Stupid mess....

dannynixon

I have not been on these boards for a few years. I got great advice about three years ago and entered into a DMP with CCCS for about 20k. I got the debt down to around 12k.... then things started to go wrong.

My wife and I started to use bad habits again and started to borrow on top of the DMP and manipulated our budgets to pay less to CCCS. I pay around £300 to CCCS and pay around £300 elsewhere.... safe to say I am in a mess.

I finally said enough is enough and I contacted Payplan on Friday night because CCCS will kick me off when I tell them. Payplan think they can help and I am sat here waiting for the call to set up a DMP. I was going so well, got down to around 12k now I am back up to 19k. I have spent large parts of the year off work sick with depression and anxiety and this seems to be when my spending went out of control. I have been back at work for 3 to 4 months now and now is the time I am going to get back in control of my life. I just needed to vent this out, not sure what the responses will be

Chrisblue1962

Hi Dannynixon

I too am on a dmp and it's not fun but it is necessary. I won't criticise you for your folly but at least you had the good sense and clarity of mind to realise you'd mucked up.

• Brush yourself down, metaphorically speaking
• Take time to identify what you did wrong - do NOT repeat again !!!
• Take time to identify what you did right - try to improve these habits / actions.
• If there are areas of your overall financial strategy / lifestyle which you think are suspect / wobbly, come on the Forum and ask for advice / help / support!!! - that's why we're all here !!

Go off, enjoy your Sunday and stop being a naughty boy !!:rotfl::rotfl:

...and Good Luck !!!

Candy0107

Well done on realising there was a problem before you spent too much.

Life on a dmp is hard (I've been on mine for about 5 years and I am thankfully coming to the end - I hope ).

What type of expenditure are you borrowing for ? If it is treats for you, can you ask for money or gift cards for Christmas or birthdays ? If you have paid out of habit, unfortunately you can't do this anymore - how about giving yourself pocket money and when that's gone that's it.

Hopefully when you are on the pp dmp they will give you an emergency budget for household emergencies so you shouldn't have to borrow anything.

Good luck with the dmp.....personally, my desire to clear my £23k debt :eek:outweighed my desire to spend for the sake of spending .

Hope you get it all sorted
Candy

dannynixon

Thank you both for the kind words. Both my wife and I had a pay rise this year and we went and got a car on finance, new TV etc. We spent so long resisting the urge that this year, especially with me off work, we blew a load. We then got to the point when CCCS wanted a review and I had to lie about loads to stay afloat so I didn't get kicked off.

I think calling Payplan was a good idea. I think this year I really need to try and buy things I 'need' and not the things that 'I want!'

Feel much better for letting off steam here and I think I'm going to be around for a long time to come ....

Treadmill

Don't be disheartened, if controlling spending and not getting into debt was easy this board would not exist rather than be the hive of activity that it is.

People make mistakes, that's why pencils have a rubber on the end.

jubilee14

the other posters are right its not great that you fell back on old habits but it is great you recognised it and took action before its too late. Great Payplan will take you on and joining ive only been on the DMP for three months but one was xmas and even though we did an economcial xmas compared to years ago it is still very hard to see 'bargains' and not want to buy.

i love this site for all its support and realism... without you feeling like a prat for overspending thats why we're here so onwards and upwards for this year.

Moneymash

I am wondering if your DMP was too harsh and all the frugality got to you in the end and you had a splurge. I have read lots of posts where people are on a DMP, but managed to save a little or put unexpected windfalls aside for treats now and then.

Maybe you and your wife need to have treats every so often to break up the monotomy and perhaps to mark goals on your debt free journey.

katy_ann

Well done on realising there was a problem. A fresh start is sometimes for the best x

dannynixon

Thank you all for your kind words. Pay plan called back and were very good. I have gone from paying 303 on 12k to paying 232 on 20k. I'm a very happy man. The hard work starts here. I guess I'll be frequenting the boards more often....