No income, struggling to get out of this...

BiteTheSilverBullet

I have posted here a few times before. It's slightly better than it was before. I still have a humongous overdraft and have opened up a basic bank account elsewhere just in case they ever call me in on it.

I don't have any other debts though I cried a lot to sell one of my great-grandmother's rings in order to get through. I haven't sold anything else as yet.

So...I'm not working, I keep getting told I can't work. Forget what you are ever told about benefits, when it comes to me (it's been a few months so far) I keep getting told 'oh don't work, you need to relax, it's open ended' which frankly is a load of rubbish, the thing which would help me the most would be to become independent again. I need to get back to work and not go bankrupt ASAP.

So...humongous overdraft which the bank are not calling me in on as yet. No other debt. I could theoretically sell a lot of other silverware and jewelry but I'm very reluctant to.

I think my best bet would be to start a specialised IT course which would be free as I've been on benefits for approximately three months, get off benefits ASAP after starting course and get part time work.

I DON'T want to lose my overdraft and it's a constant monthly struggle at present.

RainbowBridgeReturns

Hi BTSB,

It sounds like you have been through a really tough time, but that you are hanging in there, well done, that is not easy, and being debt free (taking the overdraft out of the equation) in your current situation is a major achievement.

The IT course sounds like a really good plan. Go for it!

BiteTheSilverBullet

Thanks Rainbow, I know this is a bit devious but I'd planned to start the IT course (which will take 2 months and is quite specialist) then immediately after get a job. I have lined up my victim, there is a telecoms place next door which is 24 hours and I've called in to speak to HR. I don't think they would kick me off the course if I've already started, at least I hope my cunning strategy pays off!

An added complication is that I lost my passport (d'oh!), a kind relative sent me a cheque for £69 for a new one with addressee left blank, it's so tempting to pay this into my o/d account but of course I can't get a job without ID.

I don't know how I'm going to balance the 2 months it takes to do the course, I can claim back some tax which I must do next week.

I don't have any huge outgoings, I built up a really lovely work wardrobe from ebay over the years, so I have lots of lovely silk knit dresses, cashmere jumpers and pencil skirts. I did some testing for beauty bible last year so have lots of nice products still.

I'm a bit pernickity about food and like to buy organic loose white tea & nettle tea, extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil, brown basmati rice. Actually I was looking mournfully at my coconut oil earlier because I'm nearly through the jar. Same for white tea, think I might have to switch to tea bags for a while (sorry, first world problems...like I said I'm pernickity about certain products!).

I'm a bit isolated at present (have had a REALLY bad chain of events) but I don't really want to lose my o/d, I like having it there and if I were earning it wouldn't be a problem at all, it's just that I can't survive very well on JSA. I'm a semi-spender, I suppose.

Thank you anyway for listening, will update

BiteTheSilverBullet

Sorry, I haven't been very clear about debt:

I have an £1,000 overdraft.
I am banging up against this at £900 o/d but am on JSA, which I utterly hate and can't wait to get off, no other debt. Bank have been weirdly good so far.

£20 mobile monthly bill
£50 towards rent per month
£50 bill per month for relative (can't get out of this until April, signed a year contract).
So that leaves me approx £150 per month to live on, which I'm not managing well.

I used to have good work but I lost my confidence with circumstances. I know this might not seem like much debt but I'm really terrified and under-confident about getting back to work.

I'll be absolutely fine as long as I get back to work and start to regain my confidence shortly, I still get contacted about doing contracts in what I used to do and it's frustrating as I know they probably wouldn't employ me anyway due to the gap, and I don't want to explain to employers about what happened.

As I'm quite well qualified anyway the job centre have been really supportive and think I should do a specialist qualification. As most of my stuff is in storage I don't have much here to sell, I do have some penny blacks which I could quite happily get rid of but they are in storage. Aaargh!!

BiteTheSilverBullet

Oops sorry forgot to say £30 per month bank charges.
So I would get approx £300 per month JSA but this is eaten up a lot by bills and I really can't manage on £150 per month for everything else.

