How to get a house?

Trinity

Ok this is long and kind of personal but i was wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation and how they went about changing things.

Single mother age 32 with one child almost 7. Get no assistance from sons dad.

Been on local housing list for most of those 7 years, and was told last year i would not be housed in the foreseeable future. I was told in these exact words 'its a pity cos your a lovely girl, if you were on drugs we could give you a place' and that is on my sons life.

Was in fulltime employment and living with parents with child. Rented an apartment with then bf and when he moved out (after first month ) i honoured the lease and ended up staying 2 years. In this time however my income was very low and didnt quite match up to my outgoings, i had to pay creche too so in the first year i managed to get into a lot of debt just to pay the rent.

In the meantime i applied for affordable housing and was turned down as they said i couldnt afford it!

At this stage i was flat broke and after fighting and fighting and visiting TDs, writing letters to no avail, the only solution i could come up with was go part time in work and get help with the rent. Had to fight for that too but finally it came through and things improved.

Moved again a year ago and now this lease is up. Now i have to find suitable accommodation again for a budget of 1000 per month. Not an easy task in dublin.

Heres the problem. I am stuck renting. Stuck moving and dragging my son around everytime a lease is up.

I cant even live with my boyfriend if i wanted to or i lose everything. And i really cant afford to because of the debts. I wouldnt expect any man to take them on and i would have literally NO income, therefore i would totally dependant on him to pay for everything and theres no way i could live like that even if he could afford it. :rolleyes:

Does anyone have any advice please. I'm tired of having to fight for the very basic right of a roof over my head.

just to complicate matters i should add i am expecting my 2nd baby so my plan to go back fulltime when my salary got to a decent amount will have to go on hold. The extra income would only go to the creche and i would lose out financially yet again.

So I am not eligible for council housing, affordable housing or a mortgage

Is there something i could/should be doing that i am not? I've always worked and been proud and independant but to be honest i feel like **** since my son was born because i have received some assistance from the state. But they dont make it easy for people who want to make something of their lives.

Is this it til i win the lotto

edited: not sure if in right forum sorry just needed to rant cos have to move in May and stresssssseddddd!!!

Sponge Bob

Well the second kid + 7 years on the list will up you on the housing list so arriving into them with evidence of number 2 on the way and imminent homelessness will not disimprove your case. You do know that if your lease is up in May and you 'throw yourself' on the housing as correctly homeless and make them sort you out then they will increase your points dramatically overnight .

Being homeless (as you will be ) and pregnant is a big big score like hitting the dragon in the gob with the cannon , being housed with one kid reduces your score . The stress of moving every year that you described will of course be replaced by a higher quota of one off stress this year if you choose to go that way.

Have you tried any housing associations or charites who can have excellent social housing in certain areas , I suspect that you will not get on any purchasing programs that are out there but you know that too.

And Good Luck .

Trinity

Thanks spongebob. The problem is i wont be homeless if i look for a place and am getting help with the rent.

How will i say i am homeless?

My budget means a one bed apartment where i want to be or a house in balbriggan and no offence to people in balbriggan but its not a runner, without divulging any more of my personal life,:o i need to be near my family, as well as work and school and hospital etc. So dublin 9 or 11 is perfect but alas the average rent of a 2 bed is 1200 plus.

Catch is, if i rent for anymore than 1000 - they pull my whole allowance. Therefore i get zilch towards the rent.

I feel like such a fcuking leech tbh but they have me by the short and curlies. I'm a civil servant theres no hope of living on my salary alone with the added debts

A Random Walk

bah..please delete..

Trinity

A Random Walk wrote:

bah..please delete..

Delete the thread?

Supercell

Trinity1 wrote:

My budget means a one bed apartment where i want to be or a house in balbriggan and no offence to people in balbriggan but its not a runner, without divulging any more of my personal life,:o i need to be near my family, as well as work and school and hospital etc. So dublin 9 or 11 is perfect but alas the average rent of a 2 bed is 1200 plus.

Catch is, if i rent for anymore than 1000 - they pull my whole allowance. Therefore i get zilch towards the rent.

I feel like such a fcuking leech tbh but they have me by the short and curlies. I'm a civil servant theres no hope of living on my salary alone with the added debts

If you cant move for personal reasons, surely the father should be helping out with the upbringing of the kid, is there nothing in law that you can do to make him help towards his own kid's upbringing?
Th only other option seems to be living with family until the debts are paid and you can afford a place of your own.
That's what family is for, you shouldn't feel like a leech asking for a bro or sis's help, it comes as part of the package.

