Needing help, guidance - PLEASE :(

sickasachip13 · 15 November 2011 at 12:11PM

Hi James,

Just wanted to say that we ended up in a similar situation due to me being made redundant. We tried to manage by using the credit cards to withdraw cash to pay one another and we ended up accumulating an enormous amount more debt over the following year. We finally talked to CCCS and went onto a DMP which, for us, has been a godsend. Yes, you could go on a DMP while you sort yourself out with a new job etc and then come off it / increase your payments massively and get the debt paid off. For us it's been great to see what we owe actually dropping because of the frozen % and lack of charges etc.

On the benefits - you've paid into the system, the system is there as a safety net for those who need it, get yourself engaged with it. Don't be put off by the minority who try and blag it. The majority who are seeking benefits at the moment are people just like you and me, who worked their a rses off for years and have been hit by redundancy - there's no shame in it.

Take the advice you're being offered above, it makes sense.

Dinah93 · 15 November 2011 at 12:46PM

A 3 year old golf is still a very nice car, I'm not sure many people on an admin salary could afford one. If you sold that now, how much cash would it put in your pocket after buying a run around (my mum bought my 10 year old Alfa Romeo 147 off me for £1000 3 years ago, she's not had to pay more out on it that tyres, service etc, older cars don't have to be unreliable). How many months would that cash last you to pay your essential bills and debt repayments? I'd be surprised if selling the car for something more in-keeping with your new income level didn't buy you enough time to find a job. which area of the country are you in? One of my friends just got an assistant manager offer from aldi on 24k, 45 hours a week with no management experience at all because they're absolutely crying out for people in the north.

lemonpopsicle · 15 November 2011 at 4:02PM

Your situation is similar to my hubby's. He is (a very young) 54 and was made redundant suddenly in April, we were so shocked but assumed he would get another job quickly. He has never been out of work, and has a lot of experience in his field (social care). Anyway we pretty quickly realised that there just aren't the jobs out there. Fortunately we had mortgage protection insurance, which we have paid for years and never claimed on. We claimed and they paid out. We also phoned the tax credit people, which he wasn't keen on. They were really helpful, we receive several hundred £'s a month (we also have two children, I earn £7.5k a year), and council tax benefit. You have paid taxes all your working life, you are entitled to help, please claim it! Oh and my hubby started a gardening business in August, we still get the help because he's not busy enough yet.