30k debt, help please!

Choofles

The dogs are definitely a big expense for me and are difficult in more than just a financial sense! I rescue dogs and the ones that's are with me are ones that aren't rehome able due to behavioural issues. They have to go into kennels rather than dog walkers / using friends to watch them because they cant be handled by anyone but me as they bite. If I were to rehome them they would be put down. 2 of them are foster dogs so trying desperately to get them adopted but they are tricky.
This all sounds like a load of excuses to be fair, it's not the first time people have suggested to rehome my dogs but that would be absolute last resort.
I'm hoping to use some of the proceeds from the house sale to pay off some of the debt but need to retain enough for deposit on a new place. I'm also considering whether it would make sense to go into rented accommodation for a while in order to get my finances straight before thinking about another mortgage. My partner would be on the next mortgage and would be splitting 50/50 at that point. He was paying £300 pcm up until 2 or 3 months ago so is giving me more than he was, I'd love to ask him for more but haven't broached it just yet, and I guess he feels like it's still my home and not "ours"

Choofles

The dogs are definitely a big expense for me and are difficult in more than just a financial sense! I rescue dogs and the ones that's are with me are ones that aren't rehome able due to behavioural issues. They have to go into kennels rather than dog walkers / using friends to watch them because they cant be handled by anyone but me as they bite. If I were to rehome them they would be put down. 2 of them are foster dogs so trying desperately to get them adopted but they are tricky.
This all sounds like a load of excuses from me to be fair, it's not the first time people have suggested to rehome my dogs but that would be absolute last resort.
I'm hoping to use some of the proceeds from the house sale to pay off some of the debt but need to retain enough for deposit on a new place. I'm also considering whether it would make sense to go into rented accommodation for a while in order to get my finances straight before thinking about another mortgage. My partner would be on the next mortgage and would be splitting 50/50 at that point. He was paying £300 pcm up until 2 or 3 months ago so is giving me more than he was, I'd love to ask him for more but haven't broached it just yet, and I guess he feels like it's still my home and not "ours"

enthusiasticsaver

I think you may find it difficult to go into rented accommodation with 6 dogs. Just something else to consider.

Grumpelstiltskin

6 dogs who bite, presumably as you are disabled and working they cannot get the attention they deserve.

Are you being fair to these dogs? I don't think so.

If you can't get homes for them then honestly you need a serious rethink of their future.

You definitely won't find a landlord who is prepared to accept 6 dogs.

MrsC....tobe

Mortgage, council tax, electricity and water total £947. Your boyfriend pays only £400 towards rent and bills. He is getting a very good deal. Presumably the £200 shopping is for both of you? If so I’d be getting a good contribution towards that from him aswell.

Check for a better mobile phone deal, if you are out of contract you could easily for sim only.

Shop around for cheaper electricity, also cheaper car insurance and use cash back websites etc.

Are all of those debts in your name alone? Have they all been your spending on you or has it been stuff for boyfriend aswell? If so, I’d suggest that now you are living together you should work out finances a bit better between you so that you are not nearing the brunt of it all.

Candyapple

If your house is worth £172k and your mortgage is £133k, then you have roughly £40k in equity.

Sell the house, clear your debts and you should have £11k deposit to put towards your new property.

I would agree with previous posters about reducing the number of dogs - 6 is an insane amount to have, especially given that you work full-time. Your poor neighbours! They surely can't be having any quality of life stuck in kennels for the majority of their day.

System

Choofles wrote: »

The dogs are definitely a big expense for me and are difficult in more than just a financial sense! I rescue dogs and the ones that's are with me are ones that aren't rehome able due to behavioural issues. They have to go into kennels rather than dog walkers / using friends to watch them because they cant be handled by anyone but me as they bite. If I were to rehome them they would be put down. 2 of them are foster dogs so trying desperately to get them adopted but they are tricky.
This all sounds like a load of excuses from me to be fair, it's not the first time people have suggested to rehome my dogs but that would be absolute last resort.
I'm hoping to use some of the proceeds from the house sale to pay off some of the debt but need to retain enough for deposit on a new place. I'm also considering whether it would make sense to go into rented accommodation for a while in order to get my finances straight before thinking about another mortgage. My partner would be on the next mortgage and would be splitting 50/50 at that point. He was paying £300 pcm up until 2 or 3 months ago so is giving me more than he was, I'd love to ask him for more but haven't broached it just yet, and I guess he feels like it's still my home and not "ours"

