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Viking Chat => Off Topic => Topic started by: jackthelad on September 09, 2019, 07:49:49 pm

Title: Debt
Post by: jackthelad on September 09, 2019, 07:49:49 pm
Hit a bit of a brick wall and got some silly debts from when I first turned 18 mainly. Probably about 4k there or there abouts all tallied up to different companies pay day loans etc.

Decided its time to sort it now and wondering if anybody has any advice of best way to go about it,  iva? Debt relief order? Etc or anything else.

I know it screws you for a number of years but would it mean once paid off that in six years time I start with a fresh slate?

In the meantime I could be saving a substantial amount and hopefully buy a house in 5 or 6 years once its cleared?

Just looking for some advice really as its quite stressful and ideally want to get on the property ladder whilst I'm young.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: idler on September 09, 2019, 08:06:51 pm
I think that the best way is to contact the companies and offer something even if it isn't too muck. Work out which ones charge the highest interest and get shut of those first.
Citizens Advice might be able to help you too.
I'm sure that as you tick these companies off it will be a load off your mind.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: roversdude on September 09, 2019, 08:55:49 pm
I believe if you contact them you can get interest frozen and negotiate an affordable repayment
Lots of advice from these guys https://m.stepchange.org/
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: knockers on September 09, 2019, 09:08:35 pm
Bank loan to pay the lot off. Then you only have one low interest payment.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: jackthelad on September 09, 2019, 09:13:18 pm
Bank loan to pay the lot off. Then you only have one low interest payment.

My credit is too poor to get a bank loan.

Has anybody had any luck getting a mortgage after iva or dro?
It does worry me about how I will ever improve my credit all through being a bit naive and daft when younger.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: SydneyRover on September 09, 2019, 09:15:41 pm
I agree with the advice already given, here is some help contact info that may be of use from Donny council's website:

Money Advice Service

Set up by the Government, they offer free impartial money advice over the phone and online.

Tel: 0800 138 7777

www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
National Debt Line

An independent charity offering free, impartial and confidential debt advice.

Tel: 0808 808 4000

www.nationaldebtline.org
StepChange Debt Charity

Offering free debt advice to help you deal with your debts and find a solution.

Tel: 0800 138 1111

www.stepchange.org
Last updated: 20 June 2018 10:14:25
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Title: Re: Debt
Post by: idler on September 09, 2019, 09:18:45 pm
Bank loan to pay the lot off. Then you only have one low interest payment.

My credit is too poor to get a bank loan.

Has anybody had any luck getting a mortgage after iva or dro?
It does worry me about how I will ever improve my credit all through being a bit naive and daft when younger.
Have you looked on Martin Lewis's site, MSE?
He give all sorts of free financial advice. Try to make a dent in your debt asap though so at least you are showing willing. Every bit counts.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: RedJ on September 09, 2019, 09:42:12 pm
Debt management plan. Not an IVA, will still f**k your credit a bit but nowhere near as bad as an IVA. It's basically the same thing but it's an informal agreement. I was in a similar situation at one point, have a look at PayPlan who helped me.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: tommy toes on September 09, 2019, 10:30:17 pm
As regards a mortgage you will be able to get one a few years after your debts have been cleared.
A woman I used to work with went bankrupt about 8 years ago after her husband died and left a mountain of debt that she didn't know about.
She got a mortgage last year.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: Prez on September 09, 2019, 11:25:18 pm
Debt management plan. Not an IVA, will still f**k your credit a bit but nowhere near as bad as an IVA. It's basically the same thing but it's an informal agreement. I was in a similar situation at one point, have a look at PayPlan who helped me.

Yep Payplan helped me too years ago, they were brilliant. Consolidated all my debts. Now i own my own house. Quite a turnaround.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: Filo on September 10, 2019, 08:53:42 am
Do what I did, get your head down, pay off your debts and come out of the other side, its not easy, but it can be done with a little self control
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: GazLaz on September 10, 2019, 03:54:03 pm
Get in touch with each company individually and explain the situation. You will be surprised how willing to help they are.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: RedJ on September 10, 2019, 06:42:19 pm
Do what I did, get your head down, pay off your debts and come out of the other side, its not easy, but it can be done with a little self control

Debt management plans are designed for you to pay them all off, just over a longer period at a lower rate, and most if not all of your creditors will freeze interest and charges unless you fail to meet the payments. They're also built to your budget.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: jackthelad on September 10, 2019, 08:21:29 pm
Cheers guys.

