Desperate To Be Debt Free!

artyfartyem

Hi gmood,

Thank you for your lovely post. It's good to know that I'm not alone on feeling so down about it. The pills the doctor have given me seem to be stopping me from over thinking things, which is great as I seem to be dealing with things better, I haven't cried for 5 days now, result!

In regards to the debt stuff, I read you had a default letter from MBNA on your diary. That's great because they should now be open to full and final settlement offers. I rang them and offered them 400 to pay off 1050 they declined and came back with 500 which I paid and the account was zeroed and closed. So you could try that. I did say a family member was paying it for me so the other creditors couldn't get shirty. I'm trying to get my husbands mint card for about 50% as they have already defaulted him on that too, I figure there's no point in paying more than I need to!

No one has added interest on yet, but I have been saving separately so as not to rock the boat anymore. They don't like it when the payments change, even if it increases. I do wish I could pay it off because I would like to see my total lower but I know it's not worth the hassle.

Lloyds tsb have only frozen the interest because all of the trouble they caused us and us complaining so much about it. I detest them an I can't wait to never have any dealings with them again!

Hope this helps. Hope you are feeling ok too,

Em xxx

Getmeoutofdebt

Thanks em!
Glad you are feeling a bit better! That's good news!
Yes I am interested to see what my offer will be. I hope it is small enough for me to scrape it together. How long do they normally give you to get the cash together? I'm wondering if I can drag out the haggling for long enough to eBay some stuff/ get paid/ do whatever I need to cobble some sort of final payment together.
Keeping my fingers crossed. Oooh!
Good luck with your debt busting and thanks again for the advice!
Xx

artyfartyem

It was 28 days I think, but on the template letter on national debt line you can put in how many days/weeks you intend to pay in so you could change that to suit you x

elantan

Arty just been catching up, really enjoying reading your journey, it hasn't been easy for you but it's been real, so many people lurking here will be comforted to know they are not alone in feeling the way they are ..... GMOOD you have been a great great help for arty, I really hope your journey is easing also, the two of you make a great read and show your support for each other so well

All the best for your journeys xxxx

Getmeoutofdebt

Thanks for your support Elantan, it means a lot. I appreciate your kind comments xx
Em, How are you getting on? You have gone all quiet!! I hope everything is good and you are not on here cos you are busy busting away at that debt! I've got my fingers crossed for you that you will get it cleared by your planned date!!
xx

artyfartyem

Hi gmood,

I am doing much better, the anti depressants have taken the edge off feeling so negative all the time and I am finding it easier to cope with the stress of things now, even though it is still early days.

I feel like I'm getting myself back slowly, and only hoping it will get better.

Hope you get things sorted with MBNA soon, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Xx

Getmeoutofdebt

Hi Em,

Glad you are back on track a bit more. Hope you don't have to rely on your tablets too much and that you start feeling better about things without needing them soon.
You have done so well. You are really not that far off now! Keep at it! I'm rooting for you! (is that how you spell rooting? God knows! You know what I mean though)
The amount you have paid of is incredible and really inspires me to do better so don't let yourself get down about it. You will be inspiring a lot of other people on here too! And its a great help too that you have already been through what I'm going through as it helps me know what to expect!
God just think of all those amazing holidays you will be able to have when you are debt free!!
Keep up the good work!!
Gmood xx

artyfartyem

Hi Gmood,

It's been a very eventful week...

Start off with the depression, mostly feeling ok. Doctors again on Tuesday, I know I have to take the pills for 3 more months as he said that's what I would need to commit to as a minimum. I don't want to be dependant on them, I just want to feel 'normal' whatever that might be.

On the debt front, my parents have generously lent me £14500, which has paid off all of my outstanding debt now (except for mint who I am still trying to get an f&f with but they are ignoring me). I have to pay them back £500 a month, which is a lot less than the £1200 I was paying to cccs.

I feel very strange about the situation, part of me wants to keep slogging at it and pay them back this year, but then doing that is what has made me so miserable for the past 18 months. So I am a bit in limbo. I still can't allow myself to spend any money, and I don't want to go back into those bad habits. But, I'm just not sure want I want at the moment...

Xx

Getmeoutofdebt

Hi Arty,

OOh thats a bit of a pickle isn't it with your family lending you the money? I can guess how you must feel. You have the creditors off your back now but you have just shifted the debt so it's still there....

Did you save some money paying it off? (Partial settlements etc?) I noticed it has come down a bit but is that just because the remainder is owed to mint?

I think if I was in your situation I would slog on and still try to pay it off this year. I know its a nightmare but I'd feel that I was just dragging the nightmare on if I didn't stick to the planned debt free date.
I know it seems a while off October but think of it this way, one month of this year is almost gone already... that only leave 9 more till oct. It really will fly by!
You could always have a couple of months off and shift the date to December, then it's still paid this year.
But... if you still can't allow yourself to spend any money then what are you going to do with the money you are not spending... you know what I mean? You may as well pay it off and get it over with sooner?

I'm waiting for a reply on a settlement offer to MBNA. Its only 3 days since they got it but I'm getting impatient! How long do they usually take?
If they accept it I'll be over the moon but then stuck with no extra money to pay off the rest for a while.

I hope you start to feel better soon with the depression. It must be awful for you.

Keep in touch xx

artyfartyem

So, a month on and I am feeling much better. I have paid off mint after they refused a reduced offer and have started paying back my parents. We have started to enjoy things a bit more now, and have used vouchers and offers to go out for food or to the cinema. I haven't stopped my frantic money saving, and have started to build up a lump again already which will either be used as an emergency fund or to pay back my parents quicker, but we shall see. I am trying to just come to terms with my depression and enjoy the money we work so hard for each month.