You need to start owning your own doo-doo I'm afraid. Alarm bells are ringing...huge debt, way too many animals to cope with financially and time and energy, all with a disability. You said yourself that you have a £800 car that keeps failing its MOT and it's the only way you can get to work, which is the only thing keeping you afloat, yet the dogs get more money than that ! I've seen people like you before, you're a plumber stationed on the Titanic. You need to start looking at your situation and think about how you intend to fix these issues. Giving up your home is just another daft thing you could do to compound the other daft things you've done.


Slim down your animals at first, you're trying to save the world when you can't even save yourself. Draw up a budget and share with your partner. Then start to split things more evenly - it's coming up anyway so why not start now.


If it's a salary scarifice lease from work, don't do it. The costs compared to financing yourself are astronomical. If you are looking at leasing, try Lingscars.com

EssexHebridean

I have to agree with some of what has been said about the dogs I'm afraid - I'm not going to say "you need to get rid" as nobody would say that to someone about their children, after all, but you certainly need to make sure that you don't fall into the trap of saying yes to any more, and I'd suggest also you need to think seriously about how much of a "rescue" it is if you aren't able to give them the time and attention they need. I'd also say that the biting thing is a huge issue - what happens when they take a chunk out of someone at the kennels and the kennels refuse to take them? What happens when one of them gets out by mistake and bites a passing toddler?

One thing that leaps out to me about the SOA is your electricity bill? Why so much? We do have gas but only for cooking - and it costs us £2 a month currently. Everything else - heat, light etc is done by electricity and we're paying a fraction of your monthly amount - in fact about a quarter. If your heating is Storage heaters then you should be on an Economy 7 meter which means you get the advantage of the cheap rate overnight - it sounds like perhaps at some stage you've been shuffled onto a single rate in which case the whole thing falls down.

You're talking about selling your home to pay off debt - but remember, this is another form of consolidation only worse - effectively you're turning unsecured debt into secured AND consolidating. Bluntly, if you didn't learn about not using credit the last time you consolidated - why will this time be any different? Consolidation ONLY works for people who are scared enough by the situation that they cut up their credit cards there and then, swear never to use credit again, and then stick to that for long enough to learn how credit can sometimes work for you, rather than against you.

My partner would be on the next mortgage and would be splitting 50/50 at that point. He was paying £300 pcm up until 2 or 3 months ago so is giving me more than he was, I'd love to ask him for more but haven't broached it just yet, and I guess he feels like it's still my home and not "ours"

This worries me - you're talking about the financial commitment of buying a property with someone who you don't feel comfortable asking to pay a fair proportion of your living expenses. Alarm bells ringing all over the place there. Explain the situation to him,show him figures and see what he says - if he runs for the hills, or tells you you're being unreasonable, then consider it a lucky escape!

theoretica

Choofles wrote: »

The dogs are definitely a big expense for me and are difficult in more than just a financial sense! I rescue dogs and the ones that's are with me are ones that aren't rehome able due to behavioural issues. They have to go into kennels rather than dog walkers / using friends to watch them because they cant be handled by anyone but me as they bite. If I were to rehome them they would be put down. 2 of them are foster dogs so trying desperately to get them adopted but they are tricky.

Did you rescue/foster the dogs through an organisation? It would seem to me to be a more than reasonable request and expectation that the organisation pays for the foster dogs and the extra expense from you having rescued difficult dogs. They can hold fundraisers etc more easily than you and could pay direct to the kennels.

zippygeorgeandben

I'm struggling to get a LL to rent me a flat with one indoor cat.
Think you need to make tough decisions here. I'm not sure I'd be happy with contributions to your benefits when you have six dogs.