Debt help

Garyh79

Ras, Gemmzie, I'll be £8.97 up a month

Gemmzie

That's good, all helps.

Any chance of reducing your mobile contract soon?

Garyh79

Sadly not, had to go for 18 month contract to get a good deal. Feb 09 is the next renewal date.

Garyh79

I have cut down on my going out so much, it's hard to cut it down any further, I mean its my brothers birthday in April for a start so I can't not go out.

boo80

I know, I'm 28 and feel really bad if I can't make a birthday and there are some you just can't miss. It just seems such a shame to miss your payments by so little each month, mine was £300 short each month lol! Boo.x

Gemmzie

Car insurance - could you go third party? have you got the best deal.
Medicals fairly high too, if this is prescriptions can you get a pre-payment certificate?

Garyh79

My car insurance is 3rd party and I am a named driver on my dads policy. I havent had a car for 2 years and previsouly has company cars for 5 years before that.

Medical I can't change unfortunately. Wish I could

blueye

you can save the money you need on your shopping. im saving that way, i used to spend about 60 a week on food and stuff now i do one big shop a month and plan my meals so no wastage, i only spent 71 this month and thats for two of us. ( i do try to hide my face while im reaching for the value toilet roll though lol)

Garyh79

I can knock a bit more off the shopping, hard though isnt it when you are skimping on EVERYTHING in life, its nice to have a little treat now and again.

I'm gonna start aiming for £60 on shopping this month.

RAS

gary

Some random thoughts.

Please read this missive from martin, http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/protect/make-money there may be ways of getting a few quid a month more or you and ANother getting some treatsM

Go over to the Old style Money Saving forum and explain your circs and ask for help with menus. If your house mate is also stoney broke and you get on, think about sharing some meals and menu plan. That way you can afford to splash out sometimes aND invite people to eat chez moi once every week or two and hopefully get invites back.

At any point in the last 6 years have you had to pay late payment or penalty chaRGES ON ANY ACCOUNT?

Ditto, have you ever paid PPI on any account, current or closed?

If so check out the reclaim forum here http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/

Join www.freecycle.org for stuff - like e-bay but free.

From your post i guess you are relatively young? Do you still have stuff in the loft at your folks house, stuff yourself that you could sell?

And do join some of the DFW challenges. Either a payment or day or the £10 challenge.

Finally, and I NEVER thought I would say this, think about impaired credit cards?

I cant quite get why you are so keen to maintain your credit rating and you have taken a welcome loan at a truely dire APR? Are you on the electoral roll? Are you linked to someone who has a dire credit rating?

Check your credit rating.

could you get a credit card with a half decent APR (say 16%). Gradually transfer £1000 over to that and things start to improve. if that is not an option even the impaired cards at 36% become inviting.