Serious thread, advice needed.

[Ninja Elephant]

All bravado and joking aside, there are some intelligent people on here who know alot about life in general and are adept at giving advice, and right now I really do need some advice from people who know what they're talking about, so I'd really appreciate if people could take some time to offer me some advice.

I currently owe my sister about £500, I haven't paid rent living at home since december and am £230 overdrawn on my bank account. I got a threatening letter last week demanding I pay a £172 bill within 10 days or they'll get a debt enforcement firm involved and a CCJ will become involved, and all that jazz. I literally don't know what to do, I can't afford to pay the bill, I only have £70 on my overdraft left and I am only getting paid £150 at the most next wednesday, and that's all the money I have coming in. £80 of that will be heading straight out, so effectively, I have no money, no job and no hope right now. My sister can't afford to keep bailing me out, and I haven't got anyone else I can ask. I have to pay the £172 bill, but I don't know how I'm going to do it. I honestly don't know what to do, and again, I would seriously appreciate it if anyone out there has any advice as to what I should do.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

Pay what you can and tell them you will get the rest to them asap.

Then try and get a part time job in the evening to get it paid off quick. If you get a ccj its not the end of the world but it will stuff you up getting credit till you get it cleared

 

[vulture]

Go to the dole office and ask for a crisis loan or if you can get any form of income support.Also as your wages are low call up the working tax credits you might get some joy there.Also maybe go to your employer and ask for a loan and explain why.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I've e-mailed them asking if I can set up regular repayments, but I'm not convinced they're going to accept that if I'm honest. I'm currently applying for EVERYTHING imaginable, I applied to be a train cleaner earlier on for example.

What exactly does a CCJ entail?

 

[BrightonBiatch]

i had one of them it was abit more than yours im talking thousands! i just ignored it hoping it would go away ( stupily) anyway i got a letter from the CCJ in the end i now pay £1 a month as thats what i said i could afford, they agreed to it as long as you offer no less than £1 and you pay each month they are happy

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Get yourself down the CAB & get a personal debt plan sorted, ASAP! You'll be able to pay the court-threatening mob off at a very minimal rate & you can then concentrate on coming to an arrangement with your sis to keep her sweet. The worse thing you can do is to do nothing, so act now; recognise that this can be managed in a relatively straightforward manner; & keep your chin up. This situation is all-too common these days & happens to the best of us.

Hope this helps.

 

[defrocked priest]

Put a pair of your sisters knickers over your head and go rob a bank.

jus' kiddin' ninga.

TBH, sounds to me like you live beyond your means and the only way to right this debacle of yours is to earn a steady income. It's called a job.

Welcome to the real world.

 

[brighton_girl87]

Put a pair of your sisters knickers over your head and go rob a bank.

jus' kiddin' ninga.

TBH, sounds to me like you live beyond your means and the only way to right this debacle of yours is to earn a steady income. It's called a job.

Welcome to the real world.

he clearly says he is looking for a job

 

[Chicken Runner61]

It sounds like they will take you to the small claims court for it. Its a very small court case You, their solicitor and a judge they will hear the case and unless you have a valid reason to not pay you will lose and get a judgement against you. This is a bit like a black mark against your name saying you didn't pay your debt as you said you would.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Go to the dole office and ask for a crisis loan or if you can get any form of income support.Also as your wages are low call up the working tax credits you might get some joy there.Also maybe go to your employer and ask for a loan and explain why.

You can get crisis loans from the Job Centre? I will go along there tomorrow and talk to someone there, thanks for the advice Vulture.

i had one of them it was abit more than yours im talking thousands! i just ignored it hoping it would go away ( stupily) anyway i got a letter from the CCJ in the end i now pay £1 a month as thats what i said i could afford, they agreed to it as long as you offer no less than £1 and you pay each month they are happy

I've ignored my bill for 3 months if I'm honest, it's very immature I know and I'm not proud, but I'm trying to do something. If too late! Seriously, you can end up paying that little? That's quite strange, I'm hoping it doesn't come to that though. Thanks for the advice, BB.

Get yourself down the CAB & get a personal debt plan sorted, ASAP! You'll be able to pay the court-threatening mob off at a very minimal rate & you can then concentrate on coming to an arrangement with your sis to keep her sweet. The worse thing you can do is to do nothing, so act now; recognise that this can be managed in a relatively straightforward manner; & keep your chin up. This situation is all-too common these days & happens to the best of us.

Hope this helps.

This sounds perfect, there is a CAB at the Hove Town Hall so I'll go in there tomorrow and hopefully get something sorted out with them as quickly as possible. I've been doing nothing for too long, it's time I got it sorted out. Thanks for the advice Twinkle Toes, I really appreciate it.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

i had one of them it was abit more than yours im talking thousands! i just ignored it hoping it would go away ( stupily) anyway i got a letter from the CCJ in the end i now pay £1 a month as thats what i said i could afford, they agreed to it as long as you offer no less than £1 and you pay each month they are happy

Thats all true but you obviously stuff up your chances of borrowing and more money till its all sorted

 

[1066gull]

Dont worry about it, im in a very similar position, if not worse, I have 3grand.....