BTW I think "A Random Walk" meant delete their post not the thread.

babytooth

Trinity1 wrote:

Thanks spongebob. The problem is i wont be homeless if i look for a place and am getting help with the rent.

How will i say i am homeless?

My budget means a one bed apartment where i want to be or a house in balbriggan and no offence to people in balbriggan but its not a runner, without divulging any more of my personal life,:o i need to be near my family, as well as work and school and hospital etc. So dublin 9 or 11 is perfect but alas the average rent of a 2 bed is 1200 plus.

Catch is, if i rent for anymore than 1000 - they pull my whole allowance. Therefore i get zilch towards the rent.

I feel like such a fcuking leech tbh but they have me by the short and curlies. I'm a civil servant theres no hope of living on my salary alone with the added debts

you are in a sticky situation...but to be honest, i mean can you really have the choice to pick somewhere if its being given to you at a discount. I would like to live close to work but i can't see the state subsidisng me in that regard...i may sound harsh, and i don't know you situation, but maybe move a little further out and see if it would work for you, its not ideal, but then nothing in life is....

best of luck though, i know it can't be nice having uncertainity when there is kids involved...give balbriggan a try...

Trinity

Longfield wrote:

If you cant move for personal reasons, surely the father should be helping out with the upbringing of the kid, is there nothing in law that you can do to make him help towards his own kid's upbringing?
Th only other option seems to be living with family until the debts are paid and you can afford a place of your own.
That's what family is for, you shouldn't feel like a leech asking for a bro or sis's help, it comes as part of the package.

BTW I think "A Random Walk" meant delete their post not the thread.

oh right

I meant a leech in terms of getting help from the state. well it would be the folks not siblings, so it would mean kipping on the couch for a while but its a roof.

The father of the child is untouchable apparently, he left the country. Theres a whole other thread about that in parenting

I could move into a one bed but its hardly ideal me, a 7 yr old and a newborn in one room. Suppose beggars cant be choosers

I guess my question was how can i get out of the vicious circle that is renting with help from the state. i've spent (without help the first year) 33,000 euro on rent.

Trinity

babytooth wrote:

you are in a sticky situation...but to be honest, i mean can you really have the choice to pick somewhere if its being given to you at a discount. I would like to live close to work but i can't see the state subsidisng me in that regard...i may sound harsh, and i don't know you situation, but maybe move a little further out and see if it would work for you, its not ideal, but then nothing in life is....

best of luck though, i know it can't be nice having uncertainity when there is kids involved...give balbriggan a try...

Hey, thanks.

Oh trust me i'm not just being fussy, my parents live in Ballymun and i want to be near them so am definately not looking for a posh address. :-)

there are honestly genuine honest to god reasons for me not wanting/feeling able to move out too far and its not just laziness i quite like balbriggan i have my best friend out there and i never visit :eek:

I was practically having to move out there last year and this place came up at the very last minute. just dont think i will be that lucky twice

The_Conductor

Trinity1 wrote:

I'm a civil servant theres no hope of living on my salary alone with the added debts

You should definitively qualify for affordable housing- even the lower points of the AP scale would qualify......

Trinity

smccarrick wrote:

You should definitively qualify for affordable housing- even the lower points of the AP scale would qualify......[/QUOTE

I'm a mere CO Shane and not long in.

At the time i applied for the affordable housing i was full time but the creche fees lowered my income substantially and thats why i was refused. Even the Minister for Housing couldnt budge the councils decision at the time, god damn me and my honesty

I did extremely well in my exams recently for a promotion but when i got called back for the second part, i was sick so i now have to wait for another confined competition.

My plan for myn future was promotion, higher salary, go back full time and then qualify for affordable housing. Thats not gonna happen at the moment and possibly not for quite a while.

I'm parttime now and dont qualify for the affordable housing at all.

c4cat

read this print it out, and go and see your CWO with it

http://www.environ.ie/DOEI/DOEIPol.nsf/0/ac6ad03431b842e280256f0f003bc7f1/$FILE/TENANT LEAFLET FINAL ENGL_270405.pdf

Trinity

c4cat wrote:

read this print it out, and go and see your CWO with it

http://www.environ.ie/DOEI/DOEIPol.nsf/0/ac6ad03431b842e280256f0f003bc7f1/$FILE/TENANT LEAFLET FINAL ENGL_270405.pdf

Oh thanks a mill!!

