feel like i cannot live

little8571

Hi all, i have come on here because i am at my wits end.
I have been classed as one of those people in persistent debt, why because i was stupid and built up balances on credit cards.


Now i like others have been receiving the you are in persistent debt letters and i thought you know what i will pay extra because it makes sense.


Now even after paying extra i am getting persistent letters about persistent debt, and to top it all off now after every time i pay a credit card i get texts telling me to pay more than the minimum when i already am.


I even accepted a £100 increase from Barclaycard at their insistence which meant i had to cut other things such as food as prescriptions.


I took more hours on at work and am trying really hard, but now i feel like i am being hounded on a daily basis, letters and now texts, what next people at the door every time i pay on time and over the minimum amount.


I understand the persistent debt issues, im not an idiot but after another text today i feel like i cant go on.. yes i feel suicidal because they wont leave me alone!


Is this what it feels like to have the bailiffs at your door on a daily basis because if this is how its going to be i may as well give up.


The credit card companies asked me to up my payments, i did what they asked and now they want more, when will it end.


I know persistent debt is an issue, i like many many others wish i was debt free but t the moment i cant be because i can only earn so much.


I know there are others out there like me who always meet the payment dates and always pay more than the minimum, but are there others out there like me who are being hounded or feel in despair, if so please can you share your stories, help people in the same situation feel like there is some hope and that its worth making the effort.


Please help as i cant go on with this and don't know what to do for the good.


I did write to Martin to highlight the issue its having on peoples mental health but didn't get a reply, i expect he is busy but i feel like this issue needs addressing so that all concerned can be in a good place.

shiny76

First of all, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. And repeat.

Second, your issues can be resolved and you're taking positive action to do so. So you're on the right track.

Third, can you list your current debts, to who and the APRs on each. Forum members may then be able to help you further. You might want to fill in a SOA (Statement of Affairs) as well, it'll help you (and us) see all your commitments/expenditure.

SOA: http://www.stoozing.com/calculator/soa.php

shiny76

Fourth, if you're really considering harming yourself then please seek help from a suitable professional (GP/therapist)

[Deleted User]

little8571 wrote: »

Hi all, i have come on here because i am at my wits end.
I have been classed as one of those people in persistent debt, why because i was stupid and built up balances on credit cards.


Now i like others have been receiving the you are in persistent debt letters and i thought you know what i will pay extra because it makes sense.


Now even after paying extra i am getting persistent letters about persistent debt, and to top it all off now after every time i pay a credit card i get texts telling me to pay more than the minimum when i already am.


I even accepted a £100 increase from Barclaycard at their insistence which meant i had to cut other things such as food as prescriptions.


I took more hours on at work and am trying really hard, but now i feel like i am being hounded on a daily basis, letters and now texts, what next people at the door every time i pay on time and over the minimum amount.


I understand the persistent debt issues, im not an idiot but after another text today i feel like i cant go on.. yes i feel suicidal because they wont leave me alone!


Is this what it feels like to have the bailiffs at your door on a daily basis because if this is how its going to be i may as well give up.


The credit card companies asked me to up my payments, i did what they asked and now they want more, when will it end.


I know persistent debt is an issue, i like many many others wish i was debt free but t the moment i cant be because i can only earn so much.


I know there are others out there like me who always meet the payment dates and always pay more than the minimum, but are there others out there like me who are being hounded or feel in despair, if so please can you share your stories, help people in the same situation feel like there is some hope and that its worth making the effort.


Please help as i cant go on with this and don't know what to do for the good.


I did write to Martin to highlight the issue its having on peoples mental health but didn't get a reply, i expect he is busy but i feel like this issue needs addressing so that all concerned can be in a good place.

BC wouldn't insist you take a limit increase - they offer it and you either accept of decline it, or it's automatically accepted depending on your settings to manage credit limit increases.

The CC companies are correct in asking for higher payments - they want to get it cleared and they want you to pay back what you owe them.

Work more, cut back, make a SOA affairs and post it back here.

little8571

Thank you, after a bout of extreme crying and a talk to my husband who also forwarded several of those texts to me i have had a chance to calm a little.