BiteTheSilverBullet

Actually I was a bit terrified about this after reading some other posts but sometimes banks just recall your o/d at no notice???

I haven't really had much contact with my bank apart from 2 months ago when the lady just said 'aww, bless' and then one month ago or so when I first posted here, I was convinced I had already been sent off to a debtor and I told the man I loved him when he said I hadn't. He wasn't best pleased with me though and got very embarrassed!

Is it normal for them to be patient with you for a few months? I'm really trying to avoid going on a DMP because I know I'll be back to earning and getting on with things shortly. I know nothing in life is guaranteed so can't have 'reassurance' here but I fret about this quite a lot.

RainbowBridgeReturns

£900.00 on your O/D still gives you the capacity to pay your overdraft fees. While you are sticking to the terms of the agreement, i.e. you are not going over your limit and you are paying the fees, I would think it unlikely that the bank will change anything.

Many years ago, I breached the terms of my O/D agreement and I was sent a letter advising me that it would be cancelled on a certain date. I phoned them and agreed a repayment plan, that I could afford, and it actually helped me to get rid of the O/D.

I would be trying to build up my confidence at this stage. Try stopping saying negative things to yourself, about yourself, and set a couple of things each day, to do, that will take you towards your first goal, which is that IT course x.

P.S. I love the sound of your work wardrobe, it sounds very chic. You are a shrewd ebay shopper.

rubywhatashmoo

Can I ask why your bank charges are so high?

BiteTheSilverBullet

RainbowBridgeReturns wrote: »

£900.00 on your O/D still gives you the capacity to pay your overdraft fees. While you are sticking to the terms of the agreement, i.e. you are not going over your limit and you are paying the fees, I would think it unlikely that the bank will change anything.

Many years ago, I breached the terms of my O/D agreement and I was sent a letter advising me that it would be cancelled on a certain date. I phoned them and agreed a repayment plan, that I could afford, and it actually helped me to get rid of the O/D.

I would be trying to build up my confidence at this stage. Try stopping saying negative things to yourself, about yourself, and set a couple of things each day, to do, that will take you towards your first goal, which is that IT course x.

P.S. I love the sound of your work wardrobe, it sounds very chic. You are a shrewd ebay shopper.

Thank you Rainbow, I find you quite...brightening!!

rubywhatashmoo wrote: »

Can I ask why your bank charges are so high?

I honestly didn't think they were that bad? They charge a pound a day when I'm overdrawn, which seems fair enough to me. When I was waiting for house sale money to come through I went overdrawn for 4 months and they were fine with me then, I was really hoping they might bear with me now and not snatch it away and make me go on a DMP.

I think I might be able to get it down by a few hundred this month, I'll claim back tax, sell some more things and TRY to budget much more and get back to work. I went a bit wonky over xmas and by the time I checked I was horrified by how much I'd gone into it.

If I get depressed and stressed I tend to chain smoke (sorry - horrible walking cliche) which is one of my biggest problems at present. An overdraft mainly due to cigarettes!

RainbowBridgeReturns

I am afraid most off us have vices we turn to in times of stress. Mine have been drinking and over indulging in creams cakes! I am trying to find healthier stress busters and one is to acknowledge my feelings and work through them, which is what you are doing on this diary.

Keep posting x.

BiteTheSilverBullet

RainbowBridgeReturns wrote: »

I am afraid most off us have vices we turn to in times of stress. Mine have been drinking and over indulging in creams cakes! I am trying to find healthier stress busters and one is to acknowledge my feelings and work through them, which is what you are doing on this diary.

Keep posting x.

It's difficult to break unhealthy patterns, isn't it? I keep meaning to start an online CBT course to help with this.

I know I might have 'miniscule' debt compared to some people but it's relative, and I'm really underconfident about getting back to work and don't want to totally scupper my credit rating. I still get called about doing good contract jobs and I humour them a little and say to send the job spec and then think 'there's no way I can do that at present'.

Thanks for your lovely words, I have found you really kind