Frightened to take the step

hettiecarro

Well so much for all my efforts & plans!

Have had replies from creditors to say they are not prepared to freeze interest or charges.

This means the debts will increase by goodness knows how much each month.

I'm trying SO hard to get this sorted - but might as well give up I think.

hettiecarro

Can somebody help please?

Is there a follow up letter template I can use to ask my creditors to re-consider?

Would I be better getting the CCCS to deal with them - even though I can't go onto a DMP as I have no income at present?

Karmacat

Hello Hettie
I'm sorry you had no luck. I knew there was a thread on the dfw board with a series of templates, and I just found it (it was used yesterday, but it was on page 6 already! Things go *fast* on here). I don't have experience of doing this, so I can't advise you myself, but check through what I've linked to, and you should find something:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=963087

Please don't give up - just fifteen minutes ago, I made a phone call to my internet provider that I'd been building up to for about two weeks, literally - tried to do it by email to make it less stressful, but they wouldn't accept it, it had to be a phone call. And the bloke I got at the call centre was wonderful - he's put me onto the offer I originally signed up for and didn't get, he's stopped the nonsense of £1.25 for a paper bill, all sorts of things. If you keep going, when you can (as I say, its been two weeks to make one phone call) it will be better.

Post it all on here, every single little step - check out the diaries sub-board on here (the debt free board) for the steps that people take, you'd be surprised.

Good luck.

hettiecarro

Thanks so much Karmacat. I feel so WEAK at the moment - and totally useless.
I know that a lot of people think it's easy to pull yourself together when you are depressed - but I am really quite ill at the moment. This is in danger of sending me over the top.

The endless phonecalls have started and I already dread the postman arriving.

I feel like a criminal.

joolsybools

Hi Hettie,

Please try not to panic, I'm sure you will be able to get through this. Keep coming back on here for inspiration and support

Your original post mentioned that you had 2 cars. Now I think you were going to sell 1, could you and your hubby manage without a car at all? You could always think about getting rid of it for a year or something. Just an idea anyway.

I have suffered from depression before and I found using affirmations really helpful. They are positive statements of truth, such as "I am taking positive steps to deal with my debts", "I am a worthy person" or "I am strong, capable and confident". Just google affirmations. If you find one or two that really resonate with you then keep repeating them to yourself (out loud or in your head!) whenever you remember and they should help to pick you up. They really helped me, I hope you can find some to help yourself.

Hope you're feeling a bit better soon!

P.S. If the phone calls are doing your head in you can always pull the phone jack out of the wall for a while!

Katy_M_2

Hi Hettie

Sorry to hear that it wasn't good news.

But don't give up at this hurdle. Just cross it off the list of possibilities and move on to the next thing.

Joolsybools rasied a good point - have you got that car sold yet? I know it would only be a drop in the ocean but one step at a time.

I'm gunna g back and re-study your SOA (inbetween not getting caught by the boss)

Please don't let this set-back make you lose hope. You are on the right path and you need to keep progressing up it, you are doing really well so far honestly.

Keep at it, we are all here for you xxx

dancingfairy

Hi Hettie - sorry to hear you are struggling .
Just a few thoughts from me - there is a letter on here somewhere that asks that all communication be in writing. Once you have sent that if they continue to phone you record the time,date and what was said etc and you can report them for breaking the rules and they can get fined or their financial licences removed.
Second the fact you have asked them to freeze interest and charges is good. They aren't going to get more money out you than you have got - they are just a bit slow to realise this. They are likely to resist especially if you have been a good payer for a long time - they think that the money will just materilaise somehow
Don't speak to them on the phone as they are likely to be nasty and try and threaten you with whatever they can think of (even though this is against the rules) - that's why you insist on communication in writing as they are less likely to threaten you if there is a paper trail.

Stick with your plan - you willl get there and if you can only pay them 1 pound a month each - well that's all they can have and if they don't like it then tough.
df

dancingfairy

A few more thoughts - you are not a criminal and you are not going to be a victim to them.
Please take care of yourself and if you need to go and see the doctors then give them a ring - don't forget you can always call the samaritans as well if you need help.
At the end of the day it's only money and you are doing your best - that's all you can do so be kind to yourself.
If the phonecalls are getting too much can you go for a little walk anywhere? park/countryside/beach/library/have a look around a local museum? anything to get out of the house and away from the phone.
df

Katy_M_2

Just making shots in the dark now....don't feel like doing much at work today - c'mon it is Friday...

Is bankruptcy an option. I do not confess to be educated in this area and I know it can carry problems of it's own.

I know someone that had large amounts of debts built up to over 38k and then ended up in long term unemployment on incapacity benefit and unable to pay them off. He went down the road of bankruptcy. He no longer gets chased for the debts but he also has a terrible credit rating - he cannot get a proper bank account with a debit card and so on. So it has greatly affected his life....but he is no longer being chased for the money.

Some people may look at this as an easy way out and I agree that if you have borrowed money then you should pay it off. Why should some people be 'let off' it whilst others struggle on a day to day basis to pay their debts off.

I am not commenting on my views on this....I am just putting it out there as an option.

And like DF said..........although it seems like it's the whole world right now....money is not everything. Just leave the money issue for this weekend and focus on enjoying yourself.

Have you and hubby got anything planned for the weekend?
xxx

Nixxx

Hi Hettie

I don't really have a lot more to contribute but just wanted to let you know that we are all supporting you. It WILL get better and it WILL all be ok eventually.