New debt free wannabe...

mancunianbulldog

Hi all, just wanted to say hi and how much al your stories have inspired me to sort myself out. I will start to make regular posts as things progress and update you on any major changes. In the next few days i will sit down and work out what i owe but here is a rough guide.....

Currently in a DMP with Welcome solutions with approx £36000 of unsecured debts, thanks to the credit companies for sending the fliers to me when i was younger and knew no better. Have a student loan which is low, about £6000 and will not be having anymore added to it, a £600 overdraft and a partner who likes shopping!:rotfl:

On the upside, we have recently bought a beautiful house which I am currently decorating to our taste, and have spoke via a phonecal to my bank, LloydsTSB about requesting last 6 years bank statements. Managed to look online as far back as 2003 and totaled roughly £1897 in charges!! I forgot how bad i really was with money! I have a fairly well paid job, and am currently at bolton Uni in my final year, woot. Has been a hard slog but will be worth it in the end to have that piece of paper. Working fulltime and studying fulltime is not for the weak!!

As I say, I will get the figures together and update as things progress. Look forward to hearing from you all soon. /hugs

mancunianbulldog

Saw somewhere someone else di the mystery shopper thing for extra cash, so...

Is this legit?

http://www.paidopinionsonline.com/nonflash/

mancunianbulldog

Ok cancel the above, they want money!!! Found this site though via a popular weekly computer magazine so i registered with them. Hopefully any money i make with them will be put forward to paying off the debt.

http://www.mystery-shoppers.co.uk/index.htm

beverleyhills

Hello and welcome to MSE.

Yes people do mystery shopping for extra money. Someone with the experience will advise you.

Best wishes bh

dancingfairy

Hi and welcome :hello: Just a few things for you. Are you paying Welcome to manage your DMP for you? You may be better off doing it yourself or going through CCCS or CAB etc I don't think they charge for this and more of your hard earned money will be going to the creditors.

Also if you pop up and SOA see southern scousers sticky we can see where
we can help you cut back and pay that debt off even faster.

Also there's a thread around here (do a search for it) on mystery shopping.

All the Best. Look forward to reading some more.
df

mancunianbulldog

Just a quickie, although i spoke to customer services on the phone regarding last 6 years statements, is there an official address to send the leters to Lloydstsb or do I just send them to my branch?

mancunianbulldog

After reading other posts regarding bank charges I am still a little unclear on how to add the 8% on top of the charge, so if i have accrued charges totalling £1897, do I add 8% to this sum, or by sifting through each charge add 8% to each one individually? Any advice truely appreciated.

Andrew

WannabeMortgageFree_2

I wouldn't bother with mystery shopping personally. I signed up for it about 2 years ago, got loads of work in from them and it was free but the amount they paid barely covered the petrol or the time spent on it. Plus you never got to keep anything, you always had to take it back and get a refund - not great if you didn't have the cash in the first place to buy the stuff.

But that's just my experience. I've heard everything from people who sign up and get nothing, to those inundated with work like I was... Never heard of anyone making any good money from it but I suppose no matter how small the amount it can always help!