New Debt Free Wannabe!

laurenjs88

Morning Guys & Gals

I'm a 20yr old single mum, My daughter is a whole 1 year old in 13 days!

I'm in debt, due to a bad relationship, I was put £6k in debt at 16, although that is cleared now its completly scuppered my credit file for the next 4-5 years and as such im just getting into more debt.

Im currently standing at oweing

£97 left of £970 to Vodafone
£470 to Anglian Water
£235 to Eon
£36. 45 to Avon < payment mix up, they've mucked up there. But they have put £ 96 on my credit file??
£2220 to Family
£800 & something budgeting loans back to the jobcentre @ £6.77 a week

Standing total at £3858.45

I have no credit cards, no catalouges, nothing that you actually can have with credit

Anglian water & e-on are trying to take me to court, ive had an ongoing dispute with Anglian water about having a meter put in which they wont do,so i wont pay £48 quid a month for water when im using less etc..

So i want to up my income by £500 a month to get my debts paid off by next christmas. I'm currently not working and on IS etc.. but want to get out of the benefit trap once ive got out of this bum hole of a flat and moved into a town.

I need to up my income to pay off some debts & find some way of boosting my credit file asap!

Hope to get some tips and pointers from you guys & give some of my own once ive got this debt moving!

Lauren :j

looktothefuture

HI Lauren,

Firstly I just wanted to say... well done for trying to get off benefits! It amazes me how easy it is to become a benefit bunny (or so my partners ex calls herself!) :T Your little girl will be so proud of her mummy when she gets older!

There is many ways of making a little bit of extra cash: daily clicking, cashback sites, mystery shopping to name but a few but I'm no expert and I'm sure a more clued up member can help you further.

I too am at the bottom of my debt ladder and just starting to climb up it - hell it took me a year to open my mail...I'm getting there, albeit slowly!

Keep writing in your diary daily, post your SOA (Statement of Affairs) http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=107280 (for newbies) and members will come along and give suggestions on where they feel you may need some help.

I'll be keeping an eye on your diary so please let us know how you are getting on!:D

laurenjs88

Is this my diary then?

Cool..

"Captians Log, Star date 25th november 2008" :P

After wasting at least £10 on phone calls, i have managed to get Avon to pick up the £34.60 worth of products they should of collected in October, They will now be coming on the 2nd of December, so that is one debt i can consider cleared today.

Although its not going to come off my credit file untill the new year.

Also talking to a very helpful woman at Anglian Water, who is finally getting someone to come out and re-survey the property to see if i have a meter or need one fitted, She is also going to try and back date the meter payment to feb (when i moved in) so i expect my water bill to drop around £100 to £327.57 which i will then start to pay off.

Miss_Piggy_2

Hello and welcome to the forum!

As others have said, well done on wanting to come off of benefits!

There are lots of ways to boost your income. Every day I do competitions, complete surveys, ebay stuff etc. Doesn't come to a huge amount but every little helps.

Good luck!

Miss P
xx

laurenjs88

Miss_Piggy wrote: »

Hello and welcome to the forum!

As others have said, well done on wanting to come off of benefits!

There are lots of ways to boost your income. Every day I do competitions, complete surveys, ebay stuff etc. Doesn't come to a huge amount but every little helps.

Good luck!

Miss P
xx

I do alot of surveys & some slice the pie etc...

Cant do ebay as my ever so helpful ex manged to get me into 4.5K worth of debt to ebay sellers & paypal. (all now paid off!!)

Im well black listed on there!

I hate being on benefits & as much as i love my daughter bless her i get so frustrated being around her 24/7

I no bad bad mother. But she's a little social butterfly as well and loves being away from me a few hours here and there so i figure if i go back to work part-time and get off benefits we both win.

Dex

Hey Laurenjs88,

Congrats on getting rid of a debt, thats the best way to tackle it just one at a time, don't let it overface you.
Have a look at the make £10 a day thread for november, this challenge runs once a month as is full of ideas for making a few extra pounds (and they really do add up!)

Good luck with your journey.

Dex

Dex

laurenjs88 wrote: »

I no bad bad mother. But she's a little social butterfly as well and loves being away from me a few hours here and there so i figure if i go back to work part-time and get off benefits we both win.

You are not a bad mother, everyone is different and there is nothing wrong with being honest.

I had a lively 'debate' with the MIL (and I dont even have kids yet) because I don't believe I could be at home all the time yet she thinks I should be... luckily OH agrees with me.... everyone has there own way, and I think it's great that you don't want to stay on benefits i've known people in the past that got into an awful cycle of being able to get more from benefits than going out to work, which I think is terrible

Good luck:D

Dex

Ames

Be careful trying to up your income while on IS, a lot of the ways of doing it have to be declared and might end up costing you more if they knock it off what you get. They're great ideas for when you're in work, but it's a catch 22 if you're not.

laurenjs88

I havnt really been earning anything yet, what i have earned is tied up on the site untill i reach the minimum payouts!!

Oh well...

Im starting a degree in Feb with Open Uni so its going to be busy busy next year!!

dancingfairy

Have you thought about popping your SOA up here?
Is there anyone who can look after your little on for a bit of time each week so you can fit in a part time job at all? Not sure if this will make you much better off but worth looking into.
df

halight

Hi,

I just wont to say welcome and good luck with what you are doing!!!!

Keep us all updated on how you are getting on and we will post any help we can offer to you

All the best