Need help, all out of ideas

cap_picard

Hello to you all, I am writing in here as I need some advice on what I should do with my debt situation. Over the last few years I have had alot of things gone wrong in my life and it's lead to me being in debt, and unitl recently I've been able to keep it all under control but now the situation has got out of hand and I don't know how to start helping myself. I earn a measly £750 a month in a minimum wage job. I live at home with my parents and luckily I only have to pay £50 a month rent. I already have a high apr loan with welcome finance for £5500 over 5 years, this I have been paying off for 6 months now and this costs me £195 a month. I also have 2 credit cards, one a capital one card, this is almost maxed out with £1400 and I also have a paypal credit card which nearly has £2000 on it. I have a mobile contract which costs me £35 a month, this isn't due to end until feb 09. My money soon runs out as I have to run a car and I also have a child who doesn't live with me. I never miss the payment on my loan but often I am unable to make the payment on my credit cards in time, then they go over the limit and im charged so I have to make a big payment to get them back under the limit, I never have any money left to save for my child or to do anything with. I used to be addicted to cannabis and I'd just go the cash machine, try take money out on my credit cards just to get £10 out for the night as thats how much it cost me to smoke it so the capital one credit card has lots of cash advancement's on it. I've had this habit for almost 10 years and it's totally ruined my life, financialy and socialy. Recently I thought enough was enough and that I had to grow up and take responsibility for my child and myself. I went away to cornwall by myself for 2 weeks and managed to kick the habit as I couldn't do it around my friends. Im aged 26 in a crummy job, living with my parents and im completely broke all the time. I want to sort things out but it feels like i've left it too late i can't seem to start getting the debt down on the credit cards. I tried applying for a virgin credit card to transfer the balance of a card but I got turned down as I've missed payment dates, been over the limit, im in my overdraft of £500 all the time and I just don't know what to do. Its all I think about im constantly worrying about money and I want to be able to save money for once for my child and other things. There's no way I could get a loan from my bank as my credit rating isn't great, idealy I'd like to get rid of the 2 cards with a loan, or get a big loan and just have 1 payment every month but I doubt anyone would lend me that amount. Im really out of idea's so im open to all advice. Now im not on the cannabis i can think clearer and I actually want to get out of the trouble im in but i feel it's too late my credit's not going to help me sort it all out.
Any help would be greatly appreticiated.
If you need any more information let me know.
rivageeza

hypno06

Welcome aboard!

You should be really proud of the fact that you have faced up to your problem and are doing something about the cannebis habit.

Now that you are able to think clearly it will make a huge difference to your life - you can really start to make good steps going forward.

First of all, I would suggest you give CCCS a call, or use their online Debt remedy thingy online. Their website is at the top of this page. Make sure it is the charity CCCS that you are dealing with - there are others with similar sounding names which are absolute sharks.

CCCS will give you your options, and will help you negotiate with your creditors. This will give you enough room to pay what you can but to still be able to "live".

You have taken a very important step. Don't give up - you can do this.

cap_picard

Thank you for the fast response, I shall give them a call but I want that to be a last option as I don't want things coming through the post with Debt written all over them as my parents can't find out my situation they have no idea. As I don't have anything to do on a night now I don't smoke it im considering doing pizza delivery a few nights a week as an extra £250 or so a month would allow me to not miss payments and pay off more than the minimum. I also came across this site :- http://debtadvisorycentre.co.uk/debtmanagement.asp and this sounds like it could be useful, if I could have it all in 1 monthly payment that would work but I don't know if they would accept me??
Kind regards
rivageeza

hypno06

CCCS will let you make one monthly payment to them and have a great deal of respect on this site. Also, some of their advisors are members of the site so are available for help most of the time.

They are also used to helping people who are trying to keep things from a partner or parents etc, so they will advise what is best for you to do in order to keep it quiet from your folks.

You could make a start by seeing what it says on their debt remedy website - it would give you an idea of how much they think you can really afford to pay each month - you don't have to go along with it - there is never any pressure from them, but it is a starting point.

Of course, any way of upping your income to help with the debts is also fab, and to be honest would be my preferred way of doing things! There is a part of this site called "up your income" which will give you loads of ideas for part time stuff that will fit around the rest of your commitments - some only earns a few pence or pounds, but it all adds up and really makes the difference.

