DMP Mutual Support Thread (Part 6)

mb73

I'm feeling worried and low about my DMP, which I was so optimistic about originally. The problem is I had to go and buy school shoes and some uniform for my two boys, grand total around £125!

This has left the budget extremely tight this month. My DMP with CCCS is due to start any day and I am waiting for the paperwork to make my first payment. I'm panicking now that there won't be enough left in the bank to cover the everyday bills that are due to go out.

Speaking of banks, I changed mine in line with the advice on here, tried to open a step account but the manager opened a gold plus account despite me telling him what I wanted and why (fees are £12 a month on this account, and £1.62 for the zero overdraft!), then I discovered this bloomin bank is owned by one of my creditors! I should have just gone with the Barclays account that I wanted I think!

Now I have to ring Natwest and get them to downgrade my account, and then wait another week or so for a new card. I feel quite sick knowing I will be unable to access my money again, as I have just been through this opening the account in the first place. Maybe I would be better off opening the Barclays basic account after all, except it means I will have to change all my DDs again, and tell all income sources it has changed again! I don't yet know if my employer has changed my bank details since they haven't yet acknowledged the letter I sent them and I feel like it's all falling apart before it's even got off the ground!

Sorry all, just needed to get all that off my chest. It feels like you try to help yourself and then some !!!!!! comes along and knocks you back down again

Twit_Head

mb73 wrote: »

I'm feeling worried and low about my DMP, which I was so optimistic about originally. The problem is I had to go and buy school shoes and some uniform for my two boys, grand total around £125!

This has left the budget extremely tight this month. My DMP with CCCS is due to start any day and I am waiting for the paperwork to make my first payment. I'm panicking now that there won't be enough left in the bank to cover the everyday bills that are due to go out.

Speaking of banks, I changed mine in line with the advice on here, tried to open a step account but the manager opened a gold plus account despite me telling him what I wanted and why (fees are £12 a month on this account, and £1.62 for the zero overdraft!), then I discovered this bloomin bank is owned by one of my creditors! I should have just gone with the Barclays account that I wanted I think!

Now I have to ring Natwest and get them to downgrade my account, and then wait another week or so for a new card. I feel quite sick knowing I will be unable to access my money again, as I have just been through this opening the account in the first place. Maybe I would be better off opening the Barclays basic account after all, except it means I will have to change all my DDs again, and tell all income sources it has changed again! I don't yet know if my employer has changed my bank details since they haven't yet acknowledged the letter I sent them and I feel like it's all falling apart before it's even got off the ground!

Sorry all, just needed to get all that off my chest. It feels like you try to help yourself and then some !!!!!! comes along and knocks you back down again

Apologies not an expert at all on this but I understand your bank account should be with someone other than your creditors. Looks to me like you should maybe go with the Barclays basic even though it will be a pain to change everything. And a bank that kindly opens you an account against your wishes and then charges YOU for the privilege???
I'm sure someone far more experienced than me will be along soon to give you good advice.
By the way-many,many years since I've bought school uniform and I know you must spend the money on the shoes but presume you have looked at supermarkets/school lost property sales etc to cost some costs?
Try not be be disheartened - it's all hard work and a pain to set up but you will get it sorted.

Twit_Head

JillyOJolly wrote: »

Change the way you think of money, change the way you spend money and appreciate what small amounts of money can do, the time line is achieveable if you allow it to be and maybe sooner if you give it your all. Its tough at first, but when you start to sleep at night and look at each other and know you are started, then half way, then near the end, then finished you will only then realise that it was the best thing you ever did. Mine took four years out of a predicted 2.5 as I had to reduce payments and had fun with interest, but I got there. My son, who is 11 next week, soon learnt that treats were for payday only and love and committment to family was worth more. He now gets pocket money and tends to save better than I have ever done and appreciates what his money can buy. Your children will be the same.

