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Help!!

Originally Posted by sheba28
Not quite sure how to use this forum but here goes. I am in a dilema as I have found myself in a bit of debt. I have a credit card Tescos not the problem as paying the minimum payments each month for now. I have a bank account and am £1100 overdrawn. Problem is that the halifax are going to start charging £1 a day for this £30 a month. I would like to clear the overdraft and pay off some parking fines and have thought about another credit card or now possibly a low interest loan. Do you have any ideas. Please could you advise me. Thanks.

Comments

  • Tixy
    Tixy Posts: 31,455 Forumite
    Hi Sheba and welcome

    There are a few options regarding your debts. I would suggest you open a new bank account with no overdraft with another bank and switch your income/dds to this account. Then write to Halifax to offer an affordable monthly repayment of the overdraft. You can also ask if they will freeze interest and charges at this point. Then set up a standing order for the monthly amount. This will make sure you are actually repaying the debt.

    Another option if you have a good credit report could be a 0% super balance transfer credit card. This type of card allows you to transfer money from the card to your current account so you could move the overdraft to the card. But again you need to then set up payments to clear the balance be the time the 0% runs out not just pay the minimum. Here is a list of SBT cards - http://www.stoozing.com/sbt.php -if you get turned down for one, don't keep applying as that can also affect you credit report.

    With regards to your tesco credit card if you just pay the minimum it can take decades to repay the account. If possible always pay slightly more than the minimum.

    To work out how much you can afford to offer halifax each month write a monthly income & expenditure account (this is a good calculator as it reminds you to include everything - http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html ) you will see it gives a figure at the bottom as amount left for debt repayments.

    If you are showing as a negative figure at this point then you are spending more than you have coming in and need to look to make savings somewhere.
    If you post the details on here people are likely to be able to find places you can make savings or suggest areas to cutback.
    A smile enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give
    or "It costs nowt to be nice"
  • bazwod
    bazwod Posts: 89 Forumite
    Great advice from Tixy there....the SOA is the way to go. At least you're calling it a bit of debt and hopefully it's something that you can just nail ASAP, get sorted and move on from. SOA is the best way for now to people to give you advice!!
    A&L OD: £968.60 (18/11/09)
    Sainsbury's Loan: £6859.98 (18/11/09)
    Virgin CC: £2123.22 (18/11/09) £2097.34 20/11/09
    Zopa Loan: £6865.57 (18/11/09)
    TOTAL: £16,817.37 not incl Bank of M&D!
    :eek::mad::eek::mad::eek::mad::eek::mad::eek: but WILL do it this time!!!!
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