Been seeking advice today, got around 8.5k debt so looking into a potential iva.

£85 a month for 5 years, in 6 years it will be off my file completely and can hopefully start my credit again. At the moment it's atrocious.

All this whilst knowing it will eventually be paid off and I can save money each month for the next six years to hopefully have a hefty deposit of 30k ish by the time it's off my credit file.

That's the goal.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: idler on September 10, 2019, 08:28:42 pm
Stay positive Jack. Just monitor it all the time and keep up to it and remember any sacrifices that you have to make will be worth it in the end.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: knockers on September 10, 2019, 08:33:06 pm
Your debt has doubled in two days :ohmy:
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: jackthelad on September 10, 2019, 08:46:07 pm
Your debt has doubled in two days :ohmy:

More than I thought. Oh well, it's more common than you would think.

The problem is its too easy to get credit at such a young age. Not enough education on it either.

If there's one thing that I hope to be able to be teach my son when he's older. It's how to be financially responsible.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: GazLaz on September 10, 2019, 09:30:43 pm
Cheers guys.

Been seeking advice today, got around 8.5k debt so looking into a potential iva.

£85 a month for 5 years, in 6 years it will be off my file completely and can hopefully start my credit again. At the moment it's atrocious.

All this whilst knowing it will eventually be paid off and I can save money each month for the next six years to hopefully have a hefty deposit of 30k ish by the time it's off my credit file.

That's the goal.

I don’t know how much you earn obviously but £85 a month seems low.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: drfchound on September 10, 2019, 09:32:05 pm
Cheers guys.

Been seeking advice today, got around 8.5k debt so looking into a potential iva.

£85 a month for 5 years, in 6 years it will be off my file completely and can hopefully start my credit again. At the moment it's atrocious.

All this whilst knowing it will eventually be paid off and I can save money each month for the next six years to hopefully have a hefty deposit of 30k ish by the time it's off my credit file.

That's the goal.

I don’t know how much you earn obviously but £85 a month seems low.






I think he is going to tell you.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: 5minstogo on September 10, 2019, 10:10:52 pm
Cheers guys.

Been seeking advice today, got around 8.5k debt so looking into a potential iva.

£85 a month for 5 years, in 6 years it will be off my file completely and can hopefully start my credit again. At the moment it's atrocious.

All this whilst knowing it will eventually be paid off and I can save money each month for the next six years to hopefully have a hefty deposit of 30k ish by the time it's off my credit file.

That's the goal.

Probably an unpopular post but....... Pay £85 a month for 5 years, pay off approx two thirds of your debt with a third being written off but in the mean time save up 30k? Personally I'd rather pay off my debts in full no matter how long iit takes.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: Filo on September 11, 2019, 07:32:04 am
Cheers guys.

Been seeking advice today, got around 8.5k debt so looking into a potential iva.

£85 a month for 5 years, in 6 years it will be off my file completely and can hopefully start my credit again. At the moment it's atrocious.

All this whilst knowing it will eventually be paid off and I can save money each month for the next six years to hopefully have a hefty deposit of 30k ish by the time it's off my credit file.

That's the goal.

Probably an unpopular post but....... Pay £85 a month for 5 years, pay off approx two thirds of your debt with a third being written off but in the mean time save up 30k? Personally I'd rather pay off my debts in full no matter how long iit takes.

It’s not unpopular to me, if you can save £30k in that time, you can pay off the debts, £30k over 5 years is £500 a month
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: GazLaz on September 11, 2019, 07:55:01 am
If you’ve taken our an IVA and it’s that cheap, but you can also save 30k in that period of time I’d suggest you’ve lied about your income and expenditure to whoever you’ve made the agreement with. They would surely want more if they knew you could save that.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: jackthelad on September 11, 2019, 08:45:27 am
Nope, impossible to lie and they ask for wage slips.

He told me before we'd even discussed figures that they always try and get it down to the lowest payment which is £85.00, he then said he's very confident thats what it will be purely down to how low my debts are. I don't see 8.5k asow but apparently generally people owe much more. Quite scary really.

To me it isn't about having any debt written off, it's about having a deadline in place and a one off payment all consolidated into one.  It's about KNOWING in six years time it will be a fresh start atleast.
I have tried previously to do self agreements and I just don't stick to them or fall behind on payments etc.