Good luck

JOJ

Thanks for your lovely,sensible,inspiring post. And how is life now for you on the other side of the DMP fence? Has the hangover worn off yet? It must be SO good to know you have come through and coped with everything. Am a great believer in family values and commitment and you can't buy those with any credit card-your son will grow up to be a fine young man and better than the rest who think 'things' make a person. x

pinkpower

I spoke to Egg on Sunday - about my CC I think ( I also have a loan with them) I explained that I was setting up a DMP with CCCS, they asked for my client ref number, gave me the spiel about default notice and went away. What a elief! Then my children said they had been trying to speak to me yesterday, not sure what that's about, but will wait to see if they call back. Everyone else is scarily quiet.

mb73, you have my sympathy about the school uniform. I now only have one child still in uniform, but after a growth spurt I had to replace pretty much everything for her. It really knocks a hole in the budget. Try not to get too down-hearted, its a one off expense. I'm afraid I don't have much advice to offer about the bank account. If you want to stay with NW, why not draw out enough cash to last a week or so before asking them to down grade the account? It will get bettwe, but like me you are at the stage of setting it all up, and I agree it is fairly daunting.

JillyOJolly

mb73 wrote: »

I'm feeling worried and low about my DMP, which I was so optimistic about originally. The problem is I had to go and buy school shoes and some uniform for my two boys, grand total around £125!

This has left the budget extremely tight this month. My DMP with CCCS is due to start any day and I am waiting for the paperwork to make my first payment. I'm panicking now that there won't be enough left in the bank to cover the everyday bills that are due to go out.

Speaking of banks, I changed mine in line with the advice on here, tried to open a step account but the manager opened a gold plus account despite me telling him what I wanted and why (fees are £12 a month on this account, and £1.62 for the zero overdraft!), then I discovered this bloomin bank is owned by one of my creditors! I should have just gone with the Barclays account that I wanted I think!

Now I have to ring Natwest and get them to downgrade my account, and then wait another week or so for a new card. I feel quite sick knowing I will be unable to access my money again, as I have just been through this opening the account in the first place. Maybe I would be better off opening the Barclays basic account after all, except it means I will have to change all my DDs again, and tell all income sources it has changed again! I don't yet know if my employer has changed my bank details since they haven't yet acknowledged the letter I sent them and I feel like it's all falling apart before it's even got off the ground!

Sorry all, just needed to get all that off my chest. It feels like you try to help yourself and then some !!!!!! comes along and knocks you back down again

Just an idea that worked for me over the 4 years was that every august I reduced my payment by £200 a month to cover a full uniform, school PE kit, trainers, shoes, lunchbox and winter coat. Payplan always advised against, but never once said I couldnt do it. I always wrote a letter to send off to creditors explaining why. I was also cheeky enough to reduce payments by £200 at Christmas (I was paying £504 a month at that time) and explained that I was a single parent and there was no way in the world I was not buying my son his christmas pressies or small token gifts for my family who were supporting my emotionally through all this and I was certainly going to make sure there was turkey on the table!! It never had a detrimental affect really, it just made it a little longer to pay off. But twice a year I did that. The following month they had exactly what they had the month before....

JOJ

JillyOJolly

Twit_Head wrote: »

Thanks for your lovely,sensible,inspiring post. And how is life now for you on the other side of the DMP fence? Has the hangover worn off yet? It must be SO good to know you have come through and coped with everything. Am a great believer in family values and commitment and you can't buy those with any credit card-your son will grow up to be a fine young man and better than the rest who think 'things' make a person. x

ooh Twithead you have put a lump in my throat!

I am still not sure my brain is thinking "the other side of the DMP fence" yet. I got paid last week with a huge amount (I mean ridiculously huge considering what I was used to) of extra once all rent and bills paid and I am too scared to touch it! ha ha sounds daft, but once a budgeter, always a budgeter now. I need a new pair of winter shoes, but still waiting to get the sale stuff at the end of this month, how ridiculous is that!? ;-)

Honestly though, it feels great. I have a great sense of pride and also a little anger with myself still that I let it get like that, but I guess that if I didnt feel like that it may make me feel invincible and go and spend. Never, ever in my life will I have a credit card, store card or high interest loan in my life without good reason and certainly never use credit to pay credit.

