Debt or push me over EDGE?

kel123_2

Although I'm new to this site Ras is correct although may be a little blunt!

My wife and myself were in a similar situation 3 years ago when by business finished. You look for the post - hoping not to find any, when the telephone rings you hold your breath and you make sure you don't answer the door between 8 am and 8 pm just incase. We visited the CAB (4 hr wait) sorry but my experience was little to no help at all! Could not get debt management because we hadn't got over £150 free after essentials. We learnt very quickly, we both had contract mobile phones (consecutive numbers, internet, photo - all very false) for 3+ years we have not had mobile phones and we havn't missed them AT ALL!!! We started to find clothes to wear in the wardrobes (hardly or never worn). By the time we finished with pomp we had our £150 above essentials (£197.50 to be accurate) Which is what our creditors get, one who we owe £500 to gets 45p per month. Hats off to payplan it works. You need to take charge of your self get an independant bank (basic account) has RAS says pay by standing order were possible therefore you say when it goes out, ours come out the 1st of the month. Direct debit comes out anytime after it due our Virgin medea Direct Debit is due to come out the 2nd of the month but in January this year it came out on the 14th which don't help if your budgeting but they will not accept standing orders (sod the -£10 if they would). Remember i'm incharge not the bank i'm buying their product not the other way round. RBS don't like standing orders but they accept mine. Follow Ras's advice. There are plenty of standard letters around I got mine off the payplan site.

Hope i've helped

Kel

oxfordlad

Also my loan with HBC had taken out the insurance cover should anything happen??? but when i went to cliam because my working hours had to be cut due to my ill health they would not pay out saying i was still classed as working full time by doing 36hrs a week so they would not pay out.

kel123_2

Had the same with Lloyds Platinum All they did was sent me a list of 20 out of the area jobs. come to terms with they are not looking after you just themselves

Numpty_Monkey

Have you had a look at Martins:money: reclaiming PPI?

oxfordlad

Yes have been looking at claiming the ppi back

Also called sky last night had to give 30days notice to end the contract. which i did.
Have been looking for a loger for while now, but as i live in a village with very limited transport, not had much succes, also looking for extra work, but is difficlut fitting in with my normal job, as i work night shifts as well as day shifts.that swap and change so never 2 weeks are the same.:eek:

RAS

Hi again

Well that cut nearly a quarter off your monthly deficit in one call. Can you get freeview when you give up sky?

You have some really good advice on reducing your phone costs on the other thread, or you could read the main article on the front page here. With shifts, you obviuosly need to make calls at lss usual times, but it would be worth checking.

I picked this up on another thread - debt doctor is a CAB advice worker and suggested the OP contacted the local council and asked about discretionary HB and CTC allowance, because you are in hardship although you are working. he reckons about a third of people who apply get it. You could pm him and ask his advice on your specific situation.

I can understand the problems with shift working and part-time jobs. Do you have a local pub in the village that would be glad even for a bit of casual support?

Again, knowing what villages are like have you put the word out that you are looking to take a lodger? Just about everything seems to happen by word of mouth. And do you have a good friend who you can ask to honestly tell you theire view on the room? it might just be about clearing some of your own stuff out and re-arranging the furniture, then making some cupboard space in the kitchen so they can see that you do expect to share.

In the short term, you need to get the rent sorted and that SOA to balance. Have you got any stuff that you could sell on e-bay or amazon, or take to a car boot sale (go for a big one rather than the village local)?

I will put up a couple of links for mystery shopping, survey sites and pay per click sites.

Regarding food, do you have space to grow stuff at home? Good therapy as well as potentially money saving. If you head over to the Money Saving Old style Board, they can help you meal plan and reduce your outgoings. I know it is harder when you work shifts, so maybe you need to batch cook so there is something in the freezer when you come in?

Finally have you written to Power to Contact and told them where to go? it is worth it. At least one couple successfully sued for hareesment by a DCA, although the message has not got to some of them yet.

RAS

Hi there hope this helps
chev
Here are some websites, on which you can earn a bit of money or points to put towards vouchers. Sorry if it is a bit long!

www.lightspeedpanel.com - this is a survey site, where you get points that turn into vouchers (you choose). May not help with the cash flow, but the vouchers could be saved towards birthday/xmas or given as presents.

www.ciao.co.uk - survey site that gives money. A bit fits and starts i.e. no surveys for a couple of weeks, then three or four the same day.

www.yougov.com - again paid surveys. However takes a while to get to the minimum payout level

www.mytns.com - again this is a survey site, but it pays you in points that convert into Nectar points at Sainsbury’s.

www.pigsback.co.uk - this is a points site, i.e. they give you points for buying things via their site. BUT you also get points for signing up for news letters (some of which are even interesting!), and also for clicking on adverts with pink borders. I have spent NOTHING with them but got £40 vouchers through (been registered since January). There is also a thread in the freebies section, of www.moneysavingexpert.com that gives you all the daily answers to the competitions so you can have a better chance of winning on them. I won £20 of points recently on the daily quizzes so a nice boost to the Christmas fund.


www.quidco.com - this is a cash back site, so very good, for checking if any potential new insurers (i.e. if you have checked your contents insurance say and found a new provider), are offering cash back. E.g. Lloyds was offering £120 cash back on new policies at one point (the offers do change). You can also get small amounts of cash again for doing searches via their site. You can earn 52p a day by doing this. Every little helps.

beanielou

Hi Oxford Lad
I dont know if you have even thought about this but I think you should have a think about it.
Your debt is quite high in relation to your income and you basically have nothiing left over.
Have you thought about bankrupcy? H
Have a think about it
You could always pop over to the bankrupcy board.

oxfordlad

Thanks RAS lots of usefull information will check them out over next few days as i am working all weekend, start nights monday.

With REF to Bankrupcy. Am not to sure about because, (and will have to check,) if i go down that route, would mean I could lose my job but like I say Will have to check.
I was looking at selling some stuff on ebay with a friend of mine, but what i have to sell did not relate to much money. so we both suggested I be better doing a Car boot sale one weekend when i am not working.

Another Friend suggested as I am good at making cakes I should make and sell them too? but will need to check with the council for health and hygine etc etc as i hope to be doing a health and hygine course, some time over next month or so with a support group I attend, they will also pay for it for me to. that would be usefull too.

Cant thank you all enough for your support,its nice to know there are nice people out there offering to help and support.

cassie27

if you go to the cab they can refer you to a company that will help you with your money problems for free

they will explain all of the options available

ive been myself as i was and still am getting threatening letters and phone calls which can be terrifying but as i have been told they cant and wont come to your door unless they have been to court to get a county court judgement which in most cases they wont do because it will cost them alot of money

i havent paid any of my non essential bills (credit cards etc) since may 2007 and no one has been to my door (as yet i will be going bankrupt as soon as i have the £335 bankruptcy court fee)

i would strongly reccomend going back to the cab and asked to be referred

i dont answer my phone anymore and will be changing the number asap

they will do their best to help you
as for the phone calls they are just threats ignore the phone or change your number
the information i was given was by a debt managing solictor

hope this helps :j