Debt Service Uk

Posts Tagged ‘Head In The Sand’

Being severely in debt can be one of the most stressful situations we can find ourselves in within our everyday lives, and in recent years thousands upon thousands of us have begun to find our debts turning into a problem. Maybe your debts have simply got out of hand, with the repayments finally getting too large to handle comfortably, but a more common scenario is that a change in your financial circumstances or employment means that previously manageable debts are now no longer so easy to bear.

If you’re in this situation, you’re probably all too familiar with the gnawing fear that sits in the back of your mind, stopping you from enjoying life as you should. The sound of the telephone ringing can spark the fear, in case it’s a creditor calling to ‘discuss’ your situation, and it’s common to stop opening mail because of an anxiety about what bad news it might bring.

When things get to this level, it’s tempting to bury your head in the sand and hope the problems will go away, but this is absolutely the worst decision you could make. However bad your situation may seem, it’s only by taking control back in some way that you can begin to solve your debt problems, even though this may seem an extremely daunting prospect. The alternative of being passive will only result in your debts spiraling out of control, with bankruptcy and all that entails being an almost inevitable result.

So what can you do to start the fight back? Firstly, you need to take a good look at your situation. In your anxiety about the state of your finances, it’s very possible to get things out of perspective. For example, a missed credit card payment may seem like a big deal to you, and the letters you’ll get off the credit card company may seem intimidating, but in the larger scheme of things it’s not all that serious. A quick call to your credit issuer may lead to a resolution of the problem.

In any case, you should always contact your creditors if you’re struggling to meet your commitments. Behind the corporate impersonal letters they send out, there is usually a human being keen to help you if possible. You may be able to restructure your debt, agree a new repayment plan, have penalty charges rescinded, or one of many other options to consider. Remember, the person you’re speaking to usually won’t have any vested interest in your debt, and will treat the matter with professional detachment.

If your debt issues are more serious, then there is the option of taking out a consolidation loan. Although taking out further credit when you’re already struggling with debt isn’t necessarily a good idea, if done with care it can clear up your problems almost at a stroke. If you choose this route, then be sure to speak to a reputable company who will not lend to you if they think it’s a bad idea for your financial future.

If consolidation isn’t an option, maybe because of poor credit or lack of collateral, then there are still options available. Make an appointment to see a debt advisor, either at a debt handling company or at a charity. They will help you explore what you can do to improve matters, from a formal debt management plan to something less official such as help with a letter explaining your problems to your creditors and asking for a little leeway.

Whatever route out of debt you decide to set off on, remember that it’s only by taking charge of the situation that you can start to improve things.

The first stage of getting out of debt is to work out the size of your problem.to the nearest cent! If you don’t know the true extent of your debt, you won’t be able to do anything about it.

I want you to collect together every statement, account, bill and final reminder that youve got. Add together everything, and I mean EVERYTHING that you owe to other people. This includes, mortgage, rent, utility bills, property tax, the tax authorities, credit cards, store cards, overdrafts, personal loans, hire purchase, car loans, money borrowed from friends and family, other invoices, newspaper bills, even include money owed to the milkman!

Leave nothing out!

Write every amount down on one big piece of paper and then total them up. Find out how much you owe to the nearest cent. Accuracy is vital to focus your mind on the size of your problem. Theres no place for thinking oh, its around ninety-three thousand dollars. That type of thought is all too easy to dismiss. At this stage you need pin point accuracy.

Note down the interest rate on each of your debts. This will show which of your debts are the most expensive in terms of interest charged. Remember to use the APR figure for each debt. In many countries, lenders have to tell you this rate. These figures will be useful later.

Now I realise that this might be extremely difficult for some of you. Facing up to the size of your debts can be a truly frightening experience, especially if youve been hiding the extent of the problem from yourself.

But seriously, I need to make an important point here: What do you think will happen if you keep hiding from reality? Are you prepared to lose everything that youve ever worked for, and more besides? Are you ready for that unexpected knock at the door? Its the Bailiffs. Theyve come round for a chat.and your television!

Are you prepared to become bankrupt?

Because thats what could happen if you continue to bury your head in the sand!

This is not intended to frighten you. I only want to make you aware of the need to face your debt.

Nothing can be that bad. All financial problems can be solved. And the first step is to know how much you owe. So grab a piece of paper and write down the size of your debt to the nearest cent. Just disregard your fear and do it anyway!

On [date] I [name] owe a total of $……….

There, that wasnt so bad, was it? You now have a figure to focus on.

The next task is to make sure that your debt doesnt get any bigger. Then its time to start biting chunks out of it until it is completely gone.

by Stuart Laing

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