Help - I can't cope any more.

BlushingRose

I keep a spending diary for us both, and how we've been doing it is with three columns - Groceries (£300) Petrol (£100) and Sundries (£150).
We've already cut the groceries down from pre-DMP days when it was more like £500 a month. We now shop at Aldi with some Asda for stuff Aldi cannot do.
Last month we had to pay for a new exhaust and carry some of the bill over to this month.

RAS

BlushingRose wrote: »

I keep a spending diary for us both, and how we've been doing it is with three columns - Groceries (£300) Petrol (£100) and Sundries (£150).

Well done so far, but there is space in that grocery budget to cut back, believe me.

Do you have any big supermarkets within walking distance? or that OH passes on the way home? You need to look for whoopsies - reduced goods at the end of the day.

Waitrose the other week - loaves of very nice bread for 10p at the end of the day. i have had 4 Aberdeen Angus burgers for 50p aND 39p in the past.

Marks and Spencers on Saturday pm - artisan breads for 50p, and luxury cheeseboards for £2 - cheaper than any of the cheap stores.

Tesco, Sainsburys and Morrisons can be good in this respect. The cheap store less so.

BlushingRose wrote: »

Last month we had to pay for a new exhaust and carry some of the bill over to this month.

If you have a specific high cost bill, CCCS can reduce you payment for a month if you ask them

BlushingRose

RAS wrote: »

Well done so far, but there is space in that grocery budget to cut back, believe me.

I'm sure there is and we are trying. I do a monthly 'menu' and we buy most of the food for the month on pay-day, then do top-up shops as and when for the perishables.

RAS wrote: »

If you have a specific high cost bill, CCCS can reduce you payment for a month if you ask them

Yeah, I know and we've done it before - we thought we might be able to absorb it.

ailz95

It really is time to talk to CCCS. Not only should you be able to relax a bit when on a DMP but ideally you can squirrel away a little - even £10 a month feels good. We started our DMP a couple of years ago - okay our debts are less than yours, but so is our income - at £100 per month, out of which the company -Churchwood Finance - took over £30 administration. We moved to Payplan which was suggested by MBNA. We've had mishaps and cut payments, but have been better off since hubby became 60. Apparently you need more money to live on once you're 60 - go figure eh?

I think (and this is only a personal view) that you'd be better doing 6 months at £150 a month to give you time to save a little than going on like you are.

Sorry it turned into an essay, really I just wanted to show solidarity with you and give you a {hug}

Ailz

System

BlushingRose wrote: »

Hiya,


Haven't posted in a while, we've been coping. barely, with the DMP that we started in Jan this year.
However, for the last two months we've reached mid-month with only £25 left in the bank for food, petrol and sundries. This month is not exception.
The mortgage is about to go up by £14 and we're in the process of setting up a DD for the TV license (I hadn't realised we weren't already doing this this until the conversation came up yesterday about how we might find £145!).
Then, on top of everything else, today we get a notice that MBNA are going to default us.
I'm just not sure if I can cope any more.

Hi BlushingRose

If you’re struggling at any time with your budget or have any unexpected costs you can give our team a call so that we can help make things more manageable.

If you’d prefer not to call you can always send us a private message on this link CCCS Private Messages and we can get someone to call you back.

We are here to help and support you as other posters have suggested.

I hope this helps.

Kind regards,

Mat

wannabee_in_credit

(((((Rose)))))
Just wish I could say or do something to help. Don't give up - it needs to be realistic. At the moment your plan may be 14 years (or go to 22 or whatever) but who know's what will happen in the future? I've been on my plan for 2 years and in that time I've had to reduce monthly payments twice, and have just recently been able to increase them again. It may look bleak at the moment, but the simple fact is that if you can't afford to live on the money you have, you're either blowing your budget (which doesn't sound likely), or you've not made it a liveable budget.
Get back onto CCCS and see what they say - they are lovely people. I quite often ring and just cry down the phone.
And as for defaults, I wish they'd hurry up and get on with it because that means I can look forward to the date they drop off my file.
Love to you - please drop me an email/PM if you want - you know where I am.
xxxx

BlushingRose

Thanks.
Mr BR is going to print off the current budget with CCCS and I'll go through it tonight and update any changes that have gone up (like the mortgage and the tv license to name but two).
We've been trying to absorb any little raises but the budget is obviously too tight for us to do that.
We've never been able to squirrel anything away for a rainy day, I know it's only June but I'm already wondering who we can afford Christmas.

RAS

Hi

Consider two things

1. Car boot/amazon/e-bay some stuff
2. head over to the MoneySaving Oldstyle forum and do a store cupboard challenge.

If you can get £50 ahead you will start to feel more in control.

How much do you spend on Christmas? How much is in your budget?

And consider joining www.freegle.org.uk or freecycle because if you need to replace something, you might get a temporary replacement for there, allowing you to save up a bit rather than face the red.

kent1980

Just a thought I was on a DM Plan too with cccs, I have just raised PPI Claims with 2 banks and have now been paid out. It may just help with cutting the debt balance.

merlot123

BlushingRose wrote: »

ok, well, here's our current SOA with CCCS - with notes.

Total income - one earner - £1994

Mortgage - £662.25 (due to go up by £14 a month on 28th June)
Water - £62
Council Tax - £87
Gas - £66
Electric - £27 (but it's actually 32)
Building & Contents - £30 (but it's actually 37)
British Gas home serve - £16
Telephone inc Broadband - £56 (CCCS have it down as 51) Can't change this as limited to one supplier
TV License - £14 (although as of next month will be £20)
Life Insurance - £81
Car servicing - £15
Road Tax £10 (which we haven't been able to put aside so we'll have to find 74 soon)
Insurance - £22.62 (cccs have it down as 20)
Fuel and parking - £100
Food/toiletries/cleaning - £280
Pets - £40
clothing and footwear - £20 (although this actually goes on general monthly expenses)
Professional fees - £31 (my OH needs to pay this for his work)
Prescriptions - £10
Dentist/opticians - £10
Newspapers/mags - £20
Entertainment - 20 - (although, again, we don't use this for entertainment as we never go out)

We give the CCCS - £294


I think I've included everything...

Hi Blushing,

A couple of things jump out at me (I know you are on a DMP) but somethings seem really high. Your internet and phone (I know you are with K Communications (I remember posting on your original thread), they will a home and away extra package for £48.99 including line rental so why is yours £57 per month?

The Life insurance is far far too high, you need to look into this.

What happens to the entertainment, clothing, prescription, dental, car servicing money etc?

It can be difficult when you are first on a DMP to manage your budget, but the money is being spent on something, I know you had an exhaust to pay for but with the extra above like the entertainment,clothing,dental, car servicing money etc for a month would probably have covered that.

Could you up your income by taking a wee job, or are you in receipt of benefits etc.

I'm not judging you, I am honestly trying to help you realise there is light at the end of the tunnel, you may have had a difficult few months on the DMP, but budget well and you may have a little extra to help you put something away for Christmas. Being on a DMP isn't easy, you certainly aren't going to have the life you did before, but you are not getting further into debt (unlike millions of others, who haven't yet realised they can't have it all).

merlot123