Help Needed I'm desperate

gizmo1409

Hi

can anybody help or advise me..

I got paid on the last day of august, and it is only the 5th, and i am unable to draw any money from my barclays account..

i had an authorised overdraft, and now for about 12 months, they have given me on top of that a 200.00 reserve, but everytime i go go into it, but just alittle, i'm getting charged, and all the charges are now killing me, I feel like i just can't do anything..

Luckily all my bills are paid out of a seperate account, so i need not worry about them, but i can't get fuel to get to work, or even pay for my car insurance..

Do you think they would increase my overdraft, just to stop the charges, has i'm doing everything i can to earn extra cash with surveys etc...

but i just feel at the moment what is the point..

any help or advise would be greatful, has i am at a really low point..

gizzy

natweststaffmember

gizmo1409 wrote: »

Hi

can anybody help or advise me..

I got paid on the last day of august, and it is only the 5th, and i am unable to draw any money from my barclays account..

i had an authorised overdraft, and now for about 12 months, they have given me on top of that a 200.00 reserve, but everytime i go go into it, but just alittle, i'm getting charged, and all the charges are now killing me, I feel like i just can't do anything..

Luckily all my bills are paid out of a seperate account, so i need not worry about them, but i can't get fuel to get to work, or even pay for my car insurance..

Do you think they would increase my overdraft, just to stop the charges, has i'm doing everything i can to earn extra cash with surveys etc...

but i just feel at the moment what is the point..

any help or advise would be greatful, has i am at a really low point..

gizzy

They won't because you are using the personal reserve. My personal opinion is to cancel the reserve because it will save you £88.00 a month on charges. Will the other bank you use increase the overdraft so you can use it to make sure you are clear from the overdraft?

gizmo1409

The other account I have is also with barclays, and that account is used purley so all the bills are paid.

So if i was to cancel this reserve, would i then be able to increase my overdraft, without forking out on all the charges..

I had a pay cut at work, recently due to the econmy, and the only other way that i can earn any money is by doing surveys, so i know because of that there won't be any other money going into my account..

I just feel so sick...


thanks for the reply

esmerellda

If all your bills are being paid from another account how are you overdrawing on the one with the reserve?

Cancel the reserve as soon as you can then it won't let you go over your OD limit with debit card or cash withdrawals.

Are you entitled to or receiving any benefits if your paycuts taken you below a certain level ?

If you are really sruggling and the charges are taking money you need for essentials (food, fuel) then you can try using your first right of appropriation (if you have a google you'll find lots of info)

gizmo1409

Hi,
when i was earning a full wage, i was buying presents for people, for birthdays etc, which i was paying alot of money for... then i was going out, buying new clothes to go out, i have to pay my car insurance in my personnel account, my credit card, and my mobile phone in my peresonnel acccount..

once i have transfered the main bulk of my salary to my "bill account" i'm left with about 250.00, which from that, my car insurance, phone bill and credit card payments have to be made... so when i first had a pay cut, i was still doing the above, which i know i shouldn't but i can't go back and change it all now...

as well as that i also have to pay for petrol...

my wage does not take me to the threshold for benefits, well i don't think it does, has for my line of work it is still reasonable/good pay.. it's just getting used to living on what i am now getting, and trying to juggle my bank... which i just can't do..

sorry if i sound like a real sad case, but i really don't know what else to do...

milly88

Are you eligable for working tax credits? it maybe worth taking a look.

Milly

gizmo1409

Hi all

thanks for the responses, couldn't do anything else yesterday, had visitors, so i finally made the dreaded call this morning, after blubbering, and i think it was a call centre, anyway they have told me that there is nothing whatsoever that they can do..

so i really do not know what to do now...

without fuel, i can't get to work..

Have tried the working tax credit, and i am over the threshold, don't have any kids, so it's not like i have any other income to come in or payments...

anybody got any other advice....?

feel really sick now..

esmerellda

Hi Honey

Immediate problem is what to do this month. Is there any money in your bill payments account which you can use for fuel and cancel a DD going out ?

You really must cancel the reserve on your spending account as soon as possible. Then you would be charged £8 for bouncing anything, but you are going to live on cash for a while rather than debit card. Cancel all DD's on that account, its what your bill payment account is for. Put your phone payment in the bill account (house phone?) Your credit card should be in bills too, set at minimum payments until you are more orgainsed. I assume your credit card is at its limit ? if not you can use that for fuel this month (but thats all!) If you want to keep mobile and credit card etc in the personal account cancel the DD's etc then pay over the phone by debit card AFTER checking with the bank what is in there.

It is really hard when your pay gets slashed and lots of people are in similar positions and really struggling to adjust. You have realised now you have to change the way you live until your salary goes back up and just have to take little steps to get back in control.

You'll have to be honest with yourself and spend some energy looking for better deals changing the way things get paid.

First big step is to fill out an Income and Expenditure sheet. Then go through it and work out where you can cut back /make changes. There are some brilliant people in the debt free and budgeting forums and theres loads of info about cheaper deals on gas/electric/phone etc.

Also we can write to Barclaysasking for a refund of the charges - whatever Barclays think their £22 every 5 days is still ridiculous. And they really don';t care.

Does that help at all, its hard without knowing your full situation.

Ame
xxx

milly88

In addition to Esmerellda's post, if you have not already given the expensive presents, take them back and get refunds and buy cheaper pressies.That shouldl give you some cash for the month.

janck_2

Good luck with everything, hope all turns out ok. You mentioned doing surveys? I have tried this but most of them seem to be points rather than hard cash, any pointers please? Many thanks.

gizmo1409

Thanks everbody..
all the presents have been given... just have to try and not give any out in future... I think i have just been burying my head in the sand, and hoping it will all go away, which is wrong i know..
I have just checked my emails, and i had a littlewoods acount, which i haven't used for ages, so i logged on, and noticed i have cash back, called them they said they would send a cheque out to me, it's only 57.00, not alot, but it's something, just have to wait up to 14 days.... i din;t even realise i had it..

also just done a search on the mobile phones, and an old one i have is 27.50, so i have requested that as well..

the surveys i have been doing, i do get vouchers, which i have just had a look at, and i have 17.00 pounds worth of vouchers which is the ones that i can use at iceland... so at least i can use the vouchers, and then have the cash..

just need to work out how to sort my bank out... he told me that i need to be more organised with my account, which i already knew, and that to call back in aboout 6 months time, so i could see if there was anything they could do for me..

There is a couple of things which i could cancel, and i will feel abit bad for doing so, i make charity payments, to two charities... which i will have to cancel....
my house phone is in my bill acount, it is my mobile that is in my personnel account... my contract ends at the end of this year, so unable to do anything with that..

sorry if i'm boring everybody and blabbing on....