My debts - in need of good solid advice plz..

oops_a_daisy

sorry off topic but - hope you have a bottle ready to open tomorrow Fairy Lights - well done

fairylights_2

not till Thursday - but thank you! I update as soon as I can!

ceegee

Something major is required here. Two areas......income and outgoings.

You have to increase your income. I would certainly look for "employment" rather than being self-employed. It might not be what you were dreaming of, but it would provide a steady income. Also, could you get a second job? You know.....a day job and a job working evenings fror 3 nights a week. I wouldn't suggest it if I had not done it myself for many, many years when I was younger.

Regarding outgoings, this website can show you how to cut down your outgoings (without making you feel deprived!) and then if you could make an appointment with the CAB, CCCS, National Debtline or similar (links are on here somewhere but I can't do links meself, perhaps someone else could oblige?) I think that this two pronged attack would be the best.

If you have a new baby as well as your first child, then I think the "increasing the income" bit is up to you. Then your Wife could be dealing with any phone calls, correspondence, re-budgeting etc. Sorry if it sounds sexist....but I can't be bothered with political correctness and it seems to me that this would be the best division of labour.

I wish you and your family every happiness and I hope you will soon be on the road to financial recovery.

silverelephant

Hi I'm just a newbie here myself welcome! :hello:

You speak about trying to get a full time job instead of being self employed which would certainly help from a guaranteed income point of view. However (and this is just IMHO ) are you making full use of the taxi driving at the moment, i.e. you say you work 12 hour shifts, do these include Fri/Sat evenings which tend to be busiest? My brother in law is a taxi driver and while I know different areas all have different rules, he tends to do only a few days during the week so that at the weekends he can pull 14/15 hour shifts and make mega bucks - a good Saturday shift and he can earn upwards of £300 in one day! :eek:

I know you've got a v young family but maybe if you are about a bit more during the week to help your wife with the kids she wouldn't mind you being out earning more at the weekends?

The other option would maybe be to try and get a full time Mon-Fri job and still keep the taxi-ing for weekends when the money is good?

One other point then I'll go and give everyone peace :rolleyes: your taxi insurance sounds high. My BIL although self employed works for a taxi company (therefore getting radio work as well as just relying on the ranks) he pays a small fee each week for hiring his radio and insuring his car through the company insurance. Surely would still work out cheaper than what you are currently paying?

As I say just my opinion :cool:

chaos5678

Is it at all possible to get a lodger or put a touring caravan outside for someone in exchange for babyminding so your wife can work.

When my youngest was born and we were desperate, I went round looking after cats for people on holiday and walking dogs for people at work, I took my daughter with me in a back pack, she certainly got used to being out in the rain!
The other thing I did was have dogs to stay with us in our house, theres always people desperate for that and you just treat the dog as yours .
Thats worth £7 to £8 a day at least and most people supply food.

The other thing I'm doing now is joining the local LETS group, where members earn LETS for doing jobs for people and then you spend your LETS on services or goods.
Exchange of trades really.
Perhaps you could earn LETS doing transport for people or what ever and spend them on babyminding.
Hope some of this helps