I will certainly do that tomorrow!

A Random Walk

babytooth wrote:

best of luck though, i know it can't be nice having uncertainity when there is kids involved...give balbriggan a try...

Sorry, I meant delete the post. I originally posted something very similar to what babytooth just said, but then I thought better of it. Now I'm not so sure.

You're getting €1,000 a month from the taxpayer. I understand that with children and renting it can be difficult, but there's a lot of people in this country in the same situation and they're coping - and most are not getting a grand a month in subsidised rent.

Affordable housing - you might qualify for it, but AH in this country is a joke because you'll still end up paying far too much for overpriced property and reading your post I doubt you can afford to pay the mortgage anyway. With a property crash looming, this might be a blessing in disguise.

Not to be harsh, and it'll sound like it, but you've made your choices in life and you're going to have to deal with the consequences. We'd all like to live in a certain quality of accommodation and in a certain location, but blaming someone else for not paying for it is a bit rich I think.

Can your parents take your kids during the day while you work? Can you get a better job? Can you go back to college and get a better degree? Can you chase down the father and get support? Can you move in with your parents and save for a deposit? Have you approached MABS for help with budgeting and dealing with debt?

ronbyrne2005

A Random Walk wrote:

Sorry, I meant delete the post. I originally posted something very similar to what babytooth just said, but then I thought better of it. Now I'm not so sure.

You're getting €1,000 a month from the taxpayer. I understand that with children and renting it can be difficult, but there's a lot of people in this country in the same situation and they're coping - and most are not getting a grand a month in subsidised rent.

Affordable housing - you might qualify for it, but AH in this country is a joke because you'll still end up paying far too much for overpriced property and reading your post I doubt you can afford to pay the mortgage anyway. With a property crash looming, this might be a blessing in disguise.

Not to be harsh, and it'll sound like it, but you've made your choices in life and you're going to have to deal with the consequences. We'd all like to live in a certain quality of accommodation and in a certain location, but blaming someone else for not paying for it is a bit rich I think.

Can your parents take your kids during the day while you work? Can you get a better job? Can you go back to college and get a better degree? Can you chase down the father and get support? Can you move in with your parents and save for a deposit? Have you approached MABS for help with budgeting and dealing with debt?

I concur.

Trinity

You're getting €1,000 a month from the taxpayer.

TBH when posting the thread i was quite prepared for this attitude. e.g. i'm getting a free ride, i shouldnt have gotten myself up the duff. I'm working to pay for single mums like you. etc and i told myself not to take any of it to heart, if one good peice of advice comes out of the thread well then it was worth it.

I am also a taxpayer that has worked since the age of 16. Going part time in work and Getting the assistance was the very last option for me when i realised i was in trouble.

I dont get 1000 a month by any stretch, i get a small amount of assistance and i pay the rest myself.

I didnt ask for sympathy i asked for constructive advice on how to get out of this rut. If you read my other posts, i made it quite clear i was not being fussy or looking for a posh address by any means - ballymun posh?

I am trying and have been trying to better my circumstances and buying or perhaps even paying the council rent would be far better imo than having the state pay some of my rent and ultimately someone elses mortgage for the rest of my life.

If i was expecting someone else to pay my way in life i would not bother working at all and have all of my rent paid as well as other benefits.

Zambia

Hang on,

Trinity if I am correct is just on here looking for Ideas that get her out of the scenario she is in. Posts like "well you have made your bed now lie in it" are ill considered. Personnally while not having any help or advice to offer here as I was fortunate enough to be able to buy a house years ago. My rental advice would not be worth much.

Trinity has taken the time to look for answers and is following them. I never got the impression she liked taking anything from the state.

Best of luck Trinity

Trinity

We'd all like to live in a certain quality of accommodation and in a certain location, but blaming someone else for not paying for it is a bit rich I think.

I never blamed anyone?

If you read my post again, i get a certain amount of help. However i am only allowed to rent up to 1000. They wont allow you to go over this and pay the difference yourself or they pull out all their help.

