Desperate For Help, My SOA

Miss_Skint

Jue

This is the answer I really dreaded, and deep down I know I should get rid of my car to save some money. Although I use my car for work, if I am honest I could get by without it. However, I have been a car owner for 30years and would be totally lost without it so I am going to try my hardest to get through this without having to sell my car.

I am trying to get a part time job. I have also thought about taking in a lodger, as RAS suggested as it would be ideal having someone to share the bills. I am not really sure how to go about this though, I mean is it better to go through an agency or just place ads myself? The downside of taking in a lodger though would be that my house is quite small so there wouldn't be much privacy.

madmoney_2

yes i wouldnt like the thought of having to share with someone either!!! hope u r doin ok hun xx

Miss_Skint

CCCS_Matthew wrote: »

Hi there,

There are a number of ways that you may choose to deal with your current situation. As a general rule they all need to include a financial statement as the foundation from which to begin (which you have already done).

Whist we cannot advise you fully on your financial situation via this forum we do have an online advice facility called Debt Remedy where you can complete a financial statement and be provided with advice on the best way to deal with your situation. If you go to our website www.cccs.co.uk and click on Debt Remedy you can access our virtual counselling service. Debt Remedy would then look at all the options to deal with the situation, including the possibility of a DMP

Hope this helps
CCCS

CCCS_Matthew

Thank you for your advice. I have just used the Debt Remedy and printed off the booklet so it's going to be my bed time read.

Thanks again everybody. x

Dumb_Blonde_3

I see that you are currently putting aside £25 a month for birthdays/christmas - well someone in another forum suggested going onto the freebies board and getting loads of freebies/samples and making up little gift baskets (these can be brought really cheap like in the £ shop) - my debt came from spending like mad at christmas time on people who already had everything money could buy. Now I often send my husband into Debenhams etc for samples - he came back with a lovely Clarins Mascara last week - should have cost £8 but I just printed off the slip for him and one for his snooker buddy to take into the store on their way back from snooker and his mate also got one for his wife - result she was very pleased.
Getting freebies can become addictive though - I tend to snarl if the postman only puts bills through the door and no freebies that I am waiting on. You should check out the freebie site !!!!!

All the best

Dumb_Blonde_3

In fact my two year old son now races me to the door when to post arrives - its such a ritual - wherever we are in the house the minute we hear the letterbox flap open and the big 'Crash' on the wooden floor we sprint for it - sometimes I have to wrestle him for it ....... just a few hours to go now ;-))

I think I need to get a life

MrsTinks

At the moment I think it's not really feasible to reduce your outgoing massively so that means increasing your income.
You can get a lodger.
Get a second job.
Find a better paid job.
Sell stuff until you are at a point where your income matches your outgoings.
None of these are easy options, but if you were to implement one or more the easier it would be.
I think instead of using the debt charities estimates for dentist, socialising, clothes etc etc etc then do a spending diary so that we have a true picture of your spenditure.
Good luck

poodlehorse

I think if you are in debit by that every month then radical action does need to be taken so I would definitely get rid of the car if by your own admission you can manage without it even for a little while.
I don't really understand the whole Hull comms thing but does this mean you HAVE to take theirs? Ok crikey I wouldn't like that. Again I think maybe the internet has to go and use the one at the local library for free. I would find that hard to do but needs must. Do you need a landline and a mobile? I know a lot of people work with just their mobile. Personally I prefer to have a landline and would happily give up my mobile but each to their own.
Clothing - unless you NEED it then I think this should be put on hold.
Holidays/leisure - well I wouldn't be going on holiday in your position so what does the leisure bit cover?
Groceries isn't bad but with a menu plan and a few tips from the OS board that can be cut down
Xmas and birthdays - Be brutal about who you give gifts to and freebies are a good idea but also the gift of time if you can ie make up vouchers for things you can do for friends and family eg babysitting, carwashing, lawnmowing, take their kids out to the park for the day. Things that won't cost you anything other than an evening in or a Saturday afternoon - although if you get a second job(which would be brill) then your time might be too precious too. I do think the lodger idea is a goer though, but I am not sure the best way of going about it.

auntie_brenda

Not the best person to advise on cc transfers I'm afraid.

Re letting a room - how about advertising at work? or (appreciate it's getting a bit late) get in touch with uni - maybe a mature student looking for a room in a home rather than student digs? Or visiting lecturer or foreign student?

Have you thought about asking your mortgage co for a mortgage break, or could you go onto interest only for a few months? If you explain the sitaution & say you'll be remortgaging Jan & would like to stay loyal to them they may help out.

Good luck!

RAS

Hi again

I apprreciate that getting rid of the car, taking a lodger etc seem a bit horrid, but what you need a a short term blitz to really get things under control,. In a year or, you might well be able to get another car, or not replace the lodger, for a while or ever depending on the siuation.

it is about thinking, need to get those CCs out of the way and get 3 months emergency money and then I can re-budget and have more for myself.

If you do it now, that is an option, if you do not, you may have to sell up, pay up the CCs and see what sort of penalties are on the loan.

PS, if you had more income (part-time or lodger), then you could make more than minimum payments and once that is happening, you might get a better CC deal somewhere, which would help.

joeblack066

I regularly had lodgers in the days when I had a spare room, and it was always fine! Made some good friends, had some interesting experiences too (including the Chinese dissident who vanished into the night!! He did leave a month's rent on the table tho!!He used to do Chinese cooking for me and mine, was great!). There are plenty of upsides having a lodger, as well as the down, not least of all because of the £££ it generates! Just be sure to draw up a list of rules before you start looking for your lodger, whether that can have a partner over , who does what etc, and you'll be fine!