Debt Consolidation

Jo4

blue_mango wrote: »

Just mental......

How much time do you spend per day thinking about them, posting about their problems and talking to them about the same? And how much time do THEY spend trying to change something in their life?

Too much as hubby & I had intended going to the bank and getting groceries before having a nice evening together watching the X Factor and the Xtra Factor! We were also thinking about looking online this evening about going a way for a couple of days.

I am going to their house this evening and then I will give it to them in black and white, after that I hope the penny will start to drop. Hubby is being left to the one side which isn't fair on him - he always has to take a back seat. He wanted his mobile set up for a while now and I haven't got round to doing it. I think that when I get Dads pc running the scans and hopefully fixed that I will set hubbys phone up before visiting them again!

Thank you for opening my eyes! :j :beer:

[Deleted User]

Jo4 wrote: »

They need the mobile phones because they have so many children and one of her jobs means that she is in the car so if she didn't have her phone then she couldn't be reached if needed.

What's wrong with swapping to a giffgaff sim?

And what about the £600+ TV package?

Jo4

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

What's wrong with swapping to a giffgaff sim?

And what about the £600+ TV package?

I didn't say there was anything wrong with swapping sims but that imho she needs a phone so she can be reached if there is anything wrong.

I don't think they need it either as I thought I had previously said but again this is just my opinion. I will be telling them what has been said on here as I will be taking my laptop with me and reading/showing this thread to them. I can only advise them what I think I cannot make the decision to terminate their contract.

Jo4

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

And what about the £600+ TV package?

I should have said too that when I was their children's age, although I am now 35 years young , we did not have Sky in our house and we managed fine. I am very aware that I am not a parent and therefore I do not know what their children need but I know my sister and brother-in-law don't have Sky and their two children, one son and one daughter, are none the worse for it but again this is just mho.

PoorCharleyBear

it sounds rather like they have abdicated responsibility for their debt management to you and that really is not fair.

Mobiles- my brother got a whizzy new phone (Galaxy Ace) on a 24 month contract with 300 mins & data for £15 from Tesco. There re better deals out there.
No-one needs sky. We have a freeview box (and a child). She watches CBeebies and CBBC which are fine. £600 pa on sky is ridiculous when you are in debt.

They don't sound overly serious about controlling their debt but want you to wave a magic wand.

[Deleted User]

I think you are confusing needing and wanting.

Nobody NEEDS Sky.

tlh858

Unless your friends take responsibility for their own spending, nothing will change, and there is nothing you can do about it.

There is NO way they will get any loan or other credit from anyone, and it would be completely useless even if they did. The problem is they are spending far more than they can afford. They have an entire years salary as unsecured debt.

From the SOA, the items which really stand out are:
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 50.75
They can't afford this, it needs to be cancelled immediately. Not reduced or changed to some other package - cancelled completely.

Electricity............................. 172
Over £2000 per year. This must be cut by at least 50% and preferably more. They need to find out what is using this VAST amount of electricity and stop using whatever it is. Part of this will involve getting rid of the tumble dryer. That's right - get rid of it completely so it can never be used again.

Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 100
£1200 per year that they can' t afford to be spending. Has to be cut by 50% or more.

There are also plenty of items not even on the SOA which they must spend some money on, so the situation is far worse than it appears.

dealer_wins

As good a friend and neighbour you are, all you can do is point them in the direction of the CAB, or another debt charity.

If you get too involved its not healthy, and it may even cause problems between the husband and wife.

Jo4

tlh858 wrote: »

There are also plenty of items not even on the SOA which they must spend some money on, so the situation is far worse than it appears.

Apart from the car maintenance, home insurance, clothes and shoes (which are normally hand me downs from aunts, uncles, cousins, presents) what is missing as I want to get an accurate as possible SOA this evening and leave them to read it together?

meer53

Jo4 wrote: »

Apart from the car maintenance, home insurance, clothes and shoes (which are normally hand me downs from aunts, uncles, cousins, presents) what is missing as I want to get an accurate as possible SOA this evening and leave them to read it together?

Leave what you have with your friends. They're grown ups. They know what they're spending.

What you MUST do is to tell them that you cannot do anything more for them, it's up to them now.

What were they expecting you to do exactly ?