Look you dont know me, i'm just another single mum typing here on the internet and obviously you have gotten the wrong end of the stick here and thats quite understandable . but i can assure you i am a decent honest person trying to make the most of their circumstances.

I'm looking for a way to get out of getting help from the state not get more from them. I'm sorry i thought i made that clear in my original post?

was wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation and how they went about changing things.

But thanks for the other advice.

Trinity

Zambia232 wrote:

Hang on,

Trinity if I am correct is just on here looking for Ideas that get her out of the scenario she is in. Posts like "well you have made your bed now lie in it" are ill considered. Personnally while not having any help or advice to offer here as I was fortunate enough to be able to buy a house years ago. My rental advice would not be worth much.

Trinity has taken the time to look for answers and is following them. I never got the impression she liked taking anything from the state.

Best of luck Trinity

Thank you.

I guess people would probably (and i would too tbh if i was reading this) wonder why the hell i got pregnant a second time in these cirumstances. Well all i can say is it wasnt in the plans but i made my bed there didnt I ANd again i am trying to do the right thing. The father will help me provide for the child when its born but that will go on the child not my debts

But everyone is entitled to their opinion and its quite natural for people to react this way. As i said, i knew some people would think the worst of me and people have only been honest in their replies but i got some good advice.

I remember reading on a property website once a pregnant lady posted asking how to go about applying for rent allowance as her partner had dumped her. Well i was sickened by the replies. People telling her to go abort the baby (basta**) and stop living off other people. My heart went out to her and not one mod intervened.

Now i know thats not anywhere near whats happening here but i must admit i was weary about posting!!

thanks anyway everyone.

Keith C

Theres always a few arseholes who will tear down your post & say its your own fault, dont mind them, I thought your posts were honest & sincere & wish you all the best in getting a home for you & your family.

The_Conductor

Lookit everyone- usual forum rules apply. If you disagree with something someone posts, refute the post, do not attack the poster. Temp bans for anyone breaking this rule.

Shane

Trinity

Keith C wrote:

Theres always a few arseholes who will tear down your post & say its your own fault, dont mind them, I thought your posts were honest & sincere & wish you all the best in getting a home for you & your family.

It is of course my fault as in these are the consequences of my decisions in life, and some are other peoples decisions that affected me.

Its certainly not how i had envisaged my future i can tell you that much for nothing.


But Thank you for the good wishes

Trinity

smccarrick wrote:

Lookit everyone- usual forum rules apply. If you disagree with something someone posts, refute the post, do not attack the poster. Temp bans for anyone breaking this rule.

Shane

I certainly didnt intend to attack any poster and i apologise if it came across this way. As stated i respect everyones opinion and accept that in a community of thousands, not everyones opinions will be the same

ronbyrne2005

Keith C wrote:

Theres always a few arseholes who will tear down your post & say its your own fault, dont mind them, I thought your posts were honest & sincere & wish you all the best in getting a home for you & your family.

When someone posts with a thread title "how to get a house?" I think its fair for those who get zero help from government in buying/"getting" a house to express their opinions on the matter. Trinity1 would I be right in saying you get around 800 a month from government? How much do you pay in tax? very little I would say, meaning you receive a significant net amount from government, many young couples on even average wages and both working struggle to afford to "get" a house and may be slightly annoyed that single mothers get so much for free when most have partners etc. Anyway fair play for working and seeking education and good luck in "getting" a house.

P.S Did you investigagte if refugees etc get housing much quicker/easier? These are usually myths and unsubstantiated claims don't help your case.

Trinity

ronbyrne2005 wrote:

When someone posts with a thread title "how to get a house?" I think its fair for those who get zero help from government in buying/"getting" a house to express their opinions on the matter. Trinity1 would I be right in saying you get around 800 a month from government? How much do you pay in tax? very little I would say, meaning you receive a significant net amount from government, many young couples on even average wages and both working struggle to afford to "get" a house and may be slightly annoyed that single mothers get so much for free when most have partners etc. Anyway fair play for working and seeking education and good luck in "getting" a house.

P.S Did you investigagte if refugees etc get housing much quicker/easier? These are usually myths and unsubstantiated claims don't help your case.

Um no-one here brought up refugees and whether they do or do not get housing quicker/easier is not my concern nor do i intend to go that route. I dont judge or begrudge others in need.

Tbh i honestly dont know why you brought it up but i certainly do not want my thread or my name associated with any form of racism or prejudice.

