Start 2011 with paying off important debts

ceejaydee23

Some of you May have seen my SOA BUT it wan't 100% accurate, I posted this morning to mention the steps I have already taken, BUT Will repost here.

Phoned Council Regarding the outstanding Balance of 547, (some Benefit Overpayment) was called back and told to speak to CAB and set up a SOA with them as they work closely together WILL not agree a payment plan until i do, But told to pay what i can weather it be £5 or £10 for each of the next 3 months until end of tax year.

Phoned my Landlords(Housing Association)to confirm to them How much MINIMUM we could pay towards rent arrears: (unsure of exact figure as £100 was paid to rent account on Friday) Was told I would receive call tomorrow, But I'll call them again.

Phoned bank regarding my MasterCard with them (cards been stopped anyway was just paying balance) Lady told me as not defaulted couldnt help but she noticed i had a payment due tomorrow so cancelled my SO so id "default" and then I could speak to their corrections dept. So I shall call them in morning.

Called Barclaycard They told me that they could set up a payment cheme for 6 months at a reduced amount of £36 a month (minimum was 73) But i gotta call them again on 31st Jan.

Have also been in process of Changing my incomings (Tax Credits and Child Benefits) to be paid into another bank account.

Next Steps:

Get appointment with CAB and Phone virgin to reduce the TV package again , although some people have stated to go bk to bare minimum i couldnt do that to my other half, as it is he's given up going to his much beloved Stevenage Football Club games! So the Sports Stay.

ceejaydee23

nothing is ever easy is it

called my bank regarding mastercard, bloody things already been paid for this month so gotta wait for next payment to default now. THEN I'll ask them about sorting something out,

Phoned housing officer, previous info given regarding my situation was wrong, the minimum required for paying rent arrears back was wrong, i was told the figure for a non-working family about to go towards court proceedings. rather then the working family that we are so they require more!
have asked for a CAB referral.

startagain_2

ceejaydee23 wrote: »

nothing is ever easy is it

called my bank regarding mastercard, bloody things already been paid for this month so gotta wait for next payment to default now. THEN I'll ask them about sorting something out,

Phoned housing officer, previous info given regarding my situation was wrong, the minimum required for paying rent arrears back was wrong, i was told the figure for a non-working family about to go towards court proceedings. rather then the working family that we are so they require more!
have asked for a CAB referral.

Hi,
I remember those days only too well, negotiating and ringing round everyone. In a way it wasn't too bad because I was actually getting on and doing something. Even though I eventually ended up going BR I always tried to keep my rent up to date (more or less) as I didn't want to be out on the street...

You poor thing - it sounds like life is a bit of an uphill slog at the moment. I just wanted to lend my support... well done at getting on with everything.

SA

ceejaydee23

Thank you start again, I've now ben in contact with CAB as The Council regarding the Council tax wouldnt even contemplate a repayment schedule until I had. I'm also concidering maybe trying to get a few hours work, although wouldnt take BIG chucks off of paying debts, at least it would make me feel better knowing there was some extra to throw at them.

ceejaydee23

Well if all goes well and the credit card companies do agree to reduced payments, and now my other half has admitted the TV package and his SkySports need to be reduced, and with me actually stopping use of the debit card but taking money out of the account for my budget (maybe it might be larger then some other peoples but still a reduction, we shall see how things go but so far things are going ok) we could then release at least £100 over the month towards the 2 biggies we have. Although As the council said technically until end of march we are not actually in arrears with Council Tax (its just we wont be able to get hold of nearly £600 in 2 months)

With my budget calculations, I've fit in a payment of £130 towards Council Tax, would I not be better off putting that money towards the rent arrears? As I am in arrears there? Or split that amount and pay half on each?

ceejaydee23

YAY got my Virgin package down again, threatened to leave completely! so bills should be down to half(ish) for next 6 months anyway. (gave me my choice for downgrading at the web deal)

ceejaydee23

Well its official, I've now started the new payment plan with my barclaycard now! £36 a month for the next 6 months which will then be reviewed. I'm currently paying my rent at £100 a week, which is actually rounding up the full rent to the nearest pound, which means the housing benefit that we are in receipt of is paying towards the arrears on the account, housing association happy with that. Next week will be in a position to make a payment towards the council tax too. So then all parties will be happy. Next week will be bargaining week with HSBC mastercard again. As it turns out last month i was too late as my payment had already been taken.

Things are much easier to cope with now.

The £60 shopping a week is still proving to be a challenge, but i'm managing it somehow! Although i make a shopping list most of the time, i often will see something reduced or on an offer which i will buy instead. Although from having been used to shopping in my local morrisons, my mum who had been taking me shopping last few weeks, prefered tesco, but i realised i just dont like them anymore! I bought a cucumber in there, which went manky before i had the chance to open it(it wasnt that old either), AND even the carrots tasted well.... tasteless!

Because of 2 very good deals, I have managed to stock up on washing powder and fabric softener, 50 wash surf powder in morrisons LESS then £5 and an 80odd wash concentrate fabric softener (lenor) in tesco was only £3