Needing help, guidance - PLEASE :(

Cherryjack

Just wanted to say your not alone, and we are all here to listen and help ... CCCS are a free charity.. if you can call them asap and they will give you then an appointment time to speak to someone (this may take a few days to a week) in the meantime then you will be able to get all your paper work together for them (you will need this) you will need all your utility amounts and money outstanding and then the same for the cards etc.. they do not judge you and are totally there to just help and advise with no obligation. If you do then need help they will even send out free template letters to you so you can send them on to the cc companys etc... life savers! Now youve sought help things will get better and you will get some of that control back :-) as stated above you need to get your NI protected by signing on... no shame in this x

Standingtall

Hi James, as mentioned above your credit rating will already be in trouble in any case so protecting that should no longer be your first priority. I wonder if you have been only looking at managerial positions when applying for jobs? If so then give some serious thought to taking 'lower' positions in order to get a 'foot in the door' - this worked for me when I took an agency position in a large multi-national where I am now in a professional position three years on.
Secondly, as others have said, get tax credits etc sorted out.
Thirdly, you will get some breathing space if you apply for help from Payplan or CCS. I have a debt management plan with Payplan and for the first time in several years I now sleep soundly at night.
Fourthly: you should let your partner help you if she will as I bet you would do the same for her. It maybe that once your benefits are sorted out that you could set up a DMP rather than an IVA. It is more informal than the IVA and does not have as severe legal implications or potential impact on career choices (this is where you really need the professional advice however as both have pros and cons!)

As an example though, I pay £120 a month on £17k debt - all charges and interest has been frozen (I am very lucky in this). I get to keep any overtime. The only concern I have is that my potential form moving house is affected due to credit rating. However, this is a small process to pay when thinking of the alternatives. Payplan also take from the £120 an £8 payment to insure my plan for a year in case of illness or redundancy.

Good luck!

eyeopener2

Hi

While your sorting out CCCS/Payplan and any benefits you are entitled to (I know its tough but pride doesn't pay bills or feed your children so claim what you are due). It will be worth making token, ie £1, payments to your creditors till your sorted. It keeps them sweet and shows your not ignoring the issue.

Please follow the advice above regarding benefits and tax credits, the system is there for a reason.

E2

Memory_Girl

I second the advice you have been given - I too put off applying for benefits, but in reality I used them as they were intended to be used ............ as a much needed and welcome safety net.

I always remember someone here saying "look at it as a hand-up - NOT an hand-out". It did give me a hand-up and I am now off benefits and debt free.

Good luck hon

MG

James-1980_2

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James-1980_2

OOoo I have contacted the companies I owe money to, namley HSBC....Loan and a credit card. They were OK, spoke to them they have held the interest etc. have have been very helpfull.....but now they seem to be pishing and pushing for a resolve. I am pushing my hardest to resolve this......but does not make it easy with the pressue.

oldhand

James-1980 wrote: »

Thank you all, we will be sitting down today going through the benifits calculator, I like the comment of 'Hand up, not hand out'

DMP < If your debts example: £17k and you pay £150 for 'x' amount of time is this fixed? i.e if I get myself sort can I just clear it all?

As for the comment "James, may I ask, what did you mean by the last quote, you almost lost your family down to money? certainly. I've always been driven by money and judged my success by what I had. I worked 10 hours a day 7 days a week. Earning £1500 a week which was nice, but I always wanted more. The quicker I earnt it, the quicker it went. AMy family has nice things, the TV's, the branded clothes......my son wants for nothing. However, what I was missing was and no matter how much I was told, was seeing my family. I would spend two days a month with them, where we would go out, have a lovely time.....and that would be it for the next month.

I now realise money is NOT everything FACT!! but yes it does help and does make life easier. You have to find a balance which I am doing. Much like drugs, I had the same desire for money that someone would have for drugs.

I did get some money paid few thousand, used it ALL to clear a credit car. Guessing I should have now broken this down over my debts.

Job wise < I'm just looking for a basic admin based role. 9-5. Simple. 3 Interviews and all a no. They don't understand why I want to do admin. They think its a stepping stone, for me to move on. I have been open in my interview and said.....I have done this, that etc 100 hour weeks, I just want normality again. Its tough

Hi james good luck with your job hunting,just wanted to say it makes a refreshing change on here to read of someone who wants to avoid benefits as so many come looking for all they can get plus a way to juggle the system to get even more.As others have said its there to help you and hopefully it will help you until a new job comes along.

natlie

Hi
Child Benefit and tax credits are for everyone you have just been missing out on them if you havent applied - get on to them
Are you applying for any job or just jobs in your previous career type and the admin? this may be a chance to try something new, there are going to be xmas jobs out in the big stores soon which would help if you dont want to go on benefits I did a £12k kitchen job in between a £18k job and a 23k job in government didn't harm my career - in fact the change/stress/experience may have helped.

James-1980_2

All gooood

emiesq

James-1980 wrote: »

Job < I want a change! I was a regional manager for an international company 'Basically just make sure the South side of the UK business runs oin a day to day basis (Keep the rubbish away from the director)

Job < Basic admin, something I can switch off, go home and spend time with family.

Links/tips/sites that you think are good, please let me know.

What I want < get back in work asap and avoid any DMP anything. I'm normally pretty good with finances, I just never seen the job loss coming. I just not sure how to get the bank to help, not hinder me. They have always made me laugh "Throw money at you when you have it and dont need it.....do very little when its reversed"

Sorry to hear about your situation... I was unable to find a full-time job for 8 months two years ago, and really regret not checking benefits, because - really - it's why we pay NI and all the rest... Otherwise, I'd probably have enough savings to not be here now.

Apart from what others have already said, from the type of roles you're applying for, an employer might seriously say no to you because you are over qualified. Might be easier to apply for management roles rather than admin ones (admin ones will either be very entry level or require a lot of qualifications in that field). I did the same, and from my CV, employers thought I'd get bored from admin work/leave after I find a better job, so it's not worth investing in me.

Remember: if you are apply for entry level admin roles, you are competing with all the new grads/people with less experience who've also been hit by the economic slowdown. Companies will see them as cheaper/better candidates for these kinds of roles than you.

In the end, I found a job that required lots of qualifications/experience, because I could stand out from the competition in these kinds of roles, not admin ones.

Also, I'm not sure what type of role you were in before, but have you built good relations with any clients/people from other companies? They may know what good work you do, and sometimes will be able to offer you a role within their company?