DMP Mutual Support Thread (Part 5)

Toffee_Penny

Hi all!

When I read through others posts on here about how scared they are about creditors and querying what to do when setting up a DMP it takes me back to when I first started on here. Now I feel so old with so many new names! But it's really great to read through the responses, it's amazing how quickly our outlook and attitude changes isn't it and we start to turn against the creditors? KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

I had letters today from Monument and Great Universal confirming the refund of charges to our accounts :T , we still owe a million to them but slowly I am starting to feel really positive about getting some money back from them. Writing all the reclaim letters takes it toll as the creditors seem to send standard fob off letters to scare you off from reclaiming but keep at them and it does seem to pay off.

OH started back at work and then had a whole week and half off because of the snow which means no wages but glad it is over now but it seems one step forward two steps back sometimes but we are surviving quite happily on the DMP.

I put money in my purse on the Monday and I still have it later in the week, my spending habits have changed too I now look at things and wonder if I need them or just want them. I have saved alot by doing that especially clothes shopping obviously using credit I could buy anything I wanted and it usually ended up hanging in the wardrobe with the label still on.

I did miss the ol' credit card though when it was snowing, I could have used it just the once to get my shopping delivered from Tesco online! never mind I'll survive! :rolleyes:

take care everyone and remember Ant and Dec Saturday Night Takeaway starts again this weekend :j

dlb

Toffee penny..i know just where you are coming from.
The longer you are on your debt free journey the stronger you become, all those years ago i was terrified of answering the phone, calling crediotrs, offering less than they wanted....but now as strange as this may sound i enjoy it!!! Reson being..i took control away from the crediotrs and gained it myself, i now know when they are talking utter rubbish (99% of the time) when they are using scare tactics and iv learnt to stand up for myself!!

All you guys that are starting out, please dont worry as hard as it maybe not to, us lot on here that have been at the starting block like yourself only many moons ago now are living proof that what you are doing is the best thing you will have ever done.
No more hiding from the telephone, leaving letters unopened, using one credit card to pay the other,haing no spare cash......these things all leave you life and make room for...fun, no worrys, enjoyment of your life.

My husband nearly had a breakdown with worry when we first started looking into dmp`s...he now cant sing their praise high enough and wishes we had done it years before we did. We were in it for the long haul and now 3 years in we finally see a light at the end of the tunnel..it has always been there since the day we signed the dmp papers only now its getting brighter and brighter..only 30 payments to go and ill be blinded by the debt free life that will be ahead of us.

Stay strong everyone, take control....starting enjoying your life again
Donna
xxx

HopeTRMD

Hello All,

I just started on DFW thread recently. They have been awesome already.

They advised I come over to you guys to get some advice re my questions on the best way to start my DMP following my light bulb visit to the CAB.
i.e arrange it alone with CAB alongside or Payplan etc
Not sure how to attach the original post ....So I’ve copied it over below ...sorry!!!

I hope I came through on the right DMP mutual supporter’s thread.

Hope you can help. Thanks in advance.
x



Hello Everyone,

I am sooooo nervous to send this post; this (talking about IT) together with my visit to the CAB is a major breakthrough for me...
I have recently taken my head out of the sand, for where it was deeply rooted it for the past 8 years!!! I have no life, just debts and bills. The fact is I owe over £55k in unsecured debts and was slowly dying in all aspects of my life from the shame and stain of it all.
I finally, finally took the step to face it and went to the CAB. I now have a financial statement prepared. They advised that I should send letters to all my creditors (once I get a new non related current account opened) and correspond with them to take the pro rated reduced payments. For which I should set up individual standing orders for (10 in total! ) under my new current account.
CAB said I should feel free to come back for any further assistance during the process.

