Richard had £3,000 of debt but found a way out (2024)

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Richard had £3,000 of debt but found a way out (1)

More than a third of 18 to 24-year-olds have debts of almost £3,000, new figures suggest.

The same number say their debts feel like a "heavy burden" according to research for the Money Advice Trust by YouGov.

But earlier this year he managed to pay back the money he owed - between £3,000 and £4,000.

The 26-year-old blames the ease of access to store cards and credit cards for getting into trouble in the first place.

It all started with a Topman store card. He maxed it out...

Richard got himself a Topshop store card so that he could keep spending.

"Then I started getting credit cards because I was low on cash," he explains.

"I kept getting more cards to cover the other cards.

"It's too easy to get into really. All you have to do is sign a piece of paper and it's yours.

"You can spend minimum of £500 and after three months they up it to £1000. And it is easy to go up and up."

It spiralled out of control until Richard didn't really care and didn't want to pay them back

Image source, Getty Images

"I was getting annoyed with all the letters and every time I paid some back, I never seemed to get anywhere.

"I had to eventually sort myself out and start paying things off and live with no money for a bit."

Richard was lucky enough that his boss at the time stepped in to give him a hand

"My boss helped me out and looked at my wages with me and looked at what I could live on.

"I had to stay in for six to eight months and not do anything."

Since February this year Richard has been debt-free and says he now budgets

"I know how much money I need to put where for bills and I know how much I've got left to spend."

Talking about his 18-year-old self, he says "I was just a bit of an idiot with money - I didn't really care.

"At the end of the day you get these store cards and stuff and it's not really your money.

"So you just spend it and eventually you need to it back.

"And when you miss a payment they get you with late payment fees."

He thinks's the advice given is all very well... if you already think like that

"If you're already in debt, drawing up a budget just shows you where you should be spending money that you haven't got."

And he admits: "I wouldn't have listened when I was younger."

For guidance on managing your money and budgeting you can look at these BBC Advice pages.

Find us on Instagram at BBCNewsbeat and follow us on Snapchat, search for bbc_newsbeat

Richard had £3,000 of debt but found a way out (2024)

FAQs

Richard had £3,000 of debt but found a way out? ›

Richard from Sc*nthorpe tells Newsbeat

Newsbeat
Newsbeat is the BBC's radio news programme broadcast on Radio 1, 1Xtra and Asian Network.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Newsbeat
"it's so easy to get into, so hard to get out of". But earlier this year he managed to pay back the money he owed - between £3,000 and £4,000. The 26-year-old blames the ease of access to store cards and credit cards for getting into trouble in the first place.

How to get out of 3k debt? ›

To pay off $3,000 in credit card debt within 36 months, you will need to pay $109 per month, assuming an APR of 18%. You would incur $912 in interest charges during that time, but you could avoid much of this extra cost and pay off your debt faster by using a 0% APR balance transfer credit card.

Is 3k debt a lot? ›

Hi Grace, It must be hard getting by on the amount you have coming in and I can understand the temptation to buy things on credit. £3000 is quite a lot of debt given your income so it is really good that you are looking to get out of this cycle now before you end up deeper in debt.

What debts are not forgiven at death? ›

Additional examples of unsecured debt include medical debt and most types of credit card debt. If you die with unsecured debt, repayment becomes the responsibility of your estate.

How to get out of massive debt? ›

How to get out of debt
  1. List out your debt details.
  2. Adjust your budget.
  3. Try the debt snowball or avalanche method.
  4. Submit more than the minimum payment.
  5. Cut down interest by making biweekly payments.
  6. Attempt to negotiate and settle for less than you owe.
  7. Consider consolidating and refinancing your debt.
Mar 18, 2024

How to pay $30,000 debt in one year? ›

The 6-step method that helped this 34-year-old pay off $30,000 of credit card debt in 1 year
  1. Step 1: Survey the land. ...
  2. Step 2: Limit and leverage. ...
  3. Step 3: Automate your minimum payments. ...
  4. Step 4: Yes, you must pay extra and often. ...
  5. Step 5: Evaluate the plan often. ...
  6. Step 6: Ramp-up when you 're ready.

