Think I'm ready to get the ball rolling but.....

Jesthar

LifesABeach wrote: »

I'm on a DMP with a company called DebtMatters....does anyone know anything bad about this company that I should know? I've currently only paid them 100.00.

If they are charging you a fee for the DMP (and as they are commercial I know they will be) then yes, they are bad! Ditch them ASAP and contact one of the FREE debt charities (PayPlan, CCCS or CAB) - why waste cash which could go to clearing your debts paying a fee to a company when you could get the same help (and more) for free.

~Jes

LifesABeach

Sorry this must sound stupid but do I just call them and tell them i no longer require their services?

zippychick

Hi, you could certainly cut your grocery bill by a quarter, even a half if you really wanted ? The Old style board is amazing for help with this. Have a flick through the grocery challenge to get ideas of how much others spend.

Clothes budget can go, just make do with what you have until things are more stable.

Jesthar

LifesABeach wrote: »

Sorry this must sound stupid but do I just call them and tell them i no longer require their services?

I have to confess I have no idea! I'm actually a Mortgage Free Wannabee, not a Debt Free Wannabee... I just know a few things about budgeting and help out where I can around here.

Plenty of people around here will know, though

[Deleted User]

Let's be frank here. We can suggest cutting this and that by £10, £20, £50 or whatever BUT the OP has 53,000 pounds worth of debt. Let's say they move and half the rent and have no holiday fund then they'll have £494 space a month. Not knowing the APR, let's assume it's 4% (for arguments sake) then he'll have finished repaying it September 2020.

I see you've got two options:
1. Move home and pay little to no rent / food. Use the rest to pay the debts.
2. Declare bankruptcy

I'm no expert so give this a read for all your options: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/debt-help-plan

LifesABeach

Hi thanks for your advice.....but i thought that was doing good 120 a month thats 4quid a day on food....im skiiny as a rake if i dont eat not only will i be in debt there'll be nothing left of me either....

LifesABeach

Thanks for everyone on heres help youve been great ....gonna cancel my original and now found to be useless DMP tommorow....then call CCCS when i get in from work and go through my mess with them.....heres hoping im now nearing the correct road....

Jesthar

LifesABeach wrote: »

Hi thanks for your advice.....but i thought that was doing good 120 a month thats 4quid a day on food....im skiiny as a rake if i dont eat not only will i be in debt there'll be nothing left of me either....

Speaking personally, I love my food, but I get annoyed if i spend more than £80 in the supermarket a month - including kitty stuff and non-food...

Check out the the Money Saving Old Style forums for great suggestions on lowering food bills

LifesABeach

OK will definately try....im moving in to my new place this weekend and will do a shop to last me the month and try and make it as cheap as poss and post on here how much i spent....

Fire_Fox

LifesABeach wrote: »

Hi thanks for your advice.....but i thought that was doing good 120 a month thats 4quid a day on food....im skiiny as a rake if i dont eat not only will i be in debt there'll be nothing left of me either....

Nobody is saying eat less food, just eat cheaper food. Meat is probably the most expensive part of anyone's diet - so you buy cheaper protein (turkey drumstick, pork mince, tinned pink salmon, fresh mackerel, frozen coley) and pad it out big-time with lots of root and seasonal vegetables, beans and lentils, pearl barley, porridge oats (really!) etc.

Small portions of meat and some vegetarian meals, plenty of carbohydrates to fill you up (breakfast cereals, oats, rice, bread, pasta, potatoes, baked beans, noodles etc). Dairy products can be expensive but powdered or UHT milk and plain cottage cheese won't blow the budget. Eggs are incredibly versatile and can be bought very cheaply in large quantities.

There are loads of useful threads on the Old Style board - including one about eating for 50p a day!!
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1007423
Also check out 'Rubber Chicken':
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=38364