I need some help.

[Deleted User]

princessmommy wrote: »

I can't post a SOA as I'm new to the site

I wasn't aware that being new to the site, prevents you posting an SOA :huh:

debtfreewannabe321

Hi there, please try not to stress too much it won't do any good for the new baby congrats btw!

If I were in your situation and I sort of was 3 years ago... I would be calling the national debt line, cancelling nursery (as I did in your situation 3 years ago) or looking for free child-care (thought everyone had it free when they turned 3?) and looking at doing a DMP. I'm on one and as scary as they sound i'm not sure you can make many more cut backs to your SOA? For us going on a dmp was a saviour, we have budgets for enough food, emergency funds & at the same time I know the creditors are being paid. It affects your credit history for 6 years after you've paid it I believe but for us we didn't have many other options. I hope you manage to sort it out it might seem insurmountable right now but I promise you others have been where you are (me included) and once you've reached your point the only way is up

datlex

princessmommy wrote: »

Hi everyone.
Please don't judge but I'm in a right state. (can we judge in a positive way - ie that it takes guts to face up to debt and ask for help )

I can't post a SOA as I'm new to the site but I will do my best here:

Mortgage £620
HSBC Loan £195
Halifax Loan £120
Pet Insurance £6
Nationwide Loan £33
Quickquid £130
Council Tax payment plan £144 (is this over 10 or 12 months)
Water £40
Phone £25 (is this including internet/ mobiles?- may be worth looking at switching here)
Wonga £130 to roll over :eek:
Nursery £80
Natwest credit card minimum payment £190
Nationwide credit card minimum payment £105
Natwest credit card interest to avoid over limit fee £100
Nationwide credit card interest to avoid over limit fee £65
Food £150 (where do you shop- could you down brand?)
Petrol £50 or less, depends
Car tax £18 (paid in full already, expires Jan)
MOT £3 (repair work done free at hubby's work)
Car insurance £54 (seems high)
Home insurance £25 (paid in full already, expires Feb)
Entertainment, holidays, clothes 0
Mobile phones 0 (hubby's paid for by work, never top mine up)
Elec/Gas £115 (currently owe almost £800 as only just got bill)
TV Licence £10 ish (paid in full til Oct next yr)
TV 0 as we changed to freeview
Haircuts - £15 per month for all 3 of us as friend does it cheap (that's still £180 a year- could you stretch out the cuts by a week each time)



I am on a payment plan for council tax. Not heard anything from nPower yet about gas/elec but did get an online bill for almost £800 for 6 months. Not paid any yet as can't afford to. (you need to pay this- everyone would hate to see you put on a prepayment meter which they may do if you don't pay it) Had to do payment plan with council tax as kept getting summons/liability order.

I am looking for a job, will consider anything - nights, the hours my child is in nursery, even full time if it will cover childcare. Our daughter starts school in Sept 2014 but the new baby is due in 6 months. (are you registered with all the local temp agencies? I found them very useful for getting short term work)

Help

Hi have made a few comments.
Spend some time looking at things like your shopping bill. I would recommend putting it into either the Tesco, Asda or Sainsbury's website then for each item seeing if there is a cheaper alternative. I still do it whenever I do my weekly shop to make sure I'm not missing bargains. Also look at whether you could save by cooking from scratch.
Good luck with the debt payments - hope you find a solution.

princessmommy

thanks for the reformat and replies

I pay £80 nursery in addition to the funding because my daughter starts school next year and I want to ease her into it (she's very clingy). She's at a nursery rather than a pre-school so she doesn't go every day for set hours, instead she does 4 sessions a week of which 3 are free. (Basically 8-1 or 1-6 nothing in between is allowed).

I have had a lifeline - just got a job in childcare, paying £700 per month ish after tax. It's only part time but fits around my daughter's nursery hours and it's a lifeline as it makes our income that little bit more.

Not sure what to do with the pay though - should I pay off the Wonga loan first (520 due on 22 Aug) and Toothfairy (same amount, had to get this last week to cover the loan repayments and council tax) ? Seems the best option?

Then what should I start paying next?

Btw answers to your questions:

Phone is just for broadband and landline at £25 per month, downgraded from Sky, my mobile is never topped up and hubby's is paid for by work

The council tax is a special payment plan for the remainder of the year (march 2014)

I have stretched the haircuts by an extra 2 weeks to lower the cost a bit and my friend has agreed to throw in my daughter's cut for free as she's only little.

