A complete mess

Hopefully_Optamistic

Hi iregretitall,

Just a quick note to give you a couple of words of encouragement. I've just read your thread from the start and at the beginning I like others did not believe you were ready to begin to sort things out but the last few posts you seem to have changed your attitude and you are at the beginning to find a way through. Well done to ella for providing you with step by steps.

Keep up the little steps and you will find yourself in a position where you do not have to hide your head in the sand. You are doing really well.

One thing I would add though is the age old proverb... a problem shared is a problem halved. Your girlfriend may already think some thing is wrong, i'm sure that you are under a lot of stress and you may think you are hiding it but you never know she may come up with some good ideas for you. At the least she will be there for support.

Keep up the good work.

Ellabelle

Hi Iregretitall.

I'm not an expert on this but I think its going to take at least a month before your creditors cotton on that the address has changed. Your current bank is unlikely, I think to change the address on your credit reference file straight away anyway (If the time they took to register my defaults is anything to go by!)

If I was you I would change it straight away as then you will get your statements through. Its up to you though. I can't see waiting a couple of weeks to change the address doing you any harm.

Remember, there just letters. They can't harm you. Most of them contain just idle threats that don't mean alot. If you get any through that worry you you could post them up (with your name and address removed) and myself and other DFWs can let you know if they are anything to worry about. They largely arn't.

This doesn't apply if you have debts with your current bank or banking group. If this is the case you need a new bank account asap.

Eb.xx.

Ellabelle

I was wondering. Did you find out if the extra working tax credit would affect your partners benefits? Hope not.

Ellabelle

Council Tax

Have just found out from Kettering council that council tax costs-

Band A - £79.26 per month
Band B - £92.47 pm
Band C - £105.68 pm
Band D - £118.89 pm

(These amounts are based on 1 month of 12 monthly payments. Most councils will stick you on 10 monthly payments with 2 months off each year unless you ask for a 12 months per year payment plan.)

I am really hoping that a 1 bed flat (Are you in a 1 bed?) won't be any higher than band C.

The sums look like they work out for bands A & B -

The £21 you say you have left over each month
+ £37 per month (ish) saved by not paying your mobile and having cheap PaYG instead
+ £6 per month (ish) saved on a cheaper internet service provider
+ £20 saved on groceries each month
+ £20 extra working tax credit each month
- £2.50 - 5 x 50p per month (There are 5 debts on your SOA)

= £101.50
That covers Band A or B council tax and your only £4.18 short if your on band C. £4.18 we can find from somewhere in your budget hopefully (Its only just over £1 per week).

Thats before you save any money (if you can) on car insurance.

Looks like your sorted!! (as long as your not on band D or higher council tax band, I'm not an expert but I think this is unlikely for a 1 bed).

g_attrill

I will add another to the list to say that I don't think you have realistically explored all the options for commuting without a car. It is costing a massive amount and not using one for even a year or so should help massively.

- Bicycle - you mentioned motorways, obviously you won't be cycling the same route, so get on Google Maps and plot the route avoiding motorways, it is likely to be shorter because on a bike you normally take the most direct route regardless of road type. You should be able to do a 15 mile route in an hour or so, so no slower than your car commute.

- Moped is also a good idea, again you can't do motorways but there are always suitable alternatives.

ViolaLass

g_attrill wrote: »

I will add another to the list to say that I don't think you have realistically explored all the options for commuting without a car. It is costing a massive amount and not using one for even a year or so should help massively.

- Bicycle - you mentioned motorways, obviously you won't be cycling the same route, so get on Google Maps and plot the route avoiding motorways, it is likely to be shorter because on a bike you normally take the most direct route regardless of road type. You should be able to do a 15 mile route in an hour or so, so no slower than your car commute.

- Moped is also a good idea, again you can't do motorways but there are always suitable alternatives.

I wholeheartedly second this. Finding another £20 a month is great but getting rid of the car would make an enormous difference to your budget. You must look at a map and think carefully about what routes are available to you. I just don't buy that four motorways are the only possible route.

jintyb

Could you get a lift with a workmate? You could cycle to a pick up point.

iregretitall

Hi,

Today I went to the bank and have updated my address details.

Let's see how long it is until the letters come through . .

ViolaLass

iregretitall wrote: »

Hi,

Today I went to the bank and have updated my address details.

Let's see how long it is until the letters come through . .

That's great but any thought on your car?

k30lly

shellywelly1968 wrote: »

Could you car share with anyone that lives and works near to you? This would help petrol costs.

Regarding your insurance, if your partner has more NCB than you, I think it would work out cheaper if the insurance was in her name and you are on as a named driver. I use to do this for my ex as he didn't have any NCB. The only prob doing it this way is that you wont accumulate any bonus towards yours but for now I am sure it would help.

I would think about ways of trying to make extra money to help pay for the bills and debts. Have either of you got anything you can sell on ebay or at car boot sales? We all have things lying around the house that we don't use anymore and every penny helps towards the debts. What about a part time job at weekends?

Hope some of these suggestions are of help and Good Luck

I would avoid putting your partner as main driver, when you are in fact main driver. This is known as 'fronting' in insurance world and if you are found out they can kick you off their books, set up flag markers on your name on fraud databases that are shared by other comapnies and make it difficult to get future insurance, not to mention if you have an accident and they find out that way - you may end up paying all 3rd party repairs