Advice needed - very confused!!

confused.Dan

WASHER wrote: »

Rent - far too high
Council Tax - too high for your salary/incomings
Mobile phone - reduce the tariff
The car - you cannot afford to run a car, it is costing you approx £121 per month
TV Licence shouldn't be £29 per month

If you didn't have any entertainment for 2 months, you would be able to pay off in full the personal loan - 2 months and you will be £65 per month better off.

Do you have an overdraft?


WASHER.x.

rent is average for the area, low considering the flat (but as you say high for me!), i'm going to combat this by getting a lodger for the spare room, i am within my rights to do this as my lovely mother is my landlord

i have looked into the council tax, it is band c and i am not entitled to any help/benefit from local council so no choice here as far as i know?

i will get onto my mobile phone provider and ask about the tarrif.

the tv licence is that price as its the 1st one i've bought (not long moved in with my girlfriend) so it should start to go down to £12 per month i think it is by september.

i have also asked my boss at work if any overtime is available, apparently there is so i will be starting with a few hours a night for this, should be able to bring in an extra £200 from this next month which may mean i can finish paying the personal loan!!

i do have an overdraft unfortunately but i'm more concerned about the charges i have had from my bank (NatWest) over the last few years, they must come to hundreds if not thousands!! am i right in thinking i can no longer claim these back?

thanks for all the replies so far!!

DarkConvict

TV license is a !!!!!!, They do charge more for the first 6 months, then less the next 6 months. As they actually start taking out next years TV license in advance. If you can try and pay in full as it seems to easier to work out (in my opinion). I had to go and recover my money from TV licensing as i had a 1 year rent.

You entertain is too high. You need to remember you are in debt, and each day your in day your lossing money in interest.

For a 1 bedroom flat or 1 bedroom shared accommodation, in outer london is about 400-500. If that helps with your figures, but i know someone in kingston (outer london) lived in the centre of town for 900 a month 1 bedroomed flat. So it does vary. If you can try to cut it down to under 400 in the future.
Your food bill actually seems low, £60 is what we call a fantastic figure, most people are in 100-150 for 1 person, and about 120-200 for 2 people. At about 4 people you should aim for 250-300.

The council tax i have to agree seems to high, ensure it is paid over 12 not 10 months and discuss with the council if you are paying the right amount.
In stafford here, band C is 1,266.48, we personally pay band E atm 1,741.41

Fang_3

Your girlfriend needs to contribute half. There's no sense in giving her an easy ride when you're in debt.