New DMP with CCCS

dancingfairy

Hi - are there areas of the budget you feel are undoable besides the whole pet thing or is it the pet issue?
It would help to have an idea of what you think you need in each category to see where the problems lie - if you want to share that.

You are spending a lot of money on your pets - it does seem an awful lot. I know that they are probably like family to you and am sure no one would say get rid of them - however in times of hardship I think everyone has to pull the budget in a bit - perhaps you could consider feeding them slightly cheaper food or cutting the hours you use the dog walker for?
Also I note that you have said it is only your wife's income on there- can she pay any of the bills at all? does she have an income? I'm just wondering how things like bills are divided up in your family? Is she able to walk the dog at all? I wonder whether she could walk it in the morning before work and you after work or someone pop home at lunch time?
df
P.S If you do not agree with the CCCS why not try your local CAB or National Debtline - they may have slightly different guidlines and may allow slightly more in terms of pet insurance although some of the other categories may also be different - for better or worse - although I just don't see how you can justify spending so much on the pets whichever company you go with.
You could also of course do a self managed dmp - although you wouldn't not then have the support of CCCS or the like behind you. If you want to spend so much on the pets then you will have to make some cutbacks elsewhere I'm afraid - ps it's only the amount you spend on the dog walker I think is questionable -I don't have a problem with food/insurance/vets costs etc.

kiwikaz

Hi Gettingready,

Really odd this situation. Def need to get all this clarified. I was worried about the insurance for the pets etc when I did the thingy me bob ( cant remember the name soz ) on the CCCS website but then when I sorted my budget etc there just wasn't a problem.
Pets are over their time with us more expensive than we expect as well you know. I certainly wouldn't be without them or insurance for that matter either. It was suggested by an MSE'r that we sell the dogs in our predicament which would reduce our outgoings and thus have more to throw at our debts. Valid point but I just couldn't do it.
We had a Belgian who had to be put to sleep on Christmas eve last year. He was 13 1/2 but had from a year old been on Panzym which was £ 600 a year. Plus the insurance so was working out in his latter years to over £ 1200 as he also ended up on steroids. Loved him to bits tho.
Yep the Leonbergers are a fun breed to have. Never had a giant breed before so this is a learning curve !

Well best go before I turn your post into a doggie appreciation society !

Stick at it.

Karen.

WorriedofSurrey

Hi Getting Ready

You really need to go through your budget with CCCS again. In order for the DMP to work long term, the budget you have to live on needs to be achievable.

When I set mine up, I whittled my budget down to the bone, which after two months was totally unrealistic. I called them and decreased my payments by almost £200 per month. They were very helpful and advised which areas I could increase on their standard allowance and made a note accordingly. None of my creditors have queried this at all.

I couldn't advise what the best option for you would be, but I would definitely talk to them again and explain your predicament. I have found CCCS so helpful and understanding.

Best of luck
Wos

fermi

Please keep this thread on topic which is helping with the OP's situation, not derailing the thread onto other topics/arguments.

Please see this rule.

gettingready

dancingfairy wrote: »

... perhaps you could consider feeding them slightly cheaper food or cutting the hours you use the dog walker for?
Also I note that you have said it is only your wife's income on there- can she pay any of the bills at all? does she have an income? I'm just wondering how things like bills are divided up in your family? Is she able to walk the dog at all? I wonder whether she could walk it in the morning before work and you after work or someone pop home at lunch time?
df

Ermmmm - I do not have a wife, I am a female myself , single mother and live with my daughter and a dog and a cat.The income is mine alone.

Of course the dog gets walked in the morning and in the evening by myself (for at least an hour each time) but she (it is a girl dog) needs to go out lunchtime too, it is not fair to keep her indoors without a toilet break mid day.

I have nobody that would take her out for free and no dog walker will take a dog on for less than on hour per day for a group walk. They would take a dog for 30 minutes per day for individual walk but that would cost the same as an hour group walk so no saving there.

Charco_2

That's why i posted in post 30... you should be able to argue that this is a reasonable cost - it's unusual, but it is a reasonable cost.

gettingready

Charco - very logical, thanks for understanding.

Karen - just search through my posts and jump on "Pets" threads, thanks for your input.

WoS - this is what I worry about, agreeing something and not being able to keep it up, thanks for your post.

Sarah - for the life of mine I can not see how to PM CCCS from here......

dancingfairy

Ahhh - o.k - sorry I misread your SOA.
df

gettingready

dancingfairy wrote: »

Ahhh - o.k - sorry I misread your SOA.
df

No problem - sometimes I think we all spend too much time on the Forums and get confused/mixed up

CCCS_Sarah

gettingready wrote: »

Charco - very logical, thanks for understanding.

Karen - just search through my posts and jump on "Pets" threads, thanks for your input.

WoS - this is what I worry about, agreeing something and not being able to keep it up, thanks for your post.

Sarah - for the life of mine I can not see how to PM CCCS from here......

This link will take you to the CCCS thread, there is a link in Wendy’s post you could use http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1231527

Sarah