DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 8

Time_to_face_the_music

georgeisbroke wrote: »

Hello everyone!

I'm just starting a DMP with CCCS. I'm not too worried about getting nasty letters/calls from my creditors and that side of things, I'm pretty sure I can handle them. My main worry is not being able to afford the monthly repayments to CCCS! When we went through the budget it seems really tight (£17 a month for socialising - I play in a brass band as a hobby (a fairly modest hobby I think) and that's £12.50 a month gone already in subs)! So £4.50 a month to go out?! £25 a month on clothes? Eek.

As it's my spending habits (not massively extravagant, but slowly getting into more and more debt) that got me here in the first place I know that's where the problem lies, and I know I need to cut back. It just seems impossible at the moment. I'm worried I'm embarking on something I can't afford, and am going to end up in an even worse situation.

Most of my friends are married/in a long term relationship, so bills and things are supplemented by two incomes. I'm on my own, so rent, electricity etc is ALL on me! My repayments to CCCS are only about £10 less a month than I was paying before (I just got messed up recently by a £500 MOT bill and some other unexpected items)!

Anyway, I feel like I've done something positive by seeking help, but I'm just scared I won't be able to change myself enough to sustain the plan.

Ooooh, my heart is pounding from worry and apprehension but I feel good for sharing. It's good to read your posts and know that others are in the same boat!

Penniless love to you all!! George xx

Hi George and welcome :hello:

Well done on making the first move to getting your debts sorted out :T

Regarding your budget, there is often room for a little extra. Do you have a pet? Don't forget the pet food and vet fees/insurance. Do you wear contact lenses or have to go to the dentists? You can add the cost of these to your DMP etc. There is no point in overdoing this because you want to pay off your debt but if you are in this for the long haul, and lots of us are, you do need to make life bearable and a few extra expenses can help you do that. Have you actually set up your DMP or are you still at the Debt Remedy stage? If you haven't spoken to CCCS yet, you can tell them that you have forgotten a few things.

You talk about your friends and shared expenses so I assume you live on your own? Have you ever thought about getting a lodger to help with your bills?

£25 a month on clothes? I should be so lucky!

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Morning

Three weeks to payday, terrible to wish your life away isn't it? All on track spending wise, fingers crossed no emergency repairs to anything.

I spent half of this month's entertainment budget on 50 shades of grey! Now have 'the' book, have to say it's rather trite and another rhyming word! That said I am enjoying some elements of the eroticism so in the words of Magnus Magnusson "I have started so I will finish"

HHx

rdchick

Haha oh dear HH I quite liked Fifty Shades... my books are now doing the rounds but I wish I had put them on ebay now! Saw book one on bids of £12 :O xxx

Tigsmom

georgeisbroke wrote: »

Hello everyone!

I'm just starting a DMP with CCCS. I'm not too worried about getting nasty letters/calls from my creditors and that side of things, I'm pretty sure I can handle them. My main worry is not being able to afford the monthly repayments to CCCS! When we went through the budget it seems really tight (£17 a month for socialising - I play in a brass band as a hobby (a fairly modest hobby I think) and that's £12.50 a month gone already in subs)! So £4.50 a month to go out?! £25 a month on clothes? Eek.

As it's my spending habits (not massively extravagant, but slowly getting into more and more debt) that got me here in the first place I know that's where the problem lies, and I know I need to cut back. It just seems impossible at the moment. I'm worried I'm embarking on something I can't afford, and am going to end up in an even worse situation.

Most of my friends are married/in a long term relationship, so bills and things are supplemented by two incomes. I'm on my own, so rent, electricity etc is ALL on me! My repayments to CCCS are only about £10 less a month than I was paying before (I just got messed up recently by a £500 MOT bill and some other unexpected items)!

Anyway, I feel like I've done something positive by seeking help, but I'm just scared I won't be able to change myself enough to sustain the plan.

