Not Quite Rock bottom

Mupeteer

I'd love to grow my own food but I need to get the weeds dealt with first! But I am thinking of starting a small veg window box.

Now that I've started defaulting on my debts the letters are rolling in. It's absolutely terrifying but I know it's the first step on the way to getting out of this mess. I need to spend some time later today getting stuff together to forward to my debt advisor.

I'm back on placement for the next 4 weeks so everything is a bit hectic just now. Trying to get everything organised for school, keeping my house from turning into a pig-sty, walking my dog and trying to keep afloat financially are hard work when you're dealing with them all at once! Oh well, it's nearly summer!

Mupeteer

OMG! It's been nearly 3 months since I've been here. And quite a lot has happened in that time.

Placement - DISASTER! Teacher had it in for me from the start and made my life a misery, despite the fact she knew I was giving it everything even though my gran had just been taken into hospital. Tears every night, seriously began to doubt my abilities as a teacher even though every other placement has been fantastic and I've always had glowing reports. Anyway, gran died at the end of the second last week, I failed placement and didn't go back. Great. Got through the funeral then went to see the head of the course who advised me to write to the exam board. Long story, cut short, is that they are allowing me to sit placement again but as a first sitting given the death of my gran. What a relief, although my confidence has been severely shaken and I'm terrified of going back into a school.

On the debt front, I've now started my payment plan so I'm no longer having to find hideous amounts of money each month. So far I've only had one letter saying they have accepted the plan and frozen my interest but that's better than nothing. The rest are just sending me letters threatening court action. How scary is that? Lloyds TSB are the worst. They are continuing to throw charge after charge onto my accounts and sending me letters and texts all the time.

I also sent of the hardship letter to try to reclaim my charges from Lloyds but got nowhere with that. They sent back a letter saying someone would be in touch and that was it.

Still, it feels much better knowing that things are slowly moving in the right direction.

I managed to get a job over the summer too. I'm working in a Tesco call centre (but for Search so i get less money than real Tesco employees grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!). The work is generally ok and the people are nice so I'm quite happy with that. I've only got a few weeks left though then it'll be back to school. Eeek!

So, I think that's pretty much what has happened over the last few months. I must try to come here more often as I find it keeps me on the straight and narrow.

RAS

Mupeteer

I am really pleased to learn that you tackled the situation regarding the placement so well - plainly you had good reason to claim extenuating circumstances.

With respect to the default letters and court threats, if you collect those together, you can get them checked as to whether they are legally complaint.

But most creditors eventually calm down and accept the money offered.

clarence83_2

Interesting reading, but well done for sticking with it and trying to sort everything out. I really hope everything works out for you and I look forward to reading more positive threads in the future x

SarahNeedle1872

Hi Mupeteer, you seem quite positive despite having a tough time... hope everything works out for you

Sx

Mupeteer

I've been pretty good over the last few days. It was my birthday just over a week ago and I haven't even spent all my birthday money yet. I'd rather keep some of it back in case of emergencies (though the thought of using birthday money for emergencies is horrible). i've been tempted a few times but so far I'm resisting. Just got to keep that going.

Tonight I'm going to sit down and go through all my paperwork to see what I need to send to my debt adviser and to see where I am generally. Trying to get my house, paperwork, uni stuff etc all in good order before I go on placement again. Got a month to go so with a little work each day I should hopefully get there.

RAS

Going lot placement knowing that your other stuff is more or less under control, barring the unexpected, will feel a lot better.

Mupeteer

Feel bloated, skint and disappointed in myself. What's brought this on? A lunchtime trip to McDs. What possessed me? Idiot!

CashHound

Hey Mupeteer, just read the whole thread. Glad things are better than they were!

"What possessed me? Idiot!" - I always think that after I've been to McDs. Funny thing is, at the time it always feels great. Afterwards not so great!

Don't have much to add except in one of your earlier postings you said you spent £25 calling vodafone customer support line. There is a website that you can put high call rate (non-geographic) numbers like 0870, 0845 etc... and it gives you the local number alternative. www.saynoto0870.com This might help you save money on these calls in the future.

In_Search_Of_Me

How you doing? Sorry to hear that your granny died...I was very close to mine and devastated when she went...Good news re the placement and sorry that last one was so horrendous. Things like that do really dent your confidence but where I have had things like that happe I've looked back and realise that experiences, while devastating, made me stronger. How is the garden getting on?