Getting professional help to beat debt. Diary

Getmeoutofdebt

One year in to my DMP and Barclaycard have written to me saying my arrangement is coming to an end! Yikes! Hope this doesn't mean a ton of interest and higher payments again! It looks pretty much like a standard letter as they are saying they haven't had contact from my debt management company etc and I'm not even with one! They are asking for an update.
I have done the same as i did when I first contacted them, Sent a financial statement, told them I do want to pay my debt but it's pointless trying if the interest is higher than my monthly payment etc and asked if I can carry on with the plan as I am determined to clear my debt. Fingers crossed its just an update they need and I can carry on as I am..... Hope it doesn't take too long to find out!

Getmeoutofdebt

Well after writing back to Barclaycard last week regarding my payment plan ending, I was expecting to hear from them at some point. I was totally shocked today though when at work our receptionist said she had Evelynne on the phone for me and it was a personal call and it turned out to be Barclaycard! Luckily Evelynne realised from the racket going on in my office at the time that it was not a good time to call and she asked me to phone her back on my lunch break. I felt sick! My stomach was full of butterflies. I hate waiting to find things out like this, I prefer to sort it asap, but it was 3 hours before my lunch break. God did time drag!
I rang back and couldn't get Evelynne. Dolly (foreigner, from who knows where) said I had to deal with her instead as she had answered my call. Problem was though, Dolly didn't know why Evelynne had phoned me! It took 15 mins on a premium rate number for me to get through, confirm my details about 4 times over (she couldn't understand my accent) and for Dolly to figure out that they may have phoned me because my payment plan was ending. It was nothing to do with the letter I had sent to them. Note to self in future, don't ring them back! Stick to doing it in writing! Dolly was so hard to understand that I'm not even sure how it ended. I think they have agreed to continue my plan for a year, but only one one card, they couldn't find my other card on the system. I'm guessing that tomorrow they will probably ring me again about the other account! I have no idea! Confused and annoyed that they have managed to track me down at work and still not sure where I stand with them! Grr! :mad:

Getmeoutofdebt

Even though I spoke to Barclaycard on Monday and sorted out my plan for another year, they rang me again at work on Tuesday. I answered but told her I couldn't talk as I was working and that I had already spoken to an advisor the day before. She offered to ring me back at home in the evening. I agreed. She didn't ring back! I left it and they didn't ring yesterday so I figured that the second call had been a mistake but oh no, today they started ringing me at work again. I wasn't available when they rang, too busy serving customers so I kept missing them. One woman even told my colleague she was from Barclaycard so now he knows I'm being chased by my credit card company! At lunch time I decided to phone them and sort it out so that I don't get in bother at work.
Once again they seemed unsure as to why they had been contacting me. Lady I spoke to told me I was due to pay on Monday and could I pay today instead. I asked why I couldn't just pay on my due day? The same day I get paid. I told her I cant afford to pay until I get paid and I'm not overdue, I paid my payment last month on the 25th as agreed so why are they chasing me? I asked her not to phone again at work as its getting me in trouble. She denied having my work number! I was getting annoyed and said "but my work number is the only number you ring me on, how can you not have it?" She then asked me to set up a direct debit. I said no, I will pay by bank transfer on the agreed date as I always do. She then asked for my debit card number. Again I said no. i don't want them taking more than I have agreed to pay and I'm scared that with direct debit they will try to take more. I then said to her "is this why you have been trying to phone me at work? Just to ask me to set up a direct debit? I don't understand why I'm being hassled at work. I've agreed a payment plan, I have stuck to it, I'm not behind with my payments, My next payment isn't due till the 4th april but I agreed to pay it 25th March, what are they ringing me for?" She just thanked me and put the phone down! So I still don't really know why they keep ringing me. I don't get it and I'm really annoyed! It felt a bit like they were trying to con me into giving my debit card details. Like it wasn't Barclaycard at all. But It was as I checked the phone number out before I rang them back.
Has anyone else experienced this? I can't have them keep phoning my work, we are strictly not allowed personal calls and I could get disciplined over it!
Help!!

Getmeoutofdebt

Well Barclaycard phoned me a few more times since my last post and the last call was saturday (today is monday). I was so annoyed on Saturday as the call was a recored message and not even a real person this time! I still didn't know why they were ringing! I logged onto my online account and sent a secure message demanding to know why they were constantly phoning me yet they didn't seem to know why. I haven't had a reply yet but I haven't had a phone call either! Just co-incidence or have I managed to get them to put a stop to it?
On the plus side it's pay day today so I have paid another chunk off all my debts! I've decided to clear my overdraft once again after using it to pay the MBNA short settlement. So I'm concentrating on that for now. Got £5.50 from valued opinions which I transfered to my paypal account and from there to my overdraft. Every little helps! I'm planning to use my nectar card points towards my weekly shop this week and then put the cash I would have spent towards my overdraft which will be another £34 paid off. I need to crack on and list some more items on ebay too but I'm seriously lacking in motivation since i passed my 1 year milestone. i don't know whats wrong with me, you would think the end of the first year of my plan would spur me on but its had the opposite effect! I need to give myself a kick up the backside or i'll never make any progress! :mad:

sweetpea26

Hi there
Getmeoutofdebt

Have read your diary and you have coped so well. Keep going and I am sure you are helping lots of people as they read it. Have subscribed and will pop in to see how you are getting on.

Take care

Getmeoutofdebt

Hi sweetpea,

Many thanks for your message of support and good luck to you too x

Getmeoutofdebt

Hooray!!! I got a reply from my email today which I sent Barclaycard after their week of harrassing me on the phone. They have apologised for the phone calls which will now stop and said that they have extended my payment plan with them for 5 years as long as I keep up my current payments and have a review once a year! What a result! Feeling positive again! :j

sweetpea26

Thats fantastic Keep on firing what you can at the debt. You will wipe this debt out.

shinner

Hi
Just want to say well done you, your doing amazing have a little read of your diary may inspire you. I have recently started self managing my debt. I got barclaycard to freeze interest just have to contact monthly. Just got in touch with Virgin and they have just agreed to freeze my interest but did inform me they would default me in the 7th month so i have 6 months to save and pay as much as possible. i have subscribed so keep posting.:j

armchairexpert

Getme, I've found your diary after a whole year of you writing, and just subscribed. Do you mind if I ask some nosy questions? As I read your very first post, a lot of your current debt is because you took over your husband's debt and transferred it onto cards and things, right?

I know he's been unable to work for a long time (is he recovered yet?) but before then, was he helping pay down the debt? I just feel from your posts that you have been working incredibly hard, and mostly alone, including working an effective second job with ebaying, cooking meals for the farmer whose land you live on, and wondered if you have support. It sounds so tough, that's all.