DMP Mutual Support Thread (Part 5)

Daffykjs

Hi Nancy. Welcome to the thread, glad you're feeling positive! it really does feel like a weight is lifted when you start! did for me anyway!

biggles not sure about cccs but with payplan with all the details they sent there was a standing order form to take to the bank to start paying payplan by standing order each month. so that's what i do. and they emailed me my login details for the online thing as it was all getting set up!

icecube no idea about the mortgage. mine's interest only fixed rate but i think runs out during dmp so hopefully won't have to think about it for a while but when the time comes it will be ok! Fingers crossed! when i got the mortgage i mentioned to the advisor about the debt and she said being on a dmp (or IVA i think i was talking about at the time) shouldn't hinder it. In fact it may even help as they see you are actively doing something! So I'd start it now personally! And I'd put even the small debts on. you could always put any extra you get aside and pay them off with that as you can. that's what i'd do anyway!

2spicy

WorriedofSurrey wrote: »

Hi Nancy

I am just at the same stage as you, so wanted to say hello. Our debts are larger (around 79k) - jesus, that is the first time I have put that in writing, scary. Should take us around 7 years to pay back, then will de debt free the first time for 20 odd years!

Good luck.

WoS

Hi and welsome. We started our DMP in Feb. the last 130 plus pages are basically our starting off . We have similar sized debts to yourselves.Good luck.

Daffykjs

You'll like this!!

Just got a text from my old bank. The bank that haven't yet accepted the dmp. The bank that are still charging me and subsequently KEEP putting me back over my £4000 od limit (and then charging me for that)!

It says

'We are pleased to announce that Natwest text alerts' (which i'd already cancelled anyway seeing as i'm not using the account anymore) 'will continue to be free until further notice. NatWest - Helpful Banking' (that last bit is my favourite bit! HELPFUL???)

Brilliant! Made me smile! How nice of them! I mean !!!!!!! I repeat, do these people not talk to each other? And i tell you what, i will be fuming if they do start charging for a service i no longer use on an account i no longer use!

Anyway, just wanted to share with you all as it amused me! (I'm a geek and proud!)

DevonGirl

Hi All
Sorry if this has been asked - have searched through pages and pages without success - but is there any provisions regarding Christmas?? I have a very tight DMP with CCCS, and the only 'extra' money is the £10 for emergencies etc, or I could dig into monies set aside for car tax and try to make it up somehow..? Have just started my DMP - they initially gave me £130 for fuel and parking, which I lowered to the more realistic figure of £65. Should I have been sneaky and accepted the £130 instead? However, now it's done, should I wait until my review and say that I do need the £130? What's the best way round this? How are people's experience with getting more 'spending money' out of a CCCS dMP? (Yes, I realise that this will take me longer to repay my debts, and I do need to make big changes to my expenditure, but it just seems way too tight). Am trying to get overtime and 2nd job with no success. Should I just sell my worldly goods on E-bay?
Sorry to ramble on...
Thanks for your advice.

massivedebts

DevonGirl wrote: »

Hi All
Sorry if this has been asked - have searched through pages and pages without success - but is there any provisions regarding Christmas?? I have a very tight DMP with CCCS, and the only 'extra' money is the £10 for emergencies etc, or I could dig into monies set aside for car tax and try to make it up somehow..? Have just started my DMP - they initially gave me £130 for fuel and parking, which I lowered to the more realistic figure of £65. Should I have been sneaky and accepted the £130 instead? However, now it's done, should I wait until my review and say that I do need the £130? What's the best way round this? How are people's experience with getting more 'spending money' out of a CCCS dMP? (Yes, I realise that this will take me longer to repay my debts, and I do need to make big changes to my expenditure, but it just seems way too tight). Am trying to get overtime and 2nd job with no success. Should I just sell my worldly goods on E-bay?
Sorry to ramble on...
Thanks for your advice.

