Which credit card would be best?

Milk9807

Hi, I was just wondering whether anyone can help shed some light on credit cards for me please?
The situation is I'm moving out with my 10 month old and desperately need to redecorate the place ASAP, including flooring and the garden, also some new furniture (just storage stuff). I was made redundant through my pregnancy and haven't worked since - although I've been looking for a few months now, but even if I got a job tomorrow I need to have this place sorted within a couple of weeks. I'm also not in a position where I have family/friends to lend off. It would just be a one off big spend then I'd hide it away till I can cancel it.
I'm with HSBC, but because I haven't worked in just over a year I'm not eligible. I don't want to get a loan out again and am in the process of paying off a small overdraft that I want to close - I end up living in it and want to break the cycle. My credit scores usually good but the past few months have been very tight.
I'm always getting emails off company's like aqua but I have no idea whether they're any good, I feel the companies who constantly harass you for service are usually the worst ones to go for, but I'm hopeless with the whole credit card thing. Any help would be appreciated.

eskbanker

To be quite honest, without a regular income you're probably not in a position to pick and choose from a long list of card companies wanting to throw money at you, but try the MSE eligibility checker at https://creditcards.moneysavingexpert.com/?purchases to see what is likely to fit your circumstances.

CLAPTON

Milk9807 wrote: »

Hi, I was just wondering whether anyone can help shed some light on credit cards for me please?
The situation is I'm moving out with my 10 month old and desperately need to redecorate the place ASAP, including flooring and the garden, also some new furniture (just storage stuff). I was made redundant through my pregnancy and haven't worked since - although I've been looking for a few months now, but even if I got a job tomorrow I need to have this place sorted within a couple of weeks. I'm also not in a position where I have family/friends to lend off. It would just be a one off big spend then I'd hide it away till I can cancel it.
I'm with HSBC, but because I haven't worked in just over a year I'm not eligible. I don't want to get a loan out again and am in the process of paying off a small overdraft that I want to close - I end up living in it and want to break the cycle. My credit scores usually good but the past few months have been very tight.
I'm always getting emails off company's like aqua but I have no idea whether they're any good, I feel the companies who constantly harass you for service are usually the worst ones to go for, but I'm hopeless with the whole credit card thing. Any help would be appreciated.

how much do you want to borrow?

how will you pay it off?

if you are already living in your overdraft that would seem to imply you have no spare cash each week to repay the loan

Horseunderwater

Try your local freegle freecycle site as people give stuff away that is often hadly used - that will save loads. Paint walls with white paint & add colour with accessories over time. Car boot sales can also be a good source. Lots of ways to save a bundle rather than getting into more debt. Aqua charge a very high interest rate, so you'd soon be in big trouble. Been there & done it & it's not nice.

Milk9807

I'm seriously hoping I can get work within the next few weeks, if I was working I wouldn't be doing this but I'm desperate at the moment, the entire situations been terrible the past year and more so I'm not here for any judgement. I've worked since I left education so I'm less than keen to scrounge, but getting cat pee stained concrete floors and loose wires sorted around a 10 month old is more important than my pride at the moment. So FYI, I'll have to claim benefits until I'm working again, something I've avoided until now.
I know I haven't got a lot of choice which is why I'm asking on here, I've never been keen on getting a credit card and mostly avoided any debt, but I know a couple of friends have had them and it's helped sort them out. The remainder of my overdraft is getting paid off by my ex when his rebate comes through, up until now my maternity/redundancy money has covered me.

Milk9807

Horseunderwater wrote: »

Try your local freegle freecycle site as people give stuff away that is often hadly used - that will save loads. Paint walls with white paint & add colour with accessories over time. Car boot sales can also be a good source. Lots of ways to save a bundle rather than getting into more debt. Aqua charge a very high interest rate, so you'd soon be in big trouble. Been there & done it & it's not nice.

Yeh I'm already on a lot of pages similar to free cycle too and had a lot of second hand things from my family. It's mostly the flooring I need sorting, removals and other odd ends, I don't need much just a bit to tie me over because I need to be in ASAP and they don't do any allowance for cleaning/decorating. Most of it's in good shape it's just what's not is pretty bad. Yehh that's what I'm worried about, it's really a last resort for me. Thanks

SeduLOUs

The interest rates on Aqua/Vanquis etc are horrific and are not the best bet if you don't plan to pay them off every month.

However, I understand that safety for your child is an issue and if that's all you can get that's all you can get.

People are not 'judging' you, but maxing out these types of cards without having a stable income to repay them often results in a much bigger mess. Is there any opportunity to reuse overdraft or increase it? You need to look in more detail but would possibly be cheaper in the long run than spending on a horribly high interest card.

Milk9807

SeduLOUs wrote: »

The interest rates on Aqua/Vanquis etc are horrific and are not the best bet if you don't plan to pay them off every month.

However, I understand that safety for your child is an issue and if that's all you can get that's all you can get.

People are not 'judging' you, but maxing out these types of cards without having a stable income to repay them often results in a much bigger mess. Is there any opportunity to reuse overdraft or increase it? You need to look in more detail but would possibly be cheaper in the long run than spending on a horribly high interest card.

I do plan on paying it off every month, it's just I need something initially. That's my priority, I've already sold a lot of my personal belongings to pay for bills and other expenses so I'm stretching really thinly now.
Yes I know the danger but it's one of those things where I'll have to cross that bridge when I get to it, I can't help the time constraints I have right now. I'm not planning on maxing anything out, it's few hundred pounds at the very most, I'm good with my money when it comes to budgeting and prioritising, just not saving, I've had to scrimp ALOT. I might beable to extend my over draft, it's not very much in itself, but like I said, I've been living in it and I don't want to keep in that cycle

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

Milk9807 wrote: »

I was made redundant through my pregnancy...

Do you mean that you were made redundant because you were pregnant? I don't believe that this is legal. Are you in a union? Get advice soon!

Milk9807

Fruit_and_Nut_Case wrote: »

Do you mean that you were made redundant because you were pregnant? I don't believe that this is legal. Are you in a union? Get advice soon!

I already sort advice and you have 3 months to claim and it was a year ago now. I wasn't made redundant because I was pregnant but it was deemed unfair dismissal for other reasons. Stupidly, I decided against taking it further because I was worried about the stress and a (what I now know was misplaced) sense of loyalty towards the director..