Getting out of debt

Thanks for your comments. I know I am not in a lot of debt compared to many but I don't intend to get into any more. I am keeping the credit cards for emergencies - yes, really for emergencies. I'm not a spendaholic so I can do that. I shop for necessity, I don't enjoy it and the closest thing I get to a luxury is a bar of chocolate! I can make the repayments on the cards. My debts are two credit cards and a catalogue. I do manage to make at least the minimum payments but it would make more sense to pay one amount rather than several and, theoretically, the monthly payments would be lower over all. I have contacted credit reference agencies. There were a few inaccuracies on there and I, basically, got passed between the credit agency and the company who put the information there. I've tried to sort that out and I am still trying. I keep a very accurate record of income and outgoings at all times and it just about equals out. I know all about the credit vetting. We were almost turned down for a house we will be renting because of a bad credit record. I'm not applying for anything else. I think the inaccuracies should be removed after a certain amount of time anyway so, if that's right and the time is 4 years as I think it is, they will be removed soon anyway, not that it will help a lot because lenders seem unwilling to lend to people who don't have a landline telephone. (I know that's silly but it's still true). It's also difficult for self-employed or part-time employed people to get credit. And, as I mentioned, making extra money is not that easy. I have applied for part time jobs and been unsuccessful. (Part time because of my children so even if I wanted to leave them with someone else - which I don't - I'd be working just to pay for childcare) and, as I said to a previous responder, I'm doing a few online things to make a bit extra but, despite what some people claim to achieve, I can not seem to be able to make more than a few pounds. Thank you for trying to help.

Sounds like you're on the right track. You should be OK in the long run, barring disasters. If you can't get a consolidation loan, one thing you might consider is using any extra money that comes your way to reduce the smallest debt you have, so you pay it off quicker. Then when that's paid, you can use the money freed up from that to pay the other debts more quickly. You may already be aware of it, but there's a website called the Motley Fool which gives a lot of good advice in this area: http://www.fool.co.uk

I'm already doing that too. Every spare penny that comes in goes towards debts - not that there are many spare pennies coming in! I have heard of Motley Fool and already use it. Thank you anyway.

Ah, that's the one! I didn't realise that, I thought they lent to you on a basis of how much your income/expenditure was, but of course not, that would make sense. :)

Well, I have no intention of getting another credit card anyway and I am certainly not going with Provident for anything. Not only because of their ridiculous interest rate but their maximum loan for a new customer is only £500 which is a bit pointless, especially when, at their average interst rate, you would be paying £885 back on it. I know people won't believe that but, yes, they really do rip people off. It doesn't make sense that no one can help anyone pay off a small debt. It's especially frustrating when there is help for people in silly amounts of debt to get out of it and those people have to be in such a position that they had no reason to get that far in debt in the first place. It seems one of many things where help is available for those who shouldn't need it but not for anyone trying to help themselves. It is the Credit Union that you are thinking of. I forgot about them. I know you have to save so much with them. I think they lend something like double the amount you save with them. That's ok if you actually have something to save in the first place! Thank you.

No, I tried that. Because I am not working, they didn't want to know. They told me I had to have a joint claim with someone who is working full time and I can't do that. That's another silly thing as well. My catalogue has raised my credit limit on the catalogue to over £4000 but they won't give me a loan.