaching the end was something I’d worked so hard towards.
“It was honestly one of the most emotional and empowering moments of my life.
“I’d gone from owing around £12,000 to owing absolutely nothing.
“All those sacrifices, the times I’d said no to things, the hours spent budgeting and finding ways to save money had finally paid off.
“It wasn’t just about the money anymore.
“It was about proving to myself that I could completely turn my financial situation around.
“I felt an enormous sense of relief, pride and freedom.
“For the first time, I felt like I was in control of my money rather than my money controlling me.
“Becoming debt-free completely transformed my relationship with money.
“I went from feeling overwhelmed by debt to feeling empowered by budgeting.
“It gave me financial confidence, security and a completely different outlook on life.
“I no longer see budgeting as something restrictive; I see it as something that gives me freedom.”
Now debt-free, Charlene says she has developed a passion for helping other families make their money stretch further, sharing her money-saving knowledge and experiences online.
She said: “What started as a desperate attempt to get myself out of debt eventually became something much bigger.
“I now share my knowledge and experiences online to show people that you don’t need to be wealthy to take control of your finances.
“Most importantly, it taught me that no matter how overwhelming your financial situation might seem, small changes, consistency and determination really can change your life.
“When you’re in debt, there’s always that worry hanging over you, even when you’re trying not to think about it.
“Becoming debt-free lifted an enormous weight off my shoulders – I no longer look at money with fear or anxiety.
“I’m much more organised, disciplined and conscious of where my money goes.
“As a mum raising a large family, I still have plenty of expenses, and the rising cost of living affects us just like everyone else.
“But I’ve built habits that help me make our money stretch further.
“I budget carefully, stockpile essentials when they’re at their cheapest and plan ahead rather than waiting until we run out of something.
“I’m certainly not wealthy, but I’ve learned how to make the most of the money I have, and that’s something I’m incredibly proud of.
“My goal is to make sure my children have a holiday every year and to make memories with them as often as I can.
“I think it’s really important to enjoy life, and I certainly don’t believe you should spend your whole life depriving yourself.
“The difference now is that my treats are intentional rather than impulsive.
“I will never go back to spending money without knowing exactly where it’s going.
“I won’t buy things simply because they’re on offer, spend to keep up with other people, or rely on borrowing to fund a lifestyle I can’t afford.
“One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that just because you can afford the monthly payments doesn’t necessarily mean you can afford the purchase.
“I’ll always budget, compare prices, plan ahead, and question whether something is genuinely worth my money.
“Clearing £12,000 of debt took an enormous amount of discipline, and I never want to undo all that hard work.
“My motto now is simple: I’d rather have money in the bank than things in my house that I don’t need.”
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