CCCS cannot be thanked enough.....

Baba_Jaga

Hi, this is my first post.
I thought a year after my DMP was set up, I need some more motivation! I cannot thank CCCS enough for what they have achieved for me...finally faced the demon credit mess for the first time in years, probably all my life. Learnt lots about why emotionally I spent more than I had, but now stay firmly on the right side of my spending. I am reducing debts steadily if slowly and more importantly, I am not increasing the spiral. I am not worried that I probably won't ever get credit again - great, thats that lesson well learnt! It has taken me all this time (50) to work out what I need and what I think I need! CCCS have been so supportive, listening to me through tears and always reassuring me that I was on the right track. I would urge anyone who is facing problems right now to make that call. It might be a real mess, but it's such an enormous weight off your shoulders once you get to grips with what you owe and what you have coming in:j......
Owed £23,801 October 2009 , owe £17,329 Dec 2010

JES_F1

I'd definitely agree with you there - the CCCS have been fabulous for me too.

I remember my first review (about six months into my DMP) when I still was feeling rather panicky about everything, and being in tears because I felt so stupid. Yet the CCCS man was so calm and wanted to help me make sure my DMP met my needs while still paying my debts.

Good luck with the rest of your DMP

bottleofred

Hi Baba Jaga,

The CCCS helped me loads to and are an invaluable free service for anyone with debt problems. I hope your post helps others in debt to make what is often a very difficult choice. Having been through something similar to you though, I can also confirm to anyone who thinks otherwise, that life does indeed go on without credit. Good luck with the rest of your DMP

Red:)

CCCS_Sue

Hi everyone

Thanks!

Just to say that we really appreciate your kind feedback.We will share this with the team!

We hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Kind Regards

Sue and Pav

JES_F1

CCCS_Sue wrote: »

Hi everyone

Just to say that we really appreciate your kind feedback.We will share this with the team!

We hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Kind Regards

Sue and Pav

Hope you all have a very happy Christmas and New Year - and enjoy the well-earned break!

:xmastree:

The CCCS and MSE have provided me and others with excellent (and free) support, help, and advice to deal with my financial mess - and it's very much appreciated. While life's not easy being on a DMP - and it's not meant to be - it's fantastic being in control of my finances and no longer feeling scared of my creditors.

:j

boblardo

I just wanted to add my thanks to this thread

While we no longer utilise the services of the CCCS we are very much indebted to them for all their help and advice in the early days of facing up to our debt problems

We started a DMP with them and got used to budgeting but now we have paid off 9 of our 11 creditors and are making the agreed payments to the other 2 so things are looking up for 2011. Without the help of CCCS we would not be in this situation now in fact 18 months ago we were all set to go bankrupt

Thanks CCCS

Bob

jkelly81

Hello. I have recently contacted CCCS after failing to obtain a consolidation loan for my current debt, however I did not find their plan to look very effective. I have issues with some the living costs they suggest, one in particular being fuel costs, it simply isn't practical in my case, especially with the current cost of fuel and dependency i have on my car for work. Eventually after adjusting my monthly outgoings to what would fit with their plan, the amount they suggested I would repay each month was still far far more than repayment on a consolidation loan (almost twice as much) while I appreciate the debt would be repaid quicker, I can see many problems that would arise from trying to know your finances down to the last penny like they were suggesting...unexpected costs seem to pop up all the time for us, and this is what causes us problems in our current situation....paying less per month is what is required to be able to survive this and avoid occuring bank fees etc each month. I do not see how this is possible in a CCCS plan, it just looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Has anone else felt this? I'd like to give them a go but I just don't know how I can make it work for me, we would much rather be pocketing some extra cash over the next few years than having to wait until the debt is repaid before we can think about spending a penny more than what falls into their budget. All seems a bit too complex for me to understand! I simply wouldn't care about it taking me a year or two extra to be debt free if it meant the next few years would be fairly stress free in comparison!!

