More to pay out than we have comeing in help!

Lucifer

Have you been with sky for more than 12 months. If so then cancel it (you can always restart it when you get your finances under control). I don't know how old your child is at playschool, but you now get funding from the term after their 3rd birthday to the tune of 55 sessions per term.

Do you have any slack on your barclaycard, or capital one to transfer the kays and additions balances to them? If you could do that then it would be a start. If your credit rating is shot, then you may not be able to apply for a 0% card, but if its ok then you may want to try!!

Your car insurance also seems a little high, have you checked around to see if it is a competitive. My car insurance is £289 per annum.

fizzel81

lol i was shocked at the mobile bill not sure why its so high, contracts up next month so it can damm well go, i used 24p on my pay and go last month so he can damm well try.
been with sky 2 months but it seems to be a good idea to cut the package something which can be sorted out later today,
the car is something he will not get rid off, we bought it from new 2 years ago and his worry is we will lose what we have paid on it as what we have been offered for it would not quite clear the finance we owe

magentadreamer

I think the best thing for you to do is for you both to sit down and look at all your debts etc. Thank God his mobile contract is up is all I'm gonna say on that bill. Think about seeing if payplan or CCCs might be able to do a DMP for you - they don't charge so all money you pay them goes to your creditors. I'm not too sure how much you pay Baines etc but it's money that could go towards clearing your debts. Check out the old style board on here -loads of budgetting tips.

Fat_Boy

Hi,

I have a couple of thoughts to add to this as a serving member of HM Forces.

I note that you pay £80/month for playschool fees. The camp I am at offers free (?) or very reduced childcare. Is your nursery on base? I am guessing that because you have just come back from Germany your OH is in the Army (I am RAF and there's only a handful of us out there now ). I was always led to believe in terms of family welfare the Army is light years ahead of the other Services - though I am prepared to be corrected on this!

The mobile has been discussed so nothing further to add.

Sky - get rid and get a cheapo Freeview box if you can't manage with 5 channels.

Your electric seems high compared to mine, we have electric oven and the computer is almost always on so I know I am a high electricty user, yet we pay approx £17/month. Gas is about the same as mine, mainly because the wife likes to be warm and snug (thought that's what she had me for ).

Phone - why is it £40/month? That's what I pay a quarter. Change packages or get everyone to phone you - that's what I do!

The car - Is that insurance quote the best you can get? Can you/your hubby drive less to cut down on petrol costs?

Get your store cards moved to a lower apr asap - no brainer really!

In the good old days us Crabs could go to the Chief Clerk if we were in a financial mess and he could interevne on our behalf, this changed after the introduction of the Human Rights Act, not sure whether the Army changed their rules to follow suit?? From the monthly wage you posted I assume your OH is either a half screw or a high payband private (assuming my guess that he's Army was right). maybe a chat with a trusted SNCO could help put you on an even keel? Alternatively talk to Citizens Advice or CCCS. I am not an exert on them as I have never used them, plenty of other people on here should be able to advise.

I notice you don't have an income, is it possible you could get a few hours working for the NAAFI? I know their wages are crap, but it's better than nothing. And if your hubby sees you working for a minimal reward to try and sort things maybe he'll not be so free and easy with thngs like his mobile in the future? (Maybe that was a one off, I don't know and am not trying to judge him btw).

Final thought is at least you are in a Married Quarter so you can't lose your home - so that's one less thing to worry about. Not much I know but it's a start.

Good luck

Fat Boy

davilown

Fat_Boy wrote:

Hi,
Hi,

I have a couple of thoughts to add to this as a serving member of HM Forces.

I note that you pay £80/month for playschool fees. The camp I am at offers free (?) or very reduced childcare.

Fatboy what camp are you at? lord almighty i wish that we were all at that camp!

lol

:beer: monster

fizzel81

lol me to, yes dh is army so in some ways we are luckier than others in the sense we cannot lose where we live, tomorrow hubby will be phoneing the cccs to see if there is any way we can start to get ourselves back on track, also the phone and sky are being downgraded to smaller packages not alot but every small amount helps, not sure how to get gas/elec down as our bills have still come in higher than the direct debits we pay hopefully the summer should even it out as we have no heating on no tumble dryer to use.
as for getting a job well that will be a nono untill after august baby number 3 is due the 16th july he is then away to canada for 6 weeks BUT i will be looking to work from september till he go's away next march it will have to be nights but even if its stacking shelves in tesco for a few months it will all go towards paying it off
a big thank you also to everyone for the suggestions we just have to put them to good use and get that ball rolling tomorrow, our aim is to be debt free by the time he leaves the army in august 2010

fizzel81

just an update we have looked at the website for payplan dh is going to get off his bottom and try and switch from b&e to them (if they will accept us) yesterday was a hard day as its the first time we have truely looked into our finances and what a mess they are i am detirmined that we will sort this out and get ourselves a debt free future, it was hard to face up to it all but now we have both done so hopefully we can get on the right track :eek:

beanielou

fizzel81
well done you.you are doing so well.
best of Scottish!

davilown

fizzel81 wrote:

just an update we have looked at the website for payplan dh is going to get off his bottom and try and switch from b&e to them (if they will accept us) yesterday was a hard day as its the first time we have truely looked into our finances and what a mess they are i am detirmined that we will sort this out and get ourselves a debt free future, it was hard to face up to it all but now we have both done so hopefully we can get on the right track :eek:

You're going the right way to sort yourselves out. Why the army, or the rest of the forces for that matter, haven't got people available for this is unbelievable.
Before anyone says anything, they are responsible for those they employ, chuck a little bit of money at them to start with, place them in a spend spend spend culture with the added bonus of having to keep up with mr and mrs smith and then wonder why 25% of their staff have serious debt problems. Oh and on top of that they them cruxify those who have to go bankcrupt/IVA route by putting them on a charge that can often result in rank loss and with that a pay drop.

Thank the lord for martin, this site and all of those who give excellent advice!

On a new note, I have managed to pay off my overdraft (1200) and three HFC a/c (washing machine, computer and laptop) (1150) in the last two months. 7.5 year bonus and a lot of hard work to save and not spend on impulse.

Cheers

:beer: monster

Fat_Boy

You're going the right way to sort yourselves out. Why the army, or the rest of the forces for that matter, haven't got people available for this is unbelievable.

Before anyone says anything, they are responsible for those they employ, chuck a little bit of money at them to start with, place them in a spend spend spend culture with the added bonus of having to keep up with mr and mrs smith and then wonder why 25% of their staff have serious debt problems. Oh and on top of that they them cruxify those who have to go bankcrupt/IVA route by putting them on a charge that can often result in rank loss and with that a pay drop.

Don't really have a clue what you are on about to be honest

Where is this spend,spend, spend culture you are on about? What money do they throw at you in the beginning? (I certainly didn't get any extra apart from a bonus after 4.5 years (not exactly the beginning), next one due this Xmas ) And as for keeping up with the Jonses, are we really any different to anyone else? Just because you are in the Military does not make you a special case, remember you too were once a civilian!

As for charging someone for going bankrupt or entering into an IVA, please show me where in Queens Regulations or the Army/Navy/Air Force Acts that this is mentioned. It may well have been the case pre Human Rights Act, but not anymore.

On a final note, why should the forces employ someone to look after you when you make a mess of your finances? Does any private company do it? I don't think so. Financial mismanagement can be caused by any number of factors and I am not about to start laying blame here there and everywhere, but perhaps a little bit of self control goes a long way?