Ways to start your journey and clear your Lowell debt
Knowing where to begin when it comes to clearing your debt can be difficult. However, once you do start, it may give you peace of mind knowing that you’re on the right track and gaining control of your finances.
Here are five helpful hints and tips that you can take to get a head start on your journey:
Reach out for help and advice
We understand that being in debt can feel overwhelming, especially if your circumstances have changed. You may even feel like you’re alone, but we want you to know that this is not the case.
Fortunately, there are lots of places you can turn to for advice and support whether that’s speaking with friends and family or seeking advice elsewhere. There are various organisations that you can contact for free, independent advice including National Debtline and Citizens Advice.
If you’re a Lowell customer, you can also get in touch with our team. Whilst we won’t be able to offer advice, we can put you in touch with those who can. We’ll also look to see if there’s anything else that we can do to support you such as reviewing your current payment plan.
Remember, by asking for help, you’ll be able to determine what other available options may be best for helping you take control of your finances and deal with your outstanding debts.
Create a budget
Dealing with debt can be tricky, especially when it comes to making sure you’re able to make your monthly payments in full and on time. Creating a budget can be a great way to ensure that you put enough money aside and know what you’re spending and where.
Once you’ve got a budget in place then you can start monitoring your spending. This is to ensure that you don’t accidentally overspend or have outgoings that you don’t realise are potentially becoming more expensive. You may also identify areas where you can cut back on spending and where you may be able to increase your income.
Our handy Budget Calculator tool is completely free to use and can provide you with a clear overview of your finances.
Find out how much you owe
To start paying off your debts it’s important to know exactly how much you owe and who to.
If you’re unsure about your outstanding balance with Lowell, please contact us, we’re more than happy to provide you with all the information you need. Alternatively, you can view this yourself by registering for an account online.
Another good source of information regarding your financial situation is your credit file. You can access your credit file through one of the UK’s three main credit reference agencies (CRAs) – TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian.
During this time, you may also realise you have more debt than you thought or notice a debt that you don’t recognise. We’ve got a separate guide on how to recognise if a debt is yours.
If you owe more than one debt, you can keep track of all the details by using a computer or writing them down. Independent organisations such as those mentioned previously in tip number one can also offer you support with this.
Focus on paying back your debt
Setting up an affordable payment plan with us is an important step towards becoming debt free. However, it’s not just about setting up a payment plan but sticking to it by making the payments as you’ve agreed.
As part of your plan, you’ll have an affordable and sustainable payment that you have agreed to pay each month. However, not paying the full monthly amount or missing payments will mean it takes longer to clear. You might even find yourself in a situation to be able to make additional payments and reduce your outstanding balance even more.
If you have more than one outstanding debt, it might be that certain methods could help you to clear your debt faster such as the debt snowball method. You can find out more about the best way to pay off your debt by contacting an independent organisation, such as those we mentioned in tip one.
If you've got an outstanding debt with Lowell, you can make a payment through our easy-to-use online portal.
Contact Lowell directly
Here at Lowell, our customers are our top priority. Whatever your situation, we’ve got a friendly team who are there to listen to your concerns and questions about your Lowell debt.
To put it simply, we want to support Lowell customers however we can on their journey to becoming debt free with us.
For example, if your circumstances have changed and your payment plan is no longer suitable, please get in touch and let us know. We can also discuss other options such as breathing space which will involve putting your account on hold giving you time to seek free debt advice.