DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 8

dizzybee

Hi,
everyone would you mind if i joined you please,i have just filled in the paper work with step change but totally screwed up has forgot to add a few debts one been my biggest.so am staring from scratch with it all speaking to step change on mon to getting everythink added then hopefully will have my DMP set up.i am new to all this but once the Dmp is set up can you pay extra at any time if you came into a bit of extra money or is best to leave the DMP running along and put the cash in savings to bulid up enough to clear it.i am member of a lot of survey sites also E baying and selling stuff on Amazon and just thought if i could make a bit extra along the way i may be able to clear it sooner.

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Ellieseleven wrote: »

Hello Everybody

I've decided to join the grocery challenge for 2013 and have set a target for January. This week I have spent a total of £37.93 which is fantastic for us:)

I did a stocktake and was surprised just how much food we have in the cupboards, then I made a list and stuck to it (I was tempted to stray but had a word with myself and carried on)

I've set a meal plan for the week and take sandwiches to work (which I do already) so with a bit of luck I should also have several NSD's as well.

I'm quite enjoying this challenge on the quiet and feel upbeat about coming in under our target. These early months of the year are the worst for my hubbies business as he gets no work at all so we really have to tighten our belts but in a strange way I don't feel gloomy about doing this challenge and normally I'm so depressed by the lack of money at this time of year it's unbearable:o

Anyway fellow DFW's I hope that you are all well and coping with what life is throwing at you and another month closer to all our DFD's:)

Take care
Ellie xx

Fab upbeat post Ellie. Really good challenge idea. I always think food is one of the areas of a DMP budget that we see the best return and flexibility on. Do share the tips as you go along. Yes, DFD closer for EVERYONE here

HHx

Hopelessly_Hopeful

dizzybee wrote: »

Hi,
everyone would you mind if i joined you please,i have just filled in the paper work with step change but totally screwed up has forgot to add a few debts one been my biggest.so am staring from scratch with it all speaking to step change on mon to getting everythink added then hopefully will have my DMP set up.i am new to all this but once the Dmp is set up can you pay extra at any time if you came into a bit of extra money or is best to leave the DMP running along and put the cash in savings to bulid up enough to clear it.i am member of a lot of survey sites also E baying and selling stuff on Amazon and just thought if i could make a bit extra along the way i may be able to clear it sooner.

Hi and welcome

If you havent yet returned the paperwork you could just complete the debt remedy online. I did mine on a Satruday afternoon and I was all set up with that and new bank account by the following Thursday! I think lots of us forgot some debt, I 'forgot' 30%!!!!!

If you get any extra hang onto it for emergency fund for now. The official response is that you should divide it equally amongst the creditors whether they are applying interest or not!

How are you doing with new bank account? When's your projected DFD?


HHx

Ellieseleven

Thanks HH, I will most definately share any tips along the way. The biggest surprise so far is how much food we had in the cupboard that I just keep adding to, that and making a list has really helped this week. Normally I just go along to the supermarket and shove stuff in the trolley, then when I get home I realise that I still have the same things in the cupboard.

Anyway off to make a trifle using stuff left from Christmas;)

Ellie xx

RonniesMummy

Hi Guys
Can I join? DMP with StepChange starts 1st Feb.
Finally realised I cant carry on, got out of my depth, already had a few letters/emails from the creditors I have told I am on a dmp to say they will not accept this, and keep the right to not freeze interest charges etc.
Is this normal?
I feel so silly to have gotten myself into this situation but can now finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, to anyone reading this, who is struggling with debt, go to stepchange they will help you, it is so easy!

antonic

Hi Ronnies Mum,

I know it sounds ludicrous, and we do tell people to be wary of D(ebt) C(ollection) A(gencies) but having your debt referred to a DCA can actually be a good thing !

Why ??

Because once the debt has been referred (sold) on to them, they will *usually* freeze the interest and agree to a DMP because they *may* have bought the debt for a fraction of what is outstanding, and now your paying them the FULL value of the debt, via a DMP ! (if you want to !).

In my case I had 3 Credit Card debts and an overdraft.

2 of the Cards (Cahoot & Capital One) and Abbey National for my OD froze the interest straight away and have never charged me.
(My Cahoot debt was sold to Robinson Way)

HBOS first of all froze interest for approx 2 years, then started charging again because they said they had done all they could to help me - when my debt was sold to their inhouse DCA Blair , Oliver & Scott, the interest was frozen again and has remianed frozen.

I now have 5 months to go (out of 90) and am glad to see the end in sight !.

We are all here to help each other and congratulations on realising you need to deal with this problem and have taken the first step !.

Post back if you need more help (or inspiration !).

