Please help me - Don't know where else to go?

count_rostov

Hop over to the Old-Style board. They have great ideas for cheap dinners and interesting packed lunches. Sandwiches get so boring, but left-over lasagne, pasta, pizza etc make tasty variations. In particular, look at Sammy_Kaye's thread on how she feeds two adults and a toddler on £100 a month. She's so resourceful, she does roasts and all sorts of baking on that budget.
Also, it might be an idea to share your problem with your OH or he'll get suspicious about all these Value products turning up in the weekly shop!
Good luck with your new life as a non-smoker. It's tough but liberating.

feedumall

hi just wanted to say come and join us on the quit smoking thread we are all in the same boat and understand.i have quit as of the 30th of march and saved over 400 pounds,well worth a few cravings good luck with alan carr

Verbatim

Yes good luck with becoming a non smoker. When do you do your alan carr course?

Pixie983

Thanks! - It's a week on Saturday - arrggghh no going back now! I don't want to anyway, disgusting habit I can't wait to give it up! And think of all the money I'll save - wahoo!! It only cost me £70 in the end as when I called up to book they asked me how I'd heard about them & when I told them through the internet (google search) I got another £10 discount - bonus!!! £220 down to £70 (with vouchers and discount) - not bad for a moneysaving newbie!

Forgetmenot68

How are you doing Pixie?

xx

Pixie983

Hi guys,

It's taken every ounce of courage in my body to post on this thread again. I am so embarrassed. I was doing so well and then suffered a couple of set backs in my personal life which threw me off course. So here I am today sick with worry again about what to do. I am in the process of reclaiming the PPI from my FP loan - the case is currently with the FOS. My loan with FP still stands, I have 11,000 on my MBNA credit card and 3,200 on a Virgin card (0% for 16 months). The 0% deal I had on my MBNA card has just finished and my payment due next month is £262 which I just do not have (the minimum payments were £25.00 up until now). The interest I am being charged is at 15.9% APR and I just don't have the money to make those payments every month . I have spoken to MBNA today and they said there is nothing they can do for me - their 6.9% rate for life is only available to new customers . I think the only option I have is to take a personal loan and pay the MBNA credit card off with that? Just means that I'll be making 2 loan payments a month which will be a squeeze but I'll have to try & manage. I cannot believe I am in this situation with only myself to blame, please don't be too harsh with me, money aside I have had the worst few weeks and don't know how much more upset I can take that's why I am posting this today I need to do something before I go crazy. :embarasse

Verbatim

Welcome back Pixie, although I'm sorry you're feeling so worried again. If you can't pay the full amount you can't and MNBA can't have what you don't have. Why don't you ring CCCS whose number is at the top of the thread, a debt charity which can advise you free of charge. They're totally non-judgemental and very helpful.

I'm glad you got the 0% cards to help, have you got a clear cc you cld ring to see if they have any 0% or low life of balance BT offers? Or are there any other deals around? Look over on the Credit Card board for ideas. Obviously not to spend on but to help with paying them off. If CCCS suggest and you agree a Debt Payment Plan you won't be able to get any more credit while that's in operation.

MrsPorridge

Hi Pixie,

I've just read your thread. From my own personal experience I would say not to consolidate. I have consolidated at least 3 times - each time was to pay off my credit cards. As you will see from my signature it just didn't work and I have now ended up with loans plus even more credit card debt than I had when I first consolidated many years ago.

It might be worth posting up your SOA again?

Good luck.

Pixie983

Thanks for your posts. I know you have said not to consolidate but I feel it maybe the only option I have. The Virgin card I just took out on 0% for 16 months gave me a credit limit of £3400 as it is from the MBNA family and I already have a card with them. However I have used up this limit with a BT to pay off another card I had and o/draft I have a clear Barclay's Platinum card with a £5000 limit but they are only offering 0% on balance transfers for a few months which is not long enough as I'll be in the same position when that runs out - plus that would only halve my MBNA card I would still have £6,000 at 15.9% apr. As for a debt management plan I definitely do not want to go down that route if I can help it. I have always and still do have a good credit rating so wouldn't want to ruin that, I've never missed a payment on anything before. It's more that I'm going around in circles and one day, maybe soon I won't be able to pay as my debts will just keep growing. That's what I am worried about.

In_Search_Of_Me

Firstly hugs for you and welcome back! If its any consolation I managed to get my cc down to 1700 and though oh great shopping....now about 8000 and dont know about you but I felt really angry with myself and frustrated!! Move on from it and start again...whats done is done just learn from it!
Re consolodating I would avoid it if you can - from personal experience you dont learn and it just lulls you into a false sence of security and you dont change your spending...I finally had my lbm at 37000 in debt after northern rock said no to a consolidation loan!! Plus the credit will run out eventually so better to tackle things now than later when youre even more in debt!!! Much better to sit down, work out whats what, post your soa and come up with a cunning plan! If you can get credit why not see if you can get a life of balance transfer and do it that way...meanwhile flog what you can, think of ways to get extra dosh (quidco, babysitting, cleaning, bar work, making things...) and enjoy a new way of life. Hand on heart I can say that I dont regret my new way of life and this is from someone who SOOO understood the shopaholic book to the point of laughing out loud!! 250 on chanel facial stuff was peanuts in the old days...I look back with absolute horror!!