The start of my DMP journey

mom23

This is a record of my DMP journey the highs and the lows and how I deal with it i feel it will help me to have somewhere to write down my feelings good or bad and will give me somthing to look back on.

I have spent the last couple of years trying to deal with our debts cutting down, changing provider’s etc but with the best will in the world it ain’t going to happen we have 38k of debt and an income of 1600 per month, my payments on cc’s alone were 1123.00 and 663.00 of that was interest!

The money has gone on day to day living, we don’t have flash cars, a posh house or fancy holidays (last family holiday was 6 yrs ago).
I am fed up each month with the worry of where I am going to find the money to pay the cc’s, feed the family and pay the priority bills and the upshot is that I normally have to borrow of one cc to pay another and the vicious circle goes on.

At the end of each month I used to breath a (short-lived) sigh of relief to have got through the month, only to start all over again for the next month!
I now hold my hands up, I can no longer cope with it ,I am fed up with that constant horrible sick feeling,the feeling depressed and worried all the time and worst of all the migraine Headaches and on top of all that am probably going through the bloomin change so my hormones are all over the place.

I am a (nearly) 51yr old mum to 3, my youngest being 11 and TBH it is not fair to them to have a stressed, miserable depressed old bag of a mother moaning and shouting at them.

So last week I did the CCCS thingy (I have done this before but never proceeded!) and pressed the button!

So I have now applied for a Nat West step acc and finger crossed.
I have received my CCCS pack and am waiting on the new bank being opened before I return the bits and bob’s.
OH is today going to speak to his HR at work as one of the cc’c is partnership card and he works for waitrose! So not sure what will happen there?

I am going to have to send out a few token payments this week so have to wait and see what happens.

It really is a waiting game.

Felt quite sorry for myself on Sunday as I was “basting” the Sainsbury’s basic £1.52 turkey leg! And trying to make it feed us all lol

I totally broke down when I was talking to my mum, I didn’t really want her to know although she knew we were struggling but not to what extent, and after a brief pause she said “Look it’s not the end of the world, at the end of the day it’s only money, you've got 3 healthy kids and no one’s died”.
So yeah mum your right! It’s not the end of the world and I am going to try and cope with this the best I can so bring it on!

beanielou

Happy shiney new diary.
I wish you well on your journey.
Take care.

Sea78

hi

I started with the same amount of debt as you in feb 2007 - I know I am lucky to have more income coming in though. What dfd did CCCS give you?

Something i did when all was up and running and the creditors were happy was to pick my lowest debt and start picking away at it with any extra money I got through ebay, surveys etc - it helped my motivation a lot!

xxx

mom23

Hi Beanielou Many thanks for your good wishes will prob need all the support i can get!

Sea78 wrote: »

hi

I started with the same amount of debt as you in feb 2007 - I know I am lucky to have more income coming in though. What dfd did CCCS give you?

Something i did when all was up and running and the creditors were happy was to pick my lowest debt and start picking away at it with any extra money I got through ebay, surveys etc - it helped my motivation a lot!

xxx

Hi Sea should take about 13.5 years if they freeze interest:eek: how scarey is that i will prob be drawing my pension!!!!

However i really do want to get this gone quicker and will do everything i can to chip away or at least save up so that i can eventually throw more money at them

Good news is that OH spoke to his HR today and it won't be a problem phew!!
So just got to wait for new bank account details now and do the dreaded switch over!

Sea78

That's good - when I swapped over it was actually a good process as really really focussed my mind about what exactly went out of my account (swapping dds and the like) although I'd already done a SOA and the CCCS breakdown!!

Look forward to hearing more of your journey and am sure you will get that DFD right down

xx

mom23

Dear Diary.
Well spent last night making sure all known numbers and names are in our land line phone books so will not have to answer any calls i don't recognise (how sad am i put scared in case kid's or even OH picks up as he is a real "Yes" man prob why we have so much debt!! God help us us if the "Moonies" knocked at the door!!!LOL)

I have also bought 2 postal orders to send out this week as token payment's ( bought from my local sub PO who know me really well and wanted to print the names on !! not likely i'll do it myself feel as though i have it tattooed on my head as it is:o)

Other thoughts today how the hell am i going to get through Dec let alone Xmas!!! Help!!!

And the other horrible thought will never have another family holiday untill i am to old to enjoy it:eek:

Really must get this paid off as quick as poss!

live2learn

I have only just sent of our offer of token payment letters today, and its a scary feeling - not quite knowing what might happen. We now too have no way of going on holiday for a long while and no money for extra curricular activities for son (I really don't want to make him give up things).

I've been swapping DD's and SO's and it is good to do it yourself as you see what's going on with your money. My eyes are wide open now. I used to think I was good with money. I'm good at saving on the small stuff, but then still go and get big stuff (£50 plus) and justify it somehow.

My husband and I are in it together,but he likes to leave it all to me if at all possible. I think we're going to slowly change that, just need to use our loaf a lot more.

mom23

Hi Live2learm
It is the not knowing what is going to happen which is the worst.

My OH is also quite happy to let me get on with it!! and i get quite mad sometimes as most of the debt bar one small one is in his name i sometimes feel that i could just walk away and leave him to it! but couldn't live with the guilt!!
Hope everything goes well for you x

mom23

Well having wasted most of the morning trying to get bloomin printer to print properly:mad:managed in the end to get "good enough" letters to send with my token payments.

Anyway I have just come back from the PO (as wanted to send them recorded) and feel quite sick,even as i stood in the queue i wasn't sure i wanted to post them and nearly came home!!

But now the deed is done and they are on there way and all i have to do now is sit back and wait for the dreaded phone calls.

pennywisepoundstupid

Hi mom23 and well done on taking the first steps, sorry don't really have any advice, but wanted to send you hugs and support, i have subscribed and will be following your debt free journey.

mom23

Hi PWPS
Many thanks for your support.

I hope as the diary goes on to sound a little more cheerful as at the mo my posts are a bit all doom and gloom!

It helps knowing i can come on here and get things of my chest and then carry on being smiley mum again!

However if i sound as if i am feeling too sorry for myself please feel free to give me a swift kick up the backside lol!

Take care