Help!

Surfer_Chick

Hi

I am currently struggling with my OH re debts.

I currently have about £6k on CC's and a £2.5k personal loan.

My OH wants me to pay off asap and I agree with him but where we disagree is that he thinks my entire salary should go towards this (he forgets that there are DD's coming out for loan, childcare etc etc).

My debt build up while on maternity leave and a subsequent period of Post natal depression and then guilt at going back to work and leaving DS.

I have set myself a budget of £80 a week for petrol & sundries and allow myself the odd £50 primark spree as a treat - once a month max.

I pay off £350-£500 a month from debt but OH still thinks this is not enough. He is currently paying mortgage and has made comments that I am currently only the hired help around the house as I don't pay anything.


Any constructive advice gratefully received.

Thanks

tyllwyd

Saying that you are only the 'hired help' is not exactly a postitive (or even a pleasant) attitude for him to take when you have a young son together. Apart from anything else, has he ever seen the figures they give now and again of the cost of employing someone to take the place of a housewife (cleaning, childcare etc etc) to remind people that they need to take out life insurance. Just because some of the work that you do doesn't get paid in cash that doesn't mean it doesn't have a value to the family.

If it was me, I think your first step is to do a budget putting in both of your salaries, and showing all the debts, so that as a family you have a realistic buget for how much will get paid off each month. Unless he is a high earner, I would be really really surprised if you find that you can manage on his salary alone, and he has to be more realistic.

There is a good SOA (statement of affairs = budget calculator) at the makesenseofcards website.

vikki400

I would say that if he thinks you are the hired help he should pay you!

Serioulsy, you have to set a payment plan that you can stick to without making you miserable (and therefore more likely to break it in a big spending splurge) a bit like a diet. Crash diets never work, but changing your lifestyle will help you shed the debt and stop it building up. It sounds to me you are going about this the right way.