Finally, my lightbulb moment has arrived........

newleafer

Hi Moose Welcome to MSE,

So many have offered good suggestions already. So this is a reply of support, I came on for the first time 2 days ago and everyone has been fantastic given me great ideas, the whole website has! And now my mind is buzzing with new ideas, based on the advice of the great people on here. At least here we can get the help, support and advice with out being made to feel guilty or the shock horror looks we would get elsewhere.

We are all in the same boat!!

moosetastic

thanks everyone for all the sound advice. :beer: I will definately cancel the cinema pass, and will cut down on the food (i think i was overestimating anyways!)

The card business has never really been a huge thing, but I got a really good feedback from the girls at work, so it might give me that extra "pocket money" every month, ebay is pretty swamped with things like this, so may not be worth my while but i will look into it if the success continues.

My other half at the moment is spending the daytime applying for jobs, any that come along really, its been hard on him to cope with the illness, and now the rejection, but im hoping that something comes along soon.

To answer the other questions, the 2 bank loans have been consolidated by the banks, and been stretched, one over 10 years, the other over 12, so they are at their lowest payment plan. The egg card ive just switched 1 credit card and 1 store card onto for the 0% interest, thats made a huge difference already. (the 2 cards were both 29.9%!!!!!) The account charge is for me to have a Platinum account with Lloyds TSB, overdraft of £250, £250 cheque guarantee card, withdrawals from cash machines at £500 a day. I have been thinking of switching back to the normal account as that £15 would really help pay something else off. The catalogues are a combined total of around £500, I have these on payment plans, and have had the interest wiped, so the money I pay is coming directly off them, which is one bonus.

I am due my pay rise at the end of July actually, and yep, I think I get around £30 a month more, so that will go to pay something off. I also get a bonus of £325 for getting the top box marking, but in a bid to help our relationship (we have been married 1 year in August) we are going to use some of this money for a long overdue holiday. CAFC Girl, thanks for the lovely advice, it has been hard, and taking time out for me is certainly one way I have got through this for so long xx

scottish spendaholic, can you go into what freefivers/ciao/paid2clicks a bit further? sounds interesting x

moosetastic

the reason my gas bill is so high is that they didn't send me a bill for 6 months, and when I queried it with them, they apologised for not sending one, and then said I had run up a £400 debt! I was paying £50 a month, but they said that this was only covering the gas we were using, and not the debt, so now I pay £65 per month. Its scandalous

moosetastic

tine wrote:

What is money shop cheque? Sorry if it's really obvious
C

i did one of those Cash till Payday cheque things a few months back when money was really tight, if i had the £100 to pay it back then I would! hahaha just another in a long line of mistakes!

bikerqueen

Sorry to be a misery and I know where you're coming from, but you could over halve your egg card by not going on holiday.

Could you not stay at home and spend a few days out together? you dont have to go away to spend time together. For our honeymoon we took two days off , cleared our shed out and went to the tip

moosetastic

newleafer wrote:

Hi Moose Welcome to MSE,

So many have offered good suggestions already. So this is a reply of support, I came on for the first time 2 days ago and everyone has been fantastic given me great ideas, the whole website has! And now my mind is buzzing with new ideas, based on the advice of the great people on here. At least here we can get the help, support and advice with out being made to feel guilty or the shock horror looks we would get elsewhere.

We are all in the same boat!!

Thank you newleafer, hearing from someone who is also new here, and had a good experience, really helps me. after the advice Ive got already i do feel quite a lot better xx

moosetastic

bikerqueen wrote:

Sorry to be a misery and I know where you're coming from, but you could over halve your egg card by not going on holiday.

Could you not stay at home and spend a few days out together? you dont have to go away to spend time together. For our honeymoon we took two days off , cleared our shed out and went to the tip

You're not being a misery, and to be honest I know exactly where you're coming from. To be honest we may just have a few days away in the UK and use the rest to pay off. When you have been through a horrible time like we have, and we never see any spare money, the thought of paying something off and not seeing anything for it (not short term anyway) just makes me more depressed!!

lynzpower

Just to add another welcome hug to the virtual pile

Glad youve found us here :wave:

Everyones given you great advice so far, but Id also say, that just cos something says 12 years- doesnt mean thats how long the debt will last for! Many of us are slogging away as quick as poss to see the back of it asap :j
Dont let the dates grind you down, they are a target to beat, but if you dont you dont need to be too hard on yourself

Welcome again

CAFCGirl

Hey Moose,

Just to say the offer stands if you want a shoulder, all be it a virtual one, just send me a PM.

Is there any chance hubby could maybe apply to deliver some papers or something locally? I know its not much but it would help even if the money was just for spends! It'd pick his confidence up as well, plus getting out the house is always good. I'm always seeing adverts in our local paper for people to deliver catalogues etc.

On a note about the gas thing, British Gas did that to me, although it took them 2 years to send me a bill! How much is the outstanding debt exactly? It may help to call them up and find out, £50 on gas per month is still pretty high, turning your thermo' down by just 1 degree which affect that!

Maybe listing the outstanding debt on each of those things you owe out, would not only make you feel better ( i.e to know uve only got 3 months left till its paid) plus we'd all be able to give you advice on how you can pay each off quicker by arranging certain payments to make the most of your debt repayments!

moosetastic

lynzpower wrote:

Just to add another welcome hug to the virtual pile

Glad youve found us here :wave:

Everyones given you great advice so far, but Id also say, that just cos something says 12 years- doesnt mean thats how long the debt will last for! Many of us are slogging away as quick as poss to see the back of it asap :j
Dont let the dates grind you down, they are a target to beat, but if you dont you dont need to be too hard on yourself

Welcome again

Thanks Lynzpower, its so nice to feel welcome and not judged in anyway. im very surprised by the positive recption ive received and thanks to everyone again. i think the thought of debt for 12 years just really scared the hell out of me, but i am determined to get rid once and for all!!!