Help! Is there anything we can do to get out of this mess?

coldstreamalways

Malky wrote: »

Expert on groceries at £60 per week? There's just myself and OH too and we spend on average £40 per week without even trying. A week with toiletries etc and the odd luxury thrown in doesn't even go over £50.

Like I said, luxury week, not the "odd luxury", why the bad attitude? I regularly shop for £20 a week, not gobbing off about it though am I?

You try to help someone.....

Jesthar

Easy, tigers, it's only a misunderstanding!

I'll third the slow cooker suggestion. I have a Morphy Richards 3.5l (they do a 6.5l version too) and it is one of the best things I ever bought! I can make an 8 portion batch of bolognaise sauce with it for under a fiver (at last count) - one gets eaten on the day, the rest go in the freezer for instant, homemade ready meals, which means I can be eating within 15 mins of getting in after a long day in the office. *WAY* cheaper and far more tasty than the jar sauces!

You can do cheap joints in them too (beef brisket, lamb shoulder), they take about 8 hours, come out absolutely moutwateringly tender, and the water you add turns into the most mouthwatering stock for gravy you can imagine. Who cares about silverside or topside, give me slow cooked brisket any day - even better one joint will last me most of a week, and leftover stock can be used for the next bolognaise batch. My mother is coming to visit this week, and I have a brisket joint I got on special offer all ready to thaw out and cook for us, can't wait

You can also do whole chickens in them, but I've never tried that.

~Jes

~Jes

DVardysShadow

Moi_63 wrote: »

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 170000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 4500
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 174500


Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 106000...(750)......4.99
Secured Debt.................. 40000....(534)......6.9
Total secured & HP debts...... 146000....-.........-

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Personal Loan..................7500......200.......6.95
Credit Card....................3700......56........19.9
Credit Card....................6000......25........0
Store Card.....................566.......23........15.72
Credit Card....................4996......112.......22.9
Credit Card....................3815......75........9.5
Credit Card....................2495......30........19.08
Personal Loan..................4170......189.......8.9
Store Card.....................240.......7.........19.9
Credit Card....................1000......23........18.24
Credit Card....................5300......120.......0
Total unsecured debts..........39782.....860.......-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 3,144
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 2,966
Available for debt repayments........... 178
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 860
Amount short for making debt repayments. -682

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 174,500
Total HP & Secured debt................. -146,000
Total Unsecured debt.................... -39,782
Net Assets.............................. -11,282

You have already identified that the secured loan has 7 years to run. What about the personal loans? If these come off on a short timescale, there may be a little bit of slack.

Moi_63

Nitha wrote: »

To be honest if I were in your situation I'd be tempted to sell up and rent. I appreciate this is not for everyone, however it is a much better option that going bankrupt (in which you'd be likely to have to sell anyway). Long term renters are so desirable nowadays you find you get great deals and long term contracts (I for one managed to get a 3 bed home in the Midlands for £525 PCM with council tax included).

The woman at CAB didn't see any real advantage of us selling up and renting as all we would only be able to pay off are the mortgage and the secured loan. There would be enough left over to pay half the unsecured debts and even after that the cost of renting wouldn't be that much less than our current mortgage.

It's not like we are that young either, I'm 45 and my husband is 42. So if/when we considered buying again the mortgage would be over a shorter period and my husband is uninsurable.

Moi_63

Gill247 wrote: »

I would try applying for DLA again. A couple of years ago DWP were in such a mess with a backlog of claims that it was standard practice to autotmatically reject claims the first time. When people appealed the decision this is when it was looked at in more detail. This happened to my Grannie when she made a claim when she was first diagnosed with cancer. Becuase I worked in DWP at the time I went and spoke to the DLA team and they explained the process. So she applied again and was successful! The extra money has been so helpful for paying her increased heating bills, taxis to hospital appointments and increased food bills so she can eat healthy.
It might be worth your husband appealing the decision / applying again. As someone else has stated fill out the forms completely remembering to detail all of his conditions / ailments.

It may be worth applying again. But the forthcoming clampdowns etc. have got my husband wondering if there is any point. We did appeal the initial decision but they used the old 'getting to and from hospital for bloods / appointments' argument which I have been told since is a fairly common indicator they aren't going to budge.

That and the fact that he is managing to hold a full time job seems to be going against him.

Moi_63

laurasavon wrote: »

Have you spoken to Macmillan, they said to me they can give grants for a break away when hubbys chemo has finished or a grant for new clothes

Can you claim for hubby on the critical illness policy?

We haven't spoken to McMillan. My husband is permanently on a sort of chemo therapy. But it may be worth speaking to them about our circumstances, not for a handout or anything. But if they can provide any additional guidance.

We didn't have a critical illness policy back at the time he was diagnosed. I've taken one out since on myself, but it is 36 quid a month.

Moi_63

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

Do your children get meals provided at after school club/childminder etc?

No, we supply them.

I think the concern people showed with you having a DMP through CCCS is that all creditors have to be treated equally so if you manage to cut back here and there and want to pay off a smaller debt they won't be very happy.

Sorry, we are going to pay off the Ikea card before we enter into a DMP. It probably won't make a difference in the end but it is one less creditor to worry about and it does show willing.

I suggest you go with them for the DMP, live on the SOA they have set and see how it goes for 6 months. Obviously you could start cutting back but then there is no rush. If after 6 months things are going great then you could either increase your payment to everyone or administer your own DMP until you are able to start clearing the debts more.

Sounds like a plan.

Also, thanks for all the tips re the slow cooker. At the moment my husband doesn't trust them. He is wary about bacteria and leaving something 'ticking over' for six hours

Moi_63

DVardysShadow wrote: »

You have already identified that the secured loan has 7 years to run. What about the personal loans? If these come off on a short timescale, there may be a little bit of slack.

Good point. One has two years left, the other just under three years. What do you mean by 'slack'?

NorthernLas

Moi - I found you some links on food safety and slow cookers. Slow cookers work above the temperatures that bacteria survive, however the heat up time could be where bacteria develop. This can be minimised by browning meat before putting in the slow cooker.

http://www.slowcookerrecipes.net.au/slowcooker-recipes.asp?id=86
http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/safetysanitation/p/slowcooksafe.htm

I also think that it would be worth while to give DLA another go (it may release other benefits to you). Would OH be more amenable if you were able to save up and offer F&F to your creditors, or save up and go for a break away? Could Macmillan point you towards someone who can help you fill out the form? OH needs to fill it in on his worst day not his best (not great when he does not want to admit that he is ill).

DVardysShadow

Moi_63 wrote: »

Good point. One has two years left, the other just under three years. What do you mean by 'slack'?

It is a long time to when they come off. but when they do, you will have £389 / month more slack. If you can find £300 extra - by budget economy and increased income - you will be more or less in balance. But you need to duck and dive for 3 years to reach that point.

Also note if you have included these loans at their initial amount, the amounts outstanding will be less now. So overall, your Net Assets would be less negative.