We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.

This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

newbie looking for help!

Hello - I'm new here and desperate to be debt free. I wonder if anyone could help and advise on one specific issue ...

I have a barclaycard debt totalling 6.5k - min repay - £175/month
I have a northern rock loan with about 3kremaining on it - £271/month

I am about to recieve £12.8k - I need to have £7k readily available to me at a few days notice.

Do I pay the nr loan off and put the money I save towards the b/c bill or pay part of the b/c bill off?

I am really bad with credit cards and take out loans to repay cards and then buld up the card level again - really tryong to break out of this so worried that if i use the money to reay card will use up the limit agian!

does this make sense - no i knw its not sensible - any advice (harsh or otherwise) would really be appreciated.
«1

Comments

  • Eupho
    Eupho Posts: 1,259 Forumite
    poppyc wrote: »
    Hello - I'm new here and desperate to be debt free. I wonder if anyone could help and advise on one specific issue ...

    I have a barclaycard debt totalling 6.5k - min repay - £175/month
    I have a northern rock loan with about 3kremaining on it - £271/month

    I am about to recieve £12.8k - I need to have £7k readily available to me at a few days notice.

    Do I pay the nr loan off and put the money I save towards the b/c bill or pay part of the b/c bill off?

    I am really bad with credit cards and take out loans to repay cards and then buld up the card level again - really tryong to break out of this so worried that if i use the money to reay card will use up the limit agian!

    does this make sense - no i knw its not sensible - any advice (harsh or otherwise) would really be appreciated.

    Helloooo and Welcome Poppy :wave:

    You have taken the first leap by knowing you need to sort out your finances :T

    While you are waiting for some replies.. maybe fill this out (we all doo'um) It helps people (and you) get a better idea of what your money is doing.

    There is a thing on here that shows you how to post it back onto this MSE website.
    http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

    Sit tight..'calm calm' There are lots of ideas and lots of help available. :wave:
    Very proud of trying to deal with my debts. LBM 04/09
    :T
    [STRIKE]£34.217[/STRIKE] ~ 05/09. £33.817~ 06/09
    to [STRIKE]13 [/STRIKE] 12 creditors. Doing my own DMP. :dance:
    DMP mutual support member 309. NSD 12/12
  • GeorgeUK
    GeorgeUK Posts: 7,737 Forumite
    What are the interest rates on the cards and loan?

    It might be better to pay off the higher of these or possibly try to get a 0% creditcard (Virgin 0% for 16 months) so that you are paying less interest.
    After falling off the gambling wagon (twice): £33,600 (24,000+ 9,600) - Original CC Debt: £7,885.91

    Dad Gift 6k ¦ Savings & Inv Tst: £2,500
    Loan 10k: £0 ¦ Dad 5.5k: £2,270 ¦ LTSB: £0 ¦ RBS: £0 ¦ Virgin £0 ¦ Egg £0

    Total Owed: £2,270 (+6k) 11/08/2011
  • Hello Newbie.. I'm a newbie too! I'm currently just finding my way around the forum.. I haven't yet worked out how to post a new subject! IO have a question so would like some help with that please.
    I hope you get the advise you request. I think paying off high credit loans and always paying bills for cards on time is the best advise I would give.
  • poppyc
    poppyc Posts: 33 Forumite
    Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
    Household Information
    Number of adults in household........... 1
    Number of children in household......... 2
    Number of cars owned.................... 1
    Monthly Income Details
    Monthly income after tax................ 2500
    Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
    Benefits................................ 150
    Other income............................ 0
    Total monthly income.................... 2650
    Monthly Expense Details
    Mortgage................................ 650
    Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
    Rent.................................... 0
    Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
    Council tax............................. 87
    Electricity............................. 60
    Gas..................................... 100
    Oil..................................... 0
    Water rates............................. 120
    Telephone (land line)................... 75
    Mobile phone............................ 0
    TV Licence.............................. 0
    Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
    Internet Services....................... 0
    Groceries etc. ......................... 100
    Clothing................................ 30
    Petrol/diesel........................... 150
    Road tax................................ 10
    Car Insurance........................... 25
    Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 15
    Car parking............................. 0
    Other travel............................ 0
    Childcare/nursery....................... 600
    Other child related expenses............ 100
    Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
    Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
    Buildings insurance..................... 35
    Contents insurance...................... 35
    Life assurance ......................... 30
    Other insurance......................... 0
    Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 50
    Haircuts................................ 0
    Entertainment........................... 0
    Holiday................................. 0
    Emergency fund.......................... 0
    endowment............................... 120
    Total monthly expenses.................. 2392

    Assets
    Cash.................................... 0
    House value (Gross)..................... 250000
    Shares and bonds........................ 0
    Car(s).................................. 1000
    Other assets............................ 10000
    Total Assets............................ 261000

    Secured & HP Debts
    Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
    Mortgage...................... 97000....(650)......0
    Total secured & HP debts...... 97000.....-.........-
    Unsecured Debts
    Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
    barclaycard....................6500......174.......0
    northern rock..................3500......271.......0
    Total unsecured debts..........10000.....445.......-

