Help and advice please

jbatista

Hi all, my life is in 1 big mess at the moment, not only have I got to cope with the recent bereavment of my father but my debts are mounting up like mad.
Hubby and I are are receiving Income Support and Child Benifit for our 3 children.
£240 per week Income Support
£42.30 pr week child benifit
£15 pr wk DLA lower rate

Outgoings MONTHLY

Car insurance £36
Electricity £100 (inc previuos debt)
Gas £60
Tel £35
Aol £20
Mobile £25
Food £400
Clothing £50
Sky £45

DEBT

Aqua card £1500
Capital one £1400
Halifax Credit Card (Hubbys)£900
Halifax C Card £600
Argos Card (125)
Next £80

At the moment I am just paying out the minimums on them, advice and ideas would be very welcome please. I just dont know where to start.
I have asked my solicitor to give me an advance on my late dads estate but he is dragging his feet summat rotten.

mrsspendalot

Hi and welcome. OK, sky has to go for now and you could halve your shopping bill. I have a husband and 3 kids and we manage £40 a week on shopping. Pop over to the oldstyle board for some tips on how to reduce it. Can you get a combined deal for phone and broadband? that should save you.

There seems to be quite a bit missing from your SOA, such as petrol, repairs to your car, birthdays, christmas, etc.

Also, if you list the APRs and limits of all your debts, it might help to see what can be done there.

floss2

jbatista wrote: »

Hi all, my life is in 1 big mess at the moment, not only have I got to cope with the recent bereavment of my father but my debts are mounting up like mad.
Hubby and I are are receiving Income Support and Child Benifit for our 3 children.
£240 per week Income Support
£42.30 pr week child benifit
£15 pr wk DLA lower rate

Outgoings MONTHLY

Car insurance £36
Electricity £100 (inc previuos debt)
Gas £60
Tel £35
Aol £20
Mobile £25 can this be reduced - maybe change tariff or go PAYG
Food £400 you need to cut this down - look on Old Style board for help
Clothing £50 until you get your finances sorted, this needs to stop
Sky £45 can you get this reduced?

DEBT

Aqua card £1500
Capital one £1400
Halifax Credit Card (Hubbys)£900
Halifax C Card £600
Argos Card (125)
Next £80

At the moment I am just paying out the minimums on them, advice and ideas would be very welcome please. I just dont know where to start.
I have asked my solicitor to give me an advance on my late dads estate but he is dragging his feet summat rotten.

You haven't mentioned house / contents insurance, tv licence, car tax, servicing & MOT.

How old are the children - do you get free school meals?

There shouldn't be a problem with getting an advance, as long as there is some money there - that may be what he's waiting to find out, after all funeral expenses are paid & life insurance & pension companies have paid out.

Good luck, and welcome to MSE! :hello:

chevalier

Hi there are you getting council tax benefit and housing benefit?

I spend £250 a month of feeding 2 adults, 2 children and 2 cats, so I think this would be a good place to start.
If you can't cope without the sports on sky, then you could ditch them and sign up to Setanta which is only £9.99 a months so would be a big saving
best of luck
chev

david_hellier

Hi. Your situation is managable with some control on spending. According to my calculations you have £158.82 per week to spend on food, clothes and anything else. You will have more if you follow the advice of the others on cutting back.

I suggest you write £158.82 in a little note book on a Monday and keep a note of what you spend/withdraw by subtracting and keeping a balance. If you have any over at the end of the week carry it forward to the next Monday.

I have assumed fixed payments as shown in the figures, so set up SOs for these with the CCs (not DDs) and do not make any more purchases uing CCs; use debit cards only, keeping a record in your book.

Good luck, the figures:

incomeweeklymonthlyself o partner o IS £ 240.00 CB £ 42.40 DLA £ 15.00 total297.400.00divide by 4.33 £ - £ 297.40 total weekly incomespendweeklymonthlyrent/mortgage £ - council tax £ - elec £ 100.00 gas £ 60.00 water £ - secured loans £ - TV licence £ 12.00 fines £ - car ins £ 36.00 car tax £ 12.50 tel £ 35.00 AOL £ 20.00 mob £ 25.00 sky £ 45.00 Aqua £ 75.00 Cap 1 £ 70.00 Halifax 1 £ 45.00 Halifax 2 £ 30.00 argos £ 20.00 next £ 15.00 total0.00 £ 600.50 divide by 4.33 £ 138.58 £ 138.58 total weekly spendStart= income - spend = £ 158.82 per week