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Getting more and more in debt, where to start?

Well I filled out my SOA and it was as I thought, more out than in. I keep going over my overdraft each month so the charges are adding up. If i write letters to my creditors what are they likely to say? I don't really have anyone to talk to about this... I hope you can help.

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Monthly Income Details

Monthly income after tax................ 800

Total monthly income.................... 800


Monthly Expense Details

Rent.................................... 255.5
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 50
Electricity............................. 15
Gas..................................... 15
Water rates............................. 11
Telephone (land line)................... 4
Mobile phone............................ 35
Internet Services....................... 2.5
Groceries etc. ......................... 100
Clothing................................ 25
Other travel............................ 25
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 11
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 15
Other insurance......................... 14
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 10
Haircuts................................ 15
Entertainment........................... 25
Emergency fund.......................... 25
Total monthly expenses.................. 653



Assets

Other assets............................ 100
Total Assets............................ 100


No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts


Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Credit Card....................1700......40........18
Career development lo..........3404......100.......12
loan...........................6700......150.......8.9
Total unsecured debts..........11804.....290.......-



Monthly Budget Summary

Total monthly income.................... 800
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 653
Available for debt repayments........... 147
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 290
Amount short for making debt repayments. -143


Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 100
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -11,804
Net Assets.............................. -11,704


Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using Firefox browser.

Comments

  • DarkConvict
    DarkConvict Posts: 6,347 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    loren83 wrote: »
    Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

    Monthly Income Details

    Monthly income after tax................ 800

    Total monthly income.................... 800


    Monthly Expense Details

    Rent.................................... 255.5
    Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
    Council tax............................. 50 (Seems quite low?)
    Electricity............................. 15
    Gas..................................... 15
    Water rates............................. 11
    Telephone (land line)................... 4
    Mobile phone............................ 35 (Way to high, you have a landline so goto PAYG or stop altogether when contract ends/lower tariff)
    Internet Services....................... 2.5
    Groceries etc. ......................... 100 (Can be done as low as £60 for 1 person)
    Clothing................................ 25 (Do you really need this)
    Other travel............................ 25
    Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 11
    Pet insurance/vet bills................. 15
    Other insurance......................... 14
    Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 10 (Drop to £5)
    Haircuts................................ 15 (Get it done at local collages much cheaper, i do have my hair done short, £9 every 5 months :))
    Entertainment........................... 25 (Drop to 5-10)
    Emergency fund.......................... 25 (Where does this go?)
    Total monthly expenses.................. 653



    Assets

    Other assets............................ 100
    Total Assets............................ 100


    No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts


    Unsecured Debts
    Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
    Credit Card....................1700......40........18
    Career development lo..........3404......100.......12
    loan...........................6700......150.......8.9
    Total unsecured debts..........11804.....290.......-



    Monthly Budget Summary

    Total monthly income.................... 800
    Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 653
    Available for debt repayments........... 147
    Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 290
    Amount short for making debt repayments. -143


    Personal Balance Sheet Summary
    Total assets (things you own)........... 100
    Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
    Total Unsecured debt.................... -11,804
    Net Assets.............................. -11,704


    Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
    Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using Firefox browser.

    Your big issue here i believe is your income, you need to increase it to really make a headway into your debts. As your -£143 a month your going down and having to take out more credit to pay for existing debts a very dangerous cycle.

    See up your income - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=145
    And benefits - http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx
    Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.

    There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies
  • Tixy
    Tixy Posts: 31,455 Forumite
    Hi and welcome

    First thing is to look through each item and see if it can be reduced to see if you can make up the shortfall. If not then you could consider asking your creditors to accept reduced payments (although this will have a big impact on your credit score).
    loren83 wrote: »
    Well I filled out my SOA and it was as I thought, more out than in. I keep going over my overdraft each month so the charges are adding up. If i write letters to my creditors what are they likely to say? I don't really have anyone to talk to about this... I hope you can help.

    Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

    Monthly Income Details
    Monthly income after tax................ 800 can you get any benefits? tax credits etc? can you get a second job o work more hours in the current one?

    Total monthly income.................... 800

    Monthly Expense Details
    Rent.................................... 255.5
    Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
    Council tax............................. 50
    Electricity............................. 15
    Gas..................................... 15
    Water rates............................. 11
    Telephone (land line)................... 4
    Mobile phone............................ 35 can you drop a tariff or use less?
    Internet Services....................... 2.5
    Groceries etc. ......................... 100 can you drop slightly (maybe to £80)
    Clothing................................ 25 reduce to minimal for now.
    Other travel............................ 25 what is this? is this cheapest? ie can you get a season ticket?
    Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 11
    Pet insurance/vet bills................. 15
    Other insurance......................... 14 what is this for?
    Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 10
    Haircuts................................ 15 can you try a local college to see if its cheaper or go longer between cuts?
    Entertainment........................... 25
    Emergency fund.......................... 25
    Total monthly expenses.................. 653


    Assets
    Other assets............................ 100
    Total Assets............................ 100

    No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

    Unsecured Debts
    Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
    Credit Card....................1700......40........18
    Career development lo..........3404......100.......12
    loan...........................6700......150.......8.9
    Total unsecured debts..........11804.....290.......-

    What were the debts run up on (particularly the loan) do you have any assets you can sell?

    Monthly Budget Summary
    Total monthly income.................... 800
    Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 653
    Available for debt repayments........... 147 if you cannot improve the figures a DMP may be a possibility. But I would suggest you get advice from one of the charities before you start writing to your creditors so you understand the impact.
    Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 290
    Amount short for making debt repayments. -143

    Personal Balance Sheet Summary
    Total assets (things you own)........... 100
    Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
    Total Unsecured debt.................... -11,804
    Net Assets.............................. -11,704

    Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
    Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using Firefox browser.
    A smile enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give
    or "It costs nowt to be nice"
  • loren83
    loren83 Posts: 122 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 4 May 2010 at 6:01PM
    I had my hours cut in my current job that's why I'm in this mess after many years of spending unwisely!

    I have 4 months until I can reduce my phone tariff but I will after that.
    Transport is getting cheaper now that I ride to work a lot more. The rest of your suggestions are good and I will look at changing my budget.

    If i asked for them to reduce my payments how long would if affect my credit score for?
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