I need help please - financial crisis

BeingMe

I have included in the birthday presents section the cost of buying presents for children whose birthday parties we are invited to. Has anybody got any good ways of reducing these costs please?

When I am debt free will I have enough to live on? I have never budgeted before.

Also, I did not include my daughter's and son's school meals. I also have to buy food to make up my younger daughter's lunch box but the children want to eat this for snacks. I feel guilty that they can't eat when they want a snack because I can't afford to buy it.

Frugalsod

BeingMe wrote: »

I have included in the birthday presents section the cost of buying presents for children whose birthday parties we are invited to. Has anybody got any good ways of reducing these costs please?

When I am debt free will I have enough to live on? I have never budgeted before.

Also, I did not include my daughter's and son's school meals. I also have to buy food to make up my younger daughter's lunch box but the children want to eat this for snacks. I feel guilty that they can't eat when they want a snack because I can't afford to buy it.

With regards to presents you could take the kids to a pound store and see what they think. A lot of kids love that for £3 they can get a number of things.

With school meals you may qualify for free school dinners. Though you could make your own snacks. Crisps are dirt cheap to make. Also making your own biscuits might also be cheaper. They could also prepare them for you to bake.

Poppops

BeingMe wrote: »

Thank you for all the further replies.

My parents pay my road tax for me as a birthday present. I am salaried so do not get paid for over time. I already cook most meals from scratch. The groceries figure includes pet food and cleaning products. I am on a water meter so will check with them what I need to be paying. And the same for gas and electricity. My mobile phone is paid for by work. My phone costs include broadband.

I will go back over to see if I have missed anything.

I've already contacted Step Change but the email with the budget for me to fill out did not arrive in my inbox. Will I be better off calling them? Will a debt arrangement plan affect my credit rating?

My husband was financially abusive. Although he earned 3 times my salary, I was required to pay for everything for the children including all childcare costs despite the fact that we did not qualify for help with childcare due to his salary. I was forced to put everything we needed on credit. I don't know how I can make him pay child maintenance? The CSA have not been very good in my experience.

I will certainly take on all advice given and do my best to reduce my monthly outgoings.

I feel very low having to confront my financial problems.

Well you shouldn't. You are confronting your problems so feel good about that.

But you should contact the CSA and explain your circumstances. He shouldn't get off scot free.

Frugalsod

Poppops wrote: »

Well you shouldn't. You are confronting your problems so feel good about that.

But you should contact the CSA and explain your circumstances. He shouldn't get off scot free.

I would add that as he failed to cover his share of the costs that most if the debt is really his as well.

BeingMe

I don't qualify for free school meals because I receive working tax credits.

The situation is further complicated because my youngest daughter has just qualified for the fifteen hours of funded childcare. This means that my childcare has gone down and housing benefit will take this into account when assessing my HB and in the meantime, tax credits are reassessing my award. It may be that I no longer qualify for working tax credits at all because at the moment, I only receive the childcare element anyway. If this is the case then I may qualify for free school meals.

This has been a shock to the system. I thought I would be able to manage much better as a single parent but seemingly not. I am very worried about how we will cope right now. I don't feel like I live an extravagant lifestyle as things stand. I think we will have to make some big adjustments and start living much more frugally.

BeingMe

My husband is in a lot of debt himself. When we lived together, I had to deal with bailiffs a fair few times.

I have consulted a solicitor for a free initial consultation and she told me that the very best I could hope for was a clean break where we each walk away with only our own debts. We were together for 12 years but married for a much shorter period.

Frugalsod

Living frugally does not necessary mean dropping your standard of living. It takes time adjusting.

[Deleted User]

Contact the CSA if he is earning, even benefits he should be contributing, regardless of his and/or your debts.

Others will be along to advise of what he should be contributing based on CAS calculations. Do not feel guilty about this, they are his children too.

HTH,

D9

flipperOSN

As others said - PLEASE contact the CSA. It is appalling that he is not paying. They will take the money from his salary before he gets it, so he can't wriggle out of it.

BeingMe

Thank you Frugalsod.

I feel really overwhelmed right now and not sure where to start. I have been looking at other poster's signatures and I can see that many have reduced very big debts by large amounts. This has given me hope that it is achievable.

I'm worried about entering into a debt repayment plan as I've never defaulted before. Will they seek to have some debt written off or will it be a case of reducing my monthly payments?