There is a little one on the way and things are bound to get out of hand with my constantly running for a new loan to help me pay the old one. I don't know what to do.

Answer:
You have not given me details of your situation but there are some basics you should follow. You need to get serious about tackling the problem and apply all your resources to rectifying the situation.

For the next few months you will have to make some serious sacrifices: no eating out, fast food, visits to movies, or buying of items you don?t need. You will be surprised how much you can save by pretending your salary has to last you for two months instead of one.

Maybe you will have to move to cheaper accommodation for a while, sell your car for a cheaper one, stop all subscriptions and reduce the time you spend on your cellphone.

Bring down your instalments

The next step is to go to your HR department and ask to see a list of the companies that have garnishee orders on your salary. Many of the legal firms that have these orders in place keep them active long after the debt has been paid.

Garnishee debt is expensive. I know it's not a good idea in general to take out another loan but if you could negotiate with your company to take a loan to settle the garnished money, your instalments should come down.

You may want to consider taking a weekend or evening job to get your debt under control. Do this before your child arrives because your time will be limited afterwards.

The last option you have is to be placed under administration; this means that a lawyer will negotiate with your creditors to pay them off over a longer period. Your total debt has to be under R50 000 though. Call a well known law firm in your area and they will be able to refer you.