Ooooh, my heart is pounding from worry and apprehension but I feel good for sharing. It's good to read your posts and know that others are in the same boat!

Penniless love to you all!! George xx

Hi George,

The main thing to remember here is that the interest on your payments will probably be frozen or reduced so you will clear your debts quicker and then can resume with your life. You're doing the right thing.

You may need to have a rethink about the way that you shop and where you shop. Aldi are cheaper than Sainsburys, Primark cheaper than Next etc. I just kitted my two kids out for the whole summer for £28 in Primark. Adult clothes are slightly more but not much. George at Asda and H&M are pretty cheap too. Make packed lunch instead of buying lunch. Invite friends around and ask them to bring their own drinks. Look for special cheap nights at the cinema midweek. There are often vouchers/offers on here for restaurants etc. You can meet other people at cycling/walking clubs - these are usually free. Look in the local paper (or on their website because that won't cost you). Do you have any junk kicking about that you can sell on Ebay/local paper (ads are usually free under £100). Do you work? Could you do a second job? Could you turn your hobby into a money making venture - perform at weddings/birthdays etc?

My husband and I spend £0 on entertainment. We buy pizzas from Iceland as part of our food budget and have movie nights with the kids. We go for walks (weather permitting!). I think if I was young and single I would think differently and there are times I wish we could just go out for a meal or to the cinema but we just want to clear our debts so that our money is our own and then we can decide what to spend it on.

Good luck and stay focused.

Time_to_face_the_music

Hopelessly_Hopeful wrote: »

Morning

Three weeks to payday, terrible to wish your life away isn't it? All on track spending wise, fingers crossed no emergency repairs to anything.

I spent half of this month's entertainment budget on 50 shades of grey! Now have 'the' book, have to say it's rather trite and another rhyming word! That said I am enjoying some elements of the eroticism so in the words of Magnus Magnusson "I have started so I will finish"

HHx

Good morning geeky twin :hello:

We even get paid on the same day

I have to say while I despair of this attempt of yours to turn this thread into a smut-fest, I am tempted to read the book just to see what all the fuss is about and if it's as bad as some of the reviews make out. But I am not prepared to spend real money on it so it will have to be a charity shop or car boot sale cheapie :rotfl:

nfollows1982

Hi all, just wondering what you all allow for entertainment each month?

Me and OH have literally had no life for the last 6 months and we haven't gone out to the cinema or for a meal or even a coffee.

Now the DMP is sorted we have some leway to do some of these things but how many and how often?

Do you go out once a month? Twice a month? What do you spend?

Hopelessly_Hopeful

nfollows1982 wrote: »

Hi all, just wondering what you all allow for entertainment each month?

Me and OH have literally had no life for the last 6 months and we haven't gone out to the cinema or for a meal or even a coffee.

Now the DMP is sorted we have some leway to do some of these things but how many and how often?

Do you go out once a month? Twice a month? What do you spend?

Hi

I have £10 in my budget for entertainment errrrr:mad:

Totally unreasonable I think.

That said I am very creative with my food budget so tend to snatch some from there.

HHx

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Time_to_face_the_music wrote: »

Good morning geeky twin :hello:

We even get paid on the same day

I have to say while I despair of this attempt of yours to turn this thread into a smut-fest, I am tempted to read the book just to see what all the fuss is about and if it's as bad as some of the reviews make out. But I am not prepared to spend real money on it so it will have to be a charity shop or car boot sale cheapie :rotfl:

You are such a good MSE person! :T

HHx

BlushingRose

rdchick wrote: »

Haha oh dear HH I quite liked Fifty Shades... my books are now doing the rounds but I wish I had put them on ebay now! Saw book one on bids of £12 :O xxx

and yet you can buy all three books in Asda for £10!

I've yet to read it, to be honest..

BlushingRose

so, anyone got any advice for me re: my post about MBNA? It might have got lost in the flurry, but they don;t seem to be able to make their minds up. Should we just ignore and let them get on with it until they come up with something concrete?