mental illness and debt mistakes

Moneysavingslave

Happy to report that I now have £2025 locked into an ISA at 3.2% partly down to a small sum of money someone payed me back and a refund from myold energy company but the vast majority of that was money I'd saved. Up from £1650 in my first post.

Won't be long until I reach £3000. Well maybe. I don't mind having say, £1k of debt but £3k just seems way too high in these kinda times, although I understand £3k of debt is probably rich to some people on here.

FTW

Concentrate on getting better - your health's more important than money.

If you're living on benefits, you're in no position to pay anything to them (at most £1 per month) - even if you do have a little bit saved up.

Savings are for a rainy day - not to pay off consumer debt. You need that money more than they do.

It also depends on who the credit cards are with and also if you still use them. Personally, I've always avoided credit cards myself.

If the companies stop being reasonable, and begin to get shirty, abrasive or greedy with you, then it might be worth going down the CCA request route.

Moneysavingslave

FTW wrote: »

Concentrate on getting better - your health's more important than money.

If you're living on benefits, you're in no position to pay anything to them (at most £1 per month) - even if you do have a little bit saved up.

Savings are for a rainy day - not to pay off consumer debt. You need that money more than they do.

It also depends on who the credit cards are with and also if you still use them. Personally, I've always avoided credit cards myself.

If the companies stop being reasonable, and begin to get shirty, abrasive or greedy with you, then it might be worth going down the CCA request route.

Thanks for your help and advice but don't worry it's interest free for the next 12 months and I only have to pay back about £13 a month.

chevalier

glad you weren't offended by my suggestion. I hope you can get something sorted.
chev

hattiefats

Hi
I was just wondering do you have a partner or good friend who will notice when you are becoming unwell who might be able to step in before you start spending? Not very helpful if you become very ill very quickly I know.
There are often signs that someone is becoming unwell a little while before a full blown relapse so having someone who knows you well could be really useful.

Moneysavingslave

Well, it turns out I'd been neglecting to add the cumulative effect of receiving housing benefit. There are now only about 6 days between when my rent is taken from my account and when I receive my housing benefit. Thus, I've realized that I've actually got more money than I thought. In two or three months the date I receive my housing benefit and the date I pay my rent will be the same day, so I'll be £480 up.

I've also sold my old laptop, so have an extra £150. So should by next week be on £3k if you take the housing benefit thing into account, which is great.

Hopefully will start to get my life back soon. It's not that much fun lol not being able to spend any money. Even buying chocolate bar from a shop has become a treat.

Moneysavingslave

Well it's now May 2011 and I am sad to say I still have £1k of debt to pay off. Only £1k to go but to be honest I'm becoming tired of trying to save money.

sp1987

Moneysavingslave wrote: »

Well it's now May 2011 and I am sad to say I still have £1k of debt to pay off. Only £1k to go but to be honest I'm becoming tired of trying to save money.

If I am reading this right you have gone from over 3k debt in September to 1k debt now?

Don't be sad at that as you have paid off 2k whilst on a benefits income which should not allow any real leeway.

You have to think of the amount that you are paying back versus the relatively small income you have coming in. It really is a huge amount to have paid back when you think of it that way.

Moneysavingslave

I just can't be asked to save any more.

sp1987

Moneysavingslave wrote: »

I just can't be asked to save any more.

Can you cut yourself a bit of slack on it to give yourself a bit free to blow even if it is only £5? Sometimes the feeling of having money to blow makes you not spend it anyway. Every time I have some money to buy something I cannot find anything I want and then just buy my 1 yr old something. I'm now into 2-3 yr old clothes for him because he has so many I cannot keep buying them for the age he is now, lol. At least I am ready if he has a growth spurt!