It isn't a easy decision and the IVA is yet to be approved although he said the signs are good that it should be.  It affects me massively for the next six years although at the moment it's not as if I would be able to get any form of credit anyway so either way it would be a waiting game.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: GazLaz on September 11, 2019, 08:57:48 am
I’m sure paying the £85+ the £500 you intend to save towards the debt for a year would be the best thing to do. Then you can carry on saving the £585 towards your house after that. Debt paid of earlier do it has time to come off your credit file and you still end up with your £30k. Do it that way.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: jackthelad on September 11, 2019, 10:17:23 am
I’m sure paying the £85+ the £500 you intend to save towards the debt for a year would be the best thing to do. Then you can carry on saving the £585 towards your house after that. Debt paid of earlier do it has time to come off your credit file and you still end up with your £30k. Do it that way.

I have tried many times and it's too much messing about different direct debits coming out, constant hassle of letters etc.
All consolidated into one payment is better for me and often is others also.

Thanks for the comments.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: GazLaz on September 11, 2019, 10:35:21 am
I’m sure paying the £85+ the £500 you intend to save towards the debt for a year would be the best thing to do. Then you can carry on saving the £585 towards your house after that. Debt paid of earlier do it has time to come off your credit file and you still end up with your £30k. Do it that way.

I have tried many times and it's too much messing about different direct debits coming out, constant hassle of letters etc.
All consolidated into one payment is better for me and often is others also.

Thanks for the comments.

Over pay the IVA I was meaning as opposed to paying separately. I’m sure they allow that sort of thing. Maybe not.

It’s great that you are thinking about paying off the debt and getting straightened out but I’m speaking from experience when I say that reading between the lines in your posts you need to change your mind set towards paying it off or you are likely to fall into the trap again.

Good luck with it all, there will be no more input from me! 
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: RobTheRover on September 11, 2019, 12:35:51 pm
Yeah, good luck, Jack. 
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: drfchound on September 11, 2019, 04:30:22 pm
Cheers guys.

Been seeking advice today, got around 8.5k debt so looking into a potential iva.

£85 a month for 5 years, in 6 years it will be off my file completely and can hopefully start my credit again. At the moment it's atrocious.

All this whilst knowing it will eventually be paid off and I can save money each month for the next six years to hopefully have a hefty deposit of 30k ish by the time it's off my credit file.

That's the goal.

Probably an unpopular post but....... Pay £85 a month for 5 years, pay off approx two thirds of your debt with a third being written off but in the mean time save up 30k? Personally I'd rather pay off my debts in full no matter how long iit takes.

It’s not unpopular to me, if you can save £30k in that time, you can pay off the debts, £30k over 5 years is £500 a month






Not unpopular with me either.
I have been on the other (not been paid) end of stuff like this over the years.
No one seems to care about Companies not getting full payment and the non payer more often than not seems to come up smelling of roses.

Sorry Jack, not aiming this at you personally but giving another point of view.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: drfcsteve on September 11, 2019, 05:07:10 pm
I am surprised that no one has mentioned interest free balance transfers, although appreciate this may not be an option for those with bad credit. There are sites now where you can check which deals you are eligible for without having to do a credit check, Martin Lewis' site is one of them. Transfer all your high interest debt to interest free and make sure you pay it off in the interest free period (or transfer it another interest free offer before your offer ends).

This is what I did with all my wife's store cards, credit cards etc. Transferred them all to one card, interest free for 26 months. You're actually paying off the debt then, not the 24% interest or whatever it is. Plus you have the flexibility to pay a bit more off or pay it off sooner if you fancy.

The key of course is having the discipline to make sure you only use the card for paying off debt and do not spend on it under any circumstances.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: RedJ on September 11, 2019, 05:51:45 pm
Nope, impossible to lie and they ask for wage slips.

He told me before we'd even discussed figures that they always try and get it down to the lowest payment which is £85.00, he then said he's very confident thats what it will be purely down to how low my debts are. I don't see 8.5k asow but apparently generally people owe much more. Quite scary really.

To me it isn't about having any debt written off, it's about having a deadline in place and a one off payment all consolidated into one.  It's about KNOWING in six years time it will be a fresh start atleast.
I have tried previously to do self agreements and I just don't stick to them or fall behind on payments etc.

It isn't a easy decision and the IVA is yet to be approved although he said the signs are good that it should be.  It affects me massively for the next six years although at the moment it's not as if I would be able to get any form of credit anyway so either way it would be a waiting game.

Still personally would have gone with a DMP. The organisation that you'd have done it through sets up a direct debit and you pay into it the same way you would have done an IVA but not as negative an impact and you do still have that final payment down the line that clears it all.

