Halifax

Angyles

Oh God, I'm so embarassed! Yesterday was a good day, had a letter from CCCS confirming the set up of my DMP. Today I went to put petrol in the car as it was running on vapours and the card was declined. I guess I should have seen this coming as I have an overdraft on my Halifax account and they are one of the debts I have set up on the DMP. The petrol station were told to keep the card. To make matters worse the only other methods of payment I had were credit cards (thank god I hadn't destroyed yet). Tried the Virgin one first and that was declined, but for some reason the Halifax one was accepted. And just my luck the petrol station was busy and I was holding up the queue. Has this happened to anyone else? How did you cope as I haven't stopped crying since I got back in the car!

bottleofred

Hi Angyles,

Don't worry about it, as this happened to me regularly years ago. In fact I was more surprised (and often pleasantly so) when a card actually did go through. As your on the dmp this is to be expected. I know it's easy to say, but try to keep enough cash for petrol and other emergencies. It may become easier now that your not servicing all the cards etc.

Good luck

Tixy

Hi

Oh it is embarrassing but don't worry about it now, its happened to all sorts of people and not only because of having no money, happened to me once because of suspected fraud on my account and there I was knowing there was plenty in the account for my fuel.

Have you set up your new basic bank account yet? With a bank you don't owe money to? and arranged for your salary/income to be paid into it?

Once your DMP is up and running and you have a basic bank (will doesn't allow an overdraft) you'll probably get used to knowing how much is in your account (its a good idea to check regularly online anyway).

Good luck with your DMP.
If not you need to sort that out as a priority.

Angyles

Tixy wrote: »

Hi

Oh it is embarrassing but don't worry about it now, its happened to all sorts of people and not only because of having no money, happened to me once because of suspected fraud on my account and there I was knowing there was plenty in the account for my fuel.

Have you set up your new basic bank account yet? With a bank you don't owe money to? and arranged for your salary/income to be paid into it?

Once your DMP is up and running and you have a basic bank (will doesn't allow an overdraft) you'll probably get used to knowing how much is in your account (its a good idea to check regularly online anyway).

Good luck with your DMP.
If not you need to sort that out as a priority.

Thanks Tixy, yes I have a Barclays Cash Card account set up with my pay due to go in on the 30th July. Thankfully I have a good stock of food at home, a fiver in my purse and my petrol purchase today got me a £5 voucher so am OK for food till the end of the month. My only issue is I'll need to buy at least £20 of petrol before pay day (live a long way from work!) but am going to talk nicely to my sister as I know I have overtime due to be paid on the 30th July which I can pay her back from!

Having sat down and had a think about this I am a lot calmer just was very embaressed when it happened!

VanillaDelia

It has happened to me lots of times. I have also seen it happen to others. I was in Home Bargains a few weeks ago and this guy, who looked well off, had his card declined. It is embarrassing but your not alone and I doubt others will have known and if they did, they probably would have happened to them at some point. Cards don't always decline because of lack of money, as in your case, the companies had put a block on your cards due to them going onto your CCCS DMP. I have known cards decline because they are out of date or some previous fraudulent use. The other people in there wouldn't have known why.

Angyles

Thanks for you comments!

Have had a look at my Halifax Online banking this morning and I have 4 DD's that were still due to be paid this month but are going to be declined by the bank and no cash in the new account to cover these. Luckily the overtime I worked last month is being paid on the 30th which means I can make double payments next month. My only concerns is how likely companies are to stop services if a DD is missed? The DD's are for my phone line, my parents phone and broadband, my contents insurance and a life insurance policy for my dad. (I have two DD's for my parents as their bank account does not support DD's and they put the money into savings which I get in November and covers my christmas shopping).

Broken_hearted

If it is the first time they will not do anything other than ask when the money is being paid.

Angyles

Broken_hearted wrote: »

If it is the first time they will not do anything other than ask when the money is being paid.

Thanks. Fingers crossed that will be all they do.

Angyles

Am feeling so much better, have had a tearful phone conversation with my mum and sister (who works for a bank). My sisters has transferred me some money into my new account to cover the Direct Debits that are due and my petrol till the end of the month. Maybe now the headache I've had since yesterday will ease.

Tixy

Glad you have family who are being supportive.

I was going to say you are probably best to cancel the DDs and phone up the companies involved to say you are moving bank accounts and will reinstate them in a couple of weeks - as that would have saved any of the companies deciding to charge you a fee for a missed DD. But thanks to sister that sounds like advice you no longer need.