I am a student social worker on 21 k, my partner earns about £300 a week and is also training, we have a 162k house and owe 142k mortgage on it. We decided to switch to interest only fixed until 2012 so that the capital for mortgaged could support my partners income unitl we both qualify. Meantime, we had problems structure and damp, and a death in family which we had to pay for 2k the house problems cost us 18k spread on loan and visa and over draft. We work very hard and have very little, and although we are managing it makes me feel sick that I have this debt. We do pay things, sometimes not on time, all credit cards and overdraft and loan and mortgage ect are always paid on time. But other household bills such as council tax etc end up being paid last min and this causes me to stress. If we are late to pay I contact such as gas and water bills etc, Just wondering what people think, any advice on what I should do or how to improve tips welcome. I guess the housing market slump and rise in bills adding to my concerns, the loan should be paid off in full in 2012 so that when fixed rate ends we can re-do and re-pay capital then too. By then I will be qualified and on 2010 be on 30k and 2012 35k plus. Partner should be on about same-------so the aim is anyway not sure how it might look in future