Gona start pulling my finger out!

mandz1

Well, ive been reading a few debt free diaries and i think i should start one just so i pull my finger out really and knuckle down. I wanna be debt free before im 25 (10/08/2012, my birthdays 11th ).
I am going to try and clear as much of my debt as possible because its getting me down. Ill start with a little bit about me.
Im 23 with two gorgeous boys aged 4 and 15 months. im a single mum and atm i am not working, although i want to. I split up with my babies daddy in may for a few reasons mainly because he had a drink and drug problem and made me lose my council house through not paying the rent. anyway less said about him the better. I am currently living back at my mums house, but i am hoping to find a rented house very soon. Most of my debts are due to being young and stupid and my ex making me take stuff out and me being stupid enough to do so cos i loved him.
anyway debt is as follows: -

Cabot financial - 263.28

Robinson way/old avon account - 238.31

Capquest/ old halifax cc - 838.54

Severn trent water - 499.89

Overpayment of housing benefit - 775.00

High court enforcement/unpaid childcare - 3495.58

Old council tax 1 - 1137.18

Old council tax 2 - 934.68

Total £8182.46 :eek::eek:

plus i have a welcome finance loan that i do not know the total of and my rent arrears from my old house that i have not received the final amount through yet.

All in all - SHOCKING!
Im even giving up smoking to try and save some money and be healthier for my boys.

But i am determined to clear this debt. I want to buy my own house one day and give my kids stability as they grow up!
I have made a payment today of £10 to cabot. 4 of my debts already have pp on set up.

I have also emailed robinson way through their website offering a payment of £125 to clear the debt completley.
anyway enough for tonight. wrote enough i think.

mandz1

Just been to the bank and put £40 worth of £2 coins and and £20 aswell. so £60 to pay off towards one of my debt. But who do i give it to?
id much rather spend it on myself and my kids, but also really need to clear this debt..

flower85_2

hi good luck with getting rid of your debt. :T
im a single mummy to 2 boys and im in debt too so know how your feeling. i have just started a diary to help me as i think it will keep me focused.

just remember to stay positive and look forward to becoming debt free, oh and good luck in finding somewhere to rent for you and your boys. :j

* subscribes *

xx

girlracer

Hey mandz, i have subscribed to your thread, to follow you on your debt free journey
Firstly well done for wanting to clear thse debts ( yay )
I think a diary will keep you motivated it does me, i find it also helps to write down how your feeling and even make little notes to yourself on your diary

I would say that your council tax bill is probably the most improtant one to tackle as the councils are quite harsh on people that do not pay, and the bailiffs are not friendly at all, however because you are on benefits they can only take a nominal amount, and they can take straight from your benefits, maybe worth giving the council a call, or even the citizen advice, they were brilliant with me, and gave me all the info i needed to know over the phone including my rights

Have you made arrangements with your other creditors ?
I would suggest you call all of them and offer a small token amount each week, then if you do have some money saved, i would suggest paying of the smaller debts first, that way you can bin them off and concentrate on the bigger ones.
well done on quitting the cigs, really wish i could im ill atm but it doesnt stop me lighting up how bad is that ?

Personally i would use the £60-00 to pay cabot financil, and a lil extra just to get your balance down to a round £200.00
Have you got your credit report yet ?
Probably best not to apply for anymore credit, and it might help when you get your report to list your ccjs and defaults
and see when they are coming off, sometimes you can even get defaults removed, its a long process but im sure i saw a link on here somewhere, if i find it will post, i had one of my defaults removed so it is possible

Good Luck, and if i can be of any further help please ask

all the best
Nicola xx

mandz1

the old council tax bills are already with baliffs but the bloke that came to my old house was really nice and gave me a bit longer to find half the money for 1 of the bills. but since i lost my house, i havent had any contact with them. so trying to pay off as much as i can off the other debts, before they start chasin me again.
seen a really nice house today that would be perfect for me and my sons but gona sort that out tomorrow.
Paid £10 to cabot
paid £10 to capquest
paid £10 to robinson way.
have £30 left, may pay the same again tomorrow to each of them.
Cabot and robinson way have pp of £2 a month set up and capquest £10 a month, but i want to pay any extra money i get to them to pay them off quicker as i wanna be debt free in 2 years ( a big ask but i will try my best),
The over payment of housing benefit was meant to be coming straight out of my benefits but nothing has been took so far!
Got the local paper today for jobs, but nothing in there that i can do for various reasons, main 1 being i cant drive.
havent got my credit report yet but have emailed equifax to tell them as it has been 2 weeks ago that i made the payment for it.

girlracer

equifax took a while to send me mine too,
Do you not feel it will be better to pay of your smaller debts ?
i wouldnt give council tax ur new details until u have paid of some other debts, or its just going to stress you out
It may not be an impossible task to pay of your debts in the next couple of years, you may find a job and get ur home life sorted which i hope u do
gd luck

mandz1

the 3 im paying are the smallest: 228.28, 253.28 and 828.54

girlracer

mandz1 wrote: »

the 3 im paying are the smallest: 228.28, 253.28 and 828.54

thats good then and you have payment arrangements for the others?
to prevent defaults etc

mandz1

most have got payment plans but really just tryna sort a few out first then move onto the other ones. the ones im concentrating on are the ones on my signature

mandz1

well today i have paid another £20 to cabot financial. might as well while i got spare cash.
another day of not smoking. been really hard but have to keep saying to myself that my health is getting better and i am now saving money that can pay off my debt. i will carry on as long as it takes as i am not only doing this for myself but for my baby boys aswell.

girlracer

mandz1 wrote: »

well today i have paid another £20 to cabot financial. might as well while i got spare cash.
another day of not smoking. been really hard but have to keep saying to myself that my health is getting better and i am now saving money that can pay off my debt. i will carry on as long as it takes as i am not only doing this for myself but for my baby boys aswell.

Well done, keep up all the hard work your doing great :T