Debt advice - what is it? Review
Many people in debt know that there is debt advice available, but may not know what form that debt advice could take - what could a debt adviser actually do to help them?
Here are just two of the many ways in which a debt adviser could help you manage your finances more effectively.
Debt advice: keeping a budget
‘Keeping a budget’ means keeping track of where your money comes from - and where it goes.
Calculating your total monthly income is, in most cases, relatively easy. All you need to do is add up whatever salary, benefits and/or grants you receive each month.
When it comes to working out your expenditure, however, it may not be as simple. Some costs (for example, mortgage/rent payments and council tax) may be fairly simple to calculate, but what about clothes, food, travel costs and phone bills? These expenses can be more difficult to predict as they can change each month. If you want to do it yourself, it would certainly be a good idea to dedicate a good amount of time to it and give it some serious thought.
A professional debt adviser should be able to help you keep track of your spending and account for every penny you pay out. Once you can do this, you should find that it is easier to plan ahead and pick out areas where you’re spending money you could be using for other things - such as paying off your debts.
Debt advice: negotiating with creditors
Your creditors know that anyone’s circumstances can change. If your financial situation changes and you can no longer keep on top of your debt repayments, you should contact them and explain your situation, asking them (for example) to accept lower monthly payments until you get your feet back on the ground.
However, you may wish to consider seeking professional debt advice before you do. Negotiating with creditors can be a daunting experience, especially if you feel somewhat uncomfortable speaking about your own personal situation. If this sounds like you getting someone to do it for you is probably the best solution.
The right debt adviser will be able to help you voice your concerns effectively, so your creditors will fully understand your situation, giving you an opportunity to demonstrate that the solution you are suggesting really is the most realistic and affordable way for you to repay what you owe.
For more information and advice on debt, you could try DebtAdviceNow.co.uk