The £150 groceries is own-brand Asda stuff per month, I cook always from scratch but this also includes toilet roll, cleaning stuff and deodorant etc. I could do with making this a bit cheaper if possible??

The car insurance is high, it comes to £54 per month after a £90 inital installment, had to pay monthly this year for the first time ever as we're so broke. It's the cheapest I could get but does seem high, I've got a diesel golf which is a 1998.

princessmommy

just to add - plan to cancel as many overdrafts and cards as I can to prevent maxing out again and I will NEVER take another PDL!

nearlyrich

If you put your loans etc into the calculator here it will help you to work out which cards/loans etc to pay first ..

http://www.whatsthecost.com/snowball.aspx

cassidy0111

Well done on the job and the good news!! I think a phone call to one of the free debt charities can do no harm. You can discuss your options and take control of your situation and start to tackle it. All the best, keep posting for the moral support and advice.

dylan2011

Hi, I can not help to much with the debt part. However, I wanted to add my 2pence worth re. the children as I have been in your position.
When my 2 year old was born, I only found out I was pregnant with him 2 weeks before he was born. It was a concealed pregnancy. I had nothing - no money, not even a home. But we managed.
My mum bought us a travel system pram/pushchair/car seat. This was £250 new, but you can pick them up on the Facebook things for sale sites for less than £50.
My son slept in the pram carrycot for 6 months. He then had a cot bed, £30 second hand.
We got enough clothes in newborn and 0-3 months by telling a few friends with young children that we were struggling. They all donated a bit, and we ended up with too much. Plus, ofcourse, there is always the gifts when baby arrives.
We used Ald* nappies at £1.69 for 24 nappies, they were very good.
We picked up a bouncy chair for £5 second hand.
I sold his clothes when he got to 3 months and used the money to buy his next size up.
The steriliser we bought 2nd hand for £5 and we managed with 4 x Avent bottles.
That really was all my son had, and since then, I have only ever bought him new clothes at xmas/birthdays and that was in the sale heavily reduced. His toys in general are gifts from family, or just this week I bought him a slide and trike for £10 in total.
I sold all of his baby stuff, and then found out I was pregnant again last year. My new son is 14 weeks old. He has a 2nd hand moses basket - £10, and baby swing - £10. And steriliser and bottles - £15 in total.
I didn't buy him any clothes except a 3 pack of vests - everything else was given to me again in bundles.
I have just sold these bundles for £30 and bought all of his new clothes for £8.50 in 3-6 months.
I need to get him a cot bed, and I know I will get him one for £30 or less.
He also uses the ald* nappies. His child benefit pay for these and his formula milk and a bit extra.
My double pushchair was £50 - you can find them cheaper than this.
Dont worry about all of the fads about what you "should" have. - you will manage with what you have. You only need the basics, and it doesn't have to cost much. They dont need posh furniture, play mats, bouncers, nappy bins etc. These are all extras, which you only get if you can afford.

dylan2011

What I would do is make a list of all of the things you think your baby will need before he is born.
Then go over it again and think "does he really NEED it?"
Then work from there. Look on Ebay, Freecycle, Facebook things for sale sites, gumtree etc.
Personally, my list would be:
Pushchair, Carrycot, Car Seat Travel System - Budget £50
Moses Basket - Budget £10, but if you can't afford, use carrycot from travel system
2 x Newborn nappy packs - £1.69 each at Ald*
2 x Baby Wipes - 50p each, basics
Clothes - FREE - if you don't want to ask friends, as on FreeCycle or Facebook things for sale
Blankets/Sheets - Same as clothes - FREE
Cotton Wool - 50p
Steriliser - £5
Bottles - £10 - mine were a 4 pack from ald*, avent, with a dummy and bottle brush included.
1 x Pot Formula Milk - £7.50 (unless you are breast feeding, then that is more saved, you prob wont need the bottles either)
Baby Bath Wash, Baby Oil, Baby Talc - £1 each @ poundland.
You could add an actual baby bath, can pick up for £5, or you can manage with the sink for first few baths, then big bath after.
That would honestly be about it for what I would consider "essentials".
Hope this helps, and good luck with everything - it will turn out ok in the end, even if it doesn't feel like it now.
xx

patchwork_cat

I would clear the PDL's first after all minimum payments on the others are met, then start working on the highest APR debt first. Read Martin's moneymakeover then start and inwardly digest the forums. Do topcashback, survey sites, read up your income boards, etc.