Not sure what to do?

Smashing

An easy saving would be to ditch sky. If you really believe you can't live without it, at the very least ring up and get a better deal - thread about sky

Bobby81

I have said that plenty of times but isnt there a 1 year contract? Suppose i should read your thread sorry..........I just dont want so much stuff coming out of the bank, just want one single payment, i cant keep up, its making me very miserable and i really do thihk we have overspent but hubby thinks we will be fine.

Toomuchdebt

What are the APR's on the credit cards?

bonnie_2

that's better how much is your council tax and water though.

Bobby81

85 pound council tax and we dotn pay water due to my husbands job (sounds weired i know) lol. I have got myself a credit score from equifax and its 233 how much worse can things get?

all_hours

Husband Income: after tax 1300
Mine: 470
Child Benefit: 116
Tax Credits: 770
Total income 2656

Outgoings

Childcare: 878
Rent: 180
Elec: 21
Gas: 33
Council tax 85

Phone: 40
Mobiles: 53 these are high

Car Tax: 11
Petrol: 80
Car Insurance: 48
Car repairs:

Clothes:
Haircuts:
Christmas:
Birthdays:

Insurances: 40
Child trust Fund: 20
Food: 320
TV Licence: 10.5
Sky: 46

1st LLoyds TSb Loan owe £17600 pay £407 (APR 7.1%) 407 How many months to go?
2nd Lloyds TSB Loan owe £8000 pay £185 (APR11.8%) 185 How many months to go?
Credit Card: £6000 Limit owe £400 10 - What's the APR on this card
Car Loan £8200 pay £180 (APR 16%) 180 How many months to go?
Overdraft:£2000 - What's the APR on this

Total outgoings 2647.5

Surplus/Deficit 8.5

There is no internet listed - is this part of your phone bill?

Your need to include an allowance for birthdays, christmas, haircuts, clothes, car repairs + servicing. If you don't when you need to buy new shoes for the kids you will put it on a card or the overdraft. Add up what you spend over a year and divide by 12 to get a monthly amount for these.

You food budget is high so that can be reduced - look at the old style forum.
You could get rid of sky or get the package changed to basic.
Mobile phone bill is high - if you're in a contract phone them and ask them to change your tariff to a cheaper one.
If the phone bill doesn't include internet then this is also quite high.

If you can halve your sky, mobile and phone bills this will free up nearly £70 a month to go towards the missing expenses.

You say you have 3 empty cards - post the APRs and credit limits for these and who they are with.

Did you only get your credit score or did you look at your report? Register with quidco and sign up for the 30 day experian trial- you'll get some cash back. If you can sign up for the free equifax trial too - I don't know if you'll be able to as you have already paid for a score from them.

233 is a low score - looking at your report will help you work out why so you can make steps to improving this.

Don't let this get you down. It will be hard at first but once you get your budget worked out and make a few changes you'll be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.