Ideas to fight debt counselling fund closing?

bendix

What education can possibly be needed? Honestly, why is this so hard?

Don't spend more than you have. There, can I have my debt counselling / financial training fee please?

For the love of God, what is wrong with the self-indulgent, me me me, 'because I'm worth it' attitude of people today?

It beggars belief.

lostinrates

bendix wrote: »

What education can possibly be needed? Honestly, why is this so hard?

Don't spend more than you have. There, can I have my debt counselling / financial training fee please?

Debt is part of life I think. Mortgages for example. Business funding (even at ''from your back room'' stage ...)

edit: had to go for a minute so pressed send:

Anyay, what trying to say is I don't see how debt can be totally avoided in an economy now. (despite my personal ideal when I first stumbled in this forum).

StevieJ

ILW wrote: »

I would suggest that making the consequences of debt a lot more visible may be a good idea in protecting people from themselves.

A few highly publicised repos and bailiffs driving around in large signwritten vans knocking down doors may just get the message across.

I have a better idea

ILW

There does seem to be an attitude with many (mainly younger people) that debt is the only way to get what you want. And this does come with the idea of "what can they do if I cannot repay" so I might as well live now and not worry. I would suggest that this could be addressed if the consequenses were publicised a lot more. As an example many would consider it quite OK to take out a 5 year loan to pay for a 2 week holiday.

lostinrates

ILW wrote: »

There does seem to be an attitude with many (mainly younger people) that debt is the only way to get what you want. And this does come with the idea of "what can they do if I cannot repay" so I might as well live now and not worry. I would suggest that this could be addressed if the consequenses were publicised a lot more. As an example many would consider it quite OK to take out a 5 year loan to pay for a 2 week holiday.

while I accept that might be the case for the last few years I've read older people more established in life telling younger people to suck up high prices and get in debt to buy!

StevieJ

lostinrates wrote: »

while I accept that might be the case for the last few years I've read older people more established in life telling younger people to suck up high prices and get in debt to buy!

True, many older people have lived through a beneficial time for debt i.e. high inflation, in particular in house prices.

Jowo_2

ILW wrote: »

I would suggest that making the consequences of debt a lot more visible may be a good idea in protecting people from themselves.

A few highly publicised repos and bailiffs driving around in large signwritten vans knocking down doors may just get the message across.

That's the practice in some european countries, isn't it? Creditors know that debtors simply ignore them, that the law is toothless, so they send in a guy with 'Debt Collector' on his bag to stand outside their house. Or they send a band to play.

In the article I read, this is how a caterer finally got the invoice paid from a couple for their wedding reception.

I think CAB do an excellent job. This is despite the fact that the people I know with debts tend to have them because they want a lifestyle that their income doesn't support and will do their best to evade payment.

EDIT - here are articles about the practice of humiliating debtors in Spain

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1889832,00.html

http://www.wastednews.com/debt-collectors-in-top-hat-and-tails-prosper/20080821848.html

"In one spectacular case, in which it was seeking to reclaim a large debt for an unpaid wedding banquet, the company even resorted to phoning guests who had attended to demand they pay their share of the bill. The red-faced bride and groom soon coughed up, Granda said."

lemonjelly

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-12400162

Interesting exchange in the House of Lords on this subject.

The voluntary sector is good value for money & should be seen as the solution, rather than having its funding cut.

Despite this, it seems the Barnoness feels it is a local authority matter, not a government matter.

In theory then, this means lobbying local councillors rather than MP's.

Somewhat a use of the divide & conquer tactics methinks.

Plus, LA's didn't decide to pull FIF funding, that WAS a government decision (& it was made 2 months later than it should have been).

bendix

Heyman wrote: »

Let's abolish the entire welfare system then - as that is effectively giving people free money when they should be getting off their !!!!!! and making it happen themselves.

Abolish retirement while we're about it too - if those pensioners have the energy to protest about the state pension, they damn well have the energy to do a normal week's work!

Now you're talking. I like the cut of your jib young man.

bendix

lemonjelly wrote: »

I don't work for CAB. But as usual, you carry on making your assumptions & coming to false conclusions if that makes you happy.

My "rant" as you call it, is because it is an issue I am passionate about.

Slightly disingenuous, don't you think lemon? I refer you to post 28 in which you refer to your previous work in CABx.

No, perhaps you don't work in them now, but you certainly used to and that hardly makes you an independent commentator.