What is my best course of action?

lynzpower

could you get glasses instead of contact lenses?

And also see if you are entitled to HB top up when you move, you may be.

mrslawrence2003

I agree with climbgirl - you really need to start looking for a room to rent. quite often you can find rooms that are fully inclusive of all bills such as elec/water etc for between 300 - 400 a month. to get yourself straight you are going to have to make sacrifices - such as living in a grotty place for a bit. but it wont be forever - and once you have your debt sorted you can look forward to living somewhere better.

Ekim

Ok if I revise my budget a little:

Phone: £30
Contact Lenses: £15 (Although I do have glasses I would rather keep using contact lenses)
Travel: £60
Credit Card: £200
Food: £100
Toiletries: £10
Going Out: £50
Contingency: £100

My plan is also at the end of each month to throw any unspent contingency toward the debt. I do realise that perhaps £400-£500 was a bit over ambitious and that £300 to £400 is more reasonable. Also if, as I plan, move closer to work I'll be able to walk in and save some more money for the debt.

Thanks for the help so far. I am going to try giving CAB a ring this evening.

*edit*
Also the only reason I haven't got my own place yet is that I am waiting a couple of friends from home to move up so that we can move in together.

*edit no. 2*
Also been thinking about getting another job in the evening on the Weekends or something similar. Would I be getting taxed more on this job or at the same level as my current?

*edit no. 3*
Going to try and get a bus to work tomorrow! It will save me a hell of a lot each month if I can do it every day!

CLAPTON

you will probably be taxed as BR which means you will pay 22% on your earning, you probably wouldn't pay any NI

david_hellier

Hi and welcome. Firstly, I suggest you let us know what your take home pay is and if you are giving your brother anything. Then we can do a budget.

If you are still using the same card now as when you were at university, I suggest you write to them explaining that you were financially vulnerable at that time and that they did not make sufficient enquiries then to see if you had sufficient income to repay the card and therefore they were negligent in offering you further credit. State that you will issue a summons to recover all the interest paid so far and that you will be requesting an interest freeze on the account. That should start the ball rolling.

Good luck.

jenko

david_hellier wrote:

If you are still using the same card now as when you were at university, I suggest you write to them explaining that you were financially vulnerable at that time and that they did not make sufficient enquiries then to see if you had sufficient income to repay the card and therefore they were negligent in offering you further credit. State that you will issue a summons to recover all the interest paid so far and that you will be requesting an interest freeze on the account. That should start the ball rolling.

Good luck.

Hi, I'm taking home a little over £1,100 a month and currently paying my brother nothing, bar around £5 and buying toilet roll etc. when needed.

Just looking at your suggestion do you think that would work? I would love to think it would, and would love to give it a shot, but I'm not sure how I would go about getting a summons and all that sorted.

Thanks

Ekim

whoops! was logged in as my brother.

Ekim

Sorry, I hate to bump topics, but what are other peoples thoughts on this whole telling the bank I am going to be issuing them with a summons idea?

CLAPTON

reclaiming punitive charges; yes, because its against well established contract law.
reclaiming 'normal' interest because you were only 18? frankly i doubt it. but yes you can always take the issue to the small claims court.

david_hellier

I suggest you write to them first, threatening the summons. You need to explain that their negligence is a contributory factor to your inability to repay and therefore request they refund the interest and freeze further interest. In return you need to agree not to spend further on the account.