can't afford to pay the minimum of credit card?

opinions4u

I hope you manage to sort things out. I'd suggest getting over to the Debt-Free Wannabe part of the forum and take some ideas for increasing your income a little. If a "real" job is hard to come by, what about getting up early and taking a paper-round. When my step-daughter was 17 she earned £100 a month. That could make a huge difference to you.

Nothing is ever fair and simple with creditors

Is it fair to them that you are unable to pay?

I've recently finished uni

national dept line

Not an English degree then .

I'm pretty sure the women say no interest on the phone but I could be wrong it was hard to hear

Once you've spoken to CAB or whoever you should ask for any arrangement to be in writing. How much, how long for, what (if any) charges will apply.

Alex652

opinions4u wrote: »

I hope you manage to sort things out. I'd suggest getting over to the Debt-Free Wannabe part of the forum and take some ideas for increasing your income a little. If a "real" job is hard to come by, what about getting up early and taking a paper-round. When my step-daughter was 17 she earned £100 a month. That could make a huge difference to you.

I only wanted advice from people who are more informed than myself. Thanks for the paper round idea but I'm not a kid I'm a mature student. I'm not planning on being unemployed long but until I get a job I wanted to know my options.

Is it fair to them that you are unable to pay?

what do you work for these companies or something? No it's not fair that I'm unable to pay this isn't something I'm enjoying. But at the same time credit card companies get away with a lot. And yes I know what your going to say "You shouldn't of got the card if you couldn't afford to pay it back" True enough but sometimes life has a way of kicking you in the balls. I'm not asking for a free hand out my debt will be paid.

Not an English degree then .

very amusing yes I made a typo. What a clever chap

Once you've spoken to CAB or whoever you should ask for any arrangement to be in writing. How much, how long for, what (if any) charges will apply.

Will do. And I will say thanks even though it took a while to get to the advice.

Hax

Alex652 wrote: »

I only wanted advice from people who are more informed than myself. Thanks for the paper round idea but I'm not a kid I'm a mature student. I'm not planning on being unemployed long but until I get a job I wanted to know my options.

But, increasing your income by taking *any* job (even a paper round!) whilst looking for your ideal job is surely the best option - after all, whilst you don't "plan" on being unemployed for long, in these times, I don't think anyone can really "plan" their employment - you're at the mercy of the employers and their ever decreasing budgets!

Personally, in the past, I've used the CCCS and had a DMP with them and they were excellent with the help and advice they gave me. Give them a call and see what they have to say.

Good luck!

lisyloo

Thanks for the paper round idea but I'm not a kid I'm a mature student.

If you can't pay your debts you shouldn't be turning your nose up at any job that might be on offer.

Put flyers round your local area offering - odd jobs, car washing, baby sitting, dog walking, house sitting, dog sitting, plant feeeding/dog/cat feeding service whilst people are on holiday, ironing, cleaning.

Do you have any family, friends, relative, neighbours or colleagues who could offer you any odd jobs.

The first thing I do if a freind/relative is out of work, is think about whether I could offer them any odd jobs. This helps both of us and it's not charity eiher.

chattychappy

Hmm...

Alex652 wrote: »

I'm claiming job seekers allowance until I find full time work.

Alex652 wrote: »

I'm not asking for a free hand out my debt will be paid.

Alex652 wrote: »

Thanks for the paper round idea but I'm not a kid I'm a mature student.

Now you did say:

Alex652 wrote: »

Any advise would be appreciated.

Oh another typo (advice)... I'm obviously clever too.

But this is excellent advice:

lisyloo wrote: »

If you can't pay your debts you shouldn't be turning your nose up at any job that might be on offer.

Sorry, being a mature student is nothing special. Everybody is doing degrees these days - and that's before you consider the myriad other courses people can do. I recently did a degree as a mature student - many of the students (including me) were doing part time work.

Alex652 wrote: »

No it's not fair that I'm unable to pay this isn't something I'm enjoying.

What isn't fair is if you are turning away work whilst complaining jobseekers - something financed by other working people.

Alex652

Hax wrote: »

Personally, in the past, I've used the CCCS and had a DMP with them and they were excellent with the help and advice they gave me. Give them a call and see what they have to say.

Good luck!

I will probably give the CCCS website a look this week I know things will get sorted soon enough. I was also told by a friend over the weekend of a possible job opening. So it's not all bad news.

cheers

lisyloo wrote: »

If you can't pay your debts you shouldn't be turning your nose up at any job that might be on offer.

Put flyers round your local area offering - odd jobs, car washing, baby sitting, dog walking, house sitting, dog sitting, plant feeeding/dog/cat feeding service whilst people are on holiday, ironing, cleaning..

I'm not turning my nose up at anything. Those are all ok ideas but not really feasible. I can't imagine I would make much money watering peoples plants. The weather is pretty awful at the moment for cleaning cars.

