Light at the end of the tunnell...

Westy@reviewer

I have been visiting here for a few years now, (under the guise of Westy - or similair, my email has changed a few times since then!), but thought that airing my feelings to you guys here is a good way of letting off steam

For a few years now i have struggled due to debt accumalated at a time when i took advantage of a good, strong credit score that allowed me access to loans/credit and store cards and a good overdraft. The overdraft never really appealed, andf has stayed at £300 since 1999! However, i completely lost control of the others, ending up in debt collection agency hell, (those who know will recall the bad customer service, 'carefully worded' letters and erratic timekeeping with ragrds to repayment schedules...).

However, after stint at British Gas in credit management, a short DMP with CCCS, (which i cancelled soon after it started due to the payment date just not being suitable), and picking up on various hints an tips, i decided to take the bull by the horns and do it all myself.

Currently i have paid off

£2000 Barclays Loan
£500 Capitol One CC
£300 Topshop Store Card
£1500 Egg Card

I still have a £4000 HFC loan and £2000 Barclaycard to go, but i'm getting there. I negotiated the paid offs by asking for settlement figures and then stalling the debt collectors for a few months til i paid them off in lumps. It was hard, but it has really paid off. CCCS' advice was absolutely spot on, with all the household bills, essentials catered for first and foremost, then the debts absolute last. I basically told the DC agencies to like it or lump it - put up with the 2 reminder letters they send saying that they want a higher repayment, then sitting smuggly after 4 months when they've silently forced themsleves to accept the lower payment.

Working at Carphone Warehouse allowed me to carry on the excellent 12 months free line rental mobile deal, plus ultra cheap home phone and broadband, so the picture is looking brighter

For those who've been/are in a similar situation, don't stress! My relationship with my partner suffered a bit, but is now right as rain due to me having the guts to stand up to the bully DC agencies and also being savvy with house bills.

There's still a few years to go until i'm debt free - but i'm determined to make it happen!

I know there's plenty of people in the same boat here, i just hope this helps!!

Cheers

Westy

skintchick

Fab to hear your good news! well done!

Stick around this time and keep posting - we need people like you to tell us how it's done!!

moozie_2

Westy&#64 wrote: »

There's still a few years to go until i'm debt free - but i'm determined to make it happen!

Thank you for sharing your positive story! I loved that sentence! Well done and keep posting. As skintchick says, we need more people like you to share their experiences on here :T

Best of luck :beer:

LookingAhead

:beer: :beer: :beer:

That's such a positive story - we all need people to tell us to keep going and we will get there. Thank you....please keep posting advice & encouragement.

I know I need it and I am more than sure I'm not the only one!

(edited for spelling!)

Westy@reviewer

One really useful tip i have is that if you sign up to the Carphone Warehouses excllent talk talk fixed line service, (i don't work for them anymore so this is not biased - it REALLY is great!), and buy a Talk Talk mobile simcard, (just lob it in any old unlocked crap mobile you have lying about - or go for one of the great cheapy pre pay mobiles with TT Mobile sim deals in store).

You get UNLIMITED free calls to your home phone number and vice versa to the TT Mobile from the house phone. Cross network calls are only 15p a minute at ANY time, and only 7p for every text. £10 a month is added to your fixed line bill each month to give the mobile credit should you use it to call other networks or send texts. If you don't use the £10 in whole or part, the remaining sum is then deducted from youre next bill. ACE! I just carry a crappy Nokia 1100 with me at work, so if me and the missus want a natter - i just call the house or she calls me - it costs nothing and really works! Even beter is that if other people are on Talk Talk at home, (family/friends), then you can call them free from the mobile - it is NOT restricted just to your own home telephone number

Haven't looked back in 3 months - my contract mobile hasn't been used at all, (the line rental is free for a year by redemption - so i pay, but get all the money back anyway - i put the cheque in my Nationwide account and just let it pile up. Current balance; £212 in credit!)

Just a tip for those looking to make the cash go further...

Thanks for your comments by the way

Westy

Edinburghlass_2

To add a proviso to the above post there are users who have found to their cost that the UNLIMITED part of the TalkTalk mobile not to be unlimited.

Please check out the Telephone Boards before deciding on this route.