This site provides great support - if you stick around you will get some of the best advice ever!!

piglet39

rivageeza wrote: »

Thank you for the fast response, I shall give them a call but I want that to be a last option as I don't want things coming through the post with Debt written all over them as my parents can't find out my situation they have no idea. rivageeza

Hiya rivageeza

Post from the debt charities doesn't have 'debt' written all over it I promise you! My stuff from Nat Debtline came in an A4 (v chunky) unmarked envelope. Just wanted to reassure you. This info pack from them turned my life around (sadly hadn't discovered this forum before!) so please don't worry about every one knowing.

Please keep posting and listen to the peeps on the forums - they really know their stuff.

Piglet

mummytofour

WOW you are amazing, look how much you have accomplished with kicking the drugs by yourself!!!

Right now you need to call up the cccs and get some advice they will help you sort this horrid mess out and that will be a weight off you mind.

This is the bossy part.. Get yourself an education or training for a carer your time is now and now is the time to move on, you can do it a fresh start and a new life :-)

I failed all my GCSES and dossed around when younger got married young and 5 children later finally managed to get my butt back to school! I have spend the last two years doing key skills in English and maths followed by an Access course. I am off to Uni in Sep and the first in my family to do so. I will be training for a profession so I hope that at the end of Uni I will be able to get a job.

cap_picard

Well I have got myself into a nursing training course it begins in january, I think I did this out of desperation as I need to get myself on a decent wage, but im not sure if it's really what I want to do. My love is computers, but course prices are ridiculous, I have from now until january to try get into a computing job as that is what I want to do I just don't know how to go about it. Maybe there is another forum that could help me here. For example if there was a way to sit the exam cheap and learn it myself etc. Thank you all for your help and idea's.

redrach

I dont really have much advice to offer with regards to the debt, but I used to smoke a lot of canabis to, so well done for getting rid of that. I feel great for it (although i still get hallutionations sometimes!!)

So well done and keep it up

Rachael xxx

mum2one

You have done so well, you have come so far in a short time, the thing is computers may be the route you want to go down, have you tried learn Direct, there a goverment body, and will advise you, or try your local college as they do courses for adultys of all ages and you can apply for financial help towards your course, you could study say 1 day a week, a couple of evenings etc, you study to suit yourself.

I dont mean to sound awful, you say you have applied for nurseing, is that what you really want are are you looking for a means to an end, the reason i ask, is nurseing from the training side, is basic money as its not classed as an income but more as a bursary, i know a lot of nurses take on 2nd jobs to get them through.

def agree with everyone saying go down the line of cccs, although there are lot of debt mgt companies, basically the first 1 to 3 mths go to them as admin fee, the a % of your monthly spend goes to them for the arrangement fee.

Your never to old to start a frresh and study, I'll be honest i blew my gcse's as I discovered nightclubs and was going through a difficult time personally, but as 25 I went back to college one day a week,it was for 18 mths and achieved a HNC Business, then at 35, I started an Open Uni course, Iv achieved a Certificate in Business and a Certificate in law. I became a single parent at 31, my dd is my life, I want her to be pround of me. x

MrsTinks

I think everyone has said it - it's never too late to do something about it.
A DMP - Debt Management Plan - will invariably lead to your creditors contacting your house by letter and phone and even in person... So no matter whether a fee paying company or free charity you can't avoid that. And please please don't pay someone to do what the charities can do so much better and for free!
Ok... back to business... You need to up your income - simple as.
Nursing is hard work and not that well paid, computing - as someone who works in IT it's not that great unless you are unusually gifted - I'm not so I've moved into management and client relations Make of that what you will hehehe
However - I did used to run a tech support team of over 20 agents and I have hired people from all walks of life - I had the view that I could teach them technical stuff, I couldn't teach them people skills - either you have that or you don't. I've hired waiters, shop assistants and mums that were returning to work after 8 years... So if it's what you want to do it IS possible.

Personally I don't think that without qualifications it's the way to go at the moment. But you could look at the OU - you might qualify for free courses etc due to your income.

I don't know what line of work you're in at the moment but is there any chance of getting a pay rise? Can you look around for another job that pays more?

dawn2dusk

Well done and the fact you have faced up to your problem. Please do not take up nursing if you really cannot see a future in it, you are denying someone else. Look at courses that intererest you and you are more likely to complete these courses. It is not a race, it is your future that you need to decide.:D