To consolidate credit cards?

RAS

Pay off the ZOPA as ultimately it will save you money.

You really would benefit from simply listing for all cards

APR, monthly cost, value, limit on the card, end date of any deal and APR it reverts to. 

NeverendingDMP

If you list them here people will help but a good website to list them on and see what happens when you pay in different orders is

what's the cost.com 

EssexHebridean

Absolutely do not take unsecured consumer debt where if it goes unpaid, the worst that will happen are some phone calls, a nasty letter or two, and at worst a knock on the door which you can simply refuse to answer, and change that to a debt secured on the roof over your family’s head - which could cost you all your home.  Looked at that way, what do YOU think about your “is it stupid” question?

You need to get your budgeting in order as a starting point, and then as said, use any extra surplus you can create to pay down the debts one by one. Your income -v- priority bills don’t mean you should need to “live half a life” - and indeed living a god life and making great memories for your family isn’t done by throwing money at it - your twins won’t remember how much things cost as they grow up, they’ll remember how much fun was had! 

katsu

You should be able to save maybe £130 on the phones. When are the 3 out of contracts? 

If you have babies/toddlers, they shouldn't need much for birthdays and Christmas. They are too young surely? Cut right back for now, and tell your family you plan on being more minimal in 2025 so it's not a big shock. 

You really can get out of this. The changes aren't painless but they really are possible! 

Good luck and keep posting. 

inthezeroroom

No, no and NO to converting unsecured debt into debt secured on your home. Please don't do this.

Nearly £1,000pm on cars and phones. I think that's where I'd start. You simply can't afford to be driving around in new vehicles with £800 in payments. See if you can get out of these agreements and get a cheaper car and van, maybe £5k each. Avoid financing them if you can but a £10k loan over 3 years will cost you about £300pm, a £500 saving on what you're paying now – and at least you'll own the darn things at the end.

Others have mentioned the phones, but these should each be £10 a month each plus a secondhand phone, or £20 a month including the phone. There's another £100 saved.

So that's £600 extra to throw at your debts. You can sort this in 2.5 years. Excuse my 'big maths' that ignores interest, but if you get on and tackle the debts quickly then the interest is largely irrelevant. It's the change in your attitude that will make all the difference.

Of course, if you can work more, and if your partner's income gets back up to those higher levels, then you can do this even faster.

Good luck!

sourcrates

You have 5k a month coming in, and a debt of 19k, is that right?

If so its a complete no brainer, you don`t need consolidation loans, you don`t even need a debt solution, you simply cut back on unnecessary spending, and throw all that you can at the debts.

With more sensible budgeting you could clear that in less than a year.