Littlewoods.

GinaKnox

Hello,

I wonder if anyone could offer me any advice on this please? A few months ago after being unemployed for the good part of a year and having no income whatsoever. I went on the Littlewoods website and decided to see if I’d be eligible for credit. The next day I got an email saying that they had given me £200 credit. At this time I had no income coming in at all. I am 18 years old and maybe not all that wise. I had been off work due to mental illness and had a hard time leaving the house to sign on Jobseekers allowance or anything.

After receiving my items, I had a statement about a week later saying that they wanted £24 from me. Obviously I couldn’t pay this because I had no money. I then got a statement in December asking for another £24 and because I missed the payment they added £12 administration charges on top of it. The minimum payment to be paid was £64 and that’s due by the 14th January. I had no other alternative but to sign onto Jobseekers Allowance. Because I get paid £90 a fortnight and give £40 to my mother for board I haven’t got the money to pay them the £64 they want. I’m really, really, really scared because I know that the minimum payment is going to keep going up and up and that they’ll keep adding administration charges. I just wondered if anyone else had been in a similar situation or had any advice on what I could do? I realise that it’s my own fault for taking the credit but it’s kind of like offering a bone to a dog. It’s hard to resist. I’m sorry if this is a repeat. I did do a search but couldn’t find anything that’s the same. I feel as if I'm in a black hole that I can't get out of I'm worried that my families' credit will be affected if I don't keep payments up on time. I have other worries and this just feels like a massive weight on my shoulders.

Thanks in advance,

Gina

Primrose

I think your situation represents the difficult slippery slope which many people must be finding themselves on. However, if you possibly can , now is the time to try and get off the slope completely before it runs out of control. Can you possibly get your mother or another relative to advance you to money to pay off this £64 before it starts getting bigger, otherwise as you surmised, the snowball will just get bigger and bigger. If this is an option, pay off the money and cancel your arrangement with them now.

Jennikay

If paying it off in one go is not an option, then at least pay as much as you can each month, not just the minimum amount - this lessens the amount left to pay, therefore reducing the interest you'll have to pay on top of the amount you've borrowed.

Though you wouldn't class yourself as a 'teenager', I would advise reading the Teen Cash Class Guide (opens as a PDF)
www.moneysavingexpert.com/attachment/teen_cash_guide.pdf

It explains what I said about paying more than the minimum (but better than I can ) and to basically, never get a store card, or store credit

Or in your case - never again

jimbo26

Contact Littlewoods Asap. They will agree to lower monthly payments I am sure. They would rather some money than no money. However down you feel you are still talking relatively small amounts. Contact them today.