Hi everyone,

I am looking for a link/info which will give me the limits I can use for supplying my expenditure details on my budget sheet as I do not want to put down too much for housekeeping/pets etc... as I have been told you can only put down so much depending how big your family is.

Any help would be welcomed.

Many thanks, Pookeymonkey.

Welcome to the site.

Not exactly clear on your request......I presume this is a means enquiry response ?

Any chance you can be a little more specific as to what the information is for ?

Hi,

The information is for when I have to give the Bank/Credit card/DCA a financial statement in connection with a debt repayment plan. I have heard there are excepted amounts for each catagory such as housekeeping depending on the amount of people in the household (we have 2 adults and 1 child) also for example how much you can put for pets etc.....

I know I willl probably have to go to court at some point so I do not want the Judge to say that certain things are not acceptable on the financial statement so I am after some guidlines for this.

Hope this clarifies my question.

Many thanks, Pookeymonkey.

I am happy to give you advice if its genuinely to address issues which were an injustice to you.

Cag does not condone nor encourage debt avoidance nor issues that contribute to that.

You may be better with a response to this question in the General debt forums.I will move your posts there.

I also have a link for you which I will give you.

It is a free site that gives specialist advice on all aspects of debt.

I hope you will keep this thread updated too,this helps others who will be following it and also any new members.

Many thanks for your reply Martin3030.

The last thing I want to do is to avoid any debt I have it's just that when we filled in the initial paper work we didn't have a clue as to the acceptable amount we were allowed to be spending on food and because of this we put down a low amount so we could pay the DCA's something instead of nothing ( we are living on around £40 a week for food/clothes for 2 adults & 1 child). In doing this we have found it very hard to survive in the last 6 months and wish to be prepared for when we fill in another financial statement as our income has gone up slightly and want to allocate more money to food/clothes.

I shall look at the link you have given and will keep this thread updated.

Once again many thanks for your help.

Pookeymonkey.

Hi all,

I have been doing some research on this and it seems the figures I am after are called "trigger figures" and surprise surprise they are not available to Joe public.

To be honest, I am not surprised with this, because if Joe public had these figures then they would be able to apportion their money better!!!!

I suppose another reason we are not allowed these figures is because the powers that be think we might not be honest when providing companys with our expenditure and would put the max amount allowed. I for one have no need to lie about my outgoings, I am fully responsible for the debt I owe and will pay it back in full some day.

I just feel we have the right to know a bit more about what is considered a resonable figure to live on so we don't end up giving our childrens food money to DCA'S who know we are struggling. I know this sounds a bit harsh but when was the last time a DCA wrote to tell you that they will reduce your payment because they are worried you do not have enough to live on?

Pookeymonkey.

So what are you going to do now PM? You should firstly find out whether they should be collecting any money off you in the first place by way of a CCA request, if you find that they have one then only put what you can afford, but as you probably know from reading other threads you do not have to give them this information at all!

Best of luck, I will watch closely with this.

Shell

Hi PM, I think you will find the guidelines you require here National Debtline England & Wales | Debt Advice

Also have a read here

for two adults + child you are looking at about £270-£360/month

for pets you will have to be reasonable and be able to quantify any figures.

clothing you should look at about £15 per person, per month.

Hi everyone:D

Thanks for your support shell, I shall make sure I apportion properly when hubbie gets his wage increase, and like you say I don't think I have to provide detailed info if I don't want to!! Also have a look at Gizmo's links on post 8, I think they will help both of us.

Gizmo, thanks very much for the links. I have had a brief look and the information looks pretty good, I think it will help. When my little one has gone to bed I will have a proper look.

Sequenci, thanks for the allowences provided. At least they are sensible figures to live on.

I shalll keep you all updated if I find out anymore.

Many thanks, Pookeymonkey:p

i work within the industry, if you need any more figures please feel free to contact me.

if you have a car remember to work out figures for petrol + tax + maintenance & mot + insurance.

the most important thing is to remember that a month is not 4 weeks, you should take any weekly figure and multiply by 52 and divide by 12 to arrive at your month.

i work within the industry, if you need any more figures please feel free to contact me.

 

if you have a car remember to work out figures for petrol + tax + maintenance & mot + insurance.

 

the most important thing is to remember that a month is not 4 weeks, you should take any weekly figure and multiply by 52 and divide by 12 to arrive at your month.

Cheers sequenci:D

I will probably take you up on that offer when I have to do a new financial statement.

Pookeymonkey:p

no worries, just remember that you guys must set aside enough money to cover your essential outgoings, otherwise your payments to your creditors would be unrealistic. On the flip of that you're correct in saying that there are trigger figgers so you need to ensure that you don't go OTT with any of them. drop me a line when you're done

What exactly are trigger figures?

What exactly are trigger figures?

these are "reasonable" figures which should be used when filling in a personal budget/financial statement.

accepted guideline figures for essential items when working out financial statements. i.e. housekeeping figures, clothing figures, health figures etc.

Hi everyone:)

I have managed to put it off for a while, but I now have to fill in the dreaded Financial Statement!!!!:o

Just needed a bit of extra advice filling in my Financial form.

