Can't afford minimum payment -advice please?

[daysmustgetbetter]

I know I'm a idiot
When I moved into my house I had nothing
I got my appliances /sofa from littlewoods
I put them on buy now pay later but now I'm struggling.
I get £1,000 a month
£460 is rent £100 is gas /electric £90 council tax and I pay them £240
I'm left with £110 for food
It's killing me
I've asked if I can set up a payment plan they said no
I honestly don't know what to do
If I don't pay the full amount will they pass me to a debt collection agency ?

Your adult children absolutely should be paying you some keep, not just food. If they gave you even a minimum £20 each a week it’s a drop in the ocean to them but a fair chunk towards your monthly payment. Do they know you are struggling?

Buying at horrific interest rates is absolutely not the only way to pay for big purchases, even for those on low incomes. There are a multitude of free sofas available for a start.

The real problem is you are supporting two other adults whilst working part time in a poorly paid job - presumably whilst they were under 18 you would have been entitled to more benefits. The state expects them to support themselves now and so should you. Start asking for a contribution towards housing, bills and food that is a realistic reflection of what they cost. It will still be much less than they would pay if they moved out and they will still be able to save for their travel plans, but not at the expense of you spiralling into debt and ruining your credit score.

https://www.stepchange.org/
please contact step change. They are amazing. They will help you

Citizens advice: do you live with anyone over the age of 18

OP: yes, two over the age of 18

Citizens Advice: do they work?

OP: yes

Citizens advice: how much do they contribute?

OP: they don’t. they pay for what they eat. I don’t them to touch their “savings”

Citizens advice: oookkkaaay, well there not much i can do to help then

Why is a loan at a higher rate of interest a better idea than a 0% credit card over a 18 months or so.

Op needs to be on it with a credit card and make the payments, and then if there is balance left balance transfer to another card.

personal loans have a high rate, especially if borrowing a small amount.

Unfortunately the simplest answer it to increase your working hours. For 1000 a month income you must be working very part time.

As others have said though maybe a 0% balance transfer card if you have a good credit score, then at least you can pay without adding more interest.

The first simplest answer is to get her adult kids to contribute more.

I agree that a better plan might be refinancing if your credit score is good,

I would be looking not just on indeed for jobs. Local council/schools don't advertise on there at lest not in our area. You need to find your local council job adverting website and any other local job adverting sites as you will find local businesses adverting on them to. Also ask on your local Facebook page.

As for your dete lots of people have already given you good advice. Ring them don't just use their online portal or contact citizen advice. And get your kids to contribute more they have to realise that travelling in a luxury and paying bills must come first. I agree with others that they should at.lest be paying their share of the council tax and electricity/gass bill.

There are 3 adults living in your house, all trying to live on one wage other than 2 providing a bit of food for themselves.even £20 a week off each of your kids will be a good chunk of the mothly debt paid. I'd be upset if I was living with my mum and she was struggling so much but I wasnt contributing.

The post I quoted suggested withdrawing cash from a credit card.
OP is not going to be approved for a 0% card if she's already defaulted on a credit agreement.

If littlewoods are refusing to help then this might be your best bet. You could compare some credit cards or even small loans on martin lewis money saving expert website.

Although as pp have suggested, even if your kids could pay you £25pm each its a huge chunk of your payments taken care off and its not a big ask. Depending what they earn id be tempted to ask for £50. Once your debt is paid off you could start putting the money into a savings account for them or just stop taking the money if you wanted to. Looking back, I helped my mum out a few times when i was younger and it taught me a lot.

Do your adult children that live with you know the situation? do they know that you are spiralling into debt over some basic purchases, in part because you are giving higher priority to their ability to save for travel, than household finances or your wellbeing?
I cant imagine many children who would not try and help if they saw their parent struggling, especially while directly benefiting from living rent free at home. Even 25 or 50 a week from each of them is 200-400 a month - 100 to 200 a month is hardly a huge dent for each of them in their savings, and would solve a lot of your problems, especially if you managed to negotiate a reduced monthly repayment plan (much easier to negotiate by calling rather than with chat bot )

It sounds as though you have had a hard time recently, having to move with no money and bereavement on top of this. Really hope things get better for you soon

In the longterm, rather than extending the term of your debt, you'd be much better off earning more and getting your children to contribute a reasonable amount.

Take another part time job until the right full time one comes along. Any job will do when you're desperate, they'll all pay NMW at least and another 15 hours a week on that could change your situation hugely. It's not degrading, it's sensible.

@HarleysMum21 I haven't failed to pay
I've never missed a payment
Because I haven't cleared the full balance in 12 months they've added the full interest as if I hadn't paid anything from it
I haven't defaulted or anything
I just haven't cleared the full balance so they added the buy now pay later interest
So my £250 washer has now cost £500 etc
The £600 sofa is now £1200
Etc

Was it made clear to you that that would happen if you didn't pay in full within 12 months?
Were the terms of the loan easy to understand?

How much do your children pay in rent/keep?

Can't believe you aren't entitled to uc on 1k month that's so wrong. Maybe look for a cash in hand job cleaning or bar work and reduce your very credit. They ofget3r me 5k but I refuse I have a limit of 250 and won't go higher

Offer

I also agree that your kids need to contribute to their keep. £100 a month each would be almost the whole of the payment and is not a lot to ask. They are living rent and bill free whilst working, they SHOULD be contributing, by not asking them to do so you are actually doing them a diservice. They need to learn that bills come first, saving and fun money comes second.

OP,

The posters who are suggesting your children need to contribute are right.

It's important for their self awareness and maturity that they pay toward their expenses. Even if they each paid you £25 a
week (nothing in the scheme of things) that would add up to nearly your payment.

Please see that it's the right approach to request it.

Cross post with @PyongyangKipperbang OP

I’m sorry but you can’t afford to support two other adults on your wage. The problem is that you and your children need to live within in your means. I know you want to support their travels but you’re not a super women and you need to be realistic about your circumstances.

If people with no caring responsibilities were entitled to claim benefits so they could afford to live on part time wages, who would pay taxes to fund this?