We've just cut up all our credit cards!!

BlushingRose

yeah, I think we just have to get used top how much we've got floating about after everything is paid for - if anything

Standingtall

You should have something BR, usually the budgets with CCCS and Payplan allow for real life. Emergency situations are a worry which is why you need to consider setting up an emergency fund. I have managed to put away £200 since September, not megabucks but if I can keep it up...

One of the 'allowances' from Payplan was £260 month for food shopping for the two of us - what a luxury! (for myself and my daughter as they do not include my son as he is an adult). I was allowed £20 a month for haircuts, etc, etc. When you consider so much of this had started going on the credit card previously you can see why I suddenly feel 'rich'.

I cannot lie that I do worry about emergencies, but generally things are much better than before. Hopefully this will be the case for you too:)

debtfreewannabe321

I agree, we were allowed £450+ for our grocery budget :eek: we haven't eaten that well since forever. We put £450 in the budget as the cccs told me anything left over i could put into my emergency funds or elsewhere that was needed. For example they only let me have £23 in the budget for sky but i was in a contract and couldn't get out when i first started so i used £20 of the grocery budget for that. we rarely spend over £250 on the food etc now so i try to save whatever i can for emergencies. I think the figure they gave us was £56 for the emergency fund? Can't quite remember though. In my personal budget i try to cut back on areas and put £100 away sorry long post hope it makes sense lol x

ladysparklexx

BlushingRose wrote: »

It was surprisingly scary.

Rest of the letters to creditors with £1 postal orders to be posted in the morning, and also the paperwork back to CCCS.
Looks like we're doing this!!

hi blushing rose, I think we are going through the same steps at the same time. One of my husband creditors is being a right pain and have decided to no longer talk to him on the phone as they have said they will only accept full payment so we are letting cccs argue that one. We have just sent all of our paperwork off and I need to send these people a postal order and letter. Do you just buy a postal order or do you have to have it made out to the company that you owe the money to.

Sorry to be a pain

BlushingRose

ladysparklexx wrote: »

hi blushing rose, I think we are going through the same steps at the same time. One of my husband creditors is being a right pain and have decided to no longer talk to him on the phone as they have said they will only accept full payment so we are letting cccs argue that one. We have just sent all of our paperwork off and I need to send these people a postal order and letter. Do you just buy a postal order or do you have to have it made out to the company that you owe the money to.

Sorry to be a pain

You're not a pain hon, there are no daft questions (which is just as well cos I've been asking a few!!)

You need to just go to the post office and buy however many postal orders you need. They have to put them through a machine one at a time to print them off but you don;t have to tell them any company names or anything. When you're ready to send it off, you write the company you want to pay it to on the 'pay' line at the top, like a cheque, and then you just send it off with your letter.
Hope that's helpful x

ladysparklexx

Thank you so much I will do this on my way back from work tomorrow. Im really pleased with the cccs people everything seems to be going to smoothly.

Have you sorted out your new bank account yet? We are still waiting for our cards to come through although we have already paid in a load of money and have left ourselves a bit short till they come through fingers crossed for tomorrows post.

BlushingRose

ladysparklexx wrote: »

Have you sorted out your new bank account yet? We are still waiting for our cards to come through although we have already paid in a load of money and have left ourselves a bit short till they come through fingers crossed for tomorrows post.

Yep, we got the new details for the basic account yesterday although we're waiting for the cards to arrive. The account hasn't got a bean in it yet though as Mr BR doesn't get paid until the 20th.
You should be able to go and get some money out over the counter with the account details and ID though?

ladysparklexx

I will do if necessary, it does feel wierd only having cash and no debit card at the moment. We are a bit naughty but on the advice of the cccs people and took our overdraft up to its limit and put it into our new account so that we have enough for our mortgage etc next month if my husbands wages get paid into the old account and taken. My wages will go in fine, handy thing with working in the payroll department lol

BlushingRose

ladysparklexx wrote: »

My wages will go in fine, handy thing with working in the payroll department lol

Haha, yeah, I'll bet!

PinotGrigio41

Well done on chopping up those cards ! It is really scary, but we havent used a credit card for at least a year and as much as initially it drove me mad without that safety net, now I find it a good thing. It certainly stops all those impulse purchases and makes you re evaluate what you really do need !