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.

Not sure really about whether selling it would even be a good idea or not as I would probably need to pay it to the creditors anyway. And even then would be a bit of a drop in the ocean. Just feel I would be doing something rather than trying to put my head in the sand a bit I suppose.

Definitely feels sentimental - marriage isn't even there any more but I am not wanting to get rid of the ring - doesn't really make sense.

Will keep thinking about it all and screw up my courage and talk to my mum and dad

But QED - if it was your children in 30 (ish) years time - wouldn't you want to help if you could?

I would want to yes (whether I'll have any money is another question ) And I would pay them back. I know they do have savings (they are recently retired but have "enough" money IYSWIM).

Have calmed down generally I think although dispirited is still the word. The whole splitting up thing doesn't help although I am ironically better off for it having happened.

I think dispiriting sums everything up rightly too. I know when my parents were in my position - young children, just starting out, they were as poor as church mice. Now they've venue fitted from parents inheritance, sale of garden and rise in property prices they're doing pretty damn well. They have helped us out.

My point to all this is that 30 yrs ago they would never have envisaged being so 'well off', but now they are so perhaps theres hope for us all!

Venue fitted?
Benefitted!

Well I am finding january a really crap dispiritng month tbh. Started off really well - changed to tesco online so could save clubcard points for xmas, pared back everything and then the house and car fell apart. I have had to put 690 on the card and none of that is improvements, just essential repairs to leaks, faults etc. That's when saving 3 quid feels pointless. The goood news is that the gas and electric can be paid using real money as we went on to quarterly bills and started putting money aside to avoid the huge credit we built up in the summer. [Smile]

We were planning to sell our very reliable 06 car to 'downsize' to a cheaper one, but that is my fear - that it'll end up costing more in repairs and grief in the long run.

Be careful with that plan! Last year it cost over 1000 in repairs at the service, and this jan about 450. Its about 7 years old, with 100k on the clock. And only recently has this started. I really need a car for work, so no way would I buy an old banger next time - false economy!

Mmmm that's what I feared. If we sold our car and bought an older one it's leave us with about 2k clear. I'm worried it just wouldn't be worth it in the long run. I also have to have a car for work too.

Would the 2k actually pay debt off and free up some repayment money? Or would it just get swallowed, with the risk of car repairs looming?

The latter - it would bring down 0% credit cad debt from 10.5k to 8.5k - paying off £250pcm so could shorten the length of the loan. That would assume we could get another 0% card at the end of it.

Not sounding good is it?

Yep, I wouldn't leap into anything tbh. I am trying to think logically rather than quick fixes.

I put £50 pcm aside to try and cover car related bills, but even with our 'good' car, this often doesn't cover it.

My car is 6 years old and went through 100k a few months ago. Needs a service but according to IVA people the £45 I budget for MOT and servicing each month is too much despite it having cost £345 at its MOT and I can tell it needs stuff doing to it that will be a few hundred.

Did the IVA people say how much you should be putting aside then??

I have been on MSE and they have a £2 coin pot challenge. I've just started doing that, but not entirely sure what it's for yet. It has a not very sturdy padlock on it though so that'll really discourage me from raiding it.

Morning all. Today we have the final sun holiday token, and the mirror which has £5 off at Aldi. I have 14 items listed on eBay... Yay me.

We've booked a Mail long weekend at Park Resorts for this summer as it meant I could pick the resort and the date. Thanks for reminding me about the mirror coupon. Well done on the ebay listings :)

Well DH has come back from ALDi - but looks like he didn't use the token! after all that!

hi - weirdly my long post has vanished! my mum has lent me the car cost money (most of it) so fingers crossed it gets better next week. can't wait til payday....can pay off £200 overdraft and feel psychologically better.
BTW, i had a letter from cc company saying my rate was going up! Rang them, and they immediately cancelled it. Worth knowing - apparently you can close your account too and keep the same rate.

Plucked up my courage and emailed my mum and dad about them lending me money to help to pay off the IVA and they immediately said yes. Spoke to them on the phone and they said they've got the money and would rather be able to help me than it just sit there.

So am feeling a lot more positive than on Tuesday and am hoping this might be able to get sorted. I know that I'll be in debt to my mum and dad but at least then I would be able to earn more and not feel it will just "disappear".

QED & Grumpy that's great to have some positive news. I'm still pleased about my haircut at the local tech yesterday for £2.50. Luckily I have curly hair so it hides a multitude of sins!

Am impressed at haircut :) (although have put mine back for a week and think it has got long enough that I can generally go a bit longer between it being cut so I will be doing that from now)