RonniesMummy wrote: »

Hi Guys
Can I join? DMP with StepChange starts 1st Feb.
Finally realised I cant carry on, got out of my depth, already had a few letters/emails from the creditors I have told I am on a dmp to say they will not accept this, and keep the right to not freeze interest charges etc.
Is this normal?
I feel so silly to have gotten myself into this situation but can now finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, to anyone reading this, who is struggling with debt, go to stepchange they will help you, it is so easy!

RonniesMummy

antonic wrote: »

Hi Ronnies Mum,

I know it sounds ludicrous, and we do tell people to be wary of D(ebt) C(ollection) A(gencies) but having your debt referred to a DCA can actually be a good thing !

Why ??

Because once the debt has been referred (sold) on to them, they will *usually* freeze the interest and agree to a DMP because they *may* have bought the debt for a fraction of what is outstanding, and now your paying them the FULL value of the debt, via a DMP ! (if you want to !).

In my case I had 3 Credit Card debts and an overdraft.

2 of the Cards (Cahoot & Capital One) and Abbey National for my OD froze the interest straight away and have never charged me.
(My Cahoot debt was sold to Robinson Way)

HBOS first of all froze interest for approx 2 years, then started charging again because they said they had done all they could to help me - when my debt was sold to their inhouse DCA Blair , Oliver & Scott, the interest was frozen again and has remianed frozen.

I now have 5 months to go (out of 90) and am glad to see the end in sight !.

We are all here to help each other and congratulations on realising you need to deal with this problem and have taken the first step !.

Post back if you need more help (or inspiration !).

Wow well done you have done so well!

I think I am only nervous about the DCA element as I don't want anyone knocking on my door, do they still do this?

I am hoping there will be some overtime coming in at work shortly, so any extra money I earn I plan to pay off my debts with, just want to get this over and done with as quick as possible!

Time_to_face_the_music

Ellieseleven wrote: »

Hello Everybody

I've decided to join the grocery challenge for 2013 and have set a target for January. This week I have spent a total of £37.93 which is fantastic for us:)

I did a stocktake and was surprised just how much food we have in the cupboards, then I made a list and stuck to it (I was tempted to stray but had a word with myself and carried on)

I've set a meal plan for the week and take sandwiches to work (which I do already) so with a bit of luck I should also have several NSD's as well.

I'm quite enjoying this challenge on the quiet and feel upbeat about coming in under our target. These early months of the year are the worst for my hubbies business as he gets no work at all so we really have to tighten our belts but in a strange way I don't feel gloomy about doing this challenge and normally I'm so depressed by the lack of money at this time of year it's unbearable:o

Anyway fellow DFW's I hope that you are all well and coping with what life is throwing at you and another month closer to all our DFD's:)

Take care
Ellie xx

Well done on the challenge Ellie :T

Our current strategy for saving money on food is "diluting" all meat with lentils/beans/vegetables. It works and it's cheap and healthy! Previously chilli con carne would have been minced beef and a few kidney beans. Now it's a small amount of minced beef, loads of beans and some sweetcorn too. Same principle works for lots of meals and home made burgers made with meat and lentils are delish

Time_to_face_the_music

dizzybee wrote: »

Hi,
everyone would you mind if i joined you please,i have just filled in the paper work with step change but totally screwed up has forgot to add a few debts one been my biggest.so am staring from scratch with it all speaking to step change on mon to getting everythink added then hopefully will have my DMP set up.i am new to all this but once the Dmp is set up can you pay extra at any time if you came into a bit of extra money or is best to leave the DMP running along and put the cash in savings to bulid up enough to clear it.i am member of a lot of survey sites also E baying and selling stuff on Amazon and just thought if i could make a bit extra along the way i may be able to clear it sooner.

Hi and welcome dizzybee :hello:

I forgot several things when I completed our debt remedy but StepChange (ex CCCS) sorted it out quickly for us.

I have become an expert ebay and Amazon seller and every penny earned goes as extra towards our debts. It really makes a big difference.

All money earned from completing surveys went towards Amazon vouchers and bought Christmas gifts

antonic

Dont worry,

You wont have anyone knocking on your door, but you *may* get lots of phonecalls & letters ! (I certainly got lots of calls from HBOS - I dealt with them by keeping calm and saying I was setting up a DMP with Payplan and Payplan would d/w everything).

Once my DMP was up & running, the calls stopped !.

RonniesMummy wrote: »

Wow well done you have done so well!

I think I am only nervous about the DCA element as I don't want anyone knocking on my door, do they still do this?

I am hoping there will be some overtime coming in at work shortly, so any extra money I earn I plan to pay off my debts with, just want to get this over and done with as quick as possible!