Finally, my lightbulb moment has arrived........

moosetastic

CAFCGirl wrote:

Hey Moose,

Just to say the offer stands if you want a shoulder, all be it a virtual one, just send me a PM.

Is there any chance hubby could maybe apply to deliver some papers or something locally? I know its not much but it would help even if the money was just for spends! It'd pick his confidence up as well, plus getting out the house is always good. I'm always seeing adverts in our local paper for people to deliver catalogues etc.

On a note about the gas thing, British Gas did that to me, although it took them 2 years to send me a bill! How much is the outstanding debt exactly? It may help to call them up and find out, £50 on gas per month is still pretty high, turning your thermo' down by just 1 degree which affect that!

Maybe listing the outstanding debt on each of those things you owe out, would not only make you feel better ( i.e to know uve only got 3 months left till its paid) plus we'd all be able to give you advice on how you can pay each off quicker by arranging certain payments to make the most of your debt repayments!

thanks CAFCGirl, names Tina by the way, and thanks for offering a shoulder, it can make all the difference being able to talk to someone not connected to all this. My OH feels so guilty, like its his fault because he cant find any work, but will certainly put those suggestions to him. I knw one catalogue is just below 200, and 1 pay £20 a month off that, to be honest ive been thinking of increasing it for a while, and the other is now just under £400 and i pay £30 a month from that, so if I carry on with the payments, one will be paid in 10 months and one in just over a year. if i cut out the cinema pass, i will add this to one of them to pay it off quicker!!

CAFCGirl

To borrow a slogan

"every little helps"

And it really does! I've covered one months minimum repayment on one credit card with the copper coins I've got in some pots laying about, so that to me I see as a month off. I'm holding out to see how much I've got at christmas though lol

Just think if you manage to shave some money off like the account charge, the food bill etc you could increase one repayment to 25 and then it'd be paid off in 8 months!

The other really important thing is that you and OH support each other in every aspect of it, noone is to blame but everyone is responsible. You can go further together on this one then you ever would apart! So make sure he knows how much you love him for every effort he makes, and ensure you get the same back

moosetastic

CAFCGirl wrote:

The other really important thing is that you and OH support each other in every aspect of it, noone is to blame but everyone is responsible. You can go further together on this one then you ever would apart! So make sure he knows how much you love him for every effort he makes, and ensure you get the same back

If anything, all this has brought us closer than we have ever been. We have a saying now thats "If we can get through this, we can get through anything!!"

moosetastic

well, after having had quite a bad night, having a long hard cry and plenty of hugs and kisses, my OH has read this post and reassures me that everything will be alright. He thanks everyone for their kind support, and its made us feel better knowing we aren't alone on this. :T :A

I have emailed the CCCS in the first instance, sent a copy of our SOA, just to see what kind of feedback we get. Still havent got the courage to phone :eek: , but its a start. I am in the process of cancelling the cinema pass, and the food bill is looking a lot better. (bought lots of cheap pasta and made lots of meals in bulk, thanks to the OS threads!!)

Can someone please let me know what scottish spendaholic was talking about before, the freefivers/ciao/paid2clicks?? what are these??

sanfrancisco

For you information:

Not that I have any experience, but the CCCS don't seem very good at getting back to people who email (people have posted this on this board). I really think you should ring. I have been reading this board since 2004, and I have honestly not heard one person say they had a bad experience with the people at CCCS.

Another point I wanted to make was that imagine, WHEN (not IF) your hubby gets a job, and say he earns about the same as you, you could be debt free by Christmas 2007!! Thats a thought ey!!??

I also really don't think you should use the bonus money to go on holiday with. You should be putting in every effort to getting hubby back on his feet. When he starts getting paid THEN save say £25 per month and have a "6 months hubby's new job" camping weekend away.

Could he do some volunteering??

moosetastic

thanks san fransico, i have been seriously thinking about the bonus money, and it would be so good to pay something off with it!

I shall wait what the CCCS do, ill give them a couple of days, and then ring. Still trying to build up my confidence

my other half went to the job centre today, to meet with a disability advisor, it went rather well. they are lining him up with a Job Preparation, which is they line him up with an employer, for 30 days, to get used to working again and being around people. he wont get paid, but will get travelling expenses, and its recent work experience to put on his cv, which is probably whats holding him back at the moment.

I cant wait for the day he gets a job that pays more than me and we can clear it all off!!!!! :j :j that would be like a dream come true!!!

welshgirl78

Hey tina, hope you are doing okay.

Am still a newbie myself but spend lots of time reading other peoples stuff
Am never sure what links you are alowed to post so hope this is all okay...

Free fivers is a referal cashback site where you can earn cashback through clicking onto other sites / search engines (there are others, ipoints and topcashback, come to mind
http://www.freefivers.co.uk/
just look in a search engine for all these links

Also ciao is a paid survey site - again there are lots of these
http://www.ciao.co.uk/paid_surveys.html - as I say I am quite new so don't know how much you can get but seems to add up to a free vouchers every so often!!

Just have a look round other posts (Emily on Can I clear a debt a day has had LOADS of great ideas and done fantastic things) and on Morgage free wannabe there is a sticky at the top (Great bit on the side hunt) with lots more ideas...

Just roam a bit I would suggest!!!:rotfl:

Anyway, well done for posting your SOA and good luck with all :T

methekidsandthecat

Hi Tina

Just wanted to add my support - the people here are wonderfully supportive and they know sooooo much about saving money.

I have found the 'pigsback' site - there is a thread but I don't know how to stick it on here. I have only joined it recently but I already have over 400 points and I am saving for a CD WOW voucher - can't decide whether to keep it for a Christmas present or use it as a treat to keep me on the straight and narrow. Oh hum - such choices.... me or the kids.... Christmas is a long time away....

I would add that I phoned the CCCS recently and they are totally non judgemental about your situation. I then realised over the weekend that I had forgotten my student loan as I have not earnt enough to pay it until April and my payroll had not started taking payments - I thought they would be cross that I had not been honest with them. However they were lovely again and said no worries and just sent me out a new budget including the £18.00 I now have to pay. Give it a go - it really does help...

Take care and keep us posted on how you are getting one.

Me.

moosetastic

Thanks everyone for your kind words. Just to update you all -

I have ditched the cinema pass, so that will save me £10.99 per month, which I am going to add to one of the catalogue payments to get rid of those. The good news on this score is I dont have to make another payment, but my card is still valid until 31/07/2006!! I feel a lot of films coming on in the next 2 weeks!! :j

Ive also joined a couple of online survey sites and pigsback, im still in the early stages but every little helps, as CAFC Girl said. Ive also taken quite a lot of orders for my handmade cards from my friends at work so that will generate at least some pocket money to live on.

I never had any response from CCCS by email so I am going to have to call them now. Its still scaring me but I know its something I have to do. :eek:

postingalwaysposting

:hello: :wave: hello tina :wave: :hello: i missed when this was first posted, rl got in the way lol, please phone cccs, they are great people and have helped lots of people on here start the road to debtfreeness, you will get there hun