Finally admitting I'm in debt :(

tlc678910

Hi, I think you desperately need legal advice to lay claim to a share of the house as part of a divorce and financial settlement (despite the document you signed).

I think it is dubious whether British courts respect pre-nuptial agreements and what you signed might fall into this area.

You are being forced into this challenge by your ex's refusal to support his family so I know what I would choose to do as a judge (if they are able to over-rule the document.) When you signed the document you didn't know he would leave you without means of support and it was signed assuming there would be child maintenance in this circumstance.

Perhaps you could find a reputable local solicitor who will offer a free half hour and if they think your case is strong will offer payment on a successful outcome. You can but try and what have you got to lose.

A financial settlement will also protect your assets from him in the case that you earn well or inherit in the future.
Good luck
Tlc

ReadingTim

StillStudenting wrote: »

Thanks! I have 6 weeks left 'officially' but with polishing the work it will take me up to Christmas so I'm not giving up now!

Speaking of Christmas, how will you pay for that?

leslieknope

if you look at the debt sections of this website, they refer you to charities such as stepchange who will help you with a DMP without charging you a fee. they're not all bad!

Pixie5740

StillStudenting wrote: »

I have considered a DMP but heard stories about dodgy companies.

You don't ever use a company to set up a DMP. You either use a debt charity such as National Debtline or you self manage which is sort of what you're doing already by writing to your creditors and asking them to freeze the interest.

StillStudenting

ReadingTim wrote: »

Speaking of Christmas, how will you pay for that?

My children are 10 and 8 - they don't believe in the whole Santa thing although I do tell them if they say they don't believe they don't get any presents (my mum did this until I was late teens!) I usually spend £300 on their presents (in total, not each!) that money usually comes from money I'm given by family. Their paternal grandparents usually buy one thing, my parents by heaps. they won't miss out

StillStudenting

*Update - I have paid my overdraft! All money is in that account and DD transferred - I have no debt with Santander so money is safe!

I now have a defunct Barclays current account with the barclaycard debt attached

Next step is hammering the Next account, that has the highest interest - currently at £2800 - I've taken my head out of the sand and opened nearly two years worth of letters, calculated since Nov 2015 I've paid £926.09 of interest to NEXT!!! Imagine having that back (not to mention the rest since I've actually had the account)

staying at minimum payments on barclaycard for now.

Car can't really go as I have around 6k left (on a 8k car, interest from Hp made it a 10k car) and had it valued at 5k

Thanks for advice!

EssexHebridean

Wow to that interest - that's a lot of pairs of jeans, even at Next's prices! well done for extracting head from sand as well - scary though it is I bet knowing the full picture helps!

Smevchenko

StillStudenting wrote: »

This might be embarrassing to admit and make me sound stupid but they need to teach stuff like this in schools! I swear I didn't even know that companies credit check you, didn't even know what a credit check was! Applying was just so easy over the internet All i can say is I was very naive about Credit (as you can see) and have wised up a lot in the last year (and I'm 30)

100% agree on this...... some of the stuff in school is very important, other stuff not so much. When you are young and being offered credit left, right and centre, it is far too easy to get yourself in bother without knowing how it will affect you in later life. When I first started racking up debt, I had no idea what a credit file was, or how lenders viewed it. I have wasted countless money paying interest and rent, when a mortgage 10 years ago would have set me up much better for later life.
I don't absolve myself of blame where this is concerned, but financial lessons at 16/17 might have helped me make better decisions in the past.

ReadingTim

StillStudenting wrote: »

My children are 10 and 8 - they don't believe in the whole Santa thing although I do tell them if they say they don't believe they don't get any presents (my mum did this until I was late teens!) I usually spend £300 on their presents (in total, not each!) that money usually comes from money I'm given by family. Their paternal grandparents usually buy one thing, my parents by heaps. they won't miss out

Very good. But no Christmas meals out with work colleagues, catch ups with friends etc? - 'tis the season to be merry after all. No extra spending on nice food or booze for the day itself? No taxis on New Year's Eve because you've had a drink so can't drive? Christmas spending doesn't begin and end at presents unfortunately....

Don't forget also that most places bring forward pay day in December - usually so that it's before 25th. Given January's a long month anyway, even people in full time employment can be going the best part of 6 weeks between pay days, and a rather large amount of spending in between!

Pixie5740

ReadingTim wrote: »

Very good. But no Christmas meals out with work colleagues, catch ups with friends etc? - 'tis the season to be merry after all. No extra spending on nice food or booze for the day itself? No taxis on New Year's Eve because you've had a drink so can't drive? Christmas spending doesn't begin and end at presents unfortunately....

Don't forget also that most places bring forward pay day in December - usually so that it's before 25th. Given January's a long month anyway, even people in full time employment can be going the best part of 6 weeks between pay days, and a rather large amount of spending in between!

None of those things are compulsory. I’m sure the OP can forgo a couple of Christmas and Hogmanay parties especially since she will be busy finishing off her PhD.