Can we have a nice, kind supportive gowd we are in so much debt type thread?

[grumpypants]

One where we can just be noice and not scathing? I am just always doing little sums in my head, about when things will be cleared, etc. We have sooo much debt. Interest only mortgage, can't afford repayment at the mo. Credit card - bought rubbish house, paid for work with 'real' money, living expenses on cards. Loan, car loan, overdraft etc. It's about £35k unsecured. We pay 1,000 each month in debt. I am so shocked by how this happened, but there are no expensive shoes peeking out the wardrobe; it's a combo of poor choice, me giving up work due to ill child, and the house falling apart just after we moved in...anyone else? I am trying so hard to cut down, and to pay stuff off - one day I really want to enjoy the money dh and I earn.

we had that - we have put a rack from ikea underneath (£7)and are getting slightly higher kickboard for that bit.

oh thats a good idea! Sadly its an eye level one

I'd put it on the CC then pay it off... It's essential to avoid food poisoning and also to reduce food waste!

Try to get a relly cheap one - how many extras does an oven need!

Yes I think so too smacka Found one for £370 which is cheapest...cant even remember what make it is!

smacka Do you have any tips for selling bosy clothes/shoes on e bay for me???

The thing is to not put anything else on the CC whilst we are benefitting from the 0% interest!!!

thanks for the advice

grumpy I agree but some of the prices!!!! Do people really spend £3k on an oven????

I suspect that may be the reason some of us are on this thread!

You have a point!

Sigh. It really never ends does it? Ds2's mattress has had it...doesnt even really fit the bed frame properly anyway (2nd hand mattress) so I think am going to have to get a new mattress....ikea looks the cheapest.

Funnily enough, clothes is the one thing I didn't have much success with. I made a few pence on one boys clothes bundle. Not sure I'd bother with that again. My latest haul was high value stuff anyway... P&ts pushchair, all it's accessories, bike trailer, electronics....

yes, thats been my experience...I do have a couple of pairs of crocs and a good winter coat I might put on......dont think I will bother with the clothes though.

Another piece of good news - I have my refund from PO for an ebay parcel that went missing despite the fact I think the bastard buyer actually did receive it

£42 cheque. Yay.

Becaroo - any progress on the oven situation?

Thats good smacka

Got an new double oven coming next week - cheapest I could find - £370. They are taking the old one away too!

Taking a table and chairs set back to ikea today - not very child friendly at all - so will get some money back from that!

Goodness - £370 is a lot to find when we are all trying to cope with debt! it is endless, but I wonder how much is displacement - I know I can't buy anything like books or clothes, so I am trying to justify the buzz of shopping by 'needing' to replace wardrobes/ bedding etc.
Cannot wait until end of March. We will prob be 300 quid better off if we can pay this (one of many) loan off, and that will be fab.
Still having cold sweats about the mortgage. DH nearly 50 and I just think HOW are we going to pay 220 grand off if we aren't paying it now?

Grumpy - i can't remember whether you've said there is actually any equity in the house? If you sold it - what capital would you have?

BTW - I do understand your mortgage payments are interest only; but if you sold up - what would be left as 'yours'?

grumpy Yes it is a lot, but it was cheapest one I could find Been to Ikea and taken something back that was faulty...got a much cheaper version so "saved" £120! ....except for ds2 needing a new mattress...sigh. As you say its endless.

I have been (sort of) good this month so far in that I have only ordered stuff from amazon when I have sold something else to pay for it IYSWIM?

I have also bought all my easter eggs from tesco this year - buy 1 get 2 free!!!

I think I know what you mean re: displacement...I wont buy stuff for me but will buy things for the kids all the time...yesterday I got ds2 his winter coat for this winter...it was £9 instead of £20, but still...it could have waited.

absolutely nothing - we have spent so much on repairing stuff - rewiring it/ new boiler because we didn't realise it wasn't worth what we paid. If we had 50k say it would be worth releasing it, but we have practically zero.

Yup, I spent loads today on underwear for the dcs - new socks, pants etc I think it's because there is very little fun stuff that doesn't cost money, so in a way shopping is 'fun' and I can't quite let go. To be fair, they do need new stuff; I always manage to justify it, but I wonder how much I replace that could actually last?

For me, I have to get over this overwhelming 'what's the point, we are so up sh*t creek' feeling. I know we aren't, and we can get out, it's just putting the hard work in to get there. Such a change in attitude is called for.

Yes I know exactly what you mean grumpy

Well we're renting and in debt - so I don't know what's worse!

smacka I am already worrying about what will happen at the end of our fixed rate mortage...which is nearly 5 years away!!!

I noticed last week that 2 large mortgage providers have upped their SVR...so only matter of time til they all do. So many people are on SVR interest only mortgages...including my sis...not sure what it will mean

I don't know smacka. We still have to pay for all the repairs that a landlord would cover, and we aren't gaining any capital at all. I feel sick thinking about it actually.
As for the rest its very very hard to get into a mindset of not spending money on treats even exciting food. I haven't managed yet - I still buy ice cream and quorn every week. I need to think that by the end of the month, not spending extra cash is good. Not that we have any!

That part about repairs is the real plus about renting. The only thing we own to repair is the car. Everything else is someone else's responsibility. That's quite a nice feeling.

I think I know what you mean about the mindset. If you owe £220k then it's difficult to be concerned about £2.20 on an ice cream isn't it?

Every day I try and make good choices. I've been invited to soft play today, but instead we're all going to the park with a picnic. It's stuff like that that I feel is actually making a difference.

We are sticking to a weekly budget and get cash out on a Wed/Thurs. So we have done the weekly shop, I have fuel in the car and now there's £9 left.

It sounds awful, but infact we don't need anything before Wed so it's forcing me in to a good habit.

Should say we do put aside money for big one off expenses like car repairs/xmas etc so in theory that £9 is just for fun.

Am starting an xmas fund at the end of this month!

I like ING. Interest rates are shyte, but I have 5 different accounts with a standing order each month with differing amounts. It's nice and tidy. As there's no high st ATM/cheque book or card it's as like a jar with a label on!

Does anyone know if you are able to get a mortgage after being massively in debt and paying it off through a debt management company? My sister has paid off about half her debt and will pay off the rest in five years, but will she every be able to get a mortgage?