Cripplng gambling debt, no idea where to make savings

IrishSean

OP, I was looking at some casual hours on govt job finder website myself:

You've customer service experience; 3 x 3hr evening or weekend shifts at £8.72 min wage in say a takeaway, corner shop, off licence etc. Will give you and extra £4080, pre-tax.

With cutting that £200 entertainment and other spend (phone, build ins. Etc,) theres another £250 X 12, making close to £7k.. in year 1, b4 you even look about hitting sales targets in work or taking on other income gen ideas. 

I'll say it again, take some free advice from the debt mgt charities.

Of course your debt at the minute is 1.5 times your income but if you focus on biggest apr and take off the £5k to Grandparents as a later priority payment, it makes it more doable. Potentially have most cleared by your 40th...

Just some ideas

enthusiasticsaver

I am glad you have ditched the matched betting idea. There are sadly no quick fixes to getting out of debt. Three options. Increase income, decrease costs and or some sort of debt solution like DMP, IVA or bankruptcy. All come with their own shortfalls and stepchange can help you. Is a second job an option? 

[Deleted User]

I laugh at the suggestions of second jobs, not going to happen in this current climate unless you are extremely lucky.
Even the supermarkets that are desperate for extra staff during the pandemic aren't interested in taking on furloughed people to fill their measly 12 hour quasi-zero hour contracts, which I recently found out with Iceland. Obviously their social media posts of taking on racing drivers as delivery drivers was just virtue signalling. 

curlytop12

This isn't failure, this is you getting your life back! you being in control, not the gambling, think of the freedom you are going to feel, that weight off your shoulders, you are 37 years old , you can do this !!

enthusiasticsaver

Deleted_User said:

I laugh at the suggestions of second jobs, not going to happen in this current climate unless you are extremely lucky.
Even the supermarkets that are desperate for extra staff during the pandemic aren't interested in taking on furloughed people to fill their measly 12 hour quasi-zero hour contracts, which I recently found out with Iceland. Obviously their social media posts of taking on racing drivers as delivery drivers was just virtue signalling. 

That may be the case in some areas of the UK.  In others there are openings for Just Eat drivers, farmers needing people to pick crops, supermarket drivers and shelf fillers even Covid track and tracers or 111 helpline operators. Just because you had bad luck applying for one job that does not mean no one is getting second jobs.  Plenty of people do and are doing even now in this pandemic. 

[Deleted User]

enthusiasticsaver said:

Deleted_User said:

I laugh at the suggestions of second jobs, not going to happen in this current climate unless you are extremely lucky.
Even the supermarkets that are desperate for extra staff during the pandemic aren't interested in taking on furloughed people to fill their measly 12 hour quasi-zero hour contracts, which I recently found out with Iceland. Obviously their social media posts of taking on racing drivers as delivery drivers was just virtue signalling. 

That may be the case in some areas of the UK.  In others there are openings for Just Eat drivers, farmers needing people to pick crops, supermarket drivers and shelf fillers even Covid track and tracers or 111 helpline operators. Just because you had bad luck applying for one job that does not mean no one is getting second jobs.  Plenty of people do and are doing even now in this pandemic. 

I was told by the manager at the local Iceland that they weren't taking on furlough people in case they have to down tools and go back to their furlough job before Iceland had dispensed with your services.

Not saying this is company policy but it was that branch's.

Abandon

Thanks all. I've taken the advice on board and applied for local fruit picking and supermarket work. It's wait and see time now. 

I've also spoken provisionally to a company about turning all this into one affordable monthly payment. They are going to phone me back. Not sure about that one, will look very carefully at APR. 

[Deleted User]

Abandon said:

I've also spoken provisionally to a company about turning all this into one affordable monthly payment. They are going to phone me back. Not sure about that one, will look very carefully at APR. 

Good luck with that one but I suspect it's just a broker searching their book of bottom of the barrel loan companies and probably only come back offering you some crappy guarantor loan which will be no where near what you need anyway. 

Bored

I've just read this entire thread from start to finish and I just want to say good work for everything you've done so far. You've had some great feedback and some overly harsh comments and tough love, but you've taken it all on board, even with a few bumps in the road.

I just wanted to say please don't be too hard on yourself and don't rush into anything at the moment. It's all too much right now and there isn't an easy solution that will make this all go away. Just focus on the very first step and stop gambling. The rest will fall into place with time. Good luck OP.   

onwards&upwards

Abandon said:

Thanks all. I've taken the advice on board and applied for local fruit picking and supermarket work. It's wait and see time now. 

I've also spoken provisionally to a company about turning all this into one affordable monthly payment. They are going to phone me back. Not sure about that one, will look very carefully at APR. 

What will they be charging you?  Never pay for debt management!