Finally, here is my S.O.A...

OverRated

Hi summerstreetallotments... i wanted to send PM but as a newish member i can't send more than one per 60min. Didn't mean to sound so harsh on my early post and was genuinely trying to help. I'm sorry.

Check out that computer insurance as it sounds like a geek squad type product but double check. At a guess I'm going to say you don't *need* it but would need more information to comment.

satchmo1

Hi SSA

I may get shot down for this suggestion, but as your laundry-bill is so steep, it would seem cost effective to think about a washing machine from Argos if it was less than £41/month repayment.

Why have you got medical cover if you are both medically unable to work?

I understand about needing to keep your OH warm, especially if his mobility isn't great, but could you limit that to the living room?

Cutting £100 a month off your food bill should be easy even after paying delivery charges from one of the cheaper supermarkets. That money could be put towards your debts, thus saving interest too. Head over to the Old Style Board for great low cost menu ideas.

Is your pet old/ill? If not, then think about cancelling the pet insurance and putting some (half?) of that into a saving account and the other half against the debts.

Hope that helps? Satchmo x

WASHER

Summerstreet,

You have come to the right place for help, ignore the post suggesting you are a troll, we are here to help not judge, its quite on here tonight, but I'm sure tomorrow you will get plenty of advice.

Benefits are in place for the purpose of providing for people who cannot provide for themselves in times of difficulty/illness or unemployment, you are entitled to collect these benefits and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.

Have you checked turn2us.org.uk, its a benefit calculator to check you are getting everything you are entitled to.

I will take a look at your SOA after I grab a coffee.

WASHER.x.

OverRated

summerstreetallotments wrote: »

Anyway have tried online shopping, but have only got a debit card...couldn't get this taken last time I was on the Tesco site...but I will try again next week...when we have money

I recall something on Watchdog about this recently? Don't they hold the money and then charge on top of that so you basically have to have double the amount in your account??

Do you walk to Waitrose get a taxi/bus? Could you do a fake online shop at the closest and cheaper supermarket and factor in a taxi ride and do a big shop in person?

WASHER

Do you have an Iceland near you? They deliver for free if you spend over £25, no online shopping with Iceland.

*zippy*

Right i've calmed down

OverRated I realise you are new and posted a bit enthusiastically, I just wonder sometimes if people consider how their replies will be read especially by someone with depression after they made the brave step posting here, but well done for coming back and apologising

Summer I'm not feeling well so not thinking straight, but am I right in thinking you aren't looking for advice on how to cut back your budget, but more making a budget to present for the DRO like you would for bankruptcy to prove you can't afford your debts? Apologies if I've read it wrong, but if that is the case maybe the bankruptcy board will have more info.

Hun you don't need to prove anything or apologise, benefits are there for those who need them and every one of us would claim everything we were entitled to if the need arose.

WASHER

summerstreetallotments wrote: »

Hello...could you have a look and tell me whether this is realistic...I'm hoping to apply for a D.R.O. eventually...at the moment my credit file isn't showing all my payments, so it appears that I owe more than £15,000.
thanks c.x

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household......... 2
Number of children in household...... 1

Monthly Income Details
Benefits................................. 1334 - Does this include child benefit
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.............. 1334

Monthly expenses
Rent........................... paid by Housing benefit
Council tax...................ditto.
Service charge/Ground rent........22.00
Repairs/maintenance.................11.00
Electricity................................ 80.00
Water rates............................. 30.00
Telephone,mobile,internet.......... 40.00
TV Licence............................... 12.90
Satellite......................................6.00
Internet Services....................... 12.49
Groceries etc. ...........................406.00 This seems high, I'm going to post a few links for you to look at in aid to help you reduce this, baby steps is the key here, try reducing by £50 this month and then by £25 the next.
Medical/accident insurance..........13.00
Travel......................................... 26.00
School meals/meals at work.........35.00
Other child related expenses..........8.00
Medical (prescriptions,dentist etc)..19.00
Pet insurance/vet bills.................. 22.00
Contents insurance...................... 13.00
Presents(birthday,christmas etc).... 6.00
Laundry/cleaning..........................41.00
Clothing/footwear..........................54.00 - this seems high each month
Entertainment/newspapers............23.00 - read newspapers online, they are free.
Loan from family/friends................44.00
Emergency fund.......................... 20.00 - do you have any money in your emergency fund just now?
Other expenses(my therapies).....286.00

Total monthly expenses...........1230.39


Assets
Cash..................................... 0
Total Assets...........................0.


