DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 9

Hopelessly_Hopeful

DebtMagnet wrote: »

That is good to know so thanks for that!!



I have been thinking about it all day and I think I have come to the same conclusion that although I think I would prefer to be in control at some point, I think the initial set up would be just too much right now and I am just far too busy with work and everything else and feeling pretty frazzled!!

I think I may need to take a day off to get this started as every day I think I will get it done and then its this time before I finally sit down (before promptly falling asleep reading this forum)

Just another quick query if I may. I have a 2nd job which is a zero hour contract. Some months I do very little for them and others I am snowed under. There is no 'average' as it really is one extreme to the other. So my query is what do I tell the DMP bods in terms of income??? I don't want to average it out over the year because that will mean that some months it will be easy, and other months we will struggle??

Any idea what they do with irregular income? (I know I should ring them and ask them but as I said, its usually late at night that I get to sit down and look at stuff and so they are usually closed)

Hi

Well done on the 2nd job. I'd squirrel it away and look at options as to how it will best serve you.

HHx

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Growurown wrote: »

Thank you Mossop, but happily I can now report back that he went into work this morning and gave someone a 'jolly good talking to' and lo and behold some money went into our account this afternoon. He has complained time and time again about their administrative failings but it all seems to fall on deaf ears. When we started our DMP they paid his wages into the old bank account. We gave them plenty of notice so there was no excuse. He's had to wait several months to get his overtime pay in the past because someone forgot to dot an 'i' I expect. It's so frustrating. I know they have all these systems in place to prevent funds going missing, but talk about jobsworth!

Morning GUO

Have really felt for you with this. a) because it's not nice to hear about the strife you have and b) because there was some resonance as this was my biggest concern for DMP.

On one hand it must have been awful for hubby to have to say I cant afford to work and the other good on him, why should we fund the employer?

From time to time my expenses don't get paid. I used to be very stressed about it but I now have an emergency reserve I can access.

When I did a review with SC I made sure I could tuck something away so cover work expenses, is it worth doing a month of tokens or reduced payment to give you that option? In terms of rationale for SC, no money for expenses, no work means no pay and no fund to pay DMP so they have to appreciate that.

Hope it gets easier for you both.

HHx

dizzybee

Hi,
not posted in a while,My DMP with step change has been going great for the last few months,but since yesterday i have been getting calls from Debt direct for a pay day loan i had,i have explained to them i am on a Dmp with step change and they receive a payment each month, but they got really nasty saying i haven't made any payments and i wasn't with no dmp provider.,they keeping asking for bank details which i have refused to give,they have just rang again to say the bailiffs are coming out.The lady that called was very aggressive.
I have offered to send them a copy of Dmp showing payments to them.would this be a good idea or shall i call step change.
Thank you for any advice.

anywayout

Hello!

So a wee update :-) I have heard back from stepchange and all the paperwork I sent was correct so they are starting my DMP with the first payment going to them on the 1st October.

Bank account: I applied for a co op cashminder last week through the post (I couldn't get to a Barclays or co-op branch) and was told it should take between 8-10 working days to set the new account up. I am using a savings account I have with RBS at the moment and transferring money as I need it to my cashline card. The continuous payments being cancelled for the payday loan companies has been a bit of a nightmare as a few payments came off (even though the bank had plenty of notice) and weren't refunded to me until I called them but the money went back in eventually. The bank will be on my DMP but trying to keep them sweet until my new account is set up.

Wonga: They are still trying to get money from my account even though I sent a letter with a token payment and an email explaining my DMP - they acknowledged it saying that they would freeze all interest and charges for 30 days and wait for step change to contact them.

Quick Quid: A few emails saying I haven't paid but I have answered every email the same - saying about the token payment and letter about going on a DMP.

Cheque Centre: A strange one!! The payment came out of my account but was refunded from the bank a few days later. I didn't have a reference number from them so emailed asking for it and got an email back saying that the loan was paid in full and account was closed. I emailed saying that the payment was returned and I needed a reference number to be able to make arrangements to pay them - I got 4 emails saying that the account was closed and I replied to each one the same - no its not!! eventually I got a reference number and haven't heard anything since.

Lending Stream: They tried to take payment - couldn't so sent me an email I again referred them to my letter and in my email explained about DMP - they replied freezing all interest and charges until they have heard from stepchange.

Lowell: Heard nothing since I sent the letter and follow up email.

Moorcroft: After the call to my mums work looking for me (soo embarrassing) - I explained that I was going on a DMP and stepchange would be in touch shortly I haven't heard anything.

Rent and Council Tax have agreed to me paying the outstanding over 4 months and when that's cleared I will put that money towards the DMP hoping to get it paid a bit quicker.

So really not as bad as I thought (I hope I haven't spoke to soon) Stepchange have been amazing and I know I wouldn't have been able to sort everything out myself.

For the first time in a very long time I have money the week before payday! not a lot of money but I don't need to make a choice about petrol or eating!!!

Heres to next week, fingers crossed it keeps on going the way it is!!

