Paid off £24k debt in 18 months and now have £250k saved'

Sammie Ellard King, 36, said he paid off £24,000 of student-debt within 18 months and has since built £250,000 in savings, after a spiral that began in university. He took out a student overdraft and credit card, using money on clothes and alcohol to “fit in,” until interest repayments consumed a third of his wages by age 25. With his credit score damaged, he couldn’t even secure a mobile contract and was blocked from renting a flat. His turning point came in June 2014. He worked on side hustles for up to six hours a day, later continuing the extra work and saving. He has launched the Gains app to help people track spending.