Need some advice

dancingfairy

A few suggestions for the food bill- have a look at MoneySavingOldStyle board - they are the experts at cutting down on food bills and cleaning -etc.
Buy in bulk where possible -rice,pasta, etc.
Buy value/basics range for most things - tinned tomatoes when they are mixed in for example aren't going to taste any different.
Meal plan and make sure you put in a couple of cheap meals - maybe jacket potatoes with chilli or beans, beans on toast, spaghetti bolognese etc.
As for cleaning - they have this product they rave about on that board called stardrops which apparently will clean everything in sight.
Bulk cooking and freezing or stretching - make chilli say 1 night and then the next night have the leftovers with jacket potatoes etc.
Defnitely head over to OldStyle more more ideas.

Also tumble driers munch electric I believe - can you line dry at all in the nice weather.

Buccaneer

I've read most of the other replies but here's my bit. Is the secured loan with RBS? If so, their ranking for payment comes after your mortgage if they go for a charging order. How much of your mortgage do you have still to pay? You mention a charging order but I can't see that you have been to court yet. If not, then this is just RBS putting the pressure on you. Don't default your mortgage and let RBS reposses the house because you will then have the charges and the balance of the mortgage still to pay.

At the end of the day what do you want to happen? Do you want to stay in the house or do you want to try to sell. If you've not been to court and had a judgement against you then RBS can't stop you selling the house. If they have a judgement against you then there is no reason why you can't go back to court and ask for another payment plan but you need to have some help in doing this. I would suggest that you try CAB with a debt adviser with experience in dealing with repossession/secured loan debt (my old job).

This is all about tactics so don't let RBS run you ragged.

Queen

Thanks for all your comments secured loan is Barclays all upto date no late or missed payments mortgage with A&L no late or missed payments, with regards to mobiles if we swapped to pay as you go we would still be tied into contract, same as sky and home phone until next year so cann't really do a combined package perhaps sky and broadband I will enquire, what I have worried about is that my OH income is not regular enough only earnt £1500 since beginning of April approx £83 per week. Will look at shopping which we have already cut down.

Thanks

blob-blob-blob

You say you're feeding 4 adults? I'm guessing two are you and your OH. Who are the other two?

Oh, and DancingFairy is right about the tumble dryer - you really don't need it at all - even in bad weather. Watch the meter when you're running the tumble dryer - see if that convinces you!

Queen

4 Adults me, my OH 1 son aged 18 full time student and 13 yr old.

Tumble dryer does not seem to use that mutch I have tried this out about 3 units a week but I only use if weather is bad.

Many Thanks

Queen

Thanks for all your comments, when RBS take me to court for the charging order I am worried if the judge sets a higher figure than we can afford our mortgage is on interest only due to go upto £830 1st September but will judge include this as repayment as this is what it should be when my OH returns to work permanantly which the payment then should be nearly £1,000, we don't have any CCJ's at all at the mo but know we will get one from RBS. With regards to electric cann't swap this at the moment as we owe £450 and they will only give 7 days to pay, also I know a lot of people that have swapped and within a few months their monthly payment has increased back to what it was originally so no saving. I fee l better now that I have spoken with national debt line but still worried about the future I have 2 dependants to think about.

Many Thanks

RAS

So the reason the electric is so high, is to pay off the debt?

With respect to other people's comments and the court, you may well not be allowed to count some items in your SOA.

It might be wise to be realistic and accept that you will have to cut your housekeeping , sky, clothes, and phones. Either you do it in a planned manner or you may have to do it on a hurry. Can you reduce any of the packages, and cut the landline usage on the phones?

it really is down to the fact that you need to pay your secured debts first, your utilties and enough for food (you could halve your current budget) and everything else is luxury. If you really, really have to have a car to get to work and there is no public transport, then reduce its usage or see if you can car share.

Queen

With regards to electric in a way yes we wer paying £109 per month and received bill to advise that this can be cut down to £70 per month but has Npower only bill twice a year by the next bill was due we owed more than what we have used I thinks they made a mistake when they said we coulc reduce so therefore instead of being credit we are now in debit so in actual only one missed payment when we changed collection date of dd worked out that we are using 25 units a day which I am told this is average, do not have elcectric heating and cook with gas. Already cut down on usage of car just to and from work not able to car share as I work for a really small company. But what fihure do you think the court will take for mortgage payment on I/O only whilst hubby has ill but intend to conver all to repayment asap once he is back at work but this will mean that the mortgage in total will nearly have doubled since taking this out on a good rate at the mo if the court only take I/O only into account and not repayment we will never have the chance to reduce the mortgage.

Many Thanks

MYLITTLESISTERLOLA

re tumble dryer we use ours to dry all clothes etc 2 adults and a 4 year old and our electricty bill is only £43 per month and we have only one supplier NIE as we live in NI, I have heard our is higher than the Britian so I really can't figure out why yours is so high, I try to switch off as many plugs as I can but 2 x tv and sky stay on all the time and we have energy saving light bulbs in every room. I still think you need to look at this to see whats increasing the cost soo much
Good Luck
MLSL

firesidemaid

i think you will have to reduce all spending to the absolute minimum essentials, you may well be able to just afford everything then?

try taking your incomes, taking off all the debt repayments + essential bills and then living on what is left - you will then have to make the decision between sky and more food. i am not saying this to be harsh, but it is probably doable and may mean that you can keep your house. (i can appreciate that the last few years have been difficult for you)

can your kids help out with jobs/paper-rounds/cleaning neighbours cars or cutting grass?

could you rent a room out? you can then earn about £4000 a year tax free which would completely change your situation around? even rent to a professional etc mon-fri only? are your kids same sex - could they share a room if necessary?

it seems if you can pay off your debts (£454 a month) then you could be back on an even keel again.

good luck x