Confessions of a student in debt!

[Deleted User]

Hi, I am new to this area of MSE! I am currently a post graduate student and have still got debt from when I studied my undergraduate degree! My lightbulb moment came when I couldn't even get a current account (even without an overdraft facility) and had to get a basic account. It dawned on me that one day soon I will want to start saving to buy a house but in my current position no one in their right mind would give me a mortgage, and quite understandably so! So I signed up to checkmyfile this uses call credit, experian and equifax (through a cashback site if course) and have taken advantage of their free trial. No CCJ's but several defaults in the last 6 years. However, one of my debts from the last 6 years is not showing, which I find curious, they also have not contacted me in 4 years. I owe around £1200 to Natwest, although the credit card debt shows on my file the overdraft debt does not which is very odd. So according to my credit file my debt is as follows:

Orange: £84,
Catalogue: £101,
Vanquis: £288,
Capitalone: £709,
Style: £381,
Natwest credit card: £276 ,
HSBC: £1328.
Total: £3167

Yesterday I wrote a letter to Orange offering a full and final settlement of £63 as this is all I can afford at the moment. I sent the letter recorded delivery and it was delivered today. Hopefully they will accept this and then there will be one debt sorted.
I am on a very full time course which requires me to be in every day and then on placement for 6 months full time. With essays and projects on top of this I do not have time to have a part time job. I tried Avon sales leadership but just ended up loosing money and do not have time for this even at the moment. I have applied for the access to learning fund and have applied for the adult dependants grant portion of my bursary as my OH is currently looking for work. I have also put my netbook on ebay. It's not anywhere near as good as my laptop and the battery does not hold charge. Stated this on the ebay listing, it is already at £32 with 4 days to go! As previously mentioned I also go through cashback sites where possible and am doing surveys ie pinecone, valued opinions, toluna ect. I have also cancelled lovefilm (despite their best efforts to keep me lol) That is £16.33 a month saved. I don't have sky or even a TV licence (don't watch or record live TV). I have also masivly cut down on my magazine habit I now just 1 a month, which I got a sub for to save money on it. All together I am saving about £225 a year from this alone.

[Deleted User]

Orange have not replied yet, wonder what to do if they ignore the letter entirely? I have got £86 after ebay fees for selling my netbook. Got bits and pieces of unopened and sealed makeup to go on ebay, usually does well especially from the international buyers. Also have turned my £7.50 clubcard vouchers into a £30 bella italia voucher, so get a nice meal with OH when that comes through.

[Deleted User]

Still no response from orange hmm. I have just heard back from access to learning fund and they are giving me £1025 over the course of the year which will certainly help! I have also come to a decision I am going to trial giving up alcohol except for special occasions (my birthday and Christmas). I do not like who I am when I am drunk as I act like a bit of a t*t and have embarrassed myself for the last time. I go to the union once a week and get silly, and I don't need to. I will have just as much fun sober and my bank balance will be better for it. When out clubbing I like the music and dancing, at least sober I may dance better! Also girls night in will be fun sober I am sure. I started today, me and OH went out for a meal and I had a mocktail instead. I will be driving soon as test is booked for January, so once I can afford a car (ha ha) there will be more of an incentive to be sober as I can just drive myself home and save on daft taxi fairs. Its a plan anyway.

[Deleted User]

Letter received from Orange today. Knew that they meant business as it had an extension number on so I could contact the sender of the letter direct. He is more than happy to accept my full and final settlement offer. I will phone again to pay on Wednesday when I have some money coming in. They will send me written confirmation too. So as of Wednesday I will have one debt settled 6 to go! Next f+f settlement letter will go to Natwest. The debt is pretty old and has been sold about a lot. Can't remember the last time I made a payment so they may be quite flexible to settle with what I can afford.

[Deleted User]

Just paid off my debt with orange, so 1 down 6 to go! Just withdrew £86 from my paypal account. now to work on paying off the next debt, looking at getting rid of the natwest card debt!