DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 9

Time_to_face_the_music

Hi all DMPers new and not so new :hello:

As always, it is wonderful to see the advice, help and support that goes on in this thread. Thanks to each and every person who contributes to this.

Apologies for my absence but have been living in stresshead world for the last few months due to my job being put at risk of redundancy. I went into full panic mode and thought I would never get another job and would have to live off my redundancy pay, then drop to token payments and take forever to become debt free. People here need advice and support about their own situations not to listen to my pity party, so I read but did not contribute much

The redundancy consultation process has been prolonged and pretty awful but I am now very happy to say I am being made redundant on 31st December and I have a new job to start in January :j

A chunk of my redundancy money will go to pay off debts and so January 2014 should make a significant difference to our current amount remaining. We will also be able to put aside the amount still needed for our endowment shortfall, which will mean we can put up our monthly payments again and see our debt gone even sooner :T

TTFTM's debt busting will be back with a vengeance, coming to a DMP forum near you in January 2014 :rotfl:

Find_The_Real

Congratulations TTFTM on getting a new job after what sounds like a very stressful time for you. :T

I am really pleased to hear everything has worked out ok for you after the nightmare wait of hearing about your job, the not knowing can be far worse.

Now I know it is a board for advice but it is also the support thread so I am sure everyone of us on here would be more than happy to listen you and just to offer our own support, as you are always so supportive and helpful to everyone else, so please don't think it is a 'pity party' from you and every moan is welcome

I can understand sometimes hermit world is sometimes what you need though!

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Time_to_face_the_music wrote: »

Hi all DMPers new and not so new :hello:

As always, it is wonderful to see the advice, help and support that goes on in this thread. Thanks to each and every person who contributes to this.

Apologies for my absence but have been living in stresshead world for the last few months due to my job being put at risk of redundancy. I went into full panic mode and thought I would never get another job and would have to live off my redundancy pay, then drop to token payments and take forever to become debt free. People here need advice and support about their own situations not to listen to my pity party, so I read but did not contribute much

The redundancy consultation process has been prolonged and pretty awful but I am now very happy to say I am being made redundant on 31st December and I have a new job to start in January :j

A chunk of my redundancy money will go to pay off debts and so January 2014 should make a significant difference to our current amount remaining. We will also be able to put aside the amount still needed for our endowment shortfall, which will mean we can put up our monthly payments again and see our debt gone even sooner :T

TTFTM's debt busting will be back with a vengeance, coming to a DMP forum near you in January 2014 :rotfl:

Morning Twin

As were inbox buddies I sometimes forget to comment publically on here which could look like we are having an affair or don't get on!!

So pleased you have such fab news to share

HHx

Growurown

Equilibrium13 wrote: »

I've been burying my head in the sand for years, but the situation has only gotten worse and worse. Over the last few months I haven't made any payments to some of my debts and felt very stupid and embarrassed about it. I feel so much better now I'm getting help with it and have told a few friends about it, who were just happy for me to be dealing with it.

Yes we call this ostrich syndrome:rotfl: (I even named my spreadsheet ostrich!) We did the same for years and being the complete numpties we were, we did nothing about it until our situation was no longer tenable. Been on our DMP for over two years now and it was the best thing we've ever done and I only wish we had started much earlier. So well done E13 - the only way is up now!

Equilibrium13 wrote: »

With regards to Christmas presents, one year I had hardly any cash and gave home made vouchers to some of my family and friends. Everyone loved it. It can be anything, like an invite for a home cooked meal, massage (if appropriate!) trip to the cinema, a walk in the park with you... whatever you can think of that is free or doesn't cost much and fits the person you are giving it to. My sister loves baking and often makes cookies or chocolates that she puts in nice packaging and make a really lovely present. Last year I bought a photo album with a funny cover and filled it with silly photos of the person and her family and friends, that was a hit There's so much that can be done and most people appreciate that you've put thought and creativity into the gift !

Brilliant suggestions for Christmas which can be very stressful to the DMPer. We do a lot of home made gifts too. This afternoon I am bottling some pears from our tree to make gifts. You can get the bottles/jars very cheaply from Ikea. We've made all sorts of flavoured vinegers and oils too. They aren't difficult to do either. One year we all decided to have a present cost limit of £5. You have to be quite inventive and the charity shops were a good source too.

FreyaWillow wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the comments I am feeling a little bit more positive today

Hi Equilibrium - thanks for the great ideas for Christmas. Thanks for your comments. Have you had any response from the payday loan lenders to your reduced payments? I know this will sound silly but it's them I am most worried about dealing with. I wish fervently that I had never heard of them and had never got involved with them. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. This experience has taught me that I will never allow myself to get into this situation again. I don't know about you but I am feeling in need of inspiration so I am going to sign up for some of the challenges on here. I probably won't be able to do them but I will give it a good go.

I think the next few months will be extremely tough but hopefully once they are out of the way things will settle down and I might be able to have some sort of a life again

Thank you so much everyone for all your help and the positive stories that are posted on here. It's a real comfort for people like myself just starting out to know that we are not alone and that other people have been in the same situation and come out the other side.

