Putting My Life Into Order

catandy

just got an offer from a DCA handling my Aqua debt who have offered 50% discount to clear the account in one payment or higher instalments for 24 months and save 30% - could do the latter with some juggling but not sure if its going to mess up the payments to other creditors...


will think on it and make a decision next week, on the one hand would be great to write another debt off completely but don't want to mess up my other agreements with other companies...


thinking cap on..

AndyBSG

Can you not just make a counter offer and say you accept the reduced offer but will not pay it until next month?

catandy

I hadn't thought of that Andy so thank you - I will put my most persuasive head on and give them a call - so it seems I may be getting Aqua off my hit list rather than Wonga - quite a good trade off tbh.


Life just ticks on - I'm hitting target easily at work which is making a dent come payday @ the end of the month and moving forward. DS1 and DS2 lives are going ok - nothing earth shattering happening just plodding on... long may the peace continue

catandy

DCA for aqua wont change the terms of their offer so they carry on getting my pro rata payment and I make an offer of settlement to Wonga instead...


work is killing me, I'm being trained up to sell a new product line which is really technical and simply blowing my mind. I'm totally shattered with it all and my working hours are changing as well - earlier starts which is good because I get the wriggle on the traffic but I seem to be getting home at the same time cos I end up staying over whilst I'm struggling to take the info in... all in all feel totally exhausted and over-wrought with it all. I shouldn't I must be doing ok to be offered it but its just taking over at the moment.


have received pay statement along with the difference that commission is making and OMG - I'm clear about 800£ from what I'm currently selling which is going to make a major difference - money actually hits my account on Friday of this week. I know I should pay every single penny extra that I have to my creditors and clear what I owe even quicker than I am, I know the logic of it and feel duty bound that is what I should be doing but a huge part of me wants to start living a bit. I am so sick of going without and saying no to everything and having no life and I'm sick of it being the same for my kids - we've lived like this now for so long that its become the norm, yes things are better than they were but this still isn't a normal life - I need to buy myself a pair of shoes that don't fall to pieces after being worn once like the el-cheapos did I got from Primarni, we need to eat better and with a bit more variety and me not have to ration bread and milk useage by DS1 and DS2. I sound such a cow don't I? telling my kids to go hungry cos we cant afford to spare whats in...


so yes im going to break the rules, im going to use some of this commission money to make our lives a bit more comfortable and I'm going to build up a buffer zone for emergency money. My DMP is going to last at least another 40 months at the current rate of being paid off so its got to be liveable and the rate things are going its not.


rant over - and decision made, I think, till I change my mind again... I just know I should use that money for paying people off but I really don't want to...

DreamerHelen

Hello....Hope you don't mind me putting my two pennies worth into the mix....

Why don't you compromise and pay a bit off your Debt AND use some of the Money to make yours and your Children's lives a bit better....that way you won't feel so guilty as some of it will have gone on the Debt...

I know there are differing opinions on this....but I feel that if you are in it for the long-haul you DO need SOME treats (modest ones) along the way....Obviously you can't book a month-long Trip to Florida (I wish!!) but you CAN buy a little extra food or just have an Emergency Buffer...

Hope that helps a little....I always read your Diary and I wish you well xXx

dawnybabes

I'd half the commission, use one half to build a buffer /pay off a debt and the 2nd half to live better with. It could make a huge difference to how you feel. Maybe break it down into weekly chunks and if you don't spend it put it away for a rainy day.

catandy

and yet another spanner in the works...


first pay date from new well paid job and wages haven't hit my account... apparently 3 weeks is not enough notice to set up a new payee or payroll member...


all payments bounced which means fees coming out of my ears ..... rent payment bounced which means I'm going to court ref my suspended court eviction notice..... got an email in my inbox from work saying they will raise a cheque and get it sent out to me - well that should finally credit to my account by maybe Friday of next week (so no idea how I can actually afford to get to work next week)...


why cant things just run as they are meant to??

Rollercoaster_Rach

Nothing is ever easy!!!! Sorry it's so frustrating for you right now...I can empathise x
RR x

catandy

Ok I've sat and sulked and cried with the frustration of it all and moaned about the inefficiencies of my employer. Then I sat down and went thru £ and what I have to live on this month and is it doable...


160£ currently in bank account (no idea where extra 50 came from but not going to stress it atm) - 20£ on electric meter which will last the week, 70 miles in the tank of the car which should last till tue/ wed (working offsite one day this week so extra petrol expense and mileage - I can claim it back just not till payday)...


have contacted landlord ref rent and bounced payment - it looks like I am being taken back to court... - on the upside by the time it gets there I will have made a good sized dent into the arrears (providing I get paid at the end of March that is - I jest but nothing would surprise me at the moment). Need to contact council tax and set up a payment plan with them over a couple of months - I thought I had paid it for the year but its been so 'bitty' I obviously missed some. they are on my hit list for Monday lunchtime. have contacted mobile provider (yep they bounced as well) have rejigged payment dates and service is restored. need to contact internet provider at home and set up a payment plan with them so they are on the to do list as well..


I've set myself a limit of £50 this week for groceries and plan to cook everything from scratch (which is going to be a bit of an eye opener as I rely on ready made for lots of things (sauces etc) but too expensive that way). I'm also filling the fridge up with lots of stuff for lunch/ snacks and telling DS1/ DS2 how long it needs to last / how many meals it will make - if they had their way they would eat thru the fridge in one sitting and then go hungry for the next x amount of days..


whilst I was at it working out who hasn't been paid I also went thru the contracts and checked to see what I can switch down and when - makes interesting reading...


internet - currently paying 76pm for 2 x phone line and fast business internet connection - can drop one of the fone lines completely and up the internet speed for 54pm - saving of £22pm but a one off connection of £50


mine and DS1 mobile (up for review towards end of the year) - currently paying 47.90pm inc VAT for both thinking of going onto Giffgaff for £17pm - saving of 30.90


my BT phone line I used for work @ home - yes I know I have lots of phone lines but they were all used - currently paying £41pm - can cancel in 2 months time and get rid of it completely. saving 41


total saving pm 93.99


Oh and I haven't been paid for ex's daughters phone bill which is in my name for the last 2 months again... don't know how I missed that - so need to chase that or get it transferred over to her name freeing up another 15£pm - this is going to be a conversation I have to have with the ex so not looking forward to that one.


.............................................................................


organisational head on - I can do this. yes its a real ****** that we have to live like this for another month but then its a 100 times easier than it has been. We've done it this long we can manage another month no problem

dawnybabes

Pat yourself on the back for not panicking and making a plan. Grr ...... Life does try to test us !