I am going for it.....

Lilman

Thank you to Kevicho for all your kind words. Internet has been down for a while so have not had chance to put my SOA on yet but will do tonight. I am just so grateful to this site, it has made me feel better just seeing that I am not the only one in such a mess with debt. Also that for many of you out there, like me, it is not always your doing but circumstances ie breakdown of marriage etc.

I want to be debt free by my birthday on the 18th September when I will reach the dizzy heights of 42!!!!! I want 2008 to be my year where I kick butt and don't let people walk all over me anymore.

I am sick of being refused credit on such things as a mobile phone contract which would save me nearly £30 per month as I am PAYG. This is just so infuriating when something is stopping you from functioning and preventing you from getting ahead.

I also promise to contribute more often to this forum and try and support others as I have been in debt now for the whole of my eighteen year marriage and have only been out of debt once during that time which only came about by selling our house!!!

I will be back later xx:j

lilmoi1985lm

hello and welcome - ive just posted my soa and its really made me feel beter seing it all wrote down!

Dont worry this site is a god send and you will get through it x

debrag

I got a PAYG and after a while I was able to get a contract

Lilman

Thanks for that I will keep trying then with the contract.

lunar

Hi lilman, get your SOA posted and you will get loads of advice for your situation. well done on your LBM. keep posting you will get loads of support on here.

Lilman

After promising to do it later I took the bull by the horns and now post my SOA for someone to stare at for me.

Monthly Outgoings
Rent 525.00
Council Tax 91.00 (single adult reduction)
Water Rates 53.00
Gas 60.00
Electric 50.00
House Ins 26.58
Life Ins 31.40
Telephone 82.50 (increased monthly payments to clear old debt)
TV Licence 11.61
Food 300.00
Petrol 80.00
Debts 232.00
Mobile 50.00
Car Ins 33.25
Total Outgoings £1626.34
Debts
Aktiv Capital 1.00 (Debt £1443.15) Husbands
Wescott 1.00 (Debt £266.85) Husbands
HFC 10.00 (Debt £496.10) Mine
Black Horse 10.00 (Debt £2584.75) Husbands
CCI 10.00 (Debt £701.00) Joint
British Gas 20.00 (Debt £700.00) Joint
British Gas 10.00 (Debt £310.00) Joint
Lloyds TSB 20.00 (Debt £4027.24) Joint
Car 100.00 (Debt £3,500.00) Mine (husband took car Dad bailed me out as I couldnt get credit and loaned me the money)
Motorbike 50.00 (Debt £1,500.00) Joint (husband took bike)
Barclaycard No Payment Plan in Place (Debt £709.18) Mine
Total Debts £16,238.27

Income £1703.00 (net salary together with family allowance and working tax credit)

Left over income £76.66 for car tax, school uniforms & trips.

I am having to pay all joint and husbands debts until a financial settlement is carried out as part of the divorce and also to prevent the debtors constantly harrassing me. I am only paying them by default as all standing orders were set up from my bank account because my estranged husband would not work and did not claim any benefits either.


Please help me!! I want to feel normal again and not go to bed thinking about it and wake up thinking about it.:(

lilmoi1985lm

sorry to be a neb but £300.00 on food per month - how many mouths areyou feeding with this - just shocked as i would cry if i spent that much!

skint_spice

It seems very unfair that your ex took the car and bike and left you to pay them, I understand why you're paying them but hope you've a good lawyer and can sort things out soon. The good thing is you have more incoming than outgoing so should manage to turn things around. Can you boost your income a bit eg ebaying, mystery shopping until things are settled?
You could cut the food shopping by a fair bit though but I'm sure you've realised this already. Try visiting the OS board though if you need ideas.
Hopefully now you've worked out where it's all going this will help you get a bit more rest and stop fretting so much. All the best - you can do this though!

dancingfairy

Monthly Outgoings
Rent 525.00
Council Tax 91.00 (single adult reduction)
Water Rates 53.00
Gas 60.00 - how big a house? can you switch?
Electric 50.00-seems a lot, get everything off standby- t.v,stereo, phone charger, computer, etc, turn all lights off where possible, get energy saving light bulbs and look into switching.
House Ins 26.58- check this is the right amount of cover and see if you can get it cheaper
Life Ins 31.40 - check it covers what you need and see if you can switch
Telephone 82.50 (increased monthly payments to clear old debt) - this seems high - can you cut your usage at all -,maybe look at another provider?
TV Licence 11.61
Food 300.00 - this seems high? how many are you feeding.
Petrol 80.00- do you buy at cheapest petrol station? can you collect nectar points/tesco points or anything to help with food bill?
Debts 232.00
Mobile 50.00 this is huge. can you arrange to meet people or use landline if it's cheaper? maybe more texts less chat?
Car Ins 33.25 is this the cheapest?
Total Outgoings £1626.34
Debts
Aktiv Capital 1.00 (Debt £1443.15) Husbands
Wescott 1.00 (Debt £266.85) Husbands
HFC 10.00 (Debt £496.10) Mine
Black Horse 10.00 (Debt £2584.75) Husbands
CCI 10.00 (Debt £701.00) Joint
British Gas 20.00 (Debt £700.00) Joint
British Gas 10.00 (Debt £310.00) Joint
Lloyds TSB 20.00 (Debt £4027.24) Joint
Car 100.00 (Debt £3,500.00) Mine (husband took car Dad bailed me out as I couldnt get credit and loaned me the money)
Motorbike 50.00 (Debt £1,500.00) Joint (husband took bike)
Barclaycard No Payment Plan in Place (Debt £709.18) Mine
Total Debts £16,238.27


Well i hope that gives you loads of ideas to start with. Also try a spending diary. It's scary how much I spend that's not in my budget. Eeek and this is even though I'm trying to cut down. Good Luck and I'm sure you'll get some more ideas shortly.

dancingfairy

lilmoi1985lm I'm sure you meant well but comments like that can be seen as unhelpful. Please be careful in case you upset someone. It is a lot of money on food but we don't know how many they are feeding and a lot of us have been guilty of overspending in this area- I know I have.

Lilman

Thanks both. I am feeding myself, two teenage sons, dog, cat, rabbit and guinea pig (cat is mine the rest were hand me downs). I am trying to reduce monthly food bills down to £200.00 but am finding it difficult as I provide packed lunches everyday to both sons as I cannot afford to give them lunch funding as this costs even more. I bake my own cakes, and a best friend has given me a part of his allotment for me to grow my own vegetables this year as I like to ensure we all eat as healthily as possible and this is a cheaper alternative to buying all the time.