    Monthly Budget Summary
    Total monthly income.................... 2,650
    Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 2,392
    Available for debt repayments........... 258
    Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 445
    Amount short for making debt repayments. -187
    Personal Balance Sheet Summary
    Total assets (things you own)........... 261,000
    Total HP & Secured debt................. -97,000
    Total Unsecured debt.................... -10,000
    Net Assets.............................. 154,000
  • poppyc
    poppyc Posts: 33 Forumite
    soa .. it looks even worse on paper!
  • Numpty_Monkey
    Numpty_Monkey Posts: 14,196 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    fluffychick, if you look near the bottom on the right hand side, of the DFW main page you will see
    [IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/COMPAQ%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg[/IMG]newthread.gif
    Click that and you can start your own thread
    :A
    PROUD TO BE DEALING WITH MY DEBT NERD #869
    Numpty,Not sure why but I'm crying :o . Of all the peeps on this board you're the kindest & most supportive of all & I'm :mad: & :( for you all at the same time . Wish I was there to give you a big :grouphug: & emergency hobnobs
    xx
    DFD 5/1/16
  • Numpty_Monkey
    Numpty_Monkey Posts: 14,196 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 26 May 2009 at 9:23AM
    poppyc wrote: »
    Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
    Household Information
    Number of adults in household........... 1
    Number of children in household......... 2
    Number of cars owned.................... 1
    Monthly Income Details
    Monthly income after tax................ 2500
    Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
    Benefits................................ 150
    Other income............................ 0
    Total monthly income.................... 2650
    Monthly Expense Details
    Mortgage................................ 650
    Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
    Rent.................................... 0
    Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
    Council tax............................. 87
    Electricity............................. 60 High are you on the best tarrif, look at comparrison sites and cashback sites,turn things off not on standby
    Gas..................................... 100 as above
    Oil..................................... 0
    Water rates............................. 120 £2400 a year:eek: look at a water meter
    Telephone (land line)................... 75 Very High, look at other packeges,free evening weekend calls, favourite numbers, free broadband
    Mobile phone............................ 0 surprised that nothing here
    TV Licence.............................. 0 Should be £11.80
    Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
    Internet Services....................... 0 Is this in with phone
    Groceries etc. ......................... 100 thats good:T
    Clothing................................ 30 maybe reduce this for a few months
    Petrol/diesel........................... 150
    Road tax................................ 10
    Car Insurance........................... 25 Any Insurance check out comparision sites and cashback sites
    Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 15
    Car parking............................. 0
    Other travel............................ 0
    Childcare/nursery....................... 600 Do you get child care vouchers?
    Other child related expenses............ 100
    Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0 need to budget something here £10
    Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
    Buildings insurance..................... 35as car
    Contents insurance...................... 35as car
    Life assurance ......................... 30as car
    Other insurance......................... 0
    Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 50 reduce this to £20 a month
    Haircuts................................ 0 budget for this
    Entertainment........................... 0budget for this
    Holiday................................. 0 you can have one
    Emergency fund.......................... 0budget for this
    endowment............................... 120 whats this for?
    Total monthly expenses.................. 2392

    Assets
    Cash.................................... 0
    House value (Gross)..................... 250000
    Shares and bonds........................ 0
    Car(s).................................. 1000
    Other assets............................ 10000
    Total Assets............................ 261000

    Secured & HP Debts
    Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
    Mortgage...................... 97000....(650)......0
    Total secured & HP debts...... 97000.....-.........-
    Unsecured Debts
    Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
    barclaycard....................6500......174.......0 ??
    northern rock..................3500......271.......0??
    Total unsecured debts..........10000.....445.......-

    Monthly Budget Summary
    Total monthly income.................... 2,650
    Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 2,392
    Available for debt repayments........... 258
    Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 445
    Amount short for making debt repayments. -187
    Personal Balance Sheet Summary
    Total assets (things you own)........... 261,000
    Total HP & Secured debt................. -97,000
    Total Unsecured debt.................... -10,000
    Net Assets.............................. 154,000

    Hi Poppy i've left a few comments in red, nothing really major a bit of budgeting and smarter shopping for services and you should be ok:cool:
    The utilities are very high, are you paying off arrears?

    Regarding your original question, if I read it right out of the £12.8K you will have £5.8K to pay towards your debts
    My personal suggestions are
    First pay off any arrears on your priority bills, mortgage, gas, electric water CT, if you have any.
    Pay the loan off, you might get an early settlement figure,
    Put £800 in an "Emergacy Fund"
    Pay £2k off your card but don't reduce repayments, use the money freed up from the loan to increase your payments, along with any other savings we can make:A

    Look at getting better deals on utilities phone, and insurance, budgetting for things
    Welcome to MSE :A
    PROUD TO BE DEALING WITH MY DEBT NERD #869
    Numpty,Not sure why but I'm crying :o . Of all the peeps on this board you're the kindest & most supportive of all & I'm :mad: & :( for you all at the same time . Wish I was there to give you a big :grouphug: & emergency hobnobs
    xx
    DFD 5/1/16
  • staceydaisy
    staceydaisy Posts: 564 Forumite
    well done just being on here is a start
  • poppyc
    poppyc Posts: 33 Forumite
    Hi ... thanks for the advice - was thinking the same re loan / c/card ...
    Yes I am in debt with the utilities companies plus I have a huge house - my ex never paid any of the bills I thought he was paying! Trying to reduce costs on house ... also trying to cut back on lots! I guess its just one step at a time!

    Appreciate yr advice - sometimes feel like in a deep dark hole with no way out - but this site is showing me the way out I think! :)

    Poppy xx
  • Numpty_Monkey
    Numpty_Monkey Posts: 14,196 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    This site will show you the way out
    PROUD TO BE DEALING WITH MY DEBT NERD #869
    Numpty,Not sure why but I'm crying :o . Of all the peeps on this board you're the kindest & most supportive of all & I'm :mad: & :( for you all at the same time . Wish I was there to give you a big :grouphug: & emergency hobnobs
    xx
    DFD 5/1/16
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 352.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.6K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 454.3K Spending & Discounts
  • 245.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 601K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.5K Life & Family
  • 259.1K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.7K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.