DMP Mutual Support Thread - Part 7

BlushingRose

Hopelessly_Hopeful wrote: »

Sounds like you need a couple of months of tokens and start dmp in March? Call CCCS in the morning. They will be able to help.

HH x

I have mentioned this to Mr BR and he doesn't really want to do this - he wants to get onto the DMP asap, whereas I'm terrified of running out of money. This works out at about £40 a week for the next three weeks - ish, doesn't it, for petrol *and* food.

BlushingRose

Standingtall wrote: »

Have you got much in your freezer / cupboards?

Not much, we're about to do a new shop tomorrow.

Standingtall wrote: »

Can you go to parents for New Year (if you could stop over to help them celebrate that would be a couple of days meals sorted)

My parents don't celebrate - and to get to them would cost about £40 petrol (for the return journey). We don't do too much anyway, we've already got a bit of fizzy in.

Standingtall wrote: »

Cats can eat own brand dried food for a couple of weeks. I have no doubt that they will sulk, as does mine, but they won' starve - although mine has been known to pop next door!

They're already on Aldi own brand.

Standingtall wrote: »

Are there work colleagues either of you could cadge lifts off by pretending there is a fault with the car?:eek:

Nope, no-one lives nearby to give Mr BR a lift in.

Bettingmad

BlushingRose wrote: »

I have mentioned this to Mr BR and he doesn't really want to do this - he wants to get onto the DMP asap, whereas I'm terrified of running out of money. This works out at about £40 a week for the next three weeks - ish, doesn't it, for petrol *and* food.

'

I don't think it should be a case of he doesn't want to IMHO he MUST do.
You have already stated that you will struggle this month, what happens if the car needs a bit of work to pass it's MOT, what are you going to use to pay?
You will be forced into paying a reduced ammount to your creditors no sooner than you plan has fully started. Going to be harsh here but that generally riles the creditors up.Make 2-3 token payments, the car will be sorted then. Trust me you really don't want the stress of finding repair bills on top of the stress which has led you to a DMP.

Hopelessly_Hopeful

BlushingRose wrote: »

I have mentioned this to Mr BR and he doesn't really want to do this - he wants to get onto the DMP asap, whereas I'm terrified of running out of money. This works out at about £40 a week for the next three weeks - ish, doesn't it, for petrol *and* food.

Have you and Mr BR planned and priced shopping list so you can see if you have money left or a deficit?

The point of a dmp is that you have money for food, health and housing then the surplus pays your debt. You will have a dmp number so you can quote that to creditors. Speak to CCCS in the morning. Better you start slow than crash in 3 months.


Hope that helps.

HHx

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Bettingmad wrote: »

'

I don't think it should be a case of he doesn't want to IMHO he MUST do.
You have already stated that you will struggle this month, what happens if the car needs a bit of work to pass it's MOT, what are you going to use to pay?
You will be forced into paying a reduced ammount to your creditors no sooner than you plan has fully started. Going to be harsh here but that generally riles the creditors up.Make 2-3 token payments, the car will be sorted then. Trust me you really don't want the stress of finding repair bills on top of the stress which has led you to a DMP.

Second time mine and BM's posts have crossed but essentially we have both said the same thing each time so hopefully that is reassurance for you?

Good luck

HHx

Magi74

Hopelessly_Hopeful wrote: »

Sounds like you need a couple of months of tokens and start dmp in March? Call CCCS in the morning. They will be able to help.

100% agree! If you've only got £100 this month for debt (because the car needs something for it's MoT) then that's all you've got. As HH said in a subsequent post money for food, petrol, etc. comes first.

True story: when we set up our DMP, we quickly realised that we still have some issues to solve. We could have done a full payment, but it would have put massive pressure on everything else and we would never have managed.
So we talked to CCCS and they said "look, the minimum payment is £5 per debt. Just pay that and get yourselves organised". In fact, they virtually said "put yourself first - sod the debt!".

We ultimately did a half payment - it was a physiological victory for us to have done it, but the money saved meant we got through the 1st month in one piece. From there the road got smoother.

---

By all means get the DMP going, but CCCS are 100% on YOUR side. If you think it's going to be a struggle to make any payment let them know and they will help. Have a plan that works - not one that just adds more stress.

BlushingRose

Reassurance for me, yes. It's persuading Mr BR however.
I have read the posts to him, though, and he's said he'll ring the CCCs tomorrow - although he wants to just defer it for a month rather than two.

Hopelessly_Hopeful

If Mr BR is reading please tell him from the benefit of experience and years on here you really will benefit from an emergency fund. Asking for it later is a mare as creditors often make you pay interest for a few months. Then if you have to reduce or miss a dmp they hike interest up again and the hassle starts again. Your choice of course. My advice is plan the shopping budget now before you speak to CCCS to make sure you really can afford to start straight away. Keeping your fingers crossed rarely works, welcome to the world of budgets!

Let us know how you get on

HHx

BlushingRose

Btw - I'm sure I was given a member number for this thread but where might I find mine please?

BlushingRose

Mr BR & I have had a chat (and a bit of a cry, although that was me) and he says he'll ring th CCCS in the morning, and, hopefully, we'll be able to defer the start of the DMP for a couple of months. Then we can take out the money that should be going to the CCCS and put it elsewhere to pay for the MOT, repairs and Tax (hopefully). I just hope that the CCCS will let us do this as they have already had paperwork from us saying that they can take monies out on the 10th Jan.
Mr BR is scared - he's scared of the creditors, he doesn't want to have to speak with them or deal with them really and just wants the DMP to start as he'd feel better & that he's paying off the debts. He doesn't feel that way about making token payments.
He's a lovely man, just terrified, like me.