Please Help Big Time

grahamf_3

I am 24 just been made redundant and in serious debt, I keep getting bank charges from my bank Halifax which is putting me further in trouble, I owe 6500 on a Credit card and 7500 on a loan and need to pay 425 for my rent a month please help me and how can my bank charge me for such a ridiculous amount. I cant get a loan cos i have a back credit record (not being able to pay my credit card) please help me its sending me barmy

Nicky_3

Firstly, do not pay less on your rent in order to pay your creditors. Your rent and household expenditures take priority - creditors can't take the roof from over your head to take food out of your fridge!

Secondly, depending on your surplus will depend which solution is right for you in order to get your financial situation sorted - be sure that it can get sorted by the way.

Talk to a free debt advice company, lay all your cards on the table so they can assess your situation and advise you of what to do.

https://www.payplan.com
https://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk

Just to mention a couple...

Or go to your local CAB (probably quicker to phone one of the companies I've mentioned).

Any specific worries or concerns, post them here.

Dont keep fretting - it can be sorted.

**purpleprincess**

First of all grahamf, in order for any of us to help you here you need to post a SOA and then we can take a look and advise accordingly! Well done for posting.

Broken_hearted

If you can change your phone number as Halifax phone all day sometimes continuosly when they don't get the answer they want. They are beeps and I'm sending tons of hugs your way.

grahamf_3

**purpleprincess** wrote:

First of all grahamf, in order for any of us to help you here you need to post a SOA and then we can take a look and advise accordingly! Well done for posting.

What is an SOA purpleprincess?

southernscouser

grahamf wrote:

What is an SOA purpleprincess?

Its all explained in this thread mate!

**purpleprincess**

grahamf wrote:

What is an SOA purpleprincess?

Sorry!!! Statement of Affairs. income, outgoings, debts, aprs etc etc. There is a sticky about it somewhere I'm sure by southernscouser, see the thread about first time posters.

**purpleprincess**

Ah ha! beat me to it!! Knew it was something to do with you SS!! Hope that helps graham.

southernscouser

**purpleprincess** wrote:

Ah ha! beat me to it!! Knew it was something to do with you SS!! Hope that helps graham.

Yeah I bet you were to busy eating your sweets you won't share!

Sallys_Savings

Hi Graham........*huge hug* ......

don't let this make you feel bad, it can be sorted. You're not on your own and theres people on these boards that have conquered more debt than this and came through the other end.

As soon as you're able to type up your SOA on here, they'll be loads of people offering you advice on how you can cut back/repay.

You've made the first step by coming and asking for help, sometimes the head in the sand approach can last for ages and make it far worse....SO WELL DONE!!!

sportbeth

Hi Graham,

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE

Get down to your local Natwest ASAP tomorrow and ask to open a basic bank account on the spot.

I was in exactly the situation you are in when my employer went bust, overnight the charges mounted up.

Get a basic bank account ASAP and make sure any money coming your way (wages, benefits etc) go straight into it. It's not illegal, and if you don't do it your money will continue to b e swallowed up by the bank. You need to eat and pay your rent until you sort yourself out

Next, sounds awful but if you haven't done it yet go straight to your local job-seekers office and see what you can get paid for you. I was so reluctant to go and do this, in desperation after 6 weeks of job hunting I went to them and found out I couldn't claim for anything prior to that date. Due to this I got myself in £1,000 extra debt whilst I was jobhunting.

Obviously do the SOA for all the chaps on here as they are extremely helpful.

Next, get yourself onto the following site :https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk. I would imagine that you have probably paid the odd charge here and there over the years and the charges that are mounting up at the moment are illegal. If you put your case on there under the banking section then they will help you stop the bank from harassing you and you will get a refund of all your charges IN THE LAST 6 YEARS!!

I did. The banks just rely on you not knowing your rights and frightening you into paying them back ASAP before anyone else gets any money from you. That's how debt collection works and why these bullies get paid for a living.

Hope this helps. You just need to read a lot, get a grip on who's pushing you about (wrongly!) and get sorted. I did, and I spent 3 days on the floor crying when it all went wrong at first!