Newbie-about to embark on the CCCS route-advice please?

Jak65

Hello everyone

I am a newbie but a long time lurker. I am in considerable debt, and after over 10 years of constant worry, anxiety and sleepless nights, have finally had my LBM. I am currently in the process of filling in the Debt Remedy Form on the CCCS website with a view, hopefully, to being able to achieve a DMP. Just a few questions:-

1) In the process of writing to all my creditors to inform them of my intentions and offering token payments until (hopefully) a DMP is up and running - is this a good idea?

2) Judging from reading these boards, I am expecting to be bombarded with correspondence from my creditors (changed my phone no. so hopefully this won't be a problem). Do I deal with this myself or just refer it to CCCS?

3) Occasionally I receive the odd gift of money from my mother (part of my father's estate since he passed away). I would obviously want to throw this towards my debt- how would I go about this when/if on a DMP?

That's all I can think of to ask at the moment, my head's in such a muddle , but will come back if I need further advice! If I could push a button and start with a clean slate I would never EVER have credit again - but I suppose everyone here feels like that!

Thank you.

Jak.

plum44_2

It may not be as bad as you fear.

CCCS will advise you about how to deal with your creditors- I sent all mine a letter advising I had signed up with CCCS and I have had few problems (sadly debt and DMPs are commonplace now). All 8 creditors (credit cards) stopped interest for me and now one has started charging me again but I do make extra odd payments to this one via my online CC account as I want to get rid of it first.
I have always made extra payments on the cards as my income fluctuates and CCCS have usually been ok with it. In fact I have had no real problems since starting on this route. Can't recommend it highly enough.

Good Luck- you wont look back now.

Jak65

Thank you so much plum44 for replying. I am so scared and feel embarrassed, humiliated and so angry with myself - can't believe I ever let myself get in this situation, but I suppose these feelings are natural for anyone in this position. The pressure has become unbearable now and I have been burying my head for far too long, but I remain optimistic that this can all be sorted and I can eventually enjoy a peaceful, stress-free life (as far as money is concerned anyway!). Thank you again, I will let you know how I get on.

Jak. x

paulmapp8306

Youll be fine.

i went to CCCS back in 2000, when i had £48k debts. Refer all creditors to them initially at least, and dont pre-inform.

If you have an "end game" that isnt just using the monthly payments (in my case i new a lump sum would be coming this year - 12 years off at the time) so I told my creditors that while it looked like Id be paying for 26 years (or something like that) my payments were basically tokens until the lump sum arrived.

i am debt free as of last month - thanks to CCCS .... although Im now just embarking on a mortgage so im back in £112k of debt BUT my budgets are robust (you learn to do this) and Im paying £200 less month in payments than I was in rent.

Giraffeseeker

Jak65 wrote: »

I am so scared and feel embarrassed, humiliated and so angry with myself - can't believe I ever let myself get in this situation

I remember feeling like this in January after struggling to put another Christmas on a credit card, being thankful that someone else had hosted Christmas day and worrying about how I would afford my turn to host my family in December 2012, worrying how I could afford to buy my son's birthday present in March, worrying about school uniforms, worrying about road tax - in fact worrying about anything in the coming 12 months that required a "lump sum" cost of more than £50 - because I had too much month left at the end of my money and had finally maxed out my last credit card.

Nearly 6 months later and I have never had those feelings again. I can pay for things that I need to pay for, know what is in my bank account, have learnt to budget and never have that feeling at the supermarket checkout where you don't know if your card will be rejected or not....

Good luck!

Jak65

Hi, thank you paulmapp8306 and tintingirl, I am feeling better already! My level of debt is similar to both of yours. Well done and congratulations paul on your new debt free status! Wishing you all the best - and wishing I was you! tintingirl, so glad to hear your life has changed for the better - that's all I want to hear! It's the initial 'taking the plunge' that I am finding so hard to deal with - was going to do it last year, the year before that, the year before that, etc. etc. Now things have come to a head and I have no choice. Can either of you give me any tips about starting down this route? Paul, you say don't pre-inform creditors? Is there any reason for this? I thought it would soften the blow a bit!

Thank you both for your replies - I may be nagging for some while yet though! Jak. x

trying_hard

Hi Jak
You are doing the right thing going with CCCS. We went to them around 8 years ago with £54K :eek: of debt, which was CC & loans. They were great and we are now 2 years off paying back every singe penny. Yes, we have learnt our lesson and will never have credit again, but the relief you will feel when you put the phone down from talking to them will be fantastic but also emotional.

Don't pre-warn the money you owe to companies, wait until you have spoken to CCCS and they will take info from you and give you a reference number. Then you write to the people you owe (I think there is a template on the CCCS website) and you given them the reference number and give them your permission to talk to CCCS about your debts. I had a few phone calls and letters and just said 'I am with CCCS who are helping me with my debts, my ref no is..... please contact them & they will help you. Goodbye' wit letters I just sent another copy of the permission letter and now I haven't heard from anyone for years.

I hope this helps and look forward to hearing how you get on.:)

Jak65

Hi trying hard, yes this does help a lot, thank you so much for your input. My debt is also made up of ccs and a "consolidation" loan (LOL!). I have been reading these boards for a few years now and been really inspired and moved by people's stories, but never had the courage to take the plunge myself. Well, here goes nothing! Thank you all for your help and I will let you know how it goes. (Terrified!).

Jak. x

paulmapp8306

what trying hard said.

if you "pre-inform" your creditors they may try something to get money back before CCCS get involved, or try and pass the debt on etc.

its worth informing them if you have difficulties and want to work with them in-house, but if your intending on using a management company like CCCS (better option with multiple debts) then let them handle things.

Geminimum

Hi Jak, I have literally just posted off my paperwork to Cccs on Thursday with just over £24k in debts. I'm planning to make extra payments were I can and I've been dithering over doing a dmp for the past 2 months as I suffer with depression.

Good luck with the dmp!

Time_to_face_the_music

Hi Jak and welcome

Just wanted to say well done on taking your first step and it's definitely the hardest :T

If you want some support and to read other's experiences of being on a DMP, come and join us on the DMP Mutual Support Thread - Part 8. I have found the information there invaluable and have learned so much over the last few months. :A