To not want to pay my debts back yet?

[EmbarrassedNameChanger2013]

Brief history I lost my job, home, had a break down and a child. In the years it took me to recover I accrued about 10k in debt.

I finally landed a new job a few months ago which is min wage and 40/50 hours a week over 6 days plustravel. I regularly leave the house at 6.30 and dont get back till 8. Once bills are paid including minimum debt payments I am left with £150/200 a month. My plan is to save this and buy new washing machine, cooker, fridge freezer and a slow cooker.

My reasons for this is because the washing machine has black mould I have tried all the tips to get rid and it never goes completely it is 10 years old and 3rd hand. Cooker again 12 years old second hand only 1 ring works, no grill and fares when cooking meaning lots of burnt dinners. Fridge freezer is 10 years and second hand and is only smaill with an ice box.

Im not eating properly because f the hours I do and being unable to freeze food And when I do ccook its 50/50 if its going to burn. In the long run having a working cooker and a freezer will enable me to eat properly and save money in the long run.

I was talking to my friend about it earlier and she really chewed me out about my plan and said ots disgusting that im npt paying back the money I owe etc. I am going to play it back as soon as I can my goal is to be debt free in e3 1/2 years.

AIBU?

Sorry for the spelling mistakes I'm on my phone

Who do you owe the money to?

Your friend sounds bizarre, TBH.

Is it debt owed to the bank, or to someone else? I guess if you owe someone else who's struggling, you should try to pay them off, but at least some of the things you're suggesting buying sound pretty standard.

Sorry if it's obvious but do check freecycle. Given the state of your cooker you might well find something better on there.

Your friend is mad.

Most people (myself included) dodge debts for years. You're making positive steps to pay it back.

Save your money and buy yourself the stuff you need.

And next time confide in a less judgemental friend.

(I have paid my debts back now. But it was head in the sand for years .)

I would pay off my debts and make do with the shabby stuff tbh.

In fact, I have done that.

As long as you are making minimum repayments, not increasing your debt and have a long term plan to pay the debt off then it is down to you to manage your money. Saving up to £200 a month should mean you are able to buy the thing you need in about 6 months.

I would get a new fridge and slow cooker then pay off the debts. You can get other things at a later stage.

Your reasoning appears sound with regard to buying new appliances, if things are as bad as you say. However, I wonder if it would be possible for you to allocate a couple of additional pounds towards the debt repayment in order to reduce your debt, and interest payments, sooner?

Its credit and store card debts. All frozen interest. I could put up with the washing machine and make do like I do now I suppose it is an extravagance but I think my cooker will be condemned at my next gas safety check in February. I dont drive or know anyone who could install a cooker so would have to pay someone to do that even if I can get one on free cycle.

My friend is normally the least judgment person I know so I've gotten used to usong her as a sounding board as I dont trust myself yet to make sensible judgements

Can you pay £50 a month on debts and save £100? Or vice versa, until you've got the cooker and freezer? Though I agree with looking at freecycle at least for the freezer.

Try putting sea salt in the washing machine, or even just table salt - It's what I use to stop the mould

your friend would be right if other friends and family had helped you out and they were struggling now themselves, however if credit cards / banks it is ok provided you are making some small head way so that you are paying more than interest, I think the cooker is essential your washing machine works so the replacement could wait a month or two

So you will be paying off the debt and saving to replace things? Nothing wrong with this. There's living with tat, and there's living with substandard, fuel guzzling, unsafe tat.

You might be better off with a debt management plan with someone like payplan www.payplan.com/ then you could make one monthly payment that is a more affordable. They are free and sort it out over the phone. As an alternative there is stepchange www.stepchange.org/ who also give free debt advice.

If you are paying back more than you can afford it just isn't sustainable.

Why are normally reasonable people so bloody judgemental about debt when they don't know the circumstances it was incurred due to???

Do you keep the washing machine door closed all the time? If you leave it open to the air then the mould can't build up.

Re the washing machine thing - if the mould is only on the rubber seal, you can pay ~£35 to have the seal replaced.

Good luck with everything OP.

Do what you need to do op. Its nowt to do with anyone else.

Look on free cycle, we put lodes on there in summer working dyson ect.
Good luck.

I know it's a bore. But in the long run it's better to pay the money back. Say you want a mortgage or credit in the future, who knows how your life will be in 5 years. By experience, they catch you in the end. And there are plenty of places to but reasonably priced equipment you need. It's not the same as having it from new but at least you won't be dreading the postman.

I'd be vary wary of the cooker ,my mums was doing the flaring thing in early December and she called British Gas in to look at it ( fairly new appliance and she has cover with them) , it turned out to be a gas leak in the pipe from the road to the house and she had to have the gas off for 3 days whilst they dug up the drive and road . Aside from that I think your plans are perfectly reasonable .

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply.

BAKEDALASKA how do you do the salt? I've not heard that one before. I do leave the door and draw open but unfortunately the mold is not just on the seal.

I have looked at 2nd hand cookers before and they seem to be about half the price of a basic new. But worth looking into again. I dont want anything fancy just working will be amazing

I will look into the payment plans. At the moment im still on the frozen interest from when i was on benifits. I'm a little worried if I start looking into finance and payment plans they will un freeze the interest. More reasearch needed I think.

Thanks again.

Some friend.

It sounds like a completely reasonable plan.

I'd put as much as I could into paying off my debts but you need to eat well and have clean clothes, especially working long hours.

Congrats on the job and moving forward with your life.