My opinion on the subject is refugees are in dire need of housing/homes. They do their time in hostels and B&BS. I sincerely doubt anyone steps off the plane and is chaufferred to a new house. I work next door to such a hostel and i have met many lovely lovely people who are arrive in this country with no food, no money and just a small ruck sack with a change of clothes.

Just like single mothers, there are a lot of misconceptions about refugees and some people tar them all with the same brush.

My goal in life is to 'buy' my own house. The term 'get' did not mean for nothing and i apologise.

I most certainly do not receive 800 per month?? I do feel asking me for figures is a bit personal tbh but i will tell you this - my annual income or my

significant net amount from government

is 11,000 per year before deductions, which is crazy to say that imo, i do not receive it, it is not a gift, it is my wages for hours worked in a job??

I get up at 6.45 like everyone else and go to work each day, i drop my son on the way and collect him on the way home. I'm not living the life of leisure while you pay my way. I'm not laying in bed or eating grapes or shopping in my pj's. I'm in the traffic with you every morning, i just have the advantage of getting home at 3pm, where i switch to mammy mode and do homework and cook dinners and wash uniforms. I dont go out at weekends unless its to the movies or park with my son nor do i drink my childrens allowance each month.

And i must retract the i am a tax-payer comment as having looked at my payslip i dont pay tax since i went part time, i pay union, PRSI, Superannuation and credit union loan as well as public service friendly society contributions. Giving me a grand total of 122 per week to live on, doesnt sound too bad if it was just spending money for the week but its not - then the bills and rent have be paid , the child has to be clothed and fed.

many young couples on even average wages and both working struggle to afford to "get" a house and may be slightly annoyed that single mothers get so much for free when most have partners etc.

Believe me i do understand this. However (and i really dont think i will change anyones opinion here but anyway!) i was once part of a couple, both working full time, two incomes.

Then my circumstances changed and i was earning one salary and still paying the bills and rent that were orginally supposed to be split in 2, do the math

360 per week income from salary after deductions
250 per week rent
115 a week creche

Thats without food, bills, travel to and from work, clothes, school uniforms, books. I did this for a year, thats how i got into debt.

So i am sorry i am getting so much for 'free' but if 2 people and 2 incomes struggle well one person can barely survive.

I sincerely hope that none of these people that get 'annoyed' never find themselves or their sisters raising a child alone due to divorce/seperation or death of a spouse cos they have a lot of struggling and prejudice to face as well as the task of raising a child alone.

ronbyrne2005

Trinity1 wrote:

Um no-one here brought up refugees and whether they do or do not get housing quicker/easier is not my concern nor do i intend to go that route. I dont judge or begrudge others in need.

Tbh i honestly dont know why you brought it up but i certainly do not want my thread or my name associated with any form of racism or prejudice.

My opinion on the subject is refugees are in dire need of housing/homes. They do their time in hostels and B&BS. I sincerely doubt anyone steps off the plane and is chaufferred to a new house. I work next door to such a hostel and i have met many lovely lovely people who are arrive in this country with no food, no money and just a small ruck sack with a change of clothes.

Just like single mothers, there are a lot of misconceptions about refugees and some people tar them all with the same brush.

My goal in life is to 'buy' my own house. The term 'get' did not mean for nothing and i apologise.

I most certainly do not receive 800 per month?? I do feel asking me for figures is a bit personal tbh but i will tell you this - my annual income or my is 11,000 per year before deductions, which is crazy to say that imo, i do not receive it, it is not a gift, it is my wages for hours worked in a job??

I get up at 6.45 like everyone else and go to work each day, i drop my son on the way and collect him on the way home. I'm not living the life of leisure while you pay my way. I'm not laying in bed or eating grapes or shopping in my pj's. I'm in the traffic with you every morning, i just have the advantage of getting home at 3pm, where i switch to mammy mode and do homework and cook dinners and wash uniforms. I dont go out at weekends unless its to the movies or park with my son nor do i drink my childrens allowance each month.

And i must retract the i am a tax-payer comment as having looked at my payslip i dont pay tax since i went part time, i pay union, PRSI, Superannuation and credit union loan as well as public service friendly society contributions. Giving me a grand total of 122 per week to live on, doesnt sound too bad if it was just spending money for the week but its not - then the bills and rent have be paid , the child has to be clothed and fed.