Unsecured Debts
Barclaycard.............................7277
Partnership card......................6052
Argos.....................................1365
Total unsecured debts.........14,694

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1334.00
Expenses ....................................1284.00
Available for debt repayments........... 50.00

Can I suggest you read the CCCS website, a debt charity, a wealth of information and guidance.

You say in your other post your son is entitled to stay for free school lunch but doesn't as he gets bullied, this needs to be addressed by the school, I work in a school, and we have a cashless system (like a debit card payment system) and no child knows who is in receipt of a free school lunch other than the till operator, does your school not run something similar.


Off to get the links to help with reducing the grocery shopping.


This website is good for helping make a meal from bits and pieces found in the cupboard.

http://www.supercook.com/




WASHER.x.

mum2one

summerstreetallotments wrote: »

Hello...could you have a look and tell me whether this is realistic...I'm hoping to apply for a D.R.O. eventually...at the moment my credit file isn't showing all my payments, so it appears that I owe more than £15,000.
thanks c.x

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household......... 2
Number of children in household...... 1

Monthly Income Details
Benefits................................. 1334
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.............. 1334 - can you check on entitledto website to see if you are getting everything you are entitled to. Are you on DLA

Monthly expenses
Rent........................... paid by Housing benefit
Council tax...................ditto.
Service charge/Ground rent........22.00
Repairs/maintenance.................11.00
Electricity................................ 80.00 - would look at another supplier, as this does seem high, inbetween times, try things like turning off on standby, lights off, don't overfill the kettle.
Water rates............................. 30.00 - Do you not get this paid for, worth looking into
Telephone,mobile,internet.......... 40.00
TV Licence............................... 12.90
Satellite......................................6.00
Internet Services....................... 12.49
Groceries etc. ...........................406.00 - maybe worth looking at oldstyle board, meal planning, cutting down brands.
Even consider delievery by supermarkets, top up mini shop as necessary.
Medical/accident insurance..........13.00 - with this you need to work out whether your getting back more than you pay in? May be worth trying specsavers for contact lenses if you want them.
Travel......................................... 26.00
School meals/meals at work.........35.00 - really try for school meals, my DD gets free meals, theres no attention drawn to her because of the situation.
Other child related expenses..........8.00
Medical (prescriptions,dentist etc)..19.00 - If your on benefits are you claiming free prescriptions
Pet insurance/vet bills.................. 22.00
Contents insurance...................... 13.00
Presents(birthday,christmas etc).... 6.00
Laundry/cleaning..........................41.00 - I appriciate you've explained the situation, (sent a pm)
Clothing/footwear..........................54.00 I know its averaged out, but could you try to reduce even ifs its £5, all helps
Entertainment/newspapers............23.00 - yes its a luxury, but your not drinking, smoking, set a challenge to recoup the £23 then you can spend it
Loan from family/friends................44.00 - How much longer is this loan for?
Emergency fund.......................... 20.00
Other expenses(my therapies).....286.00 - I fully appriciate the situation, but could you alternate appointments - try to cut in half.
(if you could cut this in half for 2 months, thats a washing machine, that then save £41 from laundry and helps into debt repayment)

Total monthly expenses...........1230.39


Assets
Cash..................................... 0
Total Assets...........................0.


Unsecured Debts
Barclaycard.............................7277 - whats the APR and minumum payment - same for other 2 cards
Partnership card......................6052
Argos.....................................1365
Total unsecured debts.........14,694

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1334.00
Expenses ....................................1284.00
Available for debt repayments........... 50.00

One point I've noticed, yes with the figures your under the 15k for a DRO, but when you look into it further, it suggests that you need to be around 14k, as with you not being in a postion to keep up, there be charges going on, if this takes in above 15k, they can't process it.

