HELP! We're in the poo!

brokeinwales

Hello,

I'm not sure whether this is the place to post as the actual debt I have isn't huge - but it seemed like the most likely place to get relevant advice. Basically I've been unable to sleep all night because it's hit me that I'm in real financial c**p.

The problems:
- We owe the council tax £400. I asked them to split this into installments about a month ago (just after the letter came through incidently!) and they refused as it was nearing the end of the financial year. I don't HAVE £400 to give them.
- Since moving into our new flat in September, we have never received an electricity, gas or water bill. I did call the local water company to tell them but nothing has happened. I'm terrified we're going to get a demand through that we just can't afford to pay.
- Last night I accidently left the tap running on the washing up (blaming Doctor Who for this...) and water went through to downstairs flat. Landlord has informed us there will be charges involved, though as yet I've no idea how much.
- I have an unauthorised £250 overdraft on my old RBS ex-student account that I managed to get them off my back about temporarily by paying in £10 last week.
- My nationwide current account is permanantly overdrawn. Even on pay day I only make it into the black by about a fiver.

Apart from the overdrafts my only debt is a nationwide bank loan - which has 18 months to go 'til it's paid off. My partner has an old debt of about £600 with a collection company which he's paying off regularly - so compared to some our actual debt isn't huge - but I'm really concerned by the fact we have all this stuff that we just can't afford to pay and really hope someone here can help out because I'm in a slight panic!
I've been keeping a spending diary as I've lurked here on and of for a while - do I need to post a state-of-affairs?
Please - I'd be really grateful for any suggestions anyone can offer.
Thank you!

lizzylou

hi Brokeinwales, don't worry the guys on here are great and there will be someone along soon that will be able to help:)

tealady

Hello. Re the Council tax I would keep paying the current bill and offer them a reasonable amount off the arrears.
Are you insured for accidental damage as it may be worth while going via your insurance. I would make sure you get copies of estimates and receipts for work done as you don't want to be presented with a bill at a later date.
Gas and electricity. Try ringing Energywatch for advice.

dmom

Hi,
You are definitely on right forum! Best advice I can offer is prepare your SOA asap. Once you've done that you'll get a better picture of where your money is going and where you can potentially make big savings. Lots of advice will be forthcoming and hopefully you'll be able to start to sort out your debts.

brokeinwales

Hi both. Thanks for the replies - feel a bit better just because someone bothered to read my post!

.

Re the Council tax I would keep paying the current bill and offer them a reasonable amount off the arrears.

How do I do that? What if they just say "No you've got to pay it all now?"

Are you insured for accidental damage

No - we have no insurance.

Gas and electricity. Try ringing Energywatch for advice

.
Thanks, will do that. are they online?

brokeinwales

OK. Thanks - trying to resist the urge to ramble too much now I know someone's reading!
Here goes - worked this out at 5am this morning based on the spending diary I've been keeping since just after Christmas, so I'm hoping it's fairly accurate:

Basic income
I take home £970 a month
my partner gives me £400 a month for housekeeping

Other income sources
Casual modelling work - varies a lot, some months it's nothing, others I can make about £100 -£150
ebay/amazon selling - ebay has actually cost me money as I haven't sold a thing! Amazon has made me about £20 in the past six weeks
Surveys - signed up to all of them but not getting far
Slice The Pie - just signed up!
Cashback sites - just registered with Greasy Palm and RPoints

Outgoings
Rent £535

Mobile phones £5 (PAYG)

Phone/ broadband £44.00 (locked into a contract for another 5 months unfortunately)

TV License £11.65

Food shopping £230 (We do a monthly £180 shop at Tesco online, and buy roughly £10 a week of fruit and veg from local grocers - plus a few quid a week for things like bread and milk)

Cigarettes £60 (partner smokes not me! We get £60 worth in with the internet shop and he buys rest out of his pocket money)

Wine £40 (I know!!!)

Haircuts £15 (I've started using student nights)

Leg wax £13

Kung Fu class £16

Writing group £6

Swimming £10

Taxis £32.80 (at least half of that is essential as it's late night after buses have stopped)

Nationwide loan payment £89

Make-up/toiletries/ cosmetics £28 (I'm looking at ways to cut this so any suggestions particularly helpful!)

Christmas/birthdays £30 (estimate based on last Christmas)

DVD rental £5.99 (I've run out of free trials!)

Clothes £20.00 (I've already decided to stop all clothes spending for the time being)

Magazine subscription £2.50

Eating out £30 (i've included this even though it's unusually high because we went out to celebrate my Masters graduation - normally it would be less.)

Boots Meal Deals £17.94 (I do take packed lunch most days but don't always have time.)

Like I said, I've lurked here a while so maybe it's helpful to add the stuff I already do to save money:
-Buy mostly own brand food, make everything from scratch, eat vegetarian, buy herbs in bulk. (looking into shopping at Lidl but noticed some things you can't get.)
- Use charity shops for clothes
- Use low energy lightbulbs!

I hope this is clear. I've already thought of a couple of changes just through writing it down (the meal deals really freaked me out) - but if anyone can think of anything to help you can't imagine how grateful I'd be. Really I need extra money fast to sort out the more pressing problems of Council Tax and stuff!
Thankyou so much!!!

tealady

Hi Not paying Council Tax is one of the few bills you can end up in prison for. You need to put down in writing an offer to your Council saying you will pay the curent bills and a fixed amount weekly (or monthly) to clear the arrears. Make sure you stick to it and get receipts for payments made. Any problems speak to a Councillor they should be able to help you deal with them or any council department.

dmom

You need to use the SOA calculator, link below, to make sure you put all expenditures/incomes dowm. If you are sharing a flat can you include both lots of income/expenditure, this will give you bigger picture. Previous post have suggested that you need to make sure you put APR's on loans etc.



http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

brokeinwales

dmom wrote: »

You need to use the SOA calculator, link below, to make sure you put all expenditures/incomes dowm. If you are sharing a flat can you include both lots of income/expenditure, this will give you bigger picture. Previous post have suggested that you need to make sure you put APR's on loans etc.



http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

Thankyou - I am trying to do this, but I'm not sure it will be an accurate picture as my partner's income varies a lot as he's paid weekly by the hour and shifts vary a lot. He gives me £400 for housekeeping which leaves him roughly 50- 70 quid each week to spend on bus fares, ciggies, beer, razorblades, bits and pieces he needs etc, plus paying off his debt. He does slip me extra cash now and then if I run out.

brokeinwales

tealady wrote: »

Hi Not paying Council Tax is one of the few bills you can end up in prison for. You need to put down in writing an offer to your Council saying you will pay the curent bills and a fixed amount weekly (or monthly) to clear the arrears. Make sure you stick to it and get receipts for payments made. Any problems speak to a Councillor they should be able to help you deal with them or any council department.

OK - I can do that. But how do I find out who I need to write to?

pointypenguin

If you are in rented accommodation it might be worth finding out with your landlord if they have insurance to cover the tap leaking into downstairs not sure if this would be buildings or contents but they should have buildings insurance if they are renting and also sometimes minimal contents insurance especially if you rented the flat furnished.