Getting Out of Debt and Staying Out

Contents......Page 6
Introduction......Page 8
Janet and John......Page 10
Gary and Sue: How Things Might Have Been Worse......Page 22
Janet and John: How They Triumphed Over Adversity......Page 30
Gwen the Graduate......Page 37
Lessons from Our Case Studies......Page 42
Credit – a pint down the pub or a dangerous drug?......Page 43
How much will it cost to borrow what you need?......Page 45
Who are you borrowing from?......Page 48
But first – should you rent or buy?......Page 49
So you've decided to buy......Page 51
Finding the best mortgage deal......Page 52
How big a house and how big a mortgage?......Page 54
What types of mortgage are there?......Page 59
What are second mortgages?......Page 66
Using the value in your house to borrow more......Page 68
Personal loans......Page 69
Credit cards – your flexible friends......Page 71
Hire purchase......Page 74
'Free credit' in shops......Page 75
Catalogue credit......Page 77
Other types of credit......Page 78
Interest rates – something to think about......Page 79
Life events......Page 83
The first signs of trouble......Page 86
Three steps to salvation......Page 87
How to create a personal budget......Page 89
Which creditors do you pay first and which last?......Page 98
What about tenants rather than homeowners?......Page 105
Council tax arrears......Page 107
Utility bills......Page 108
Other debts......Page 110
What if your creditors won't play ball?......Page 113
7 If the Worst Comes to the Worst......Page 117
What is the procedure?......Page 118
Should I, can I, go bankrupt?......Page 122
Where to get good advice for free......Page 124
How to live in peace and freedom......Page 127
Appendices......Page 129
C......Page 142
I......Page 143
P......Page 144
W......Page 145