My SOA is there any future?

gallygirl

Welcome, and glad to see you are making progress already!!!

It will be interesting to see what estate agents value at. Bet it's more than you think!!! However, I'm inclined to agree with others - most of your 'profit' will go on stamp duty, estate agents fees, moving costs, sols etc. Also, although buying a house to do up could get you a cheaper house you need to bear in mind that you would still have very little spare cash to do it up, so it would take a long, long time. And if you buy a house with no CH or DG you may find your heating costs would go through the roof.

You've saved yourself a lot in interest so far, what a great cut you got!!!! OK, lets keep it going...... can't conjure up thousands but can manage a few £'s here & there......

Have you signed up for www.quidco.com ? - cash back site, can bring in some extra income, read on! (but 1st, when you sign up do a search on kelkoo to make sure it's tracking ok - read the site, is v straightforward).

Utilities - are you paying as little as possible for gas & electricity? Check it out on uswitch. Then see if they are on quidco and sign up that way - some suppliers on there, I've had £28 and £35 cash back. Lets assume current provider is cheapest. How do you pay bills? Monthly by dd usually brings a small discount. If not on this at present wait till big winter bill comes in then phone up & ask - as long as you don't owe them any arrears they will probably allow you to pay that bill off monthly.

When house insurance and car insurance come up for renewal go through www.moneysupermarket.com and similar for quotes. Make a note of best prices then check on quidco. Lloyds TSB were v competitive on price when I did my mums, and they were offering £120 cash back per policy.

Also sign up for www.pigsback.com , a click through site, will soon get you £10 voucher to treat yourself. Or sell at near face value on ebay.

Speaking of which....... ebay everything not nailed down!!!! Have a look at the things you never thought you could sell thread for inspiration! Sort out stuff for a car boot sale when weather improves.

Sign up for all the survey sites and mystery shopping. With some of these you can take kids along. Also the freebies board for samples etc, v good for little things for the kids.

Whether you like it or not you have future - here's to making it as good a one as possible!!!!!

Edit: forgot to say - can't have an emoticon for hiding in the corner - it's full already!!!!!

chevalier

Is there no way that you can get maintenance from your ex?

Also if you are on benefits, does this not entitle you to free school meals?
chev

calmspirit

Gosh I have SO much to do! daunting.

First step, value house, work out costs to move.

running round in circles emoticon anyone?

no chance of help from ex, no free school meals as child tax credit officially covers that :-(

but have just emailed lots of solicitors in croatia in hope of starting procedures to claim something from house he owns out there (we bought it together but in his name only.....fingers crossed....but not much hope as things are very different out there and he can hide money fast)

thanks!

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

Hi calmspirit,

Congrats for posting, it takes guts to face up to things, I just wanted to suggest...could you rent a room out? Would it affect your benefits? Swapping utility providers is a good idea, also credit card providers.

Good luck with everything

dawnybabes

Gl with it all - its very daunting at first !

One thing I thought was the water was very expensive - r u metered or standard ? If not metered could get them to install one ?

Dawn x

beanielou

calmspirit wrote:

Hi all,
thanks for help and support!
Future SOA would be interesting thankyou somuch for that idea allhours.....couldnt really think that far ahead.....but it may be that will work out better to stay here bearing in mind the costs of moving....as so many of you pointed out!
Will be getting to grips with costs of moving over the weekend and take next steps........ actually am dreading doing all the sums as I fear even if I manage to pay off cards I will always struggle....thats life i guess ...and having this site makes even that possible!
thanks all

Hi calmspirit
Its taken me a lo0ng time to realise that even when there is no debt I will still struggle.
I think its to do with only having one income & kids!!
Im also in a similar position house wise.What I would save is very little.
I think you have made a fantastic start & hope your debt free journey goes well.
Take lots of care
Lou

calmspirit

Hi again !
firstly thanks to Lou....sounds like we are in very similar situation, yes will always be a struggle! Your kind words meant a lot though so thanks x Lou look at my idea re transfer mortgage below? would this seem like an option for you too if similar circumstances?

Dawnybabes...am not metered ...will look into that.

desphousewife......thanks but I am in tiny box room at moment so have no space to rent out a room....great idea tho.

Ali...wow fantastic suggestions!!!!!! am working my way through them!

julybride......strangley enough, barclaycard statement came today with offer of 0% balance transfer until july, so as soon as i have transfered money away from their current very high rates will give it a month and transfer it all back at 0%!

onwards and upwards !

drunkenbutterfly.....you were right ! phoned abbey today....I can transfer mortgage to another property with no early redemption fees, or if lower mortgage only pay redemption fees on difference....this will save me thousands on costs of moving. I just have to try find out what info they will be asking me for regarding income....as I got a self cert mortgage originally and not sure if they will ask for proff of income etc this time round...or if i will be allowed to self cert again?!

3 estate agents today, realistic price for house 160-165K....
fees probably about 6k including estate agents, solicitor, stamp duty and anything else i could think of..VAT, land reg, searches,bank transfer, etc.


so.... selling for say
160000 gives me 64K to play with
buy at 135000? put 60 equity back in reduces mort to 75000? paying off some debts and early redemption on the 15k difference?
Leaves me still struggling but with option at some point to change to a repayment mortgage when this deal ends/timed with kids both being in secondary school by then....more options to increase hours/income.

I need to plan to start paying off capital at some point in the distant future as am on interest only at mo.

does this make sense? anyone think this is a good idea? if i reduce to 75k mortgage my repayments will reduce a bit, enabling change to repayment after discount period finishes IF i am earning enough, will have to do another SOA based on this i think and see if it works......think i am missing something!

thanks again
Jackie

keigh

Hi,

Reading between the lines it sounds like you have been through a tough time with a lot of bad things happening.

I have felt like bailing out but property prices are so high. I've been looking to abroad but same thing. At the moment I'm pursuing Canada. Apparently there's a five year wait if you apply normally but it seems the Provincial Nominee route is faster because Canadians are all heading west due to an oil rush. Nova Scotia have dropped their fees too. There's a property on EBay advertised at £12000 there - I checked it out and it is on the market at that. That would leave £48000 to sort yourself out and start a new life.

If only it was that easy? Maybe it is.


Keigh

calmspirit

Hi
am still struggling to get a grip on all of this, cant move to canada (!) initial positive feeling leaving me .... not at all sure where I am going, feeling very sorry for myself...but will browse site and sure i will soon realise that i am not in such a bad position after all.
stood in my kitchen crying tonight while kids ate their dinner in living room, uncle's funeral on friday and i cant afford the petrol to go up north for that ,

need a hug

am sure i am not alone in feeling this low?

jaki

beanielou

hi again calmspirt
Sending you lots of huggles
today is known as black monday for all sorts of reasons, tomorrow will be better & then the next day........
just try to tackle one thing at a time & break things into little bite size pieces
take lots of care
Lou xx