Paid Members Jazzy G Posted April 4, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 4, 2019 I shouldn't have watched it on the bus. I'm trying to stifle my laughter now.Ā Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divorced Dad Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 Has anyone on here ever taken out a loan to consolidate existing debts? Currently paying off a credit card, overdraft and making monthly car payments but I'm finding it unsustainable and like I'm not really making a dent in the overdraft or credit card.Ā Thinking of taking out a loan to consolidate all of this into one payment (which would end up slightly less than what I'm currently paying now) but wondered if anyone on here had done it previously? Any recommendations? Horror stories? Advice? Anything would be much appreciated.Ā Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 2 hours ago, Divorced Dad said: Has anyone on here ever taken out a loan to consolidate existing debts? Currently paying off a credit card, overdraft and making monthly car payments but I'm finding it unsustainable and like I'm not really making a dent in the overdraft or credit card.Ā Thinking of taking out a loan to consolidate all of this into one payment (which would end up slightly less than what I'm currently paying now) but wondered if anyone on here had done it previously? Any recommendations? Horror stories? Advice? Anything would be much appreciated.Ā Don't. To be honest, you'd be better speaking to your bank/credit card company directly and let them know your concerns. Ā They can do stuff like freeze interest and fees for a while to help you, or to renegotiateĀ some terms. Ā If you're really struggling though, speak to a debt management company. Ā There are some free ones but most (and the better ones) charge a fee. Ā Essentially you'll be paying them to deal with everything, all contact and correspondence with your debtors so you won't have to speak to anyone bar them. Ā In a sense, it'll be a consolidated payment once a month. The best advice is to act sooner rather than later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members gmoney Posted April 5, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 5, 2019 (edited) @Divorced Dad Stepchange or Christians Against Poverty (despite the name, they are genuinely helpful) are your best bet for debt advice. Also the Debt Free Wannabe section of the Money Saving Expert forums are a great source of judgement free advice, though the first thing they will do is tell you to talk to Stepchange.Ā Debt consolidation really is almost never the right thing to do as it is kicking the can down the road to an extent, and you will end up paying more over a longer term when there are much better options out there.Ā Edited April 5, 2019 by gmoney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonworden Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 Debt Management Companies might be a good should, i've worked for a couple years ago and every year they seemed to become more effective. However before moving to Vietnam in 2013 I was getting into a pretty sticky situation with credit cards and an overdraft after years of cash advances and having to make some big purchases. I worked out that with my initial reduced salary overseas (which still superseded the cost of living) I wouldn't have much to live on after rent and the credit card bills because of the insurance. In the end I actually got another credit card and played a bit of back and forth with the interest free balance transfers and cash advances (where they basically dump a load of cash into your bank account off the credit card). It was probably a bit silly because I ended up adding on another 5% ish to the debt but it took what would have been 350 quid a month in repayments mostly eaten up in interest to around 170 and that made a big difference. Quite quickly as I was only paying back the balance it ended up causing the repayments to drop quicker too. Once my life was sorted out and I was working more I ended up with masses of overtime and repaid the debt pretty quickly. I mostly chose that option as I wanted to keep my credit rating in good standing and I knew I only needed a temporary measure, took bloody ages to work out however as I had to move one balance from one card to another, then put a balance from another card on that making sure I didn't overlap and fuck it up.Ā Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Tommy! Posted April 5, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 5, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 (edited) Recently discovered that my Virgin Media package now includes Total Country TV. Ā Vintage TV has a new rival for best music channel. EDIT - Shit, Vintage TV is dead Edited April 6, 2019 by Keith Houchen pop a top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted April 10, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 10, 2019 Just having a moan about work. The new receptionist is getting on my nerves today. A couple of times on the phone she mentioned it being half-term at the moment, so someone corrected her and said it's not half-term, it's the Easter holiday. She replied, "well, when I was at school, they were all called half-term". I mean, they weren't. You just got it wrong, admit it. So my colleague explains that it doesn't make sense calling it half-term, because it's the end of a term, not halfway through one. Then says that it's the Easter holiday, though we should more correctly call it the Spring holiday or Spring break, as not everyone observes Easter. To which the receptionist replies, "oh, yeah, it's all PC nowadays, isn't it?". Fuck's sake. "Other religions exist" isn't political correctness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Chest Rockwell Posted April 10, 2019 Moderators Share Posted April 10, 2019 Waiting for the eventual post when Pat comes on here to mention that he has regretfully and shamefully slept with the receptionist, a la @Frankie CrispĀ . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 I honestly started reading it and thought "Weeks later, I penetrated her". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members bAzTNM#1 Posted April 10, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 10, 2019 I don't know about the England school system but it's quite odd up here. Schools are off for two weeks for their "Easter Holidays" now yet Easter isn't in those two weeks. Scottish schools go back on Monday, then they are off Friday and Monday for actual Easter. Didn't happen when I was at school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members PunkStep Posted April 10, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 10, 2019 Yeah same here, but it's because Easter is so late this year. Otherwise there's a larger gap between two terms. Blame theĀ Council of Nicaea and their full moon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awards Moderator Frankie Crisp Posted April 10, 2019 Awards Moderator Share Posted April 10, 2019 6 hours ago, Chest Rockwell said: Waiting for the eventual post when Pat comes on here to mention that he has regretfully and shamefully slept with the receptionist, a la @Frankie CrispĀ . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Carbomb Posted April 10, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 10, 2019 Saw this online. Better than the old PlayStation "Give Them Stick" ads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MungoChutney Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 (edited) 12 hours ago, bAzTNM#1 said: I don't know about the England school system but it's quite odd up here. Schools are off for two weeks for their "Easter Holidays" now yet Easter isn't in those two weeks. Scottish schools go back on Monday, then they are off Friday and Monday for actual Easter. Didn't happen when I was at school. Was actually parents, well parent councils, who decided this in Glasgow. Few years back it was agreed that the holidays would the first two full weeks in April regardless of when Easter fell. Strange decision given it makes it harder for working parents but it's the norm now. Edinburgh schools are off this week and next so it varies in each local authority.Ā Edited April 11, 2019 by MungoChutney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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