debt problems ruining my life

Mentalminis_2

Hi Everyone

I have huge debt problems currently, mainly with credit cards, my problem being i have been in and out of work for the last 3years, and with each job change i have had to take a cut in wage, i am now only working part time at the local tesco's superstore filling shelves to try and make ends meet.... it is fine come this time of year because there is plenty of overtime to be had, i am just worried about what will happen after christmas, because my income is massively less than my outgoings excluding my creditors and i just cant get my hands on the kind of money they want (£400 for just 1 card). now i realise that it is my fault i am in this situation and am not blubbing on this score, however am finding it difficult to find more/better postions of employment.

I am currently talking to both CAB and National Debtline and they have both adviced for obvious reasons that i go down a nil payment route regarding my creditors, i am also going to be looking into renting out my spare room, I have sent out letters to all my creditors and non seem willing to give me a break for a couple of months until i can get myself turned around and all are threating to sell my debt on to other companys, they won't even freeze my accounts, so whilst i can actually afford to give them any money what so ever, they wont even stop the debt from increasing on me.

has anyone been succesful in getting a nil payment scheme setup with there creditors, i am currently looking at renting a room out and trying to get either another part time job or 1 full time job, but obviously these things take time.

any help would be much appreciated because i feel as though i'm knocking my head against a brick wall and don't really want to end up with a huge black mark next to my name if i can help it.

Icey

skintchick

You are doing the right thing in getting help.

If you post your incomings and outgoings for a normal month, perhaps we can help a bit?

What are your skills/training? What is it that you think is stopping you getting the job you want?

Perhaps we can suggest some careers for you?!

Mentalminis_2

Right, i know someone will probably ask me for this so, here we go...1 personnal budget, i have sent these figures out to my creditors also, everything is based on weekly figures.

Income = £98.49

Outgoings

Mortgage £80.42
Council Tax £15.52 (includes 25% deduction)
Water Rates £3.75
Buildings/contents insurance £7.94
Life insurance £4.52
Gas £2.50
Electric £5.00
Housekeeping (food, cleaners, petfood) £35.00
Tv licence £4.61
Traveling expenses (petrol,insurance,road tax,mot) £40
clothing £2.00
Laundry £2.00
Telephone/Mobile phone/broadband £12.00

total outgoings £215.26

income 98.49
take away
outgoings 215.26

money left for creditors £-116.77

debts as of close of business yesterday

£1,161.59
£4,166.26
£2,777.38
£996.10

total £9,101.33

Mentalminis_2

didn't get my last post in quick enough...lol

as for my skills and training, well i don't actually have any qualifications as such, just some rather sorry looking GCSE's

i feel the thing thats holding back my employment prospective is the fact that back in December 2002 i was sacked from a job for poor time keeping and illness (depression) i have since cleaned up my act of course realising the world aint so rosy as i thought back then, but i just don't seem to be getting given a break..... my main work is factory work but i would like to get out of that enviroment if at all possible.... it just so happens no factorys are taking on workers at this present time.

skintchick

OK, could you stop paying the life insurance for a while? I reckon you need that money more than you need the insurance right now.

The housekeeping seems high. I have one cat and spend £15 a week for food on us, and that includes if I need some cleaning products which I assume is what you mean by cleaners? If you mean like Molly Maids then stop using them!

I think you have to not have a clothing allowance right now.

Is laundry for a laundrette? If so, could you, for the moment, wash by hand at home? I did this for months when I lived in a place with no machine, and it is tedious but do-able.

Telephone/Mobile phone/broadband £12.00 - this is 48 a month! You need to cut back on this - perhaps ditch internet for now, or go on PAYG dial up to cut costs. Phones also need to be slashed.

Clearly, even this won't make much difference, but every little helps, as your employer says!

And keep with the professional help - you will get through this. x

skintchick

Mentalminis wrote:

didn't get my last post in quick enough...lol

as for my skills and training, well i don't actually have any qualifications as such, just some rather sorry looking GCSE's

i feel the thing thats holding back my employment prospective is the fact that back in December 2002 i was sacked from a job for poor time keeping and illness (depression) i have since cleaned up my act of course realising the world aint so rosy as i thought back then, but i just don't seem to be getting given a break..... my main work is factory work but i would like to get out of that enviroment if at all possible.... it just so happens no factorys are taking on workers at this present time.

How old are you? Which GCSEs? Also, what SKILLS do you have? eg I can type, do shorthand, good on the phone, so those are transferable skills.

Are you good with your hands? Got a skill you could teach others like dance or an instrument? Think laterally and put it all down, maybe we can help with career ideas.

Mentalminis_2

i knew the house keeping would raise some eyebrows..... i was told to put this figure in by the national debtline, and got told of when i told her i only spend £15 a week max on my house keeping..... as this is going out to my creditors then i thought i had best do as i was told, same goes for the clothes.... i haven't bought clothes for 3yrs but they said to put it in the budget even if it's only a little bit...... errrrr what else was there.... oh yes laundrette, this is for use of their tumble dryer, i actually wash it at home but have no means of getting it dry at home during the winter so i have to use the tumble dryers.... as regards to the phone bills, i am looking at swapping to a pay as you go mobile phone instead of contract and i was pleasently suprised with this months phone bill of £12.75.... Bearing in mind that not 2 years ago it was well into 3 figures per month

skintchick

I don't use my tumble drier, and manage to dry my clothes by putting them on an airer.

Sounds like you are doing well - you need a better job clearly as that's the only way out of this. Any thoughts on your skills?

Mentalminis_2

i'm 25yrs of age.....

my gcse's range in the D's and F's

skills i would say were

friendly manner, good communication skills, good at working with hands, excelent pacients, attention to details, i can use a computer to a reasonable level, i have completed new clait level 1, but am actually beyond that in actual skills but only got the paper for the level 1.
i have a full clean drivers licence and enjoy driving (doesn't include the 7.5ton licence)

am not very good at this part of thinking about myself so i think thats about it unfortunatly

Mentalminis_2

i could air my clothes.... would take me 3 days for a load to dry however and what with the dog it would be covered in fur again by the time it was dried, have no central heating in the property at present, my only source of heat being one gas fire located in the through lounge/diner and a small electric oil heater in the bathroom.

moonbeam682

Hi Mentalminis

I was wondering if your part time job at Tescos is 30 hours a week or more because as you are 25 you could try applying for working tax credit. If it isn't maybe it will be over Christmas?