Am I allowed to put down for hair cuts? If so does anyone Know how much is acceptable. My little girl has her hair cut every 7-8weeks (£7.00) and mine every 8-9 weeks (25.00), to save money I cut my hubbies hair as he has grade one, so not too difficult!! If not I'm sure Sweeny Todd can cut it!!!!

Also I have 2 cats which costs around £7 mth for food, £19.39 insurance month (I am being a responsible pet owner) and if I am realistic they cost another £150 year for vet fees/innoculations. Can I put all this down or will they disallow it?

Also......is £20 month ok for glasses as my hubbie has just been informed he will need glasses.

And can I put down est £15.00 costs for dentist as one of us has to pay the full amount for it and the other is on NHS but gets no discount.

Also how do I estimate the costs for birthdays/christmas? It seems to be getting more expensive every time!! I have told my family/friends that I have to cut down, but I still have to do something for my loved ones.

Also can I put £10 month for bus fares even though we have a car (I do not drive, only hubbie), as I need to visit Mum etc...

Last thing....... (honest) can I put down my little girls pocket money, £5 week?

Any help would be welcome.

Many thanks, Pookeymonkey:p

Am I allowed to put down for hair cuts?

this should come out of your housekeeping budget.

Also I have 2 cats which costs around £7 mth for food, £19.39 insurance month (I am being a responsible pet owner) and if I am realistic they cost another £150 year for vet fees/innoculations. Can I put all this down or will they disallow it?

your figures have to be reasonable and quantifiable, in essence so long as you can argue your corner - the creditors should consider your budget. For two cats you should really be looking at about £25/month all in.

Also......is £20 month ok for glasses as my hubbie has just been informed he will need glasses.

the average person needs to change their glasses every 2 years or so, you should consider reducing this figure to £10

And can I put down est £15.00 costs for dentist as one of us has to pay the full amount for it and the other is on NHS but gets no discount.

it's an ok figure.

Also how do I estimate the costs for birthdays/christmas? It seems to be getting more expensive every time!! I have told my family/friends that I have to cut down, but I still have to do something for my loved ones.

£5 per person in your household per month maximum.

Also can I put £10 month for bus fares even though we have a car (I do not drive, only hubbie), as I need to visit Mum etc...

if £10 is reasonable, included it.

remember to include car tax, insurance and mot/maintenance also.

Last thing....... (honest) can I put down my little girls pocket money, £5 week?

per month is more accurate.

Any help would be welcome.

Many thanks, Pookeymonkey:p

Hi sequenci:)

Many thanks for your reply. I have been able to sort out most of the financial statement myself but got stuck on the Hair, glasses etc.....

I know that my creditors won't like it but I have nothing to offer them after I have paid out the living expenses (the outgoings exceed the income), but....... I am making a token payment of £1 a month to most of my debtors which they seem happy with for the short term. There are a few who will not accept lesss than £5 month (I think this is a company policy, not the law) and they have said that the debt will be sold and the new company may accept the £1 offer.

I have no excuses not to fill in the form now:(

I hope this link will help others as it has been very informative for me!!!

Once again many thanks, Pookeymonkey:p

Hi sequenci:)

 

Many thanks for your reply. I have been able to sort out most of the financial statement myself but got stuck on the Hair, glasses etc.....

 

I know that my creditors won't like it but I have nothing to offer them after I have paid out the living expenses (the outgoings exceed the income), but....... I am making a token payment of £1 a month to most of my debtors which they seem happy with for the short term. There are a few who will not accept lesss than £5 month (I think this is a company policy, not the law) and they have said that the debt will be sold and the new company may accept the £1 offer.

 

I have no excuses not to fill in the form now:(

 

I hope this link will help others as it has been very informative for me!!!

 

Once again many thanks, Pookeymonkey:p

Are you on benefits?

Are you on benefits?

Hi tomterm8:)

Unfortunately not, we only get working tax credit and no other help. I have been unable to work for the last 5 years due to postnatal depression which turned into chronic depression. I was not aware I could claim for Incapacity benefit at the time and when someone told me about the benefit I applied, but, was told by the IB dept that it was too late to claim.

So.............up the creek springs to mind............but the good thing is my good days outweigh the bad and now I have found this site it has helped to ease the sinking feeling.

I guess we are one of those familys who are just over the limit for any help (I bet if I did a survey most of us are!!).

Cheers, Pookeymonkey:p

That's a pity. I would suggest that you check things out with entitledto just in case, but it sounds like you've already checked out the options.

I might suggest phoning up the national debt line or C.A.B. and getting them to check your figures.

Have any of these debts got penalty charges etc included in the figures, that you could reclaim?

That's a pity. I would suggest that you check things out with entitledto just in case, but it sounds like you've already checked out the options.

 

I might suggest phoning up the national debt line or C.A.B. and getting them to check your figures.

 

Have any of these debts got penalty charges etc included in the figures, that you could reclaim?

Have they got any penalty charges included? Don't get me started!!!!

Sorry, ahem, yes they all do and I have sent off a number of SAR's (my family have funded most of these) and I am now waiting patiently (in a dark room, rocking, with a calendar and marker pen in my hands) for the 40 days to come and go.

I am sure that there is a large amount of charges that I could offset against the debt but I will have to wait and see.

I will look further at the info you have given, you never know I might have overlooked something.

Cheers, Pookeymonkey:p