To ask for help with paying off debt?

Not an attack just confused. We seem to be in a similar boat and yes I do live month to month. I am alone too.

I take home 2k my bills are more than what you listed, mortgage alone by another £100 and I am managing to save £200 a month and clearing a credit card albeit interest free as was for my carpets and has £800 on it.

don’t get me wrong when things come up I’m like fuck but I do have my savings. I don’t know where you hole is but it’s quite a big one. Maybe travel expenses? Or where you’re shopping ?

I am sure that it is very expensive to live alone, you have to pay all the bills etc. You absolutely need to try and get that high interest card debt down though. Have you spoken to your bank about a loan to consolidate all the debts into one with a lower interest rate? Or if your bank won't do it talk to another one? If you make a spreadsheet with all your costs you can work out what you could repay each month. I had credit card debt and an overdraft after uni end ended up swapping banks to one who could help me out with a loan and repayment plan....still with them now.

In terms of the money to last you for food and cat supplies for the rest of December that sounds doabke too. Just plan meals on a budget (throw in some jacket potatoes and beans type meals) and make use of your freezer. You could pop to the supermarket tomorrow afternoon and pick up some bargains.

I think it's a mistake to be cancelling your pension. Think carefully about what additional costs your holiday is going to incur and plan ahead. E.g. Airport food and drink, take a packed lunch and empty water bottle to refill. Food and drink while you are there? Go to a supermarket and buy cheap lunches to reduce costs. Days out, attractions? Research what's there, decide on one or two you can afford...or look for free things and explain to relative you can only do those ones. Have a budget and stick to it. You said 'it's not something I do all the time' about your holiday and that's a really common mindset for people in debt...the it's just a one off mentality. The thing is its all these one offs that tip you over your monthly budget.

Honestly, if you have a credit card debt that is causing you to lose sleep, can't you be honest with family and friends and cut back on Christmas? (too late for this year I know)

Please don't cancel your pension for a small debt like this. You will lose far more by cancelling the pension.

You just need a few frugal months to start reducing the debt and then you will probably be eligible for a 0% transfer.

January is a rubbish month anyway, few people go out. Aim to spend as little as possible and use your time to do a full audit of your finances, cancel any unnecessary subscriptions, transfer to cheaper providers for stuff you need. Sell some stuff online and do some surveys etc. All with a view to paying off a good chunk at the end of January to start the year. The changes should help you to pay more than the minimum each month without cancelling your pension.

It will go down eventually, just keep chipping away at it.

No shame in a £2k debt at and expensive time of life.

I didn't have holidays, even to visit a relative, for about 10 years after I first bought a house. I picked up all my furniture (except the bed) from handouts/freegle etc. I cycled rather than catching the bus. Once you start living outside of your budget, things spiral out of control. You need to be really strict with the little things!

You need some kind of envelope budgeting system like YNAB, it's brilliant, totally changes your way of thinking about money. I don't know about starting with YNAB now because it's expensive though it definitely saves me more than it costs, there are some other free or lower cost alternatives now.

Personally, I do not think the holiday was a bad decision. If you can’t go on flipping holiday once a year literally what is the point?
However, you need to cut the card up.

I think it was very unwise to cancel your pension contributions. It was a bad choice as was the holiday. Are you a spendthrift given to squandering money. If you are not then I apologise.

Did you need to furnish the flat though, if it's just you could you not have made do?

It sounds like lifestyle creep and not wanting to 'delay gratification' you may really need to look at your attitude to spending. Before you buy something think "could I do until next month?" And if yes then dont buy it. If people want to go away and you have debt keeping you awake you need to say "No, I really can't right now"

Don't cancel the pension scheme! That's madness

You need to rethink your priorities at the moment. Holidays and going out are great, but not if you are panicking about a credit card debt so much that you have dropped out of your pension scheme.

I'd strongly suggest you read and fill in the MSE budget planner: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/budget-planning/

You need to list out where you spend every penny, that makes it so much easier to see what is absolutely necessary and what you can cut/economise on.

As others have said, please don't exit from your pension - that's really shortsighted...

One tiny thing that helped me (as it meant that my predictable monthly outgoings were the same every month) was to change my council tax to be evenly spread over 12 months rather than pay more for 10 months and have 2 months "off".
It's easier for me now that it's the same amount every month.

Can you change supermarket? Wd that help?

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/debt-help/

Surely it wd be better to forego holidays for now. Clear the visa asap then restart the pension.

An actual monthly budget, not just what's left.

Sign up to something like Credit Karma which will help you see why you aren’t eligible for the 0% transfer, and work towards that. Also, you must do a proper monthly budget. All bills, set amounts for food and other necessities, some for unexpected costs, and then you’ll know what you’ve got left for any extras or, ideally, paying off more from credit card. It’s too late for this holiday, but in future, try to save some each month so that you’ve got a holiday fund. There is a lot of really great budgeting advice out there and at your level of debt, it’s very doable.