A pub manager from Putney, south west London, eliminated £7,800 of debt within eight months by subsisting on Tesco pate and white bread for every meal, but the extreme diet caused her to gain significant weight.
How the Debt Accumulated
Lauren Finn, now 28, first fell into debt at age 26 after a failed business venture left her with about £1,000 in debt. She then entered full-time work but continued overspending, accumulating £3,000 by age 26. A broken leg that left her unable to work for eight months forced her onto statutory sick pay, which she described as insufficient for London living costs. By August 2024, her total debt had reached £7,800.
The Drastic Savings Plan
With only £40 per week for food for herself and her partner, who was still a university student, Finn chose to eat 40p Tesco Brussels pate with the cheapest white bread for every meal. She explained that cheese was too expensive, ham did not stretch as far, and pate offered more flavour than plain bread and butter. In addition to her diet, she sold her car for £800, stopped using the Tube in favour of a £1.75 bus, moved into her partner's university halls with three other men to save on rent, and sold clothes online. She also played online games for up to 10 hours a day to earn gift cards, which she used to buy food, work clothes, and cat food.
Physical and Mental Impact
The combination of a poor diet and immobility due to her broken leg caused Finn's weight to increase from a size 12 to a size 18/20 over eight months to a year. She described the debt as having a massive mental impact, leaving her feeling behind her peers who were buying houses and having children. She coped by drinking and partying to numb the feeling of being behind.
Clearing the Debt
By April 2025, after eight months of scrimping, Finn had completely cleared the debt. She described the feeling as amazing and immediately booked a holiday. She now uses her TikTok account to raise awareness about debt and reduce the stigma, emphasising that many people carry debt but do not talk about it. She encourages her generation to normalise not having all the money and to feel free from the pressure to always spend.