Hope it turns out to be the right decision though, I know what a nightmare it can be when you dig yourself a massive hole of debt.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: Jenny on September 12, 2019, 08:41:59 am
I am surprised that no one has mentioned interest free balance transfers, although appreciate this may not be an option for those with bad credit. There are sites now where you can check which deals you are eligible for without having to do a credit check, Martin Lewis' site is one of them. Transfer all your high interest debt to interest free and make sure you pay it off in the interest free period (or transfer it another interest free offer before your offer ends).

This is what I did with all my wife's store cards, credit cards etc. Transferred them all to one card, interest free for 26 months. You're actually paying off the debt then, not the 24% interest or whatever it is. Plus you have the flexibility to pay a bit more off or pay it off sooner if you fancy.

The key of course is having the discipline to make sure you only use the card for paying off debt and do not spend on it under any circumstances.

Problem with this is that if you're credit rating is already trashed because you have missed payments or you are at your mad available credit you're very unlikely to get a balance transfer credit card.

Stuff like this makes a mockery of those trying to pay their way in society... if you can afford to save £30k you can afford to pay it off your debts in my opinion.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: Metalmicky on September 12, 2019, 09:57:59 am
Cheers guys.

Been seeking advice today, got around 8.5k debt so looking into a potential iva.

£85 a month for 5 years, in 6 years it will be off my file completely and can hopefully start my credit again. At the moment it's atrocious.

All this whilst knowing it will eventually be paid off and I can save money each month for the next six years to hopefully have a hefty deposit of 30k ish by the time it's off my credit file.

That's the goal.

Not sure how paying £85 a month over 5 years is going to clear an £8.5k debt...?  By my reckoning £85 per month over 60 months would be just over £5k.... unless my maths is really bad.  If that's the agreement you've struck then you've done well.

I also don't understand the saving £30k bit.  Surely if you are able to save £500 a month, the better option would be to pay a larger sum back and clear the debt quicker.  For instance, if you paid £350 month back a month you could clear the debt in 24 months and still save £5.6k over the same 24 month period.  Then you would be debt free and have £585 a month to proceed with.     
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: 5minstogo on September 12, 2019, 11:04:58 am
Cheers guys.

Been seeking advice today, got around 8.5k debt so looking into a potential iva.

£85 a month for 5 years, in 6 years it will be off my file completely and can hopefully start my credit again. At the moment it's atrocious.

All this whilst knowing it will eventually be paid off and I can save money each month for the next six years to hopefully have a hefty deposit of 30k ish by the time it's off my credit file.

That's the goal.

Not sure how paying £85 a month over 5 years is going to clear an £8.5k debt...?  By my reckoning £85 per month over 60 months would be just over £5k.... unless my maths is really bad.  If that's the agreement you've struck then you've done well.

I also don't understand the saving £30k bit.  Surely if you are able to save £500 a month, the better option would be to pay a larger sum back and clear the debt quicker.  For instance, if you paid £350 month back a month you could clear the debt in 24 months and still save £5.6k over the same 24 month period.  Then you would be debt free and have £585 a month to proceed with.     

That's my point an £85 per month IVA over 6 years doesn't clear the debt in full. The remainder gets written off.

The idea to save 30k in the meantime isn't what an IVA is intended for.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: jackthelad on September 12, 2019, 11:44:00 am
Gotta look after yourself and your family first in this world.
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: Metalmicky on September 12, 2019, 01:10:19 pm
Gotta look after yourself and your family first in this world.

Yep I agree - that is why an IVA may not be the right way IMO....

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/debt-solutions/individual-voluntary-arrangements/individual-voluntary-arrangements-explained/what-is-an-individual-voluntary-arrangement/
Title: Re: Debt
Post by: Superspy on September 12, 2019, 07:50:43 pm
As some of the other guys have said if you've got that kind of disposable income the far, far better way of going about this in terms of your credit rating would be to commit the extra to paying off the debt and leaving the IVA, or any other specific agreement alone.

You've said you've got bad credit, but have you actually looked into a loan to consolidate the lot from a bank or are you just assuming you won't get one?

If that isn't an option then why not just pay the debts off one at a time? Sure, you'll generate interest on the ones you aren't paying, but you'll still get the lot paid off a damned sight quicker than 5 years and won't damage your credit file in the process (or not by as much at least).

I don't mean to sound patronising but the thought of going down the route you're going, guaranteeing that you'll be in debt for 5 years, whilst in a position to pay off almost 600 a month from an 8.5k debt paying it off in less than 18 months seems like absolute madness to me.