A Family Law Solicitor On £30,000

Do you worry about money now?
All the time. I found myself in an emotionally, physically and financially abusive relationship which turned really nasty when we bought a house together. Before then, he was nice as pie. He took control of my finances and left me in a significant amount of debt, which I found out about after he left me for a girl he worked with. It turns out that leaving me was the kindest thing he ever did, even though he ripped me off (he kept the house and only paid me back £6,000 of the £15,000 I had put in for the deposit — I was too unwell after the breakup to fight him on it). I worked in very low-paying jobs (at the time I was supporting myself on £17,000 a year) but I have managed to pay off over £20,000 of debt in total. I am sad about what I could have used that money for but I am proud of myself for continuing to pay it off aggressively. I am still in debt but it is the last little bit left to clear. After pushing myself so hard for the last seven years to clear as much as I have, I now try to balance it with having a little bit of a life outside of debt payments. I have never told my family about my debts, due in equal parts to shame and knowing that my dad is hoping to retire soon. They have worked so hard for their money and I am not entitled to take that from them to be comfortable myself.