Time to join in - here goes

pattiemay

Hi to everyone of you wonderful, friendly people on here and what a good job you are doing.
Like so many have already said, I have been reading this forum for a couple of months, am in such a mess and its making me ill now so here goes;
My debts total £39000- 1 bank loan and 2 credit cards and it has got to the stage where I cannot pay the monthly amounts. I got talked in to the bank loan last year by my local branch when I went in to pay a credit card installment, they talked me into a loan of £22000 (plus interst) to pay these off even though I only earn £94.50 a week!(my car had broken down at the time and needed it to get to work) so although feeling down at the time even I could see it made sense and get a second hand car as well. But stupidly I carried on using the cards as my husbands (self employed) work dried up then he broke his ankle and have been using cards for everything ever since.Burying my head in the sand. Its amazing how things add up. My husband has had some jobs in but not enough to get back on track. I only work three days a week now as am getting crippled with arthritis and have diverticulosis.
I have tried to negotiate with the card companies and have explained the situation and sent token payments but every night I am getting awful phone calls from them, one even rang me at work which was so embarrassing. I am at a real time low and cannot see a way out, it has taken me all week to pluck up courage to write this and i am so sorry to go on and on but getting it off my chest has helped a little.

lightatendoftunnel?

Well done for making the first step and posting. I am afraid I am only new to all this but others can give you good and supportive advice. I will say i was in similar circumstances got the point were i unplugged the phone. But i went to CAB and they did me a budget plan and a letter and most the companies accepted this much better than me just saying i was in difficulties. I have now sorted most out with the arrangement and i am no longer ignoring the phone. Its still early days i am not much further on than you are now but i feel much better. My head is slowing coming out the sand. Good luck and keep posting.

gallygirl

Hi pattiemay, and welcome! you've taken the first step, which is great. Before anyone can give you any advice we really need to see your SOA (statement of affairs). See SouthernScousers original posts to see how to do this.

There are lots of people here who will give you good advice, support and :grouphug: when you need them.

Good luck, and again - welcome!

a x

skylight

CAB, Payplan or CCCS (links at the top of this page)

Excellent advice from these guys.

Someone will be along later to quote what you can say about the calls at work - I do not believe they are allowed to do that if you ask them not to.

I have caller display on my home phone. If I dont recognise it, or its not local, it doesn't get picked up. The message is then deleted - I will only deal with these people by letter. We (OH and I) are currently paying £1 per month to all our creditors and we are getting lots of calls to come to an arrangement (!) especially from those ba****ds that didn't want to do a deal in the first place.

The calls can really wear you down. Be strong, get some good advice and just dont bother answering the phone unless you know who it is from.

pattiemay

Thanks for replying, its actually made me burst into tears I feel so weak and my heads spinning. I will look at the SOA and try get it together for tomorow night (i'm working tomorrow). sorry for interupting the football. Just realised I keep saying sorry to everyone, I have no self worth left. Thanks again for reading my boring story.

skylight

I have no self worth left

Dont you dare.

Debt is just money. There are many more important things in life - LIKE YOU.

pattiemay

Thanks Charlotte, I cant stop crying now ive started, not done that for ages, how do you cope in the beginning, I just feel ashamed walking down the street

WelshWoofer

Who cares about football - people are far more important!!! (Easy to say when you're Welsh!)

Have no real advice just wanted to say that we care about you and that your problems really will start to improve once you've shared them here.

Good luck and take care
R xx

Baileys_Babe

It is not a boring story, it is your story and with our help you can make it happier for you.

Keep posting we will help and support you all we can.

pattiemay

rachelmk wrote:

Who cares about football - people are far more important!!! (Easy to say when you're Welsh!)

Have no real advice just wanted to say that we care about you and that your problems really will start to improve once you've shared them here.

Good luck and take care
R xx

Thanks you are all so nice and understanding

lightatendoftunnel?

pattiemay wrote:

Thanks for replying, its actually made me burst into tears I feel so weak and my heads spinning. I will look at the SOA and try get it together for tomorow night (i'm working tomorrow). sorry for interupting the football. Just realised I keep saying sorry to everyone, I have no self worth left. Thanks again for reading my boring story.

Dont think like that, we all cant be good at everything. Money organization is something i really struggle with. Believe me I felt just like you stopped phoning my friends and family didnt want to go to work. But three weeks on i am smiling and laughing again. I still have really hard days but i know i am moving in the right direction. Have a good cry and then think now is the moment i am moving forward. Good luck and yes i am starting to believe there is a light at the end of the tunnel xx