Letter from Carphone Warehouse help? SCARED!

littlepinkstars44

I got a letter from Carphone Warehouse today with big red letters all over it!
It says:
We are writing to inform you that we have not yet recieved payment for your mobile account.
In order for your service to continue being provided without interruption, we must recieve full payment within 5 days of the date of this letter. (it's dated 17th Novemeber)

Please note failure to to settle your account in full may affect your credit rating (i don't have one) blah blah blah

We would like to let you know that by switching to Direct Debit you will no longer incur the £3.50 monthly admin fee, saving you £42 annually.

Ok i paid £35 to my phone bill on the 7th, but still have £50.11 to pay for last months bill, and then this months bill (which will be another £80+) will be coming in by the end of this week!

HELP! I only have £45 in my bank, which is to last me till i get paid again in December!

sarahs999

Well I guess you can ring them and talk and try to come to some sort of payment solution over a period of months - that's always better than hiding.
But I have to say if you only have £45 left in your account you are spending WAY too much on your mobile phone. You really need to address this - in fact, leave it at home so you're not tempted. Do not use your phone again until you have cleared what you owe them.

stapeley

Amazes me how on earth we all survived until mobile phones were invented ? And why do so many people want to pay a huge monthly charge for the right to be pestered any time anywhere ? I suggest you do all the talking you want to do face to face and turn your phone off .

littlepinkstars44

sarahs999 wrote: »

Well I guess you can ring them and talk and try to come to some sort of payment solution over a period of months - that's always better than hiding.
But I have to say if you only have £45 left in your account you are spending WAY too much on your mobile phone. You really need to address this - in fact, leave it at home so you're not tempted. Do not use your phone again until you have cleared what you owe them.

I have already dealt with thi problem see here: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1283379

So from next month my phone bill should only be £37.50 a month

littlepinkstars44

stapeley wrote: »

Amazes me how on earth we all survived until mobile phones were invented ? And why do so many people want to pay a huge monthly charge for the right to be pestered any time anywhere ? I suggest you do all the talking you want to do face to face and turn your phone off .

I don't actually phone anyone, have a bit of a phobia about talking on the phone...have a bit of a phobia about a lot of things actually
It's cause i was going way over my text limits, see here: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1283379

sarahs999

Do you actually use 400 texts a month, or whatever it is? Who do you need to text so much? I am always astounded at the deals offered - I have had a PAYG phone since 2000 (not always the same one!) and I steadfastly refuse to use it for anything other than the occasional text to friends to organise things when I'm en route somwhere, or emergency phonecalls. I spend less than £10 a month on it so no plan would ever be able to usurp the PAYG for me. I see you're a student, so obviously budgeting is important. But can't you use a landline to call people? Use email to communicate? If I read it rightly you've got internet on your phone too, do you not have it at home? Do you need both?

I know you have a lifestyle you want to continue with but it looks like you can't afford it. You're just one of millions of people discovering that we've all been duped into thinking we can afford lifestyles we can't. The big challenge is making the changes once you've seen the light, rather than sighing and turning the page.

stapeley

I would actually try writting to the phone company . Plead poverty, insanity , anything you can think of ! Beg if you have to ,anything to get out of the contract .good luck

littlepinkstars44

sarahs999 wrote: »

Do you actually use 400 texts a month, or whatever it is? Who do you need to text so much? I am always astounded at the deals offered - I have had a PAYG phone since 2000 (not always the same one!) and I steadfastly refuse to use it for anything other than the occasional text to friends to organise things when I'm en route somwhere, or emergency phonecalls. I spend less than £10 a month on it so no plan would ever be able to usurp the PAYG for me. I see you're a student, so obviously budgeting is important. But can't you use a landline to call people? Use email to communicate? If I read it rightly you've got internet on your phone too, do you not have it at home? Do you need both?

I know you have a lifestyle you want to continue with but it looks like you can't afford it. You're just one of millions of people discovering that we've all been duped into thinking we can afford lifestyles we can't. The big challenge is making the changes once you've seen the light, rather than sighing and turning the page.

Well if you read my other post you will see i've now canceled my internet on my phone, saving me £10 a month!
And yes i go way over my 500 text limit in about 2 weeks. I'm always texting my boyfriend and friends. Well it's not really pratical for me to be phoning people when i'm in classes. Plus as i have already mentioned i don't like phoning people, i feel uncomfortable talking on the phone.
Not allowed to use the house phone, thats why i have a mobile, and my boyfriend doesn't have his own computer so thats the only way i can talk to him

littlepinkstars44

stapeley wrote: »

I would actually try writting to the phone company . Plead poverty, insanity , anything you can think of ! Beg if you have to ,anything to get out of the contract .good luck

lol - well i don't have a problem with my contract now, as it's only £37.50 a month now!

littlepinkstars44

Also - my phone has been disconnected today, which has only been 2 days since the date on the letter, not the 5 they told me it would be!

littlepinkstars44

Can anyone help me out?