Its def worth looking on CCCS website for advice re debts and they have a thread on here as well.

Sent a pm with a few thoughts. x

jayn_3

Hi
I've not read all the subsequent posts, but If you are on benefits, you sould be getting free prescriptions, and schoolmeals as far as I'm aware. I'm not an expert!
Also waitrose, whilst I understand their food is great, they are probably the most expensive store you can go to-can't you shop daily, locally, ? I know about transport costs etc, or at least get it delivered from asda, tesco etc as previously stated.

Can you lose the pet insurance, and use the PDSA in the unfortunate event that you need to use them.

With regard to your therapies. This is a lot of money, and I think if you feel they are helping your condition, you should go to your GP and pester hime to refer you. If you don't feel able to do this yourself, have you someone you can take with you. Have you told your GP/Consultant you are still suicidal??? You really need to make them aware of how desperate you still feel.

Speak to your creditors-Its hard, but I have dealt with Barclays myself and they have been ok, they accepted a reduced payment and have suspended the interest. This was initially put in place for 3 months and then they have extended it for another 6 months so they are open to helping people. It takes guts, but I promise you If I can do it you can.

summerstreetallotments

God I'm really getting a grilling on here aren't I ..couldn't sleep last night.....cant afford a washing machine from Argos, I had to destroy the card when I couldn't make any more payments...I'm working on charities...but they provided one for us before..dont like to ask again...

As I said the medical insurance is to supplement the costs of opticians etc....which we are not entitled to get for free.

Dear m2one...yes we get D.L.A. and the meduim care rate...not entitled to anything else...and all ...this gets reassessed down very soon.someone else has mentioned the Electricity..as my partner is ill we spend a lot...water rates is actually the monthly cost which we cant claim benefits for...I've gone into the prescriptions etc. at length on here...we're not covered for every lens test, non N.H.S. dental etc... we do this to stop getting massive bills that we cant pay...as I've been in hospital recently we're not paying in more than we've claimed back.

Not sure of the exact a.p.r.s but last month I had to pay (well..should've paid) £537.00

I've been keeping on top of the totals and am aware when the interest is being added...I should be o.k. if the total goes down on June 8th....before the charges go on on the 15th..


Yes the dog is old and we have an issue with fleas here...we have to coat them in flea stuff all the time...costs a fortune.There is no P.D.S.A. around here - and that is another thing I can prove to anyone who thinks that I am a troll...the last vet pulled out of it last year.

I am considering our food shopping...still pretty sure that I cant use a debit card...but will try again. Iceland delivers around here but we cant find enough to buy there to make up £25.00...my partner won't eat ready meals because of the salt content etc....thinks it makes his legs worse... so our son cooks for us from fresh.

Dear Washer - you don't know my son's school...the head of the Governors visited us at home a few months ago to discuss this issue and the fact that he's called "benefit boy"...things are going very slowly...
I've been to C.C.C.S ...they've been advising me, nothing can happen until the balance is below £15,000.0
the S.O.A. does include Child Benefit.
Yes I'm aware that Waitrose is expensive...we don't eat meat or anything from their top ranges...but it's just so far for my partner to walk to the nearest other supermarket...I'm trying to sort this one out..

Yes the doctor is aware of how ill I am which is why she referred me to the psychiatric unit for a week last month...she's very sorry about what I'm paying for treatment but, as she said ...the D.L.A. is intended to be used for that..

I am paying reduced payments at the moment, but need to get out of this long term as it's not helping...
re. the people who think I'm a troll, I'll happily forward you evidence...I've got a house full of letters here...I know you all mean well everyone and thank you for your help - but the cuts etc. ..have been eroding at services etc. available to the poor for a while now, losing the P.D.S.A. and having no N.H.S. dentist has been a real blow....and my son will miss school rather than eat the dinners...I've tried hard with this one...being poor and saving on expenses isn't as black and white as a lot of people think...I really tam doing my best to cut our budget...I see I've got a few personal messages, I'll answer these later....x