2nd timer DMP, 1st time father. Enough is enough!

FireWyrm wrote: »

Perhaps he smokes outside. Not everyone smokes around children. The health of the newborn is evidently on his mind or he wouldnt be here asking for help. The OP has explained he is a casual social smoker and has no intention of becoming hooked.

Moving on to practical matters.

Your first idea is correct. Move your legitimate bills to another account and treat the PDLs as debts. Do not, whatever you do, allow the PDLs to know what that account access is.

Close your credit card

The PDLs are now debts. Starting from your next payday, allocate your necessary payments from your salary and pay the PDLs whatever is left. They will complain and argue, but this is the only way. Do not get another one. You'll just have to make do with what you have until next you are paid, this must stop. Now.


You mention 'barely a social life' which implies that there is at least something there. Sorry, but it has to stop until you are right side up again.

Makes no difference unless you shower straight away.

Anyway....as said by others, close any credit cards and try and complete an SOA if possible.

I doubt you'd have much of a social life with a newborn! We don't have much with ours.

Wow, how did the thread turn into the rights and wrongs of smoking around children just from a casual comment?

I also had lots of experience with struggling and making the mistake of turning to payday loans to get through the month. It really is a vicious circle and I ended up taking out loans to meet living expenses because my whole salary was being spent on repaying them. Its so difficult to get out of it!!

I would advise contacting the payday loan companies directly in the short term (I know you mentioned a DMP long term) and telling them you can't afford it. I was surprised by how helpful they were when I was struggling and they froze interest and set up realistic repayment plans very quickly. I think they are under a lot of scrutiny (rightly so!!) and are obliged to be seen to be as helpful as possible. This allowed me a bit of breathing space to start reducing the amount month by month until I was in a better situation and wasn't using my whole salary to pay them back.

Good luck!!