Please please help

onamission_2

ooh we better add in MOT and running costs too. start getting your CC details, APRs, loans together i;m going home but i'll check in later to see how its going.

klane

Re the mobile, they might not let you cancel but you can probably ask them to stick you on the lowest tariff they have. That's a start.

at_my_wittsend

Thank you all. Bintie22 xx

I have emailed CCCS and asked them to contact me tomrorow. If I get housing Benefit, however small, it will help.

Am seriously considering a DMP know it will be long and tough.

As for haircut not had one for 18 weeks I just tie it back. I can make a joke of it, I work with girls that have not had theirs cut for over a year. Glad I have long hair.
I feel better already for sharing my problem on here.
I will look at stuff i have that is nearly new and see what I can do with it.
Kids are just fussy eaters does not help. Also their packed lunch is so expensive.

at_my_wittsend

Thing with mobile is get internet free, which I need at the mo the internet is essential as I am doing something that requires it. I can't be at this time without it.

Verbatim

Hi amw,

Well done for posting and getting started. Worrying about money is horrible and I'm sure you'll get loads of support and help here.

I've just added up your outgoings, not with a calculator so my arithmetic could be wrong, and I make them £1571.23 which means you should have just under £174 for food etc.

However I'm aware that not everything is accounted for, haircuts, xmas, birthdays etc.

The advice above to open a basic account and get your wages paid into the new account is good. Then you treat the debt on the old account as another debt and the old bank can't just remove your money for their repayment. Make sure the new "parachute" account isn't with any bank you have a debt with.

Then you need to get into sorting out a reasonable budget and sticking with it. A good start would be to see what food you have in the cupboard, fridge and freezer and making a menu plan using these ingredients mostly and only buying the bare minimum to make viable recipes. If you can't imagine what you can make with an egg an onion and a piece of string you'd be amazed at the suggestions you'll get from the oldstyle board on here. They call it the storecupboard challenge. That's the name of the game really, spending nothing you don't NEED to.

MrsTinks

Ok first well done - you've taken the first hard step towards getting it sorted.
My first advice is to set up a new bank account with a bank that you have no debts with. Get your salary set up to go in there so YOU control the money.
Your priority bills are Council Tax, Rent, Gas, Water and Electric.
CCs and loans and overdrafts are NOT I repeat NOT a priority right now.
You have to have food - Old Style board should be able to help here. You can feed the 3 of you on less than you might think!
You say you get about £1700 a month? Well that's not too bad really...

Rent £650
C/Tax £79.50 correct amount
Landline £19 Can you get this cheaper? Does it include BB?
Mobile £45 this is standard plan charge usually around £57 tied in 10 mths! Call them - see if you can drop to a lower tariff and be careful to only use free minutes etc
Water £33 This seems high... are you on a meter?
Elec £30 Have you shopped for the best deal? Make sure you use a cashback site if you change.
Gas £36 - but they are asking for more as payments not covering it. The usage should drop now that the weather will get warmer. Can you reduce the time the heating is on at all?
Contents ins £16 Shop around and use cash back sites like Quidco
TV Licence £11.31
Car ins £30 £360 a year - can you get cheaper? Remember the cashback sites!
Loan £250.42 APR?
CC 1. £98 APR?
CC 2. £44 APR?
CC 3. £171 APR?
HP £10 a month Low start, will rise to £30 a month next year for 2 years APR?
Catalogue £40 APR?
Kids activity club £8 per month

OK a few bits we're missing - Food, clothes, petrol...

OK just seen your post saying £450 on food... That is a bit of a problem. I am willing to bet that with a bit of effort you can get that to under £100 a month whilst things are tight...
If you have spent that much each month mainly on food do you have pretty full cupboards? If you do then why not have a cuboard challenge? I'm willing to bet you can go a fair way on what you have around even if some meals turn out pretty interesting

MrsTinks

LOL I see verbatim beat me to most of it whilst I was typing :rotfl:

MrsTinks

Kids being fussy eaters... You're just gonna have to be strict with them Sorry... Unless it's an actual allergy etc then they will eat what you serve. You simply can't afford to pamper to their whims. If you get them to help with cooking it you might find it much easier to get them to eat what you want them to
Packed lunches... why are you finding them expensive? What is going into them? Replace what you can with home made alternatives and cheaper brands. How old are the kids?

Sorry just realised this must seem very bossy and nosey I promise it's not to be either but to try and work out the best ways forward and give you some encouragement

kazwookie

I am sure I read recently a thread about lunch box / sandwiches / wraps etc off to see if I can find it, knowing my luck I won't find it.

I agree with Mrstine, serve up the food and the kids will eat it, don't go cooking a different meal for everyone.

Louise4793

Hi, just thought of something, seeing as you are a single parent, can your children not qualify for free/ reduced price school dinners? My local authority (Wigan) does this, and the majority of the local schools have now adopted the healthy eating plans seen on tv, that is something that would save you even a little bit.

with regards your mobile, tell them you want to go through to disconnections if they wont reduce your tariff... see Martin's advice on this site re that. Be firm! Also, you might want to try the letters you will get through CCCS- templates setting out your income and other debts, I did this and was surprised by one of my creditors, they wouldnt be more helpful (it was Cahoot btw for anyone else reading just in case you have a similar problem and they are one your own creditors). They reduced my payments by 50%, stopped interest accruing on the loan for a time and have been great ever since. I have found that by keeping in contact with them helps...

Best of luck! You are in good company on here! xxx