I will try and get the information and post it on here but i cant at the moment as not in the right mind at the moment to go through it all.


I am in contact with the Dr as i also have rheumatoid arthritis so people are aware i am in a bad way both physically and mentally , i just think this is pushing me over the edge and i feel like i cant do good for trying.


Thanks for your help, its much appreciated, i just feel that this issue needs to be highlighted if there are others who are going through the same as me.

little8571

The letter i had was telling me they were increasing it and that if that was going to be an issue i had to contact them. I didn't want it to be an issue as i am trying to pay back as fast as i can so i paid what was asked. The letter from BC was not like the others there was no optional extra payments needed, it was there in black and white "your minimum payment is increasing because you are in persistent debt.


I stupidly thought i was doing what i should be doing.


I cant work any more that the full time job i have and the part time evening job, so i have covered that and got ill because of it, i can i am sure however cut back more.


I am paying more on my cards but the more is obviously not enough, hindsight is a great gift to have as many of you will know.

I do understand they want their money, just hope the mortgage company don't want all the mortgage paid in 9 months or we are ******.....yes that was my attempt at a sad joke!

[Deleted User]

little8571 wrote: »

The letter i had was telling me they were increasing it and that if that was going to be an issue i had to contact them. I didn't want it to be an issue as i am trying to pay back as fast as i can so i paid what was asked. The letter from BC was not like the others there was no optional extra payments needed, it was there in black and white "your minimum payment is increasing because you are in persistent debt.


I stupidly thought i was doing what i should be doing.


I cant work any more that the full time job i have and the part time evening job, so i have covered that and got ill because of it, i can i am sure however cut back more.


I do understand they want their money, just hope the mortgage company don't want all the mortgage paid in 9 months or we are ******.....yes that was my attempt at a sad joke!

Right, so it was a minimum payment increase, not a credit limit increase.
You didn't say that, so it wasn't clear.

If you thought the £100 was an issue you should have made contact with them and informed them that, not just left it.

If you're behind on your mortgage then you need to speak to a debt charity like StepChange.

What debts do you have and the amounts owing?

Terry_Towelling

Why aren't you talking to your creditors and explaining your issues? They won't bite your head off. If you don't have enough to pay the extra they require, then they can't have it and they need to be made aware of that. What about your husband? You're in this together - is he helping you at all?

If the extra payments to the card companies are too much for you, you can get around it to some degree - although the approach may not meet with universal approval from forumites. Even I don't think it is the best idea but it may help when cash is tight.

Much depends on just how much debt you have and how much interest you are paying but if you are paying Barclaycard an extra £100 per month, that £100 will be coming off the balance you owe. Obviously, there will be interest added on but you potentially have up to £100 more capacity on the credit card that you didn't have before. You can use some of that capacity to buy food/prescriptions.

I'm not recommending this as a way of getting out of debt because it isn't and it will slow your progress to what it was before, but it will give you some breathing space. Just make sure you don't spend more on the card than the extra £100 you are paying off and do try to find areas to cut back.

For example, do you pay a fortune for Sky TV but only ever watch the free-to-air channels? Why not switch to FreeSat and save a fortune? Even if you do make use of the pay-channels, maybe it is worth getting rid anyway so that you can actually get your life back on track. If you don't have Sky, obviously you can't do this.

What about your energy supplier? Are they the cheapest you can get? Where do you shop? Can you buy cheaper?

little8571

Apologies i thought i had made it more obvious in my post about the minimum payment increase.
Im not behind with my mortgage, in fact im not behind with one single bill.


Im sorry but maybe coming here was a big mistake, it still seems to be a place where people would rather judge than help, goodbye

vacheron

I don't see any judging. but I can see a lot of help, suggestions and questions?

Read all the posts again with a clear head before being so hasty.

Gathering information is the first thing the people on here will try to do before offering specific suggestions.

I read the "£100 increase" in the same way as others at first (credit limit) until I read on and realised it was an increase in the monthly payment which is a far more positive thing.

[Deleted User]

No one is judging - you're not being clear and concise in your posts.

You either need help, or you don't - so which is it?