stop the world SOA

briona

tina68 wrote:

Hi all, well this is it as far as i can see at the mo

Incoming £230.60 jsa p/m

outgoings p/m

rent 7.60 finishes 2008
dss 21.28 finishes jul
elec 38.00
tv licence 20.00
c/tax 10.00 owe 400
travel 10.40
n.t.l 50.00 owe 211
food 60.00 including 1 son self and 2 cats £15p/w is pushing it
total £217.28 leaves £13.32 p/m

Owe £3,999 on cc tsb min payment £111.00
owe 215 on overdraft (have changed bank)

That does not allow for socialising (drinks, cigs)

please help
Tina x

Hi Tina

Right here goes:

The minimum payment on your credit card is HUGE for someone on your income – 48% of your monthly income. I would therefore show these figures to the bank and, in the first instance, ask them to freeze the interest [if they haven't already] and agree a payment plan – a token payment of £5pm should be ok until you are taking home more money.

If they refuse or are unhelpful, I would *suggest* to them that they have been irresponsible in lending money to someone not in a position to pay it back [I am assuming that even when you were working you income was not particularly huge – correct me if I'm wrong]. This can be proved and if they are found to have lent irresponsibly, the debt *may* be written off. By showing them the figures and giving them an opportunity to sort it out, they may be willing to write off some of the debt rather than risk you getting the whole lot written off... worth a try anyway!

With NTL, as they are your ISP provider as well, personally i would stick with them until the debt is clear. Though once again, it may be worth asking them to reduce the monthly payments as that is almost 22% [over a fifth!] of your monthly income. Once the debt is clear, I would swap to another provider – possibly an unlimited monthly usage one for a fixed fee of around £15pm [or cheaper!]

With the DSS payments, this will be finished in July and will free up some more money to put towards the NTL or the credit card.

I think people have mentioned your TV licence – it should be around £10.99pm – are you paying too much or are there arrears on this?

Other than that, it looks as though you are already doing everything you can. I see someone has already mentioned about the smoking/drinking so I won't go there. The important thing is to find social activities that don't revolve around pub culture... Personally I have just joined the Ramblers Association with a housemate [costs £24 a year for an individual to join, or £16 each for 2 individuals at the same address]. Another suggestion for socialising is to see if there are any other MSE-ers in your area whom you could meet up with for support and a chat – all ina very moneysaving manner of course!

Best of luck with everything.

Briona

katglasgow

Tina, I hope that the CAB are able to help you negotiate some slack with your debts. The only thought I had that might help you in the meantime would be to try and gather together some vouchers to bump up your shopping budget a bit? Everytime I go to Asda I hand over some vouchers with my money, they will accept them whether or not you have the product in your trolley or not as long as total sum of vouchers does not come to more than 10% of your total shop. So if you spend £10, you can hand over a £1 voucher and get shop for £9. Thats a big saving off your budget. This is what I did when I had a few months I really needed a bit extra:
- registered your pets on all the pet clubs on line
- registered your "new baby" with Pampers and Huggies clubs - both will give you £4 each
- visit https://www.springintoaction.com 4 vouchers on here for 30p each can print as often as you like and use to end of May so print each 4 times.
Good luck x

tina68

Well what a day i just had..went to the back to see an advisor..Stupid stupid woman,Got soooooo angry with but i just had to try and stay calm this is what she suggested.
.1. In order to pay off my overdraft i should ask the cc company if they would up my limit on my cc then withdraw cash and pay it off that way.AHH NO BL***YWAY!
.2. As i am on JSA she could not offer me a loan to pay it but if i was on long term sick, i would get income support therefore she would be in a better position to offer me a loan..(how can that be the case)
So clever me told her to write it down for me as my head was all over the place(which it was but i'm still thinking straight)
Then got on phone to CAB and have an appointment for next week(nearest CAB to me 6m away) and i'm taking the piece of paper with me!!!!! briefly told them what she said at TSB..
.3. Phoned up tsb cc told them i have app with CAB and that they had ignored my offer of payments done through cccs self help pack in the meantime i am sending them a payment of £5 to keep the wolf from the door...took a telephone ref No from her...
.4. Deposited £25.00 into sons tsb account for a tip i wrote into Love It magazine...got the cheque made payable to him as i'm still dubious as to wether they can cease money of mine from another bank..not that i've got any but still
.5. turned out not to be the case as for some strange reason i had the feeling to to shove my card into Tesco ATM...low and behold £118 in it
whoooooosh got that out rightaway...
so there you have it, my crazey day..but i don't arf feel better..
lots 'o' hugs
Tina x x:j

tina68

Got 2 job apps as well from brew..1, !!!!!! manager Pondon Mills..the other pharmacy tech lloyds pharmacy money not fab but beggers can't be choosers
Tina x

BobProperty

tina68 wrote:

.2. As i am on JSA she could not offer me a loan to pay it but if i was on long term sick, i would get income support therefore she would be in a better position to offer me a loan..(how can that be the case)....

I think that might be true as she may be talking about a Social Fund Loan (I think that's what they are called, or used to be called). You may need to be on IS to get it, but you, I'm guessing again, are on JSA(Income based)?

tina68

Is that what she means...well i just thought she wanted me to throw good money after bad..
Tina x

tina68

Hello all i'm feeling better, been to a pals house had a couple of voddies now going to bed to read a.titchmarsh's mr mcgregor...love his books..yes i got it from the library so money saving hehe!
Tina x x