DMP Mutual Support Thread (Part 5)

very_silly_and_scared

http://www.payplan.com/debt-library/miscellaneous.php

forgot the link!

msc1977

Hey Donna - glad you had a good time last nite!

I'll be spending tomorrow writing my £1 cheques and cancelling the DD's due at the start of next week. I have most but not all of my paperwork for CCCS ready, just need to get copies of mine and hubby's payslips and copies made of my statements etc so there is a chance i might be able to get DMP started in March after all. Although having said that the extra month would help us to get a bit more of an emergency buffer:-) Its hard to know what to do for the best.

We've also decided that we will give it the first week of feb and if the phone calls become too much we're going to change the number. I've typed a letter to go with my token payments and notification form requesting that due to work commitments and having a young child in the house that all contact is in writing or directly with CCCS ...we'll have to see if that achieves anything!!!!

I do have one question for you guys that a working well with a budget now....when it comes to breaking your budget down for a week ie £65 per week for shopping - when do you start your week? ie on pay day / on a set day cause you do your shopping the same day each week..and what happens where the month has 5 shopping trips in?? We have a budget of £260 per month which is £65 a week but what happens when i go into week 5 before i'm paid???? I know this is pretty trivial but i cant get my head around it at all!

very_silly_and_scared

msc1977 wrote: »

I do have one question for you guys that a working well with a budget now....when it comes to breaking your budget down for a week ie £65 per week for shopping - when do you start your week? ie on pay day / on a set day cause you do your shopping the same day each week..and what happens where the month has 5 shopping trips in?? We have a budget of £260 per month which is £65 a week but what happens when i go into week 5 before i'm paid???? I know this is pretty trivial but i cant get my head around it at all!

I don't know how others do it but I break my monthly food budget down weekly from payday depending on how many weeks there are until the next one. Don't forget that there are some things you will need ot buy every week like milk etc and some which run out less often (rice, pasta, ketchup etc) I did try having a separate budget for those sorts of things but that din't really work out....!

Meal planning helps keep control of the budget too. I would also say to take care (again by experiencing this myself and living and learning!) not to spend right up to the £65 each week if you don't really need to. I had £35 (it's just me) and some weeks it would come to £25 so would spend rest on wine then following week would have to buy cleaning products/toothpaste etc etc as well as 'usual food' adn go OVER the £35!

Hope that helps. What do others do?

dlb

Shopping is one of my areas where im good at!! lol With 4 kids that have bottomless pits you have to be!! lol

I shop on a weekly basis, every monday morning, sunday afternoon is spent making a meal plan up for the week ahead.

A basic mon-sun- main meal is planned for then, i add in pack lunches and snacks for the 2nd meal of the day. On top of this i have a goodie list which has biscuits crisps ect on.

Then make a list of everything you need, right down to the spices that you need to complete this meal plan, this involves a visual walkthrough of the week to make sure you dont forget ANYTHING.Easy things to forget are gravy, mayo, butter and other basics.

Then cross everything off your list that you already have in...then the hard part hit the shops and only buy what is on your list...do not be swayed by buy on get one, special offers ect unless you are sure you can freeze it or use it within the sell by date.

I buy the shops own brand everything that i can, doesnt taste any different..its not what it costs its what you do with it that matters, and cooking from scratch saves £££££££££

I feed a family of 6 (2 adults 4 kids oh and the cat on £70ish a week give or take a pound here and there.

The best thing you can do if you can afford more money one week is stock up your store cupboard...pasta, rice, couscous,flour,bread(to freeze) Tins of tomatoes,spices ,herbs,tins of veg,fruit ect this will save you loads on your weekly shop if you work your meals around items you have in.

My favourite buget meal is curry..all you need is left over meat from another meal eg chicken lamb ect, throw in tomatoes, sugar, curry spices, any veg you have in and almost as good as a take away!!

I buy potatoes in large bags (eg tescos £2.99 for a huge bag) this does us all week for mash,chips,roast,jackets,wedges, and when you peel the spuds slow cook the peelings and then throw in salt and vinager for yummy snack.

It takes a while to get your head around meal planning but once you get used to it...i think its the biggest area people can cut back on...i am allowed £640 a month on the dmp for food...i spend...£300 max!

Fullhouse

Hi All
Just had my consultation with CCCS who agreed to put me on a dmp (whoot!!). Feel like I'm finally getting somewhere with this mess. Had to say, OMG dlb, you HAVE to give me shopping/cooking tips (pleeese!!). I always look at other people's shopping budgets and think, yeah well that's because I have 5 kids so I spend more - but you have 4 and shop on a third of what I do. Please advise me, you must be a kitchen goddess!!

Moany_Money

geesh wrote: »

Hi,

I have a quick question. I have tried to fnd this on the threads but no joy so far. But I apologise for asking questions that may have been asked already.

I am on the verge of starting a DMP with the CCCS. Before I do I was wondering what effect this will have on my wifes credit file, and also who are the best bank to aproach to open an account with. Also can my creditors chase my wife for payment even though all the debts are mine and in my name only?

Thanks in advance.

I set up my new bank account with Yorkshire bank. They give you a debit card (maestro) for the most basic of accounts. Might be worth checking out where your nearest branch is. Hope that helps!

cocker100

Evening all (Or is it morning???),

Just a quickie,;)

Does anyone know if a DMP automatically qualifies you for reclaiming bank charges under the hardship rules?

Cocker:)

Fullhouse

Can anyone advise me on this. I have a debt with First Direct (loan & OD) which is part of HSBC. My hubby who isn't on the dmp as all debts are in my name has an account at HSBC in his sole name. If I have my wages paid into there can they get at them to offset my debt?

msc1977

Fullhouse wrote: »

Can anyone advise me on this. I have a debt with First Direct (loan & OD) which is part of HSBC. My hubby who isn't on the dmp as all debts are in my name has an account at HSBC in his sole name. If I have my wages paid into there can they get at them to offset my
debt?

I think this question was asked a few pages back and i dont think anyone corrected my answer, which for me was No i'm pretty sure if the acc is just in your OH's name then they cant. But for peace of mind i personally would choose to open either two single or one joint account somewhere else completely. I think it has to be personal choice, for instance i wouldnt like not having my own cash/debit card, or not being able to go into a branch and discuss my funds going in/out without him being there....

msc1977

Thanks guys for the shopping advice, we tend to try and stock up the freezer at the start of the month and i 'batch' cook things like lasagne and shepherds pie etc so i think if i still do that and perhaps go to the limit of my budget in the first week, i should be able to keep under it the rest of the weeks as in theory i would only need to buy fresh stuff. We do tend to meal plan but what we've always done in the past is after our 'big shop' just after payday we sit and write a list of all the meals we have in fresh, frozen and cupboard meals and i try to make sure i have enough for the month. Then rather than plan for a week each morning we choose something off the list and take it out of the freezer etc. The only downfall i can see with continuing to do this is if we need something fresh to go with chosen meal i sometimes nip into the supermarket on the way home and it is so easy to add other stuff to the one or two items i originally went in for! I'm going to have to be strict with that:-)