Spent years hiding away and running, literally in cases, from this...

Little_Miss_Uni-Debt

Hey Cookie,

Just checking in to see how you're doing! Excellent work on building up your list of creditors. You also have a total starting figure!

I'd say that looks a more reliable picture. Do you feel like you have the £287 at the end of the month? If not, start a spending diary that goes everywhere with you to see where you are going over the amounts in your SOA.

For the first month, I'd see if you can make all your payments as above and then try and keep hold of the extra cash (in another account if it helps) just as emergency back up. I'm sure with 4 kids things can crop up unexpectedly.

I know it's tempting to go straight into the debt busting straight away but maybe that would give you a bit of breathing room. So you don't feel quite so up against it.

It's 6 years from the date of the default as far as I am aware, or date of last payment (whichever was more recent) I'm sure other folks can provide more info on defaults and when accounts become statute barred.

It's a great start though, right? I hope you're pleased!

CookieCrisp

415SanFran wrote: »

I have sent you a PM

Thank you I have pmd you back

CookieCrisp

Little_Miss_Uni-Debt wrote: »

Hey Cookie,

Just checking in to see how you're doing! Excellent work on building up your list of creditors. You also have a total starting figure!

I'd say that looks a more reliable picture. Do you feel like you have the £287 at the end of the month? If not, start a spending diary that goes everywhere with you to see where you are going over the amounts in your SOA.

For the first month, I'd see if you can make all your payments as above and then try and keep hold of the extra cash (in another account if it helps) just as emergency back up. I'm sure with 4 kids things can crop up unexpectedly.

I know it's tempting to go straight into the debt busting straight away but maybe that would give you a bit of breathing room. So you don't feel quite so up against it.

It's 6 years from the date of the default as far as I am aware, or date of last payment (whichever was more recent) I'm sure other folks can provide more info on defaults and when accounts become statute barred.

It's a great start though, right? I hope you're pleased!

Thank you, to be honest...I feel like I struggle to even have 50p at the end of the month let alone the £287 I should have...I think a spending diary would be good and also try and have a few NSD days in the week too...I mean, it should be easy enough if I set my mind to it.

Little_Miss_Uni-Debt

Hey Cookie,

Just a thought, what's the situation with your current account? If you have an overdraft, this maybe one of the reasons you don't have the spare cash at the end of the month.

It's always difficult to stick to a budget if your current account swallows some of your income before you get to spend it, with fees and overdraft interest etc.

Most folks in this situation switch to a new current account without an overdraft for a fresh start and then pay towards the old overdraft off like a normal debt.

There's quite a few people that draw out their money at the beginning of the month and put the cash in labelled envelopes according to their SOA.

There are stacks of ways to make sure you keep hold of your extra £287 at the end of the month, NSD's are especially helpful!!:)

CookieCrisp

Little_Miss_Uni-Debt wrote: »

Hey Cookie,

Just a thought, what's the situation with your current account? If you have an overdraft, this maybe one of the reasons you don't have the spare cash at the end of the month.

It's always difficult to stick to a budget if your current account swallows some of your income before you get to spend it, with fees and overdraft interest etc.

Most folks in this situation switch to a new current account without an overdraft for a fresh start and then pay towards the old overdraft off like a normal debt.

There's quite a few people that draw out their money at the beginning of the month and put the cash in labelled envelopes according to their SOA.

There are stacks of ways to make sure you keep hold of your extra £287 at the end of the month, NSD's are especially helpful!!:)

I don't have a current account, just a cash account with lloyds which means I can only withdraw cash from a lloyds or a post office, bit of a pain but no overdraft facility which I like though...I find I tend to have to borrow cash from people to see me through till next payday then repay them and then have to borrow again...does that make sense?
I started my spending diary today!! I just need to sort out callcredit and find out how I update old addresses to equifax and hopefully this time next month I'll know the whole picture rather than little bits and bobs here and there

hp48910

Great work so far Cookie, has it made you feel a little better about things now they are being addressed? I hope so.

Also, great news (although I know how you feel about it) about the friends and family who are happy to sit tight with you until you have paid off some of the higher priority debts. Now just to work out which ones in which order! It would help if you were getting responses from some of the companies!!

Have a great weekend

H x

CookieCrisp

I feel SO much better, I really didnt think I would but its kind of like now I know what Im dealing with and not second guessing and running from it if you see what I mean? Im just waiting to sort out equifax and callcredit then I can start to tackle them all x