Please Help Me

mmackay20040

Hi
this is my first time on here. I'm in a really rubbish situation and really need some help. Firstly, last Christmas I was in around £15,000 of debt. I have now managed to reduce that to £11,700. Anyway, other than the fact that I am still trying to make these payments and as a result, have no money 1 week after I get paid!! My partner boooked a holiday at valentines day as a surprise and we are going in 2 weeks. I am not financially able to take spending money out of my wages as every penny is spent on bills. Is there ANYWHERE where I could get a small loan for spending money without having to pay the £60 fee just for getting it?? (i.e. welcome finance's horrible scams!) I'm so so confused about it and I really don't know what to do. I'm stressed out about it ALL the time and am, as a result, dreading the holiday which I should be looking forward to as it's seriously overdue!! Any advice on anything??

Thanks.

M xxx

OberonSH

Hi, welcome, first off get a cuppa and calm down. Nothing is un-sortable.

Well done on getting your debt down. That's a great achievement and you should be proud.

Does your partner know about your debt? If so, why not just have a word with her/him? Tell them that you've been paying o this debt, and therefore have nothing to spend on this holiday. I wouldn't go and get a loan - you'll be getting back to square one.

I things are that bad, have you over committed yourself? Is it worth writing to your creditors and telling them you need to drop your payments. Why not write up your budget (statement of aairs) - inlcude your debts and payments etc and we'll see if we can save you a bit of cash in the long run, so at least you can have a bit of breathing space.

frazzmunch

have a look around your house and see what you could ebay / car boot...not necassarily ideal but better than getting yourself into more debt...:o

sorry that i am not a lot of help but want to wish you luck anyway!!

mmackay20040

Yes my partner knows about my situation but theres nothing they can do to help it. I've looked for things to sell but there isn't anything of any slight value. I really don't know what to do. I don't know where to start with writing to my creditors etc and I wouldn't know what to say. How likely are they to even accept a lower payment??? I'm so confused and the whole situation is really getting to me even more so than when my level of debt was higher. :huh:

OberonSH

Well, you're in the right place sweetheart. Friend o mine had this problem - went mad throwing money at debts, and let herself short. Right, get that tea I was talking about, a piece of paper, pen and calculator.

Sit down and write out what goes out - the essentials. Rent, food, council tax etc - the stuf you have to pay. Not debts. The stu you need to live. Then the stu that you could do with - and I'm not talking about a new telly! Like an emergency und, in case the boiler blows up. Clothes. Haircuts. A creditor is not going to make you go a year without new clothes or a haircut! You're in debt, not the wandering hermit.

Then whaever's left, split it amongst your creditors. There's template letters on here, so you can write to them all. Tell them you've had a change of circumstances, and enclose a copy of your new budget, so they can see - they'll probably ask or it anyway. Enclose the first payment if you can. Get it set up on direct debit, and get on with your life. Might stretch it out a bit, but you'll have enough money to live on.

I have to ask - the holiday was booked in February, so for next time could you maybe start putting a little bit aside each month a long way beorehand? We're planning a holiday in 2010, and have already started putting aside for it - sounds very premature but it's the only way to make sure there's no last minute worries. Have to say, think it's a bit thoughtless of partner to book a holiday knowing you're in debt.

As for sorting out this holiday - I would ebay anything, even if you don't think it's worth a lot. I just sold a camera bag - bought for £3 in a charity shop for £30. Some people will buy anything. How about approaching friends and family for odd jobs to make the cash? 2 weekends of mowing lawns could help. Are you going abroad?

doodledo_2

Some good advice given already.

Definately worth looking into Ebay for selling bits as fairly instant cash if you stick things on for a short number of days. Check what you have to see if they sell as you will be amazed what sells, something you consider trash someone else might consider treasure.

Are you going abroad? Is it all inclusive etc. We spent very little on hols as spent most of the day just chilling by the pool and food and drink is much cheaper where we went (Spain) than here.

Don't forget you won't be spending any money whilst you away on the normal spends at home such as petrol, food etc so you can use that as part of your spending money.

