Without a paddle... support for anyone starting a DMP in 2010 (part2)

GibbsRule_No3

Mrs T I started my DMP for real last April but for the month before, thanks to advice on this forum, I paid a £1 token payment to my creditors. The money I saved went into the emergency fund. It worried me doing that but as I was told it made not a jot of difference to my creditors that I did it, but a great deal of help to me. So you could consider sending a token payment with the letter telling your creditors you will be starting a DMP. Good luck. The wheels on their busses seem to roll very slowly anyway before things kick in and settle down. BTW if you have been accepted for a DMP your debt probably isn't much worse or better than most of on here so don't worry about how much it is.:eek:

Mephista

Hi all

Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely hugs. Boy am I in a place I need them!!!

I thought things were hard enough before when I was at least getting some token money from my husband which helped but now that's gone and I have to figure out how the hell I'm gonna pay my mortgage! I'm going to CAB tomorrow and just going to seek advice about everything including re-evaluing my payments.

The whole thing has been planned in hell as my placement here, for those of you who know me, ends at the end of April and there is still no job on the horizon - never mind an evening or weekend job. The house was mine originally and I am desperate to hold onto to it but have no idea where the money for the mortgage is coming from because the money he gave me was used to cover that. Aaaarrrrgggghhhhhh :eek:

I'm trying to be strong and I've a good set of family and friend and all you guys here. In a way I'm kinda relieved that I don't have to share my dirty secret and take responsibility for it in a way that suits ME best. That'll be a first!

Will keep in touch and let you know how I'm getting on. Trying to stay strong for me and my pooch. I just hope I can continue to have some sort of life while trying to repay everything.

Thanks again you guys. I always knew you were a wonderful bunch!:D

eyeopener2

Mrs_Trouble wrote: »

Thank you so much for the replies - I know I want so many assurances but I am completely pooing myself!

Today's progress has been to:-
obtain copies of all my current statements
printed off form to change direct debits to another account
completed the DMP form and just waiting for the pack

I have spoke to the lovely CCCS who do not make me feel like a complete failure and as I need some time to sort out my Bank I am going to start payments on the 1st May. I can manage the minimum payments next month because of some work expenses and hopefully by the time the next payments are due the plan will be in place.

It feels a bit naughty but I have removed my home number from my details on the credit card files and I have just left my mobile number on it instead. I can cope with calls to my mobile as I don't answer to people I don't know anyway, but I don't want the kids or my husband having to ferry calls when I'm at work. I just need to go into Santander as I am sure they have my work phone number and I can't have them contacting me at work.

Maybe when I am more settled in my new found DFW home I can reveal quite how terrible my figure is but for now I will just say "it's bad" :eek:

If I am starting the DMP on 1st May but returning the form to CCCS next week when should I write to my creditors, should it be shortly before the next payment is due?

I have had such a huge rollercoaster of emotions since Friday but I realised today that my husband called me today and I didn't have a dread that he had opened some post and discovered my secret. That feeling will far outweigh the stress of sorting out a DMP.

The best thing I have done however is below:-

Hi

I know you plan on making minimum payments next month but you are much better off paying tokens and keeping that cash as an Emergency Fund of somesort because you won't be able to fall back on the ole Credit Card or Overdraft once you start the DMP.

It's something to think about because you will have very little, if any, spare cash for car, boiler or whatever decides to die.

The banks will ask for minimums, but they will be doing that for a while anyway so one more month ain't gonna make a blind bit of difference. No reason to feel guilty either as you are planning to pay your dues.

E2

Hopelessly_Hopeful

:grouphug:Hugs for you Mephista :grouphug: Hope you get a way forward soon.

My home insurance has gone up by £4.51 a month:mad: Good news though council tax staying the same this year :T

Another week to payday and proper broke. Have money for petrol and parking, food in etc just hate not having any reserve.

Just seen the news thread re call for petrol £1 a litre. Guess we have no chance but would be good if someone controlled the madness around it.

Hope you all have a good day and a gentle start to the weekend

HHx

the-money-muppets

Hi all, just to update you we received a letter from everyone's favourite creditor today, the lovely (not!) BARCLAYCARD who apologised for the Debt Collector Letters and Visit we complained about (remember we posted on here they sent someone round just after x-mas- Bah Humbug!! despite the DMP being set up.

More interesting though they also they state they can't speak with CCCS about our account without a Declaration of Authority form they are sending to us? And its coming in the post - not sent out with this letter. They are a law unto themselves!!! Then they may consider a reduction in interest. But earlier in the letter it said as we were making minimum payment they wouldn't stop interest.

Maybe when we do our Review we need to ensure they get less than minimum...will probably happen as we hadn't factored in the VAT rise, Fuel Rise and now the Teachers Pension contribution rise as well as my Water going up from 20 to 32 a month.....rant over.

Off to watch comic relief and consider that despite how bad our situation is there are plenty people in the world worse off than us.....enjoy your weekend folks.

The muppets :beer:

the-money-muppets

Welcome Mrs Trouble

When ya feeling low and its all too much this is the place to be. I always feel loads better when i read the posts and advice on here. To know you are not alone is half the battle.

We recently went to dinner with friends and some how got onto talking about the cost of bills etc and then both parties confessed to being in dmps with cccs...a problem shared and all that

Your in good hands with this site

The Muppets :j

Professor_Pat_Pending

F and F news: MBNA refused £600 (£2.6k debt) have offered £850 which is 30%, awaiting news. PP

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Good luck PP. I don't hold much hope out for me being able to do F&Fs, everytime I make a start on putting spare pennies in a jar something goes wrong lol. Obviously keen you get a good outcome but will be good for the rest of us to see too, just in case! Will keep everything crossed for you.

HHx

Professor_Pat_Pending

Cheers, can only do it cos of rich aunt leaving me a tidy sum, saving is a nightmare, something always crops up.

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Let's hope she is working with the angels to bring you good karma.

I wrote to 4 creditors again this weekend asking them to reconsider the interest they are charging. If you don't ask you don't know, they are unlikely just to stop it without intervention is my thought.

Have a good day all

HHx