Help needed - confused myself

moneymakestheworldgoround

Hi debtoxing

Sounds like a good idea. Last year a lady told me I used £37 a month which I thought sounded right. This week I was told I use £60 a month - nothing has changed in a year so perhaps it is the applicances.

I leave the telly on standby overnight, but no other things are left plugged in. No plug in alarm clock, or radios.. I only even really use 2 lights in the whole house - the landing and the loo. I rarely hoover ( forgotten the colour of the carpet) God, I even shower in the dark so I give up !! ( If you had a bum the size of mine, you'd shower in the dark too)

But my appliances were all bought for £20 each when I moved in 3 years ago, so perhaps they are losing efficiency.

But I will investigate the device you mentioned. :T

Debtoxing

LOL at showering in the dark! I just avoid having any mirrors positioned below my head. OK, it means I have to stand on the bed and peer across the room to check my appearance if I've actually got to get dressed up and go somewhere, but at least I don't need to confront my bottom very often! :rotfl:

L.
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moneymakestheworldgoround

:rotfl:debtoxing ! I know what you mean, but my bottom confronts me when I least expect it.

I have listed another 14 things on ebay. Not sure they will sell but hey ho.

Got 3 car boots lined up at the weekend. My only concern is everything is going on ebay, so dont want to get into a situation where something sells in 2 places. God I'm hoping

Got some questions and watchers on the car, but I know from experience that means naff all.

Got lots of offers on the wedding dress business. I have reduced it by 50% for a quick sale, and stubborness is preventing me from accepting any lower offers. Am I mad? Friend said I should be grabbing anything I can get to pay the bills, but I still dont want to get ripped off. :mad:

My birthday at the weekend. I am really hoping to get £50 from parents so I can throw it at the debts, but feel terrible for wanting cash, when I should be grateful for a toothbrush !

Just crossing fingers that I can get some cash in this week, but I'm not sure crossing fingers is enough.

Debtoxing

Happy birthday! DH and I will have been together for 18 years tomorrow, but we're not allowed to buy each other any presents because of the savings plan. It's not fair - I want fudge!!! :rotfl:

About the business...grabbing anything you can to pay the bills is all very well if you desperately need every single penny right now for fear of bankruptcy or something - but I don't get the impression that you're in that position yet, are you? If you've already knocked 50% off the price of your business, then you might be better off just holding out for a bit longer. Since you're getting lots of offers, there's clearly a market for what you're selling - you just need to hold your nerve.

L.
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moneymakestheworldgoround

Hi debtoxing,

My boyfriend is trying to plan a meal out, luckily he isnt great at being subtle so I have begged him not to bother. We dont do meals out or trips to cinema, neither of us drink so we dont do pubs or clubs, so I do understand he wants to treat me, but I'd rather have the cash !!:T

With regards selling stuff. I would honestly say I am 8 weeks from having to throw my hands up in the air and saying I cannot cope. I dont have enough income, I have too many debts, I cant pay the bills, I refuse to go on HB and CTB and IS as I feel I have other options. BUT realistically I do now feel if I cannot sort out this mess , or at least feel confident that things are moving in the right direction, I will have to move out of my house, sleep on a family members floor with the kids, and apply for benefits, get a DMP of token payments and allow the last bit of my soul to die. Benefits are a great saviour in a lot of cases, but I have tried it and it really does not suit me. I personally felt horrendous being on them.

Hope that makes sense, I am not anti benefits, but I really really feel like its a last resort for me personally.

So all hands to the deck. I was all motivated last month, and worked out I would be debt free by next year, but now I think its this birthday which is going to be the pivotal life changing one. Perhaps the one where I get my bum in gear and change my life.

I hope !

Caroline73_2

I think you need to swallow your pride and start looking into benefits as it will take some time to arrange. If you are only 8 weeks from sleeping on someone's floor with your children please think seriously.

I wish you well.

moneymakestheworldgoround

Hi Caroline73,

I totally appreciate what you are saying. 100% of my family and friends are saying the same.

I just cant describe why I am resisting.

Part of me thinks I'm a single mum, 3 kids and another on the way and once I get into the IS system, I will never be able to get out. That will be it until the kids are old enough and by then I will be unemployable due to huge break from job market.

Part of me thinks I am intelligent and hardworking so this is a simple process of just increasing the income and paying off debts logically. Therefore not rocket science.

Part of me thinks I am an entrepeneur, Del Boy, Mini Alan Sugar whatever .. my brain never stops thinking of ways to make money and I love the challenges life throws your way. I have messed up this year but I can put it right surely? I'm not sure what I would do with myself if I went on IS. The car would have to go, so what do people do with themselves?

But then part of me thinks I am worn out, tired, sick of trying to update spreadsheets, counting the penny jar, pretending all is well..

Hmmm, anyone else had similar dilemma?

Debtoxing

Awww, have some cyber chocolate. You sound like you need some! (And don't worry about the bottom - you're pregnant, so you're allowed to have a big bottom!)
:EasterBun

You won't be unemployable - you know that you can re-employ yourself any time once you get yourself sorted. It takes a lot of guts to go self-employed. I'm officially self-employed - I sometimes do a bit of work for my old employer, but I've never had the courage to get out there and start offering my services to people I don't know. You are clearly of a different calibre, so don't put yourself down.

When is your baby due? Have you checked that you will be eligible for Maternity Allowance? It's great stuff, tax-free - I paid off nearly £5000 of my debts just from putting that money aside. You can start claiming it before your baby is born as well. Whatever you do, make sure you don't give up your self-employed status until you've qualified for that money!!!

I've got to go and pick my son up from school now, but I'll be around again later if you want to chat. Chin up!

L.
x

TotallyBroke

I'm going to guess that you are carrying your boyfriend's baby. Would it not be more beneficial for you all to live together as a family? Then you can both support each other and combine forces and money.
Sorry if I have guessed completely wrong here.
What is it that you are doing as a business?

dancingfairy

Hi. The childcare is massive - is that your share or the total bill - I got a bit confused - sorry.
With regards to the electric some libraries allow you to borrow electric monitor things - ours does so I would check with the library/council to see if there is a loan scheme available. If not I might be tempted to see if there are any on freecycle or if anyone on here would be able to lend you one.
Your outgoings don't seem too bad apart from the childcare, therefore the solutions seems like it would be best to a) try and increase your income and b) go on a dmp or some combination.
Have you contacted one of the debt charities for a chat? they may be able to help? certainly they may be able to advise you on whether you can make token payments to Vanquis, get a new bank acc. and make token payments to the overdraft, make token payments to your parents and prioritise the others? I would definitely see what they advise.
df