newbie needing support

wolfbane

this is my first post here so hi all!

i don't know whether this is the right place to post but here goes...

just a few short months ago i had a lovely little life that it now seems was held together by blue tack. a year ago i managed to set up home with my partner and we both had decent enough jobs. to get us going in our home as we had perviously been living with parents i had used my credit cards to get us comfortable. anyway, towards the end of last year i ended up ill which resulted in me eventually losing my job. so things became a bit a struggle with only one wage and my incapacity benefit. i had credit card debts and we had taken on broadband, sky and phones ect (all in my name as my partner couldn't get credit and i dealt with all finances). but keeping up repayments was still just about managable.

however now things have really been flushed down the toilet. my partner for some reason still unknown to me just left out of the blue and has point blank refused to acknowledge the debts we accumilated together.

im currently very heartbroken but at the same time im crippled with debt without the means to pay and am in very real danger of losing my home (although only rented its still my home).

i have 3500 spread across two credit cards
500 overdraft
a two year broadband contract at 30 a month (which was hers not mine-but alas is unfortunately in my name)
a sky contract (now dropped to lowest package)
plus the rent and all utility bills

housing benefit will pay all my rent for 13 weeks (when they get round to coughing up) but then it is capped due to me being under 25 and i will have to pay 42 a week out of a 75 a week income

i have contacted my creditors but currently they just keep piling on missed payment charges (taking me over the limit meaning over limit charges) and not really trying to help

so basically im just hoping for any further advise and a bit of moral support really

Nargleblast

Into each person's life a little rain must fall - sounds like it's monsoon season down your way!

First of all - DON'T PANIC. There are ways and means out of most debt situations

Next: find the link at the top of the forum ( or some kind soul on here might get it for you) and do a full Statement of Affairs (SOA). It will hurt when you look at it, but your head has to go through the pain barrier for you to resolve your problem. Once done, post the SOA and the advice will come flooding in.

We're all with you on this, we've all been in similiar places so hang in there and things will work out. Keep posting.

scaredy_cat

hi, here is the SOA link - http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html
follow the instructions at the bottom for MSE to paste onto here.

Can you call the broadbt to and company and just flatly say you can't afford it and want cancel. They may work out a cheaper package to keep you.

Also, now you are single, call your council tax office to get single persons discount or as you get Incapacity Benefit you might only have to pay a small amount.

Can you sub let room to help with the rent?

Once your SOA is up, we'll be able to see if there are other places to make a saving.

Burlesque_Babe

hi wolfblane

The first thing as Nargleblast says is a Statement of Affairs and pop it all up and we can help with where you can reduce costs and juggle things around.

Sadly your ex can't be chased for anything that is only in your name but if you post your SOA and also what stage the debts are at we can help with a plan. Are they still with the credit card company or are they with a debt collection agency?

Tixy

Hi Wolfbane

Welcome to the DFW board. You have come to the right place for advice. As Nargleblast says many of us have been in similar situations. I'm no expert on the problem with your partner not acknowledging the joint debt but it is something that often crops up on here.

http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

This is the link to the SOA, it does take some time to do finding out all the paperwork to complete it but it really is useful (to you and for us to help you). Try to make sure you include the APRs on your debts in your SOA as this is important. Look forward to seeing you post it and we'll all be around to advise where we can.

Tixy

found_a_bargin

Just wanted to say hello and good luck, the guys on here are fantastic!!

In_Search_Of_Me

Welcome. Sorry to hear that things are so rough for you. As others have said post your SOA and we can see whats wat. It may also be worth you rings cccs and considering a debt management plan as a way of taking some of the pressure off...Re your rental could you get somewhere else cheaper? If you are feeling depressed would go to gp who can arrange some councelling...may be hard to work through things if you dont know why xgf left though...hugs for you...pleanty of people on her eunderstand what its like being in debt and all supporting eachother through it...

fairydiamond

It might not be ideal but have you considered moving back in with your parents? Thats if you all agreed to it?

hypno06

If you are having difficulty getting your creditors to accept reduced payments without stopping interest and charges, it might be worth you having a chat with CCCS. You can do their online "debt remedy" if you prefer to do it this way, rather than by phone. I have spoken to them in the past, although never ultimately gone down this route, and they have been very good - non judgemental, and they are held in high regard on this site. There is also a thread "ask a CCCS counsellor a question" or something similar, so you can ask questions or look through and see if someone else has already asked, which might be a help.

Also, have a look at the "up your income" board on here, and on the "make £10 a day challenge" - the more you can get in before the housing benefit limit kicks in the better. There are loads of ideas there - some more fiddly than others, but all doable. A few quid here and there adds up and will give you something to fall back on, or to throw at the debts to get them cleared more quickly.

Hope that helps - as others have said, an SOA is a good place to start.

Numpty_Monkey

Hi wolfsbane some of your story is similar to mine , mainly the ex partener, and skip a year or 2 I'm on benefits

So take heart you are not alone, has the other poster have proved
Are you sure you are getting all the benefits you can .

Like hypno suggests call CCCS or any of these in this linky Non-profit Debt Counsellors' List

You are not alone and we will help:A

Nargleblast

Ten out of ten for debtbusters anonymous - hope Wolfbane returns to let us know how things are progressing.