Is there a family member that you could borrow off short term. I know its not nice to ask but better than getting an pay day loan or similar.

GeorgeUK

Are you meeting your minimum payments right now?
Are all your debts at 0% or can you not get a promtional offer on a card?

Just wondered if it was possible to get a card like the Barclaycard cashback card. If you will not be able to afford the minimum payments if you add more debt though, the only other card i can think of that may be worth getting is the Virgin money card. 3% BT fee and 3% minimum payment in 1st month, but only £25 minimum after that until 15th month.

Sorry this isn't much help, but can't really think of what else you cold do.

mmackay20040

Thanks for your comments. I know that I should have been putting money aside since I found out about the holiday but it's not been that easy. There's been a lot of things needing paid recently. I don't allow any money for clothes or haircuts. If my hair needs done, my friend does it for me when she's available. As for clothes, I just have old ones I've had for a long time but they still do. I've said that I dont' want to book another holiday until a time when we can afford one, whether that is in 2 or 25 years, I just can't go through this again. I was quoted at lunchtime for a loan and it was at a ridiculous rate. We are going to tunisia, we're half board to only need spending money and money for lunch and drinks. We also live on an island and even to get to the airport, it is going to cost over £200 with the ferry, the car and fuel. My partner doesn't drive so never thinks of these costs!! There isn't a family member I can borrow off and I can't get a credit card because my credit rating is far from perfect. To be fair, I've sacrificed a lot to make sure I can afford my minimum payments and whenever I can, I pay extra. Our flat has no heating, just one plug in heater and there's no running hot water, only the electric shower!! But it saves on electricity bills!! Until today, the hydro man came to change out meter as apparantly its not been changed in years and we had a very cheap rate. To be fair, we've spent £6.50 on electricity in the last 5 weeks! But now he's put it to current rates and changed everything so that's more expense. Running out of ideas now and desperately need something for this holiday. :mad:

LoulaBelle

Is there anyway you can get an extra part time job to tide you over? As you are going to be half board I suggest eating a huge breakfast and if there are things like cakes at breakfast smuggle them away in your bag for lunchtime and have a huge dinner. Also take some food with you for your lunches - keep it simple - we went away earlier in the year and my 2 year old son had to have his 'wheetabix' so we took a huge 24 pack with us and he had them at lunchtimes - we also brought a loaf of bread and some cheese at village shop and had that in our apartment for lunch rather than the costly pool bar - some days we brought lunch but it was just simple things like chips - we saved ourselves for the 2 meals included in the price. Oh and we took tea/coffee and sugar & a travel kettle - so glad we did as it was 2.50 Euro's a coffee and my husband gets ill if he doesn't have his fix of coffee!

mmackay20040

Well, nothings straightforward!! I did have a part time job. I was working 9am-17:30 at my full time job 5 days a week and 17:45 - 00:00 4 nights a week (waitressing - kitchen downstairs and dining room up 2 flights!!). Now, that was great, although physically it was hard going. But I'm a diabetic and it was far too much for me and I ended up being on antibiotics at least once a month sometimes 2 doses a month from last september to this august. So I had to give that up as my body wasn';t coping and being diabetic, infections lead to all sorts of associated complications and it wasn't very good at all. So........ of course, being diabetic, I have to make sure I eat regularly and proper meals. So can't go skipping anything. Also, I've looked into applying for another part time job but there isn't anything suitable. All the jobs available are either physically hard going (which in the long term is no good at all) or asking for too many hours which I cannot do as again, it's my body that takes the toll and I become ill!!! :mad: :eek:

RAS

Hi

if you are diabetic, you really need to be very careful about infections, so do not overdo it.

have a look here http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/protect/make-money

for ideas on things that do not knacker you.

Also, what about your partner getting a part-time job to help towards costs?

Can you get the rough guide etc out of the library and check whether you can get to the island without a car?

Think carefully about what you need for lunch to keep your diabetes under control and try and take some of that with you in your case.

And have a look at last month's £10 per day challenge for inspiration. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1057775

and sign up for www.freecycle.org for a while to see if you can get some clothes. Likely to be some up afte the holiday season is over.