We’re in trouble…

Hi. My name is Jack, and I’m in trouble. The cost of living crisis has impacted me and my family hugely over the last few years. I lost my job back in 2021 and was forced to go into debt to keep a roof over our heads, the lights on and food on our table. Then I found more work, but with the repayments for the new debt hanging over my head.

In 2022 I lost half of my income after a big freelancing client dropped me because THEY couldn’t afford to pay me anymore. We eventually found extra work to make up the shortfall, but only after going into further debt to solve the immediate crisis.

And that is the theme of the last few years: crisis after crisis has prevented me from being able to climb out of the hole I’m in. And because the cost of everything - rent, energy, food, basic bills - keeps going up and my income remains static, the hole keeps getting deeper. I can’t pay off the debts fast enough to free up income to keep the bills paid.

In January I lost yet another income stream - small, but it was paying the gas and water bills. I wasn’t able to replace it, and the resulting small hole in my finances has let in water that’s been gradually rising and rising all year, and I can no longer keep our heads above water.

Prioritising bills to pay has meant that I’ve fallen behind on the rent, and I can’t recover in time to prevent the worst case scenario taking place. I can’t afford to go into further debt to find the shortfall… but no one aside from loan shark companies will lend it to me anyway, and I’m drowning.

I am still trying to replace that lost income, but already work a full time job plus evenings after my daughter goes to bed. Any money I can raise will help, but if I can somehow crowdfund enough to restore my rent fund, it’ll bail the water out of the hole I’m in, and give me the time I need to climb out again.