Thanks to everyone for their advice and support xx

andrar

Well done anyway on getting it all started up - you're sounding less stressed anyway!

And thanks for writing it all up, it really helps people to see the process set out if they're deciding to go into a DMP or not.

anywayout

andrar wrote: »

Well done anyway on getting it all started up - you're sounding less stressed anyway!

And thanks for writing it all up, it really helps people to see the process set out if they're deciding to go into a DMP or not.

No bother, I just hope it helps someone ive had so much help and support from people on here. It was all so scary 3/4 weeks ago and I honestly couldn't see a way out but I can sleep at night now and im feeling a lot better about dealing with everything not just money now thats sorted I can start trying to have a life!!! I know there will be bad days but i know now it will get better, its gonna be a long road but its getting dealt with and it feels dam good!!! Thanks again xx

Puzzcat

Thanks anywayout for your update. It is really helpful for those of us starting out on this journey to be able to read about how others are doing.

Two letters today from creditors.. I already suspect I shall be having trouble with Helifax, they have sent 4 letters all the same so computer generated and this is despite speaking to someone at the beginning.. Lovely letter from m & s and no word yet from creation or barclaycard..

Have got the last 4 letters ready for posting at the end of the week and the paperwork for SC is all ready to go. Just waiting for confirmation of closure of the joint account and to ensure my wages hit the right account next friday, then we are off....

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Love Puzz. x

ald65

Dear All

After 6 years we have finally made our last payment to Payplan and are now debt free.
Our debt free journey started in 2007 when we were robbing peter to pay paul, credit cards maxed out etc. it only took a couple of family crisis to bring this all crashing down and we woke up one morning with the threat of bankrupty looming over us.
i remember only too well the sleepless nights and feelings of despair and shame ...
Finally I spoke/broke down to a good friend at work, she was fab, she covered for me when I went off and researched debt help websites. That's when i found out about payplan etc.
After that our lives changed radically debt free wannabe and old style moneysaving forum became our crutches and got us through some of the darker times.
13 out of 15 creditors were brilliant and stopped interest ( the 2 that didn't will not be forgotten and avoided by our families for evermore...!)
So what now- first DH and I are off to a week in the sun (bargain ofcourse;))
Then our new project is to slowly restore/repair/redecorate house-following the helpful advice on Martins forums.
also we will try and save every month to ensure that we never return to our debt ridden days-NO MORE CREDIT.

I will continue to lurk on the forums and try and contribute when i can.
Finally a massive thankyou to you wonderful brilliant people who have been so supportive and always there especially during the darkest days :T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T


ALD 65 XXX

Hopelessly_Hopeful

ald65 wrote: »

Dear All

After 6 years we have finally made our last payment to Payplan and are now debt free.
Our debt free journey started in 2007 when we were robbing peter to pay paul, credit cards maxed out etc. it only took a couple of family crisis to bring this all crashing down and we woke up one morning with the threat of bankrupty looming over us.
i remember only too well the sleepless nights and feelings of despair and shame ...
Finally I spoke/broke down to a good friend at work, she was fab, she covered for me when I went off and researched debt help websites. That's when i found out about payplan etc.
After that our lives changed radically debt free wannabe and old style moneysaving forum became our crutches and got us through some of the darker times.
13 out of 15 creditors were brilliant and stopped interest ( the 2 that didn't will not be forgotten and avoided by our families for evermore...!)
So what now- first DH and I are off to a week in the sun (bargain ofcourse;))
Then our new project is to slowly restore/repair/redecorate house-following the helpful advice on Martins forums.
also we will try and save every month to ensure that we never return to our debt ridden days-NO MORE CREDIT.

I will continue to lurk on the forums and try and contribute when i can.
Finally a massive thankyou to you wonderful brilliant people who have been so supportive and always there especially during the darkest days :T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T


ALD 65 XXX

Many congratulations.

Thanks for sharing your news.

Enjoy your holiday

HHx

Growurown

Hopelessly_Hopeful wrote: »

Morning GUO

Have really felt for you with this. a) because it's not nice to hear about the strife you have and b) because there was some resonance as this was my biggest concern for DMP.

On one hand it must have been awful for hubby to have to say I cant afford to work and the other good on him, why should we fund the employer?

From time to time my expenses don't get paid. I used to be very stressed about it but I now have an emergency reserve I can access.

When I did a review with SC I made sure I could tuck something away so cover work expenses, is it worth doing a month of tokens or reduced payment to give you that option? In terms of rationale for SC, no money for expenses, no work means no pay and no fund to pay DMP so they have to appreciate that.

Hope it gets easier for you both.

HHx

Thanks HH. We do have some emergency funds to fall back on but the expenses on this trip were just too high. The flight was over a hundred pounds, the hotel 350 and then car hire, plus meals etc. We haven't told many people that we are on a DMP and work certainly don't know anything about it. His work colleagues seem very affluent and it is hard to be the only one who never has any money.

ald65 wrote: »

Dear All

After 6 years we have finally made our last payment to Payplan and are now debt free.

Well done ald65. What a fantastic achievement! Hope you have a fab holiday:j:j