'I hit breaking point over my spiralling debt'

Feeling ashamed of her £28,000 debt, Julie Andrews, 59, from Port Talbot, hit rock bottom. Now she's determined to help others in the same predicament

- ANNA BAILEY

'In 1999, everything changed for me. I got divorced and found myself a single mother to my children Carli, then six, and Ben, four. My ex hadn’t really ever worked, so there was no child support coming in. Not long after, I lost my father, who used to help me out, and my mum had died when I was young so I was on my own.

In 2002, after a brief relationship, I had my daughter Jodie, but her dad left when he realised I was pregnant. Struggling to survive with three little ones, it wasn’t long before I took out a payday loan. Back then, it wasn’t like it is today where it’s all online. You’d have people knocking on your door offering you £200 or £300.

I couldn’t say no. They needed school uniforms and nutritious food and I couldn’t bear it if they didn’t have gifts to open on birthdays and Christmas. I was trying to be both Mum and Dad and I didn’t want them to go without because they were from a single parent family.

DEEPER INTO DEBT

But, of course, the loans were a trap. You start off borrowing a small amount like £200 and, before you know it, you owe double, then triple. It just never seemed to end.

When the bills for gas, electricity and water started piling up, I did the only thing I could think of – I threw them away. I knew I couldn’t pay them and it was easier to ignore them than to face the reality of my situation.