SOA - new user would appreciate ideas/tips

slowlyfading

www.quidco.com is the website you can get cashback on there if you do certain click throughs, or if you get new insurance for example. If you're spending £40 a month on clothes in Primark, you must be getting loads! Do you need all of that?
Another thought, do you actually know why you're in debt in the first place - do you have anything to show for it? Have you got anything that could be sold on ebay/amazon to make a bit of extra cash?
sf x

loubie_lou

So are you breaking up with you OH who you have recently bought the house with?

Imelda

Hello! Welcome to DFW!

A couple of things- do you have an overdraft? Any credit/ store cards?
From your figures I think you have about £100 "spare" each month- where is this going? Have you thought about keeping a spending diary?
Do you have a car/ travel expenses to work?
Food- does this include lunches while at work? Is this for 3 of you?
Do you know how much you have left to pay off the utilities? Are you keeping an eye on how much electricity & gas you use?
Do you have a mobile phone?

Take a look at www.quidco.com I think the daily clicks is for kelkoo (although I am in no way an expert!)

4littleone

Hi,
i have no travel expenses at the moment as i have a company car with fuel card.
The spending diary is now happening from today.
I haven't got an overdraft or credit or storecards.

I think the reason i'm in so much trouble is because for too long, i've been paying all the household bills which has left me with nothing for any unforeseens, therefore, having had a bad year, i've fallen behind with the gas and electricity.
I had a horrible conversation with them yesterday where one particularly nasty young man told me he was actioning a pre payment meter and charging me £365 for it.
I got through to someone else last night who was fantastic, she agreed a payment plan although this means that i'll still have massive bills each month for another 4 months.

Today is a really bad day for me. I got told last week that i'm being made redundant, i've only been in the job 4 months so i'm not entitled to anything other than a months salary, which basically means that i have until dec 1st to find a new job or i won't be able to pay mortgage, bills etc come january.
I got my letter confirming it today. I've joined some employment agencies and had been offered another job at the beginning of the week, but that's now not happening. They wanted me to work away from home (ie stay away overnight) 4 nights of the week. It's just not possible with a 7 yr old.
I've had a bailiff round today as well for an old solicitors bill from years ago. I thought the account had all been paid up, but apparrently they've been writing to an old address for 2 yrs. They want £256 by the end of this month, i really haven't got it.

Feeling very low today. I can't see how to get through the next couple of weeks let alone christmas.

misspoppy

HI

I'm really sorry this is all happening at once to you. You will get through this and you will have a good christmas with your child.

I suggest you contact one of the free debt charities for assitance with these problems. I'm not sure how you go about asking for proof of the debt to the solicitor but that should be your next step in dealing with them.

regarding the work front, its not ideal to loose your job at this time of year how ever there are a lot of Christmas jobs avaliable in shops and bars. It will be some money coming in which is what you need right now.

If you are splitting from your partner do you know what is happening regarding your home? Did you draw up an agreement with the solicitor about owenership when you bought the home, will you able to have half of the profit to take with you?

Sorry for all the questions but you aren't alone dealing with all of this, we are here to help and point you in the right direction.

4littleone

No! Don't apologise for questions, i'm so stuck at the moment that they help me clarify if that makes sense.

I paid the legal fees on the property and the oh paid the deposit. We should have had a deed of trust but he's put off signing it so i doubt if i'll get anything to be honest. Even if i did, it would take a long battle and i don't know if i've got it in me right now.

I think my main focus at the moment is to get all these "little" debts sorted and start getting the two biggies paid off and know exactly what is owed on each.

Bar work etc is a great idea, i'll go into town this afternoon and stick my head in the job centre as well, i might find something in there.
I think, in essence, i need to stop wallowing in all this and start doing something about it

4littleone

OK so today i'm feeling abit better.
I went into town yesterday and did a suspension of the warrant for the solicitors bill, because i've got the letter confirming the redundancy, i managed to speak to the bailiff and he suggested this as i can then offer a small monthly amount without getting any more nasty letters or bailiff visits.

I joined another employment agency yesterday as well. I got home yesterday afternoon to two calls asking me to go for an interview. One is on the 15th and the other was a telephone interview last night!
Both jobs are a little more money than my most recent job so thats a bonus. I've got an interview tomorrow as well.
I feel it's more likely that i'll have another job by december now. :j

I think that although christmas is likely to be crap, at least i can look forward to the new year now.

Speaking of which, i applied for a vanquis card yesterday, NO it's not to get more debt/credit, the plan is to use it for my normal food shopping and pay off the balance in full each month. That should help my credit rating and then eventually i can switch to a better card.

I've switched my energy suppliers as well using the site recommended on here.
I'm still working out what the best option is for the phone and broadband though. There seem to be so many different ones that it's all abit confusing.

I also think i might be entitled to bank charges paid back, but i haven't a clue how to sort this one out so i'm off to read up on that. If i could get them back that would pay off the lions share of the two loans, i might even be able to get rid of both of them on a full and final settlement thingummy.

Also had a Brucey Bonus this morning, i have a tesco's clubcard but i've not had any vouchers for over a year now. I called them up, turns out they have been sending them all to my previous address. I'm owed almost £80! :j
They're sending them out to me this week so that's the december shopping bill brought down dramatically.

Overall, things are a little clearer today thanks to all the info and help on here.

nickiboop

Hi

With the childcare vouchers it works on your tax calculation for your previous year ie your P60 so your pension contributions and any childcare vouchers are deducted BEFORE your total is calculated
(at least I hope so cos this is what I am working on)

4littleone

umm, i have no idea about that but it's all useful info.
Does it cost my company anything?

tealady

Don't forget to check Pigsback daily for clicks. I know its only pennies each time but you can gett Boots gift vouchers for free then if you use them to buy 3 for 2's it will help the budget.