I can do this, I have no problem with this, and I can correspond and manage this. My questions are is it ok to manage this debt management plan alone (with the CAB alongside) or is it best for me to instead use Payplan, for which they gave me the leaflet for.
What about if they all don't accept the reduced payments? Is there any more clout given if Payplan are involved, in accepting my initial offer?
Am I viewed more favorably on my own than via a DMP,is there any different impact to my credit rating?
How do I know what my debt free date will be?
Can I involve Payplan at any stage or if you start alone you cannot engage them?
Sorry for the deluge of questions, my head is all over the place.
Time is of the essence because 10 deeply irate creditors will be a nightmare. I already faced 3+ weeks delay from my initial visit to CAB to my SOA interview so I don't want to take any more time in getting my offer out to my creditors. I am not sure if Payplan will add anything more to my situation. Plus the possible time in initiating them ....weeks (???) might just push me and my creditors over the edge.

Funny, that although I am at this early stage of seeing the light and taking some action, I feel strangely empowered and want to now press ahead.

But I just don't want to make any wrong moves at this rather crucial stage.

Appreciate any advice from you kind people, as again I want to join the debt free wannabe gang.
Can I?

Thanks in advance.

Hope To Reach My Destiny
xx


"Proud to be dealing with my debts"

dlb

Morning.
HopeTRMD welcome you have come the right place for advise, everyone on here is great.

There is nothing to stop you doing a self managed dmp like the cab advised you..but the way i see it is why have all that added pressure of doing it yourself when payplan/cccs will do the smae thing for you for free.
Plus payplan/cccs have a 90% success level at getting creditors to stop all interest, they will work out the payments for you and you then only need to make one payment a month to the dmp company and then they do the rest.

It doesnt take to long to set it up and in the mean time they advise you to send token payments to your creditors with a intent to start dmp letters.

They are wonderful and friendly at Payplan and non-judgementle, give them a ring today just for some advise..i bet you would feel so much better just from speaking to them and they can answer any questions you have, they do not pressure you into signing up they tell you the facts and the options then leave it up to you to make the decision.

Good luck
Donna
xx

marfan_not_martian

HOPE TRMD - I am inclined to agree with DLB before I approached CCCS I had initally wrote to a couple of my larger creditors and told them that I was having problems. One of them didnt want to know and said you need to contractually make the payments otherwise you are breaching terms. The Halifax sent me a nice letter saying sorry to hear of your problems we would suggest you contact CCCS or Payplan for advice.

With the help of everyone on this forum and DLB's support I had already completed the debt remedy with CCCS and so a DMP was already in motion. After speaking to the halifax they are much more supportive now that I have got CCCS on board as they believe now that my budget is much more realistic and whilst they are not getting what I originally offered them they know that they will be getting a regular payment.

Dealing with creditors is very stressful and if you read some of the posts on this forum some can be quite agressive in attitiude. So my advice to you is let CCCS or Payplan take all the stress of you - let them send all the money payments that way you are not having to sit down every month and do a load of paperwork. You have done enough worrying.

Look at me - when I came on this forum beginning of January I was not sleeping or eating I was so worried sick it was making me ill (well more ill than I already am) - Now I am facing this head on and enjoying the journey, I am sleeping at night and dont worry about opening the post - in fact I enjoy looking out for him and budgeting well dont get me started on that - I love trying to see how much more I can shave off my shopping budget every week - sounds sad but it isnt its great fun and you really feel like you have got your life back.

Good luck on whatever you decide we are all behind you 100% and keep us informed of how you are doing

MNM xx

HopeTRMD

Morning Donna,
Many thanks for your response.
That’s exactly the kind of information I was after.

The success level that they have and the less stress free option. I felt stressed just dealing with the correspondence telling some of them that I was going to the CAB!! I not sure if I will be able to cope with the negotiation stage.
Mentally also just making "one" payment will seem in it own way much more stressful than 10 individual ones.

CAB did mention Payplan.So it is best I go with them. I'll call them..

Just a quick Q is there any much difference between the Payplan and CCS in how it operates.

Cheers.
Hope

HopeTRMD

Hello All,

I just started on DFW thread recently. They have been awesome already.

They advised I come over to you guys to get some advice re my questions on the best way to start my DMP following my light bulb visit to the CAB.
i.e arrange it alone with CAB alongside or Payplan etc
Not sure how to attach the original post ....So I’ve copied it over below ...sorry!!!