Debt collectors cannot force you to give or take anything, you have to stay firm

Go on National Debtline Call 0808 808 4000

There are some template letters you can send
By 2010 we should both be debt free
Try not to worry

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Put a pair of your sisters knickers over your head and go rob a bank.

jus' kiddin' ninga.

TBH, sounds to me like you live beyond your means and the only way to right this debacle of yours is to earn a steady income. It's called a job.

Welcome to the real world.

I've been working a commission only job for a few months which hasn't worked out, I've been doing 12 hour days and not been making enough money. Before that I worked for 2 and a half years, I'm not adverse to working and I'll be getting back to working a steady income very soon. Thanks for the brutal honesty, it is very neccessary for me right now.

It sounds like they will take you to the small claims court for it. Its a very small court case You, their solicitor and a judge they will hear the case and unless you have a valid reason to not pay you will lose and get a judgement against you. This is a bit like a black mark against your name saying you didn't pay your debt as you said you would.

Oh ok, so it's kind of heavy but it's not a massive disaster. Again, hopefully I can avoid getting to this stage with some of the other suggestions, but it's helpful to know what could happen otherwise. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Dont worry about it, im in a very similar position, if not worse, I have 3grand.....

Debt collectors cannot force you to give or take anything, you have to stay firm

Go on National Debtline Call 0808 808 4000

There are some template letters you can send
By 2010 we should both be debt free
Try not to worry

Thanks for the advice mate, I'll give that a number a ring tomorrow if the other pieces of advice I've received in this thread don't pay off.
The thing that I'm most worried about is having bailiffs come around, I know that'll sound stupid to alot of people if it's completely off the mark, but I really am new to all this debt nonsense, and I would like the idea dispelled from my mind!

 

[Chicken Runner61]

You can get crisis loans from the Job Centre? I will go along there tomorrow and talk to someone there, thanks for the advice Vulture.



I've ignored my bill for 3 months if I'm honest, it's very immature I know and I'm not proud, but I'm trying to do something. If too late! Seriously, you can end up paying that little? That's quite strange, I'm hoping it doesn't come to that though. Thanks for the advice, BB.



This sounds perfect, there is a CAB at the Hove Town Hall so I'll go in there tomorrow and hopefully get something sorted out with them as quickly as possible. I've been doing nothing for too long, it's time I got it sorted out. Thanks for the advice Twinkle Toes, I really appreciate it.

Yes its good but bear in mind they will probably add costs and interest on till its paid.

 

[defrocked priest]

Sounds like a bandage solution, but whatever, you sound desperate. Good Luck and remember you can't spend what you haven't earned.

 

[1066gull]

Thanks for the advice mate, I'll give that a number a ring tomorrow if the other pieces of advice I've received in this thread don't pay off.
The thing that I'm most worried about is having bailiffs come around, I know that'll sound stupid to alot of people if it's completely off the mark, but I really am new to all this debt nonsense, and I would like the idea dispelled from my mind!

Me to, but I am using the excuse of gambling as an illness/disease and showing proof of recovery and a plan of action. Its no different to drugs and alcohol I think.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Yes its good but bear in mind they will probably add costs and interest on till its paid.

To which quote were you referring? Whichever, it's not a problem with anyone adding interest or costs, so long as I can get this stuff sorted out and then get a job sorted out, I really don't care!

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Sounds like a bandage solution, but whatever, you sound desperate. Good Luck and remember you can't spend what you haven't earned.

I am desperate, trust me on that.
Believe me, I have learnt alot from this experience. ALOT. I will be much stronger in life because of it, I'm 21 at the moment and though I don't offer that up as an excuse (I am ashamed of this situation), it atleast prepares me better for the actual real world.

Me to, but I am using the excuse of gambling as an illness/disease and showing proof of recovery and a plan of action. Its no different to drugs and alcohol I think.

Unfortunately, I can't cite any of those things as a reason for my situation. I'm just a bit of an immature idiot who has let things pile up, but who won't be doing it again. I appreciate all the help from people, it really does mean a lot.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

This sounds perfect, there is a CAB at the Hove Town Hall so I'll go in there tomorrow and hopefully get something sorted out with them as quickly as possible. I've been doing nothing for too long, it's time I got it sorted out. Thanks for the advice Twinkle Toes, I really appreciate it.

No prob's, let us know how you get on. Get down to the CAB as early as you can btw, as they're swamped these days (funnily enough).

Top advice from Vulture about the crisis/budgeting loan too. Get onto your local SS office & get them to send you out a form.

Good luck with it hon.