Help help help - we don;t know where to turn!

happyhaddock_2

I openend my account over the phone, it was quick and painless!. Regarding your council tax I'd cancel the old DD and ring them, I pay my council tax through the co-op online banking each month, no DD in force, but our council also accept payment in person and over the phone. It may be worth contacting them and then you don't have to worry about it coming out of your old account.

curlytop12

hi BR,

well,looks like you are making tracks now,well done.

hope it goes ok at the docs.

obviously you don't need to say on here,but it may be a good realisation if you and OH listed/talked about how you became this much in debt in the first place.
re-mortgaging and massive loans etc.
it can't all be because you lost your job....
its fantastic to get a plan in place to start paying back what you owe,but even more important to face up to your "spending profile".

you SO don't wan't to kepp going round in circles paying debt/borrowing more/getting CC's or more loans to pay that off etc,which it looks like you have been doing.

i did this cycle for a few years-got a CC,then got a loan to pay it off,then got another CC!

luckily i wised up when i got to £4000 in debt on a £20,000 income.am still paying it off,but haven't used ant credit for over a year now.

can't wait until its gone then can start some savings/have a car maitenance fund etc.

good luck,keep posting.

p.s. theres no such thing as a silly question,and people won't mind explaining things over until you understand.

Memory_Girl

BlushingRose wrote: »

From the initial online response from the CCCS, it could take us about 8 years to clear ours - seems like an enormous length of time to me...

Sure - at the moment - but eventually you will be back at work, you will have a budget that works and the bit between your teeth - then just watch the DF date come hurtling towards you.

You are on your way - that is what is important

MG

Jenjen

BlushingRose wrote: »

One question, have you had any phone calls or letters yet from people you've not paid?

Not yet but we have only missed our first payment today and the rest will all be in the next few days. We have paid our HSBC credit card minimum payment this month to buy us a bit of time before they are alerted to the problem as there is still a bit of money in our bank account with them while we finish transferring all the direct debits. The rest of the cards we are just making token payments to. So I guess the phone calls will start in the next week or so. I'm not looking forward to that.

Barclaycard did notice I'd cancelled their direct debit and emailed me to ask if it was a mistake. I just ignored it. They have all now (except HSBC) had a letter from us explaining the situation. HSBC's letter will go in the post as soon as I'm sure all my direct debits for my bills have transferred to the new account and I have withdrawn any remaining cash in the account.

I received notification of another charge from HSBC this morning for going over my overdraft limit last month. I can't decide whether to leave enough money in the account to cover that or not. I can't really afford to but then again its only £10 so it might be easier to pay it so that I don't go overdrawn again this month.

Anyway I'm going on aren't I. Writing it down helps me to get it clear in my own head. I should probably start a diary on here really.

Jenny

Nargleblast

Remember that the banks and credit card companies (understandably) want the money back that you owe them, and that will be where they are coming from when they deal with you. The person on the phone is just an ordinary person doing a job that pays their bills, so don't take anything personally. Do not let any of the language used in calls and letters make you feel small or guilty - you are not trying to run away leaving your debts behind, you are trying to find a way of paying them off within your limited means. If it takes 8 years, so be it, but that is just a starting estimate. There are loads of things you can do to bring that time down, and you will learn various tricks with making your cash go further, increasing your income, and cutting your costs whilst still having a reasonably comfortable life. If you go with CCCS, they will advise you all the way about what to do with letters received from creditors, and how to respond to phone calls. It usually involves the broken record tactic - repeating calmly and clearly that you have taken advice on your financial situation from CCCS, you are in a Debt Management Plan (or whatever solution they recommend), their contact number is 123456, your reference number is 654321 and that is all you have to say on the matter. End of call. You will soon get the hang of it.

There are some threads on this forum for people on the long haul route to debt freedom, and for people just starting out on DMPs, have a look at the threads list.

BlushingRose

Thanks folks, am about about to make the call to CCCS now. Wish me luck!

BlushingRose

Right, rang them and had a little cry. Not the most chatty advisor ever mind...but still helpful.

One thing, for example, that I hadn't grasped is that we should have a *basic* account without cheque book or overdraft facility. This is what she's suggested is that right? We were hoping to move to an account that at least had a debit card to use in shops or over the phone. Can someone confirm for me please? Thanks.

Next stage is to click that 'DMP' button on the website and fill in the remaining details. Probably do that later tonight when Mr BlushingRose is home.

DS4215

You need one without an overdraft, but its up to the bank and type of account if they will give you one with a debit card. My basic account just has a cash card, but it might be different if you need to setup direct debits and make payments by card. Ask them and see, but it is easier to budget when you deal with cash - it hurts more to spend it!

BlushingRose

DS4215 wrote: »

it is easier to budget when you deal with cash - it hurts more to spend it!

Yeah, I know what you mean.
If you have £20 in your pocket, you see where it goes (and how quickly) more easily, that's for sure.

Wannabefree1

Hello. I'm in the first week or so treading the same path as you. Another buddy? Could do with some support as pretty scared by it all too. The letters and phonecalls have just started for me and I'm busy trying to clear our lloyds account and move stuff over to the co-op.

The co-op basic account gives you a debit card, so no worries there. Am just waiting for my pin number. My hubby's salary will go into the new account on Friday. Still have a dd to go out of the ok'd account on the secured loan and can't let that bounce for obvious reasons!

Anyway, my fingers are in my ears to block out the phone and the letters are being ignored. I sent a token payment to all but the lloyds credit card recorded post yesterday so hope they'll go away and let Payplan do their stuff.