I hope I came through on the right DMP mutual supporter’s thread.

Hope you can help. Thanks in advance.
x



Hello Everyone,

I am sooooo nervous to send this post; this (talking about IT) together with my visit to the CAB is a major breakthrough for me...
I have recently taken my head out of the sand, for where it was deeply rooted it for the past 8 years!!! I have no life, just debts and bills. The fact is I owe over £55k in unsecured debts and was slowly dying in all aspects of my life from the shame and stain of it all.
I finally, finally took the step to face it and went to the CAB. I now have a financial statement prepared. They advised that I should send letters to all my creditors (once I get a new non related current account opened) and correspond with them to take the pro rated reduced payments. For which I should set up individual standing orders for (10 in total! ) under my new current account.
CAB said I should feel free to come back for any further assistance during the process.

I can do this, I have no problem with this, and I can correspond and manage this. My questions are is it ok to manage this debt management plan alone (with the CAB alongside) or is it best for me to instead use Payplan, for which they gave me the leaflet for.
What about if they all don't accept the reduced payments? Is there any more clout given if Payplan are involved, in accepting my initial offer?
Am I viewed more favorably on my own than via a DMP,is there any different impact to my credit rating?
How do I know what my debt free date will be?
Can I involve Payplan at any stage or if you start alone you cannot engage them?
Sorry for the deluge of questions, my head is all over the place.
Time is of the essence because 10 deeply irate creditors will be a nightmare. I already faced 3+ weeks delay from my initial visit to CAB to my SOA interview so I don't want to take any more time in getting my offer out to my creditors. I am not sure if Payplan will add anything more to my situation. Plus the possible time in initiating them ....weeks (???) might just push me and my creditors over the edge.

Funny, that although I am at this early stage of seeing the light and taking some action, I feel strangely empowered and want to now press ahead.

But I just don't want to make any wrong moves at this rather crucial stage.

Appreciate any advice from you kind people, as again I want to join the debt free wannabe gang.
Can I?

Thanks in advance.

Hope To Reach My Destiny
xx


"Proud to be dealing with my debts"

marfan_not_martian

Hi hopetrmd - not sure about payplan but with CCCS you can go online and complete their debt remedy and they will tell you if a DMP is suitable for your needs straight away. You are not signing up to anything by completing the forum but if you want to go ahead with CCCS then there is the option for you to do that.

I found the debt remedy thing really easy and it even gives you suggest figures for shopping etc which again I found useful as they were more than I had budgeted for and so gives me a bit extra each month to put aside for emergencies or F&F's later down the line


Dlb is with paypal so she will have more idea about how they operate

xx

HopeTRMD

Thanks so much MNM.
You joined in January and already feel better... There is a common theme running on this forum....there is change and hope!

Ok nothing wrong in me contacting both Payplan and CCCS?
Then I can take it from there. Am I phaffing? I have been known to dilliy dally!
I guess I am just scarred as if some is going to say "no we can not help you!!"...:eek:


xx

marfan_not_martian

There is light at the end of the tunnel you have just got to get in the tunnel first :rotfl: I was stood at the end of that tunnel for an awful long time and but now I am in it and starting my journey and feel much more positive.


I felt exactly the same way - what if payplan or cccs say no - so when I had completed the online debt remedy with CCCS I was really pleased that a DMP was advised and decided to sign up with them straight away and so requested the pack from them and I havent looked back since. I was a little worried about talking to them first too hence again why I opted with CCCS - but have had to contact them within a week of receiving the pack as I needed to readjust my budget and they were absolutely fine about it. They are really nice to deal with. All the worries that you have going around in your head are just that - we build things up to such an extent that our brains and imagination run away with us.

I was also worried about creditors phoning but after advice from DLB whenever I have had a phone call I have just told them that I am on a DMP with CCCS - my reference number is xxxxx please make all future correspondence in wiriting - Most have been great though so not many phone calls.

Be proud of what you are doing - you are facing up to your problems not running away from them.