Believe me i do understand this. However (and i really dont think i will change anyones opinion here but anyway!) i was once part of a couple, both working full time, two incomes.

Then my circumstances changed and i was earning one salary and still paying the bills and rent that were orginally supposed to be split in 2, do the math

360 per week income from salary after deductions
250 per week rent
115 a week creche

Thats without food, bills, travel to and from work, clothes, school uniforms, books. I did this for a year, thats how i got into debt.

So i am sorry i am getting so much for 'free' but if 2 people and 2 incomes struggle well one person can barely survive.

I sincerely hope that none of these people that get 'annoyed' never find themselves or their sisters raising a child alone due to divorce/seperation or death of a spouse cos they have a lot of struggling and prejudice to face as well as the task of raising a child alone.

Apologies about the refugee/immigrant thing. I was mixing this thread up with a similar one on another forum and because you mentioned that if you were told if you were on drugs you would be housed I mixed up drugs addicts and refugees.

So you get nothing from government? You must be entitled to something even if you work PT? Rent supplement , lone parent allowance, income supplement? You should go to court for maintenance from the father. When number two arrives you might be better off giving up working and claim the rent supplement(will allow u rent anywhere near your desired location) and the other benefits and maybe return to college(you can keep your benefits when in college/training) or study with likes of open university. With two kids you should be much higher on councils housing lists and if you give up work you will get all the benefits and be better off than when working. When working making more sense financially than social welfare then you should go back to working.
Anyway good luck with it all , you don't seem to be milking the system like many others do but you have to acknowledge your personal responsibility for the situation and the responsibility that the father/s owe to their kid/s and to you.

Ted10

If you are getting rent allowance then surely you have entitlement to other payments such such as the One Parent Payment and if you work over 19 hrs per week then you would have an entitlement to Family Income Supplement also. Make sure you are receiving all your state benefits, call to the local social welfare office and ask to speak to a Job Facilitator, they will go through the welfare schemes with you to make sure you are availing of all the schemes available.

bleary

Would you think about applying for decentralisation?
1000 euros down the country would probably get u a 3 bed house at least in a lot of the areas decentralising -it doesnt sound like u are going to have much quality of life on C.O salary in dublin -childcare is cheaper and no 6.45 start
also less demand for AH .

microgirl

bleary wrote:

Would you think about applying for decentralisation?
1000 euros down the country would probably get u a 3 bed house at least in a lot of the areas decentralising -it doesnt sound like u are going to have much quality of life on C.O salary in dublin -childcare is cheaper and no 6.45 start
also less demand for AH .

In fairness, the OP has already said that she can't move out even as far as Balbriggan for personal family commitment reasons. She needs to be near her parents in Ballymun. And it does seem to be needs, not wants.

treewell

Trinity1 wrote:

Oh thanks a mill!!

I will certainly do that tomorrow!

Trinity,
I would like to know how you got on with the SWO, if you went? I do know were you are coming from but my circumstances are very different. All you want to do is get your own independence and doors keep getting slammed. Thats this government for you, help the rich and feck the working class!
I would like to know how you got on though.......

Raskolnikov

Give the girl a break, unlike some single mothers, she seems to be making a go of things herself. You don't have to apologise for anything Trinity1.

First of all, I think you'll need to forget about the notion of buying a house in Dublin. Two children, a clerical workers salary and it sounds like you're already in considerable debt. I'm not trying to be nasty or anything, but you're at least a couple of years away from buying a house. If buying is your goal, then you'll need to endure lots of short-term pain to put yourself in a better position. This means that you need to get back to full-time employment as soon as possible. As you're expecting, this won't be possible for some of that time. I know it'll sound horrifying, but is there anyway that your family/parents can assist you in this? If there was room, you could consider moving back home (even for the short-term) or having your family help with child-minding? If you could get the mother to mind the newcomer and collect the other kid from school, that would be of huge benefit. It sounds like an awful prospect as an independent woman I'm sure, but if you can get some assistance from your family, it would be extremely beneficial to you and your family in the long-term.

Not only that, but you're seriously need to go Eddie Hobbs style on your budget. You really need to start penny pinching in order to clear your debt. I can imagine you're already stretched as it is, it won't be easy. The remains though that debt will be a huge black mark against you in applying for a mortgage. Like I said, no pain, no gain.