DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 8

Time_to_face_the_music

bhg wrote: »

Over about six months we learnt to bend the truth a little with our budget and created 'our budget' and 'CCCS budget' which meant we could enjoy a few modest luxuries and life got much better.

I shouldn't be asking this but can't resist. How does one bend the truth a little with their budget and be able to afford a few modest luxuries?

BlushingRose

Time_to_face_the_music wrote: »

I shouldn't be asking this but can't resist. How does one bend the truth a little with their budget and be able to afford a few modest luxuries?

I suspect it's things like on the CCCS budget they say that they smoke, have vets fees or whatever, but actually they don't really and they spend that money on the luxuries.

Growurown

Time_to_face_the_music wrote: »

I shouldn't be asking this but can't resist. How does one bend the truth a little with their budget and be able to afford a few modest luxuries?

I included dry cleaning, lunches at work and smoking. We had to drop the amount for smoking though as they thought it was too high. I don't spend anything on these though.

It helps out with all those extras that you can't really budget for like collections at work which drive me mad. 'it's Bob's second cousin's baby's christening, what shall I put you down for? A fiver?' :eek:

Standingtall

Growurown wrote: »

I included dry cleaning, lunches at work and smoking. We had to drop the amount for smoking though as they thought it was too high. I don't spend anything on these though.

It helps out with all those extras that you can't really budget for like collections at work which drive me mad. 'it's Bob's second cousin's baby's christening, what shall I put you down for? A fiver?' :eek:

I wholeheartedly agree with this approach but within reason of course. I intend to do this at my next payment review in October. I did not include for school dinners, presents, vets fees, this was because I was scared my payment would not be high enough. However it was and all my creditors accepted. The reason my DMP has worked it because I got a decent bonus at Christmas and I have been getting overtime - however neither of these are guaranteed.

However, since my mortgage has gone down (I was trapped in a high fixed rate) and my ex should start paying maintenance again soon (flying pigs outside my window again) it may look as though my payments should go up. However, I do not want this to happen right now as I would like to spend some nice days out with my daughter before she grows up - she is twelve. I know these can be undertaken for free but hey - I want to go to theme parks with her, etc!

My only worry however, is that if a creditor took me to court then I would have to prove my outgoings to a judge so i shall bear this in mind and not inflate any costs to high:eek:

bhg

Time_to_face_the_music wrote: »

I shouldn't be asking this but can't resist. How does one bend the truth a little with their budget and be able to afford a few modest luxuries?

The CCCS have certain limits on what you can spend under certain budget headings. To gain a little leeway you need to push these limits a bit harder. Petrol costs are difficult to gauge, but nobody ever questioned how far I had to travel to work. It was about three miles but could just as easily been 20. You might consider whether you need to budget for some things that you haven't previously considered. Contact lenses cost about £35 per month per person. Dental work isn't cheap either. If a child under 8 needs orthodontic work the NHS won't cover it. Pre-school and after-school care adds up!! Be creative, but not greedy!;)

scared-sick

Standingtall wrote: »

I've got a little tip for you all regarding value brands - I say a little tip as cooking isn't really my thing but..
I have been buying really cheap tinned chopped tomatoes but adding some fresh basil from one of those little pots you can buy to stand on your window ledge (the supermarket pots, a couple of quid or so). I find that adding that and some cheap chorizo sausage makes for a really special sauce to put on pasta. It tastes as good as anything I have had in my local Italian! I also add some chopped chillies if I am in a the mood. So cheap but so tasty!

That sounds delicious...thanks. I love pasta and sauce, so simple but yummy!!

ianmak wrote: »

According to this link, you can feed a family of four for a month! Have to say starting a DMP is a huge shift in how you view money and credit.
http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/

If that doesn't work, then try Lidl and Aldi!

Thank you thats great, I will definitely have a look into that. I really need to learn some more shopping control!!

BlushingRose wrote: »

We tend to shop at Adli and Asda these days but have never got round to shopping round further than that really

I should try aldi more as their fruit and veg is always advertised cheaper and people I know who shop there say its better quality too. i need to get out of the convenience habbit of getting everything under one roof!!

Growurown

Standingtall wrote: »

My only worry however, is that if a creditor took me to court then I would have to prove my outgoings to a judge so i shall bear this in mind and not inflate any costs to high:eek:

Yes you have to be reasonable although I think it would be difficult for creditors to ask for proof of how much you spend on things like work lunches or cigarettes for example. I don't keep receipts for every day stuff so couldn't prove it even if I did spend my money on these things.

On a completely different note - how do you get multiple quotes in a post and where can I find out what all the symbols at the bottom of a post mean.

scared-sick

Got a bit stressed yeaterday. initially i was happy as got letters from 2 creditors saying they had accepted reduced payments however they both required payment before 8th april. So I rang cccs and explained that these letters said they accepted but If I failed to keep up the agreed repayments then the agreement would be cancelled. The companies are never going to get paid on the 8th with cccs so I was worried.

Cccs told be that by the date of the letters, this offer was only made due to MY initial letters and that cccs had only just sent their official letters out the day before. So she said not to worry and it was just a crossover. I asked if I should ring the companies as a courtesy and tell them this. cccs said you can if you want but dont get into any financial talk with them or agree any payments.

So started off with the first one. Told them I wont be paying by the 8th and that cccs pay creditors on the 25th. Woman said oh well this means you will have breached your agreement and it will be cancelled. Tried to explain again to her but she said nothing she could do. She tried to get me to make a payment then and there. I said I needed to go back to cccs and get some advice from them. I came off the phone exhausted!

I know I probably shouldnt, but I have decided to leave it and see what happens. I know cccs have sent the letters out and in them they specifically say they pay on the 25th and lots of these creditors regularly deal with them so the companies know this. Also, I now realise these companies have given me THEIR offer of a reduced payment not what cccs are telling them they are going to get. So i am leaving them to it for now. I have decided I will take up the battle again once the dmp payments start going out.

Sorry about the long winded post, but sometimes it makes me feel better to get it off my chest!! Sorry!

scared-sick

Growurown wrote: »

Yes you have to be reasonable although I think it would be difficult for creditors to ask for proof of how much you spend on things like work lunches or cigarettes for example. I don't keep receipts for every day stuff so couldn't prove it even if I did spend my money on these things.

On a completely different note - how do you get multiple quotes in a post and where can I find out what all the symbols at the bottom of a post mean.

The little pink and orange bubble let you multi quote. Just press this on each post you want to quote on then press the normal quote button at the end.

Growurown

scared-sick wrote: »

The little pink and orange bubble let you multi quote. Just press this on each post you want to quote on then press the normal quote button at the end.

Many thanks