Hi DG and hello to everyone new and old
When I first gave my budget to CCCS I was obsessed with my DFD trying to cut mone here and there on the budget to try and keep it under 10years, then having spoken to CCCS (I orig did on line) the guy made me realise that if I didn't allow enough money in my budget to live on I'd more than likely fail....don't forget us DMPers have NO access to anymore credit, we only have what we have budgeted for. Anyway, to cut a long story short, my original £563 DMP payment over 9.5 yrs, is now £328 over 17.5 years, so yes I'm DMPing for an extra 8 years, but I have also been realistic with my budget and accepted the figs that CCCS have recommended, they are still withinh the guidelines. Please please please don't make your budget too tight, yes you may only spend £65 on fuel, but is it a bad thing to say you may spend the £130 if it gives ou that little bit of security and a bigger chance of success? Even if you put aside the extra cash, and if in a year it's still sitting there, then tell your DMP company and they can dish it out to your creditors.
Gosh.......................sorry to ramble!:o
MD xx

DevonGirl

Thank you so much for this advice MassiveDebts.

Yes, I have been so keen on getting the max amount of money for my creditors that I think I've overstretched it. My DMP will start in April and I'm just waiting for my creditors to accept the money allocated to them by the CCCS. Now that the deed is done and the DMP has been accepted, can I re-negotiate my payment figure and get more spending money so that, as you say, I'm less likely to fail? Or should I wait until things have settled down abit with my creditors?

Also, should I just be upfront with the CCCS about this, or should I pretend that I suddenly need double the amount of petrol for some reason? Not just Christmas but also birthdays. I have the massive sum of £16 per month for 'entertainment' and the 7 years ahead of me seem very long!

Thanks again for help!

massivedebts

I personally wuld contact CCCS before the DMP gets up and running, they can always send an amendment of offer to your creditors, I start on the 1st April too, and I know that CCCS have had to send an amendment to my creditors due to an error on their part. What did you put down for your groceries, I would be inclinde to ring and say that you're not sure you've been realistic with your budget and wonder whether you should increase it, alternatively give them a call and say that you've been sitting down working through your budget and that you have missed out something, ie childcare or boiler cover etc, and that you think you mat have underestimated your petrol costs........they won't judge you at CCCS and you have plenty of movement if you DFD is only 7 yrs away.............I'd rather have 10 years of payments so long as I could still have a life, rather than no life for the next 7 yrs.
Take care xx

bigmommamuppet

rcpbiggles wrote: »

Wow - I don't come online for a bit and I have hundreds of posts to catch up on (well almost!). A bunch of chatterboxes

I have a couple of questions if I may - sending off my CCCS paperwork tomorrow (statements etc). What is the next step? How do I make payments to CCCS?

Also, I've seen a post saying you can access your debts etc online - will I get a username etc once CCCS have set my plan up?

Still catching up posts so haven't seen last few days but noticed MFM hadn't been posting - everything ok there?

I know I'm only starting this DMP journey and expect some nasty letters/phonecalls to come, but just sending my token payments and paperwork to CCCS makes me feel lighter! Or maybe it's just the sunshine!

Once you send your statements you get a Welcome pack that has a copy of your budget, debts, the amount they plan to pay your creditors on your behalf and details on setting up your DD. Our 1st payment had to be through the post office, I think they do this to ensure that they recieve the money on time i.e. incase you can't get a DD set up in time with new bank acounts etc.

You'll also get a seperate letter given you your password for accessing your online DMP. Couldn't be easier

bigmommamuppet

Well we survived!!!!

For all of you thinking about starting a DMP then I thought I'd share my experience with you.

Our 1st month of no credit has now been completed. (Payday is the 20th so tomorrow is a new month for us).

LBM moment was the 20th Jan. Contacted CCCS to start a DMP that week and cancelled all DDs etc. 1st real month of budgeting etc. was from the 20th Feb, hence this post.

For the 1st time ever in a long time. I'm not scared to open the mail, I've never had so few letters, the postie must be wondering what's going on. I can answer the phone without dread (no caller ID). And above all DH & I can talk about money without it descending into an argument.

This month we had a proper night out, 2 takeaways (1 as a result of H/O from night out ). I've paid for DS birthday pressies and small party (which is tomorrow). Spent too much money on food - must improve on this. Paid all our bills on time without the worry of trying to find the money. And we still have £40 in the bank. Not much I know but I've never had a surplus at the end of the month before.

We all say starting a DMP was one of the best things we ever did and I truly agree with this. The lack of stress and worry has been a huge relief over the last 8 weeks and I can see a good & happy future for my family.

Becks

nntbb

Well done Becks, I'm really pleased for you.