How did you get into this debt?

weenerbunny

I'm not even sure how it got this bad for me. I was a uni student, part-time job, living in shared accom and my other half was homeless, but did not try to live with me and survived on his own through the big issue. I had about a year and a half without work, although I was constantly taking interviews, and all my savings and loan money went into basic rent and bills. Then I got work, but one of my house-share guys started conning me out of money (I was going through an emotionally hard time and, with my memory shot, didn't notice I was being asked to pay the same bill 4 times a month, plus cash stolen from my room, etc). Had, really, no choice but to get my own place at that point, so the OH came too, and he did temp work while I did part time, but we were bleeding money as our combined income still didn't cover living expenses. (BTW, We were not then nor ever have been entitled to any financial aid). My entire £1250 student overdraft was drained, just a little less each month but enough that within a few months I was going past my overdraft regularly. At first, only once a month and £30 charged, but since that was £30 I didn;t have, I'd definitely go over the next month... it got to the point where I was being charged 5-8 times a month every month by my bank, even though I had quit uni and started working full time, and the OH was working temp jobs, although with gaps in between when work dried up, but we just couldn't keep up with CC card bills, debt to old landlords, debt from the emergency financial aid I'd had from the uni and regular bank charges.

When 2 weeks out of every 4 you have insufficient money to buy food, you stock up when you can and rely on using all those credit cards that we get offered in the post. Once card got too much on it, another was used instead. (All storecards, useable only in the one shop, but we would get cashback if we really needed it).

We literally cut to the bone. It's amazing how long you can survive on stew made from dried lentils, onions and, if you're feeling decadent, a small piece of butter. Homemade bread as well, when I could afford the yeast. I can't tell you how good milk tastes after 3-4 weeks eating like that. No TV, no drinks, no new clothes, no social life, all hobbies on hold except making use of the library.

Eventually, we managed to cut down enough to stop the bank charges, with a little lost dignity and help from mum, and since then we've just been paying off the accumulated debts, little by little.

I think I'll be debt free by the time I reach 30 (currently am 24). We just keep pushing for any new work opportunities, buying cheap, making everything from scratch and keeping an emergency supply of frozen cheap meat, dried lentils, flour and salt for months where the money disappears. Of course, as we've had more income, we've allowed ourselves those little luxuries. We now have a phone line, broadband, a pet cat and can afford to treat ourselves once a week if we're careful.

I kinda wish I could say it was down to too much uni partying, being silly and frivolous... at least then I'd have had some fun on the way down!

Still, what with one thing and another I am looking forward to a tidy little lump when all those accumulated bank charges can finally be reclaimed again! :):) If that happens soon, I will probably clear off about half of my debt in one go.Woo!

buttonnose82

mines a mixture of university debt and a loan that ran along with my mortgage but didn't get paid off when i sold the house

Buffythedebtslayer

If I wanted something i would buy it.

Simple as that.

I love shopping, having things used to make me really happy.

Then I had a horrible time for about 2 years, when the hell cleared I realised what I was doing and what i had been doing for the last ten twelve years.

It took about six months on top of that when I found this place and since then I have paid off about 1500 pounds and sorted out my bills etc. still must phone t mobile.

Gemmzie

How old is this thread :eek: Some old faces there...