How long will it take to pay off $3,000? ›

To pay off your balance of $3,000 in 12 months, you will need to make monthly payments of $262 and make no additional charges to your card. If you make monthly charges of $0 and monthly payments of $100 you will pay off your balance in 34 months or 2.83 years.

How to pay off debt with no money? ›

How to get out of debt when you have no money
  1. Step 1: Stop taking on new debt. ...
  2. Step 2: Determine how much you owe. ...
  3. Step 3: Create a budget. ...
  4. Step 4: Pay off the smallest debts first. ...
  5. Step 5: Start tackling larger debts. ...
  6. Step 6: Look for ways to earn extra money. ...
  7. Step 7: Boost your credit scores.
Dec 5, 2023

How to get rid of debt without paying? ›

Which debt solutions write off debts?
  1. Bankruptcy: Writes off unsecured debts if you cannot repay them. Any assets like a house or car may be sold.
  2. Debt relief order (DRO): Writes off debts if you have a relatively low level of debt. Must also have few assets.
  3. Individual voluntary arrangement (IVA): A formal agreement.

How much is the average 21 year old in debt? ›

Average debt by age
GenerationAverage total debt (2023)Average total debt (2022)
Gen Z (18-26)$29,820$25,851
Millenial (27-42)$125,047$115,784
Gen X (43-57)$157,556$154,658
Baby Boomer (58-77)$94,880$96,087
1 more row
2 days ago

Do children inherit debt? ›

Most debt isn't inherited by someone else — instead, it passes to the estate. During probate, the executor of the estate typically pays off debts using the estate's assets first, and then they distribute leftover funds according to the deceased's will. However, some states may require that survivors be paid first.

Can debt follow you after death? ›

If there's no money in their estate, the debts will usually go unpaid. For survivors of deceased loved ones, including spouses, you're not responsible for their debts unless you shared legal responsibility for repaying as a co-signer, a joint account holder, or if you fall within another exception.

Does debt pass on death? ›

If there isn't enough in money or assets in the estate to pay off all the debts, the debts would be paid in priority order until the money or assets run out. Any remaining debts are likely to be written off. If no estate is left, then there's no money to pay off the debts and the debts will usually die with them.

Can I get a government loan to pay off debt? ›

While there are no government debt relief grants, there is free money to pay other bills, which should lead to paying off debt because it frees up funds. The biggest grant the government offers may be housing vouchers for those who qualify.

How to aggressively pay off debt? ›

What's the best way to pay off debt?
  1. The snowball method. Pay the smallest debt as fast as possible. Pay minimums on all other debt. Then pay that extra toward the next largest debt. ...
  2. Debt avalanche. Pay the largest or highest interest rate debt as fast as possible. Pay minimums on all other debt. ...
  3. Debt consolidation.
Aug 8, 2023

How to pay $20,000 in debt? ›

If you have $20,000 in credit card debt that you need to pay off in three years or less, you have multiple options to consider, including:
  1. Take advantage of a debt relief service.
  2. Consolidate your debt with a home equity loan.
  3. Take advantage of 0% balance transfer credit cards.
May 22, 2024

How to pay $5,000 off debt fast? ›

Debt avalanche: Make minimum payments on all but your credit card with the highest interest rate. Send all excess payments to that card account. Once you pay that account off, send all excess payments to your next highest rate. Repeat until all of your debts are paid off.

How to pay off debt when living paycheck to paycheck? ›

Tips for Getting Out of Debt When You're Living Paycheck to Paycheck
  1. Tip #1: Don't wait. ...
  2. Tip #2: Pay close attention to your budget. ...
  3. Tip #3: Increase your income. ...
  4. Tip #4: Start an emergency fund – even if it's just pennies. ...
  5. Tip #5: Be patient.

Is 5k of debt bad? ›

$5,000 in credit card debt can be quite costly in the long run. That's especially the case if you only make minimum payments each month. However, you don't have to accept decades of credit card debt. There are a few things you can do to pay your debt off faster - potentially saving thousands of dollars in the process.

Is $2,000 dollar debt bad? ›

Is $2,000 too much credit card debt? $2,000 in credit card debt is manageable if you can pay more than the minimum each month. If it's hard to keep up with the payments, then you'll need to make some financial changes, such as tightening up your spending or refinancing your debt.

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