Don't even know where to start- making me ill!

dancingfairy

Hi Cleggie
Uni is hard work I imagine and as for trying to do it with 2 children to support and a useless ex not paying towards the kids it can't be easy. You don't have a massive amount of income right now so it's going to be a case of damage limitation and paying what you can. You appear to be doing all the right things - it's a matter of plodding along I think.
Best of Luck
df

cleggie

Thanks for your reply dancingfairy.
Its hard, really hard, to do uni with no support and with 2 kids, but its also doable. Cant wait to get a job and be done with essay writing!

dancingfairy

I'm just a bit concerned you may have missed a few things from your budget - things like clothes, gas/electric, water (or is this SWW?). Even if you are not buying things now perhaps you should budget for them - your SOA shows you have 100 a month spare so maybe look at putting 10 a month away for clothes or something so when you need them you have a little pot ready?
I think that's why people recommended doing the statement at makesense of cards to pick up on things you may have forgotten.
You may need to reconsider what you are paying to the credit card companies etc - it is far more important to make up payments on your rent etc and if you need to pay the credit companies less then that it what you will need to do.
df

cleggie

Thanks dancingfairy,
SWW is the water and i included £40 each a month for gas and elec. I was planning on saving the £100 pm to put towards my debt, so it gets cleared off sooner, but do you think its better to save it? I was going to put it towards the rent arreas for the first few months (as i have been told this is a priority debt).
What do you think?

dancingfairy

oo - just noticed you've 2 months to go on Cabot- that will make a massive difference to your monthly incomings/outgoings then. Not long to go. then you can redirect some of that and start making a dent in rent arrears.
df

cleggie

Oh, df can i please ask you another Q?
I am getting a £350 bursary from uni next week (YAY!!). I am tempted to use it to pay off the rent arreas in 1 go....or put it towards the Cabot..which do you think is best? I know that the rent is more important , but the amount i pay the HA for rent (including arreas) is £30 pw (so £120 a month)..but i pay £150 pm on Cabot.

I am a bit confused as to what is the best thing to do?

CH27

cleggie wrote: »

Oh, df can i please ask you another Q?
I am getting a £350 bursary from uni next week (YAY!!). I am tempted to use it to pay off the rent arreas in 1 go....or put it towards the Cabot..which do you think is best? I know that the rent is more important , but the amount i pay the HA for rent (including arreas) is £30 pw (so £120 a month)..but i pay £150 pm on Cabot.

I am a bit confused as to what is the best thing to do?

Are you paying interest on the Cabot?
If so pay it off first.

cleggie

Hi CH27- no i am not paying any interest. It was frozen about 18 months ago.

dancingfairy

hmm - is the bursary seperate to what you have identified in your SOA as money coming in from student finance? If it is seperate than I would definitely pay the rent arrears off - it shows willing if you do have any more problems in the future. Also if you are behind with rent you don't want to end up being taken to court or being asked to move on - best get it sorted out. Cabot -well they can't do a lot about it at the end of the day - paying for the roof over your head has to come first no matter what hot air/excuses they dream up.
df

CH27

cleggie wrote: »

Hi CH27- no i am not paying any interest. It was frozen about 18 months ago.

Pay your rent arrears off as it secures the roof over your head.