I will keep my ear to the ground for any work or odd jobs that family/friends have to offer though

Alex652

chattychappy wrote: »

Hmm..

Way to go on listing things I said out of context.

Lets get some things straight though. I don't want to be on job seekers but I've worked for many years and paid my taxes. If I choose to use my Contribution based job seekers then it's my right. I would rather be working than not though.

chattychappy wrote: »

Oh another typo (advice)... I'm obviously clever too.

Well you must be Perish the thought that I make a typo on the internet. My fault for not proofreading I guess. But luckily I have you here to correct me.

chattychappy wrote: »

Sorry, being a mature student is nothing special. Everybody is doing degrees these days - and that's before you consider the myriad other courses people can do. I recently did a degree as a mature student - many of the students (including me) were doing part time work.

I never said being a mature student was special that's not why I did my degree. I also worked part time when I was studying at university. So what?

chattychappy wrote: »

What isn't fair is if you are turning away work whilst complaining jobseekers - something financed by other working people.

What work am i turning away chatty? Just because I was against doing a paper round doesn't mean I will turn away jobs. who's to say I would even be able to get a paper round? I'm pretty sure they are in high demand like most jobs.

"whilst complaining job seekers?" hmmm I suppose you meant to say I'm complaining about being on job seekers. Well that's not true I'm hardly complaining I'm just asking for advice. I thought this would be a good place to ask.

"something financed by other working people"

Yes like I said I've paid my taxes...


Thanks for the useful comments to everyone that helped. A lot of it I already knew but it's appreciated all the same. End thread.

opinions4u

Alex652 wrote: »

I only wanted advice from people who are more informed than myself. Thanks for the paper round idea but I'm not a kid I'm a mature student.

Needs must. You can't meet your commitments and yet you can't be bothered wandering down to a local newsagent's to see if there's a way of bridging the gap. Pride is all well and good, but when you've screwed your credit rating for 6 years you may wonder at some point in the future whether or not it was worth it.

When I was staring redundancy in the face last year a paper-round was an option I was more than willing to consider because it wouldn't interfere with looking for a proper job.

I'm not planning on being unemployed long but until I get a job I wanted to know my options.

Earning money from other sources was an option. Clearly you don't want to know. Others have suggested things too, but rather than building on their suggestions and coming up with alternatives that fit you and the time of year you rudely choose to dismiss them.

what do you work for these companies or something?

I did once.

No it's not fair that I'm unable to pay this isn't something I'm enjoying. But at the same time credit card companies get away with a lot. And yes I know what your going to say "You shouldn't of got the card if you couldn't afford to pay it back" True enough but sometimes life has a way of kicking you in the balls. I'm not asking for a free hand out my debt will be paid.

So scrap the pride and earn the money to pay the minimum payment if you can. Pull some pints in a local pub if you're too good to shove papers though letter boxes.

Will do. And I will say thanks even though it took a while to get to the advice.

Ok, remove the phrase "paper round" and insert "any legal way of earning a bit of money in the short term". Take it from there.

Jeez some people!

hopefulfooluk

Alex652 wrote: »

It's frustrating that I only need that to be back in the green. Also most of 300 is the result of late fees, overdrawn fee's and interest when I had absolutely no money coming in.

This statement REALLY scares me. You do not need 300 to be back in the green - you need 1300. You will still be a thousand pounds in debt, just on your Vanquis card (which will be costing you at least £35 in interest every single month, probably more like £50-£60).

If you do not get this nailed fast, it will send you down the chute. You really do not want to be there - it is not a good place to be.

I suggest you go back to NDL and see what they have to say again - but remember, it is an awful lot more than £300 that is required to get your finances under control.

I don't want to post doom and gloom, as you've taken the right steps to seek advice and on that you should be applauded, but don't for a second think that all will be alright if you go back under your limit as you will still be in a vulnerable situation with a grand on a vanquis card and other debts elsewhere.

chattychappy

Alex652 wrote: »

What work am i turning away chatty? Just because I was against doing a paper round doesn't mean I will turn away jobs. who's to say I would even be able to get a paper round?

Well... a paper round was one job that was mentioned and you rejected it on the basis you've been a mature student and not a kid. Yep - who's to say you'd be able to get it - we'll never know if you don't apply.

Incidentally, the paper rounds in my area are all done by guys over 40.

Alex652 wrote: »

I don't want to be on job seekers but I've worked for many years and paid my taxes. If I choose to use my Contribution based job seekers then it's my right
...
"something financed by other working people"

Yes like I said I've paid my taxes...

Your contributions over the last two years (presumably not much if you were a student) may indeed be part of the entitlement, but there is no magic pot that your tax has gone into that you're now drawing on. Like all benefits, it's financed by contributions from current tax payers.

Alex652 wrote: »

End thread.

Well, that's not for you to say.

Based on the figures you've given, you simply should take any chance you can to get income. Every £1 you can get in now will save much more by the time you've allowed for the interest and charges you are paying.