Emzilla's reincarnation diary..........

ZTD

Emzilla wrote: »

OH is still putting on the dying duck act. He has gone sick from work and it's times like this that I wish I didn't work from home. I have come to my mum's for a bit of peace and quiet.

Seriously, why do most men think they are dying when they have a simple cold whereas women generally just get on with it? I'm not being sexist by the way, I know that some men get on with it and some women can't cope.

It's not something you can break down into man/woman - its usually if people were healthy during their childhood, then they taking being ill very, very badly. The people who were sickly, just kind of have the attitude "It's flu - it'll get better."

Emzilla wrote: »

OH said last night 'I want to die'. I'm not kidding! Talk about melodramatic.

You don't know that, it might have been "I want to dye." - he might have been looking for a change in career...



You might have a wannabe hippy on your hands...

Emzilla

ZTD wrote: »

You don't know that, it might have been "I want to dye." - he might have been looking for a change in career...



You might have a wannabe hippy on your hands...

Thanks for putting a new slant on it ZTD. I will quiz him about his career prospects when he is over his bought of man flu :rotfl:

Emz xx

Kepp

Did OH survive the night?! :rotfl:

Emzilla

beccie wrote: »

Did OH survive the night?! :rotfl:

He did thanks. I had the hospital on standby but luckily I didn't need to bother them. I was up at 5am coughing my guts up, but that doesn't count .

Emz xx

Emzilla

Before you read this post, you should know that I was up at 4am this morning coughing and didn't get much sleep so please bear with me if this isn't that coherent.

I thought long and hard about posting this on here. I have been thinking about it for the past week or so. In the end I decided that I had to really. I know some of you will think 'make your mind up' and 'what a U-turn' after of my recent posts - but what can I say? - I change my mind A LOT.

I am going to concentrate on getting out of debt again. I know, I know, I know. Life is too short (especially mine) but at the moment I ain't doing much living let me tell you!! All I can ever think about is money - do I have enough to pay this? Do I have enough to pay that? I've spent it before I've even got it (on bills, petrol & food etc - not wasting it).

I just don't see how I can live my life with so much debt hanging around my neck. I don't answer my home phone because it's always people chasing for money, I dread the post coming, I am constantly skint and I won't be free until it has gone.

I also have a fear of dying whilst I am in debt (sorry that sounds morbid and I know that the likelihood is that I will be around for at least another 10 years yet). My dad died in debt and I saw how much that stressed my poor mum out and I wouldn't want to put her through that again (even though the debt died with my dad, she still had a hell of a job sorting it out).

I look back over the 5 years since my dad died, and I have done nothing with regards to the debt. It's the same sort of amount it was back then and to me that just feels like 5 years wasted. I can't look back in another 5 years and be in the same position. So it has to go.

Emz xx

(will post again later when I have hopefully had some sleep).

ZTD

Emzilla wrote: »

I just don't see how I can live my life with so much debt hanging around my neck. I don't answer my home phone because it's always people chasing for money, I dread the post coming, I am constantly skint and I won't be free until it has gone.

I know you've been around a while and know this, but look at your SOA. It'll show you what is dragging you down, and what can drag on forever (0% ones) without being a problem.

Don't go for "clear my debts at the expensive of living" or "live at the expense of the debts" - but choose a happy medium. (And I don't mean Derek Acorah with a tax rebate)

Emzilla wrote: »

I also have a fear of dying whilst I am in debt (sorry that sounds morbid and I know that the likelihood is that I will be around for at least another 10 years yet). My dad died in debt and I saw how much that stressed my poor mum out and I wouldn't want to put her through that again (even though the debt died with my dad, she still had a hell of a job sorting it out).

Have you spoken to her about this? The fact is, it's is different between you and your Dad as your Mum does not have joint finances with you. This makes sorting out your affairs a lot easier for her.

Emzilla wrote: »

I look back over the 5 years since my dad died, and I have done nothing with regards to the debt. It's the same sort of amount it was back then and to me that just feels like 5 years wasted. I can't look back in another 5 years and be in the same position. So it has to go.

Have you sought external advice? It may be that a formal DMP, or an IVA or something would be better for your circumstances.

Emzilla

Thanks ZTD.

All my debts are with DCAs so they aren't charging interest. I just feel like these debts are always there in the background and I can't do the things want with them there. It's like they physically and emotionally drag me down. They have to go.

My mum and other family don't know about my debts. She hates debt and would be very disappointed in me (as she was my dad) if she knew. My OH is the only one who knows. Also, my dad's debts weren't joint with her. They were solely in his name and not secured against their joint house.

I did go to CCCS to go on a DMP, but they got a bit funny about my proof of income because I am self-employed and it comes from different sources. I therefore wrote letters to my creditors last week with a payment offer which I will manage myself.

Emz xx

ZTD

What about full and final offers?

Emzilla

ZTD wrote: »

What about full and final offers?

I will think about doing those when I have saved enough to make some offers. I've already had several letters from DCAs offering lower amounts for settling the debts.

Emz xx

Emzilla

Still no sleep, but OH has gone to stay with his mate tonight (and they are going out on the town - looks like someone feels better!!) so I should get a better night's sleep.

Okay, so as I said above, I have gone it alone with the DMP seeing as CCCS were making it a bit difficult with proving my income. I wrote to 7 of my 10 creditors on Thursday last week. 3 of my debts I am not sure who they belong to now. They are 2 with Cahoot and a Barclays loan. I'm going to have to write to them next week and see if they have them or who they sold them on to. I will put aside the money for them until I can find where I need to send it to and then make a big payment followed by the normal monthly payments.

I have my spreadsheet all set up and I will be debt free in October 2016 if I just pay my DMP payment. However, I am going to work at bringing this forward a month at a time. I love playing around with the figures -even adding another £6 a month brings it forward to September.

My first aim is still to pay back my mum. I owe her around £1,500 and about £430 on her credit card and catalogue (furniture when I moved in). So that DFD won't come closer until I can pay her back. The good news is that I pay around £50 a month on the credit card and catalogue anyway so once that is all clear (and the £1.5k for my mum), I can up my DMP by £50 when I review it in 6 month's time. That brings the DFD forward by 5 months.

So my first goal is to pay my mum back the £1.5k and clear the catalogue and card debt by the end of the year, whilst also maintaining the DMP payments. I can therefore add at least £50 to the DMP and get that DFD 5 months closer :T.

That is my immediate plan of attack. Other than that, I'm just trying to find ways to save money. I did a survey today for £3 in Luncheon vouchers and I've already got £3 in my purse. I will use them for groceries.

I'm going to change a few things. Fizzy drinks are going - yes, they are full of calories, but so are the disgusting yoghurt drinks that I get from the hospital and I pay for my prescription card so may as well make full use of it. I'm going to switch to orange squash which is much cheaper and, let's face it, healthier.

I've got a couple of thin cardigans with little holes in them that seem to be getting bigger. I'm going to borrow my mum's sewing kit and see if I can make them look slightly better.

Sorry, this is a long and rambling post which is just full of my random thoughts!! I'll stop there before you all fall asleep .

Emz xx