One thing I did laugh at though was calling all my creditors to close off accounts and pay the last odd £2 of interest left over and when they asked if there was anything I wanted I did quote to all of them "please do not take offence, but I never want to talk to your company again".

Ha ha ha It still makes me chuckle even now :T

JOJ

JillyOJolly

Sorry guys, I am still chuckling at that one....

"over and out, goodbye lousy, lousy creditors..."

Still chuckling. I think I enjoyed that more than seeing the £0 balances.

Haha still going. Cor I could dine on that one for years to come.

I am belly laughing now. Please someone stop me ...lol

Circling_the_Drain

I wouldn't wish hard times on anyone but I think it's good for kids to learn the value of money.A work colleague says that on top of pocket money she gives her 8 year old daughter £20 on pay day.Last pay day she was out shopping with her daughter who asked for her £20 as she'd spotted something she wanted.She handed her daughter her purse & got it back £40 lighter!:eek: Daughter said what's the problem.....it was just another note.........:rolleyes:

mb73

JillyOJolly wrote: »

Just an idea that worked for me over the 4 years was that every august I reduced my payment by £200 a month to cover a full uniform, school PE kit, trainers, shoes, lunchbox and winter coat. Payplan always advised against, but never once said I couldnt do it. I always wrote a letter to send off to creditors explaining why. I was also cheeky enough to reduce payments by £200 at Christmas (I was paying £504 a month at that time) and explained that I was a single parent and there was no way in the world I was not buying my son his christmas pressies or small token gifts for my family who were supporting my emotionally through all this and I was certainly going to make sure there was turkey on the table!! It never had a detrimental affect really, it just made it a little longer to pay off. But twice a year I did that. The following month they had exactly what they had the month before....

JOJ

I don't think I'll be able to lower my payments - it's only £110 so I've basically spent it on uniform. I've got 2 boys growing fast - and the sort of badged uniforms you have to buy from a uniform shop. There doesn't seem to be anywhere that has second hand uniform round here. Thankfully one has plain white shirts and the other has white polo shirts, so at least shirts, trousers, socks and pants can all be found cheaply.

I'm selling loads of clutter and have been able to replace £80 of what was spent, so I'm not feeling so bad now. I know it will improve if I can just get through the first few months without any hiccups. I'm also going to be applying for a new job - slightly better paid than the one I have now, so it would help no end and my debt free date would be so much sooner if I can get it.

Thank you for your words of support. It can feel so lonely trudging through this maze of debt sometimes

mb73

Twit_Head wrote: »

Apologies not an expert at all on this but I understand your bank account should be with someone other than your creditors. Looks to me like you should maybe go with the Barclays basic even though it will be a pain to change everything. And a bank that kindly opens you an account against your wishes and then charges YOU for the privilege???
I'm sure someone far more experienced than me will be along soon to give you good advice.
By the way-many,many years since I've bought school uniform and I know you must spend the money on the shoes but presume you have looked at supermarkets/school lost property sales etc to cost some costs?
Try not be be disheartened - it's all hard work and a pain to set up but you will get it sorted.

I think you're right about changing the account. Does anyone know if Barclays is anything to do with Santander or Bank of Scotland? What I'll do is get it open, wait for the card to arrive and then transfer everything over when I know I'll have access to it. I'll tell Natwest I'm closing my account in protest at the mis-selling of accounts :rolleyes:

Yes, it was the shoes that made up the bulk of the money spent on uniform. I save all my older ones uniform (if it's in a fit state) so that the younger one can have it when he gets to the next school. They have a large age gap and I had already got rid of the primary uniform before I had my youngest. He was a little unexpected

Thank you for your kind words. It really helps having a place to come where people understand