Hello! First ever post, please please help

desperate84

Hi there
I have been stalking this board for a few weeks and have finally decided to post as everyone seems friendly and fluffy and that's what I need right now!!

I really need help, I am actually suffering from depression because of my financial situation

Please don't judge me badly, but I split up from my husband and it has landed me in huge financial difficulty. I have a young son and am pregnant.

My debts are as follows:
£6000 loan
£1688 credit card number one
£300 credit card number 2
£1500 over draft
£300 student fees (open university)
£300 clothes catelogue (my only way I have ever had something to wear)
TOTAL: £10,088

The only income I have is: (monthly)
£410 housing benefit
£210 child maintanence
£68 child benefit
£168 tax credit
TOTAL £856


My outgoings are:
£575 rent
£100 household bills
£130 loan payment
£60 credit card payment
£10 credit card payment
£50 to open university payment
£30 to clothes catelogue
£10 tv license
£5 council tax
£10 phone top up
£20 pre school fees
£150 food
TOTAL £1150

As you can see I have no luxurys.

My life is hell at the moment. I am going to give birth soon so going to work is impossible at the mo. I am planning on working again next september

What can I do? I cannot keep going like this

I am thinking about DMP, with payplan?? What are your experiences with this?

I have also opened a basic bank account with Natwest because some of my debt is in my current account. Is this the right thing to do?

Please help, and in return I promise to be a nice member and help as much as I can:D

Lucy1982_2

Hi.

I'm not going to state the obvious and would suggest giving either Payplan or CCCS a call. I don't have any experience with either but there are loads of people on here who do and I am sure they will be along and helping soon.

Well done for posting and good luck

peb

I am sure lots of lovely people will be here shortly with advise on DMP; the only thing i wanted to say (other than good luck) is that you must not have the basic bank account with any company you owe money to. I could be misreading your post but I think your current account is also with Natwest.

elantan

i cant really add anything to what Lucy has said i would try ccs or payplan too...wishing you all the best stick around though as i'm sure others in the know might have some other advice ...good luck and best wishes for the new addition to your family

yellowmonkey

Hello and welcome.

First of all we are not judgemental on here. (We are not morning TV )

I am with Payplan (DMP) and they have been wonderfull. Why not give them a ring and see what they can do. If you are not up to ringing you can go online with CCCS and fill out a debt remedy thingy and you dont have to talk to anyone at this stage. Personally i would open a bank account seperate from any of my creditors. Having a basic account with the same bank as you have a current account does not stop them interfering with either account. Are you seeing a GP about your depression ????. If not do so and lastly Congrats on the new addition.
Good luck and look forward to hearing from you again.

ym

(Land_of)_Maz

You should contact your CC companies and see if you can get any charges refunded, or even the difference between their charge and OFT ruling. See if that brings any balances down. Also ask them (maybe not in the same phone call) for interest to be frozen. You could use your SOA as proof of hardship to boost your case. They will probably say yes to this, they said yes to me and i was slightly better off than you hun.

Can you ebay anything, this might offset the cost of new baby stuff (assuming you have a lot of stuff already, i mean it'll help pay for nappies etc) when the time comes.

Check www.entitledto.co.uk to check you are getting everything you are meant to benefits wise etc....

Are you still doing open uni? Or completed/dropped out? If it is either of the latter, write to them and drop your payment to them to say, £10 a month. this is a lot of your income for a non crucial bill. They can wait, as far as i can see.

Register for bounty and all the free baby clubs too, occaisionally you get some nice stuff from them.

register for surveys, pigsback, quidco etc. Avoid doing anything that needs spending money on these sites but there are loads of free clicks.

Good luck, and remember to look after yourself and your one and a half kids! Keep your diary up to date and the help will not stop coming!

desperate84

Hi, thanks for the messages

Will doing either payplan or CCCS wreck my credit rating forever?? Once I have sorted myself, I do want to buy a house..it's in a 10 year plan though:D

I have opened the basic account with Natwest, my current accounts are with HSBC and my loan and other credit card is with Virgin

I am definately getitng all benefits I am entitled to:mad:

Open Uni I am still studying with, and this is vital for me to do what I need to do next year to start earning well...

Karmacat

Hi desperate84

Welcome to mse. Since you're still studying, what about the student hardship fund, either from the NUS or from the university itself? And negotiating a lower payment could still be viable anyway.

Household bills: you list council tax separately,so presumably this is gas, electricity and water? They're pretty high - even counting the flipping water rates, mine are £80 a month - thats quite a big gap. Try a switching site like uswitch to see if you can get the figures down.

What about childcare vouchers? Are you entitled to those?

Is there anything you can put on ebay? Its *startling* what people will buy.

As far as going to payplan or cccs ruining your credit rating - well, your outgoings are more than your incomings. THAT is surely going to ruin your credit rating, if its not addressed! Sorry! Seriously, I don't know how its affected, and there is a debate on here about whether credit ratings are worth the paper they're written on, but even if they do exist, and even if they are adversely affected by you going to payplan/cccs, by the time you've saved up for the fees that come along with buying a house, and some furniture, even if you get a 100% mortgage, you'll be sorted in relation to the credit rating.

Best of luck, and keep posting.

gems2381

Maybe you could cut down your shopping bill a bit? Have a look on the Old Style board for tips on cutting down when it comes to food.

hippychick1

Hi there. Now you're on a low income, the OU should pay your fees for you. You may also be able to get £250 towards any further expenses. At least this was the case 2 years ago when I was studying. They will refund the payments you have already made towards your current course.

Also, you will be able to claim the £500 Surestart maternity grant. If you google maternioty grant, you will find the form. Just print it out and get your midwife to sign it.

Good luck with everything!

tallyhoh

Have I missed something on your income? At that income level you should be entitled to Income Support. Check out the benefits board. And why are you paying council tax? Is it arrears? again at that level you should be entitled to a full rebate.
Sorry if I have missed something. XX