please help, we are sinking

rayday2

Hi - Did I read in your first post that you have not paid anyone for a while due to your job loss? If that is the case and you are struggling month to month I would definately consider speaking to a debt charity. Your history will already be damaged so coming to an arrangment to pay will actually improve things for you eventually (OK it will take a while!)

Also it could help put the balance back in life, working out what you need to live on and then working out what is left for creditors rather than struggling by on small amounts and feeling completely over whelmed.

But please make sure it is a charity you speak too not one of the fee charging companies the service is just the same if not better but you will pay things off quicker.

edit - apologies I had mixed you up with someone else I am going even more mad these days! But it could still be worth you speaking to a charity just to see what your options are.

RAS

Please contact one of the debt charities http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/debt-help-plan#help as soon as possible

kissjenn

Hi,

I second what's been said. The one piece of advice I fundamentally DISagree with is stopping your life cover. If one of you dies how will the other one possibly afford the mortgage and all the other bills on a single income. The last thing you or anybody wants in the middle of such a terrible period is to worry about whether or not you'll be homeless. IMHO I'd bin mobiles, satellite, internet, presents, even contents insurance before life cover.

Also, how old are your children? If they're still at school you should be getting certainly more Child Benefit and probably Child Tax Credit as well.

Please open the other letters and then you can start to look at the full picture.

gfplux

Hello tine73,
You have already taken a great step forward by posting your SOA. This will give you the tools to help you find a cure.
You have had lots of great advise already.

can I ask - Is your partner completely aware of this problem. have you sat and discussed the SOA together? Are you BOTH determined to sort this out?

Good Luck

david_hellier

Horace wrote: »

Cut up the additions card. You will need to put the APRs of this and your credit card down.

Presents can be halved at least - how about making something instead?

Keeping a spending diary will also help as I bet you don't have any leftover money at the end of the month. You need to note down everything from comics to the kids to the lunches at work.

Another way of using a spending diary is to allocate a weekly amount to yourself per week, from your budget after all essentials have been deducted. Using receipts, deduct as you spend through the week. Try to get to the end of the week leaving some over to carry forward to the next week. This has the effect of keeping your overdraft down and avoids overspend.