Robert_Roberston

jkelly81 wrote: »

Hello. I have recently contacted CCCS after failing to obtain a consolidation loan for my current debt, however I did not find their plan to look very effective. I have issues with some the living costs they suggest, one in particular being fuel costs, it simply isn't practical in my case, especially with the current cost of fuel and dependency i have on my car for work. Eventually after adjusting my monthly outgoings to what would fit with their plan, the amount they suggested I would repay each month was still far far more than repayment on a consolidation loan (almost twice as much) while I appreciate the debt would be repaid quicker, I can see many problems that would arise from trying to know your finances down to the last penny like they were suggesting...unexpected costs seem to pop up all the time for us, and this is what causes us problems in our current situation....paying less per month is what is required to be able to survive this and avoid occuring bank fees etc each month. I do not see how this is possible in a CCCS plan, it just looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Has anone else felt this? I'd like to give them a go but I just don't know how I can make it work for me, we would much rather be pocketing some extra cash over the next few years than having to wait until the debt is repaid before we can think about spending a penny more than what falls into their budget. All seems a bit too complex for me to understand! I simply wouldn't care about it taking me a year or two extra to be debt free if it meant the next few years would be fairly stress free in comparison!!

I think the whole point is that you pay off the creditors on an agreed schedule rather than pocketing extra cash. Many people have absolutely no options in terms of extra finance so the CCCS plan works for them as everyone I read about on this board want to repay their debts and dont want to run away / declare bankruptcy.

For those who do declare bankruptcy, there are countless sleepless nights and tossing and turning before making that very difficult decision.

isy1011

I totally agree. I decided CCCS would be no good for us. Our problem was just organising ourselves. I set ourselves a weekly budget now which is probably alot larger than CCCS would set but it works for us. The debt is going down whilst still maintaining a lifestyle we want.

I think that is completely different from a situation where people have a large shortfall and no options. Im sure the CCCS are invaluable then.

eyeopener2

isy1011 wrote: »

I totally agree. I decided CCCS would be no good for us. Our problem was just organising ourselves. I set ourselves a weekly budget now which is probably alot larger than CCCS would set but it works for us. The debt is going down whilst still maintaining a lifestyle we want.

I think that is completely different from a situation where people have a large shortfall and no options. Im sure the CCCS are invaluable then.

You make a very valid point. If you have a surplus and its a case of adjusting your budget and spending habits then CCCS may not be suitable but if you are in dire straits like I was then a DMP is def worth considering.

I turned to CCCS because there was no other way to realistically address my debts. Yes I could have struggled on, robbing Peter to pay Paul, having no spare cash and my debt increasing due to charges and interest. That was going to end up in bankruptcy and me losing everything (inc wife and child).

CCCS are a strong bargaining tool where creditors are concerned and are quite happy, mosty of the time (Barclaycard are the exception here as they won't play ball) to stop interest and charges. I'm not sure whether they would have been quite so accomodating if I had gone solo on this.

CCCS have helped me maintain a strict budget, which I quite happily live, on as I realise that I didn't want a "lifestyle" as such, I wanted rid of the debt. So I live quite frugally but I am much happier without the worry and the debt is shrinking quite rapidly and this New Year will be the first one for a long time that I will owe less than I did last New Year.

I will forever be indebted (!) to CCCS for the help and advice they have given me.

Thank you CCCS

E2

Baba_Jaga

Hi again,

Thanks for all your supportive good wishes.
I think its working for me because it was time to break the old habits, and for me, consolidation had been one of them. For me personally, it was a way of 'wiping' debt and pretending I was debt free, only to start again. I was near this point when I turned to CCCS and they advised against. All the interest has been stopped and all creditors have been fine whilst on the plan EXCEPT Lloyds TSB, despite years of banking with them. I even know of an employee of theirs who was issued a default despite being on a DMP. They did this to me too.
I am aiming to be debt free by the end of 2012, and my attitude to money and spending has completely changed, which of course was needed in order for me to free myself of the constant worry of destructive debt. Good luck to all those with a plan to be DF; this site is so inspiring for all of us determined to get there! :j