Tomorrow I am going to spend the day comping and doing my CV for a second job hopefully either Lionbridge or Leapforce

:hello: Hi FreyaWillow. Glad you are feeling more positive today. I don't do hindsight any more or I would be kicking myself day and night:rotfl:

Try not to worry about the payday lenders. I know their reputation is one of nastiness but they will have to wait their turn like everyone else. If they get nasty just repeat 'I am on a DMP with Step Change and my number is......' Don't let them bully you. The bottom line is they can't have what you haven't got in the first place, so tough, they will have to suck it up;)

Good luck with the job hunting.

Growurown

Hopelessly_Hopeful wrote: »

And a wee update from Hopelessly Hopeful's DMP house. Payday, always love getting up early to make the payments and update the spreadsheet.

42 months in, 3.5 years. Reached 85.70% of DMP gone today.

Started with £59214. Have paid in £56552. Have £8473 left to pay. Paying interest at 6% APR on £1752 of that so £8.76 a month (at this time last year had risen to £180 so things do and can change!). Current total interest paid £5811.

Unsure of the end date as work in the house needs sorting and my roof leaking again! Defo in the last year though and looking forward to my last Christmas on the DMP :0)))

Have a good day all

HHx

Time_to_face_the_music wrote: »

Hi all DMPers new and not so new :hello:

As always, it is wonderful to see the advice, help and support that goes on in this thread. Thanks to each and every person who contributes to this.

Apologies for my absence but have been living in stresshead world for the last few months due to my job being put at risk of redundancy. I went into full panic mode and thought I would never get another job and would have to live off my redundancy pay, then drop to token payments and take forever to become debt free. People here need advice and support about their own situations not to listen to my pity party, so I read but did not contribute much

The redundancy consultation process has been prolonged and pretty awful but I am now very happy to say I am being made redundant on 31st December and I have a new job to start in January :j

A chunk of my redundancy money will go to pay off debts and so January 2014 should make a significant difference to our current amount remaining. We will also be able to put aside the amount still needed for our endowment shortfall, which will mean we can put up our monthly payments again and see our debt gone even sooner :T

TTFTM's debt busting will be back with a vengeance, coming to a DMP forum near you in January 2014 :rotfl:

Ah the terrible twins:rotfl::rotfl:

Well what can I say. Well done HH, must be a great feeling knowing your DMP is nearing the end. Are you going to celebrate at all?

Great news on the job TTFTM and some redundancy money into the bargain too.

I'm glad things are working out for both of you. I call it divine rewards for being the two stalwarts of this thread. :T

Right, now that I have buttered you two up I'm off to clean out the chicken coop:eek::eek:

jubilee14

great news TTFM good to see something good comes out of stressful circumstances. Glad to see your coming back with a vengence to crush the enemy debt.

dlb

Hi not dropped in for ages..just read through a last few pages and just want to say to the poster will the fee paying company, i was in same position with a fee paying firm and i swapped to payplan after 2 years of paying them silly fees that could have been thrown at my debts...it was so simple i rang Payplan the day my final payment went to the fee paying firm and everything was up and running in time for next payment..my creditors didnt even realise i had swapped as the only thing that changed was that they got more money lol. And i didnt tell my fee paying company i just canceled direct debit and informed them after payplan had took control a few weeks later xx

Keep going everyone, its not always easy but im living proof its worth it xxxxxxxxxxx:beer:

schmalf

Hello all - good news on from my previous post, Halifax actually pulled their fingers out and my savings acc. confirmation came through on Friday, yay, so on Sat I went and withdrew my savings from the account, so no chance of any offsetting! It's only a hundred and something pounds but it means I can start an emergency fund with this money rather than it being soaked up through any offsetting.
This means that i've now managed to move all my money from that acc. plus my OD acc. into my new one, happy days as I now feel happy to proceed officially with the DMP having no fear of anything crossing over and messing up my new account set up etc.
Still got to break the DMP news to OH which I keep putting off

FreyaWillow - I was really disturbed by your comment about feeling so low and ending it all. My debts have been really affecting me physically an mentally, making me feel ill with worry and causing horrible heart palpitations which have been really upsetting me. I went to the doctor about them who said they were almost certainly stress induced. Since Ive made the decision with myself to go on a DMP I am feeling so much better already - worried about it but positive that I am taking action and in time the debt and worry will be a distant memory. Being in debt is an awful feeling but you must look to the light at the end of the tunnel and not let it ruin your life - at the end of the day, this is something that we can take control of, manage and overcome. Everyone on here will support you and you are heading in the right direction. As for Christmas something I try to do is but pressies when they are on sale - coming up to christmas the department stores often do some really good offers on stuff and you can save loads this way whilst still looking generous and not giving away your skintdom to everybody!! lots of love and positive vibes xx

Sazzie23

Hi TTFM

Great news about the new job, sounds like you have the a situation sown up now but it must have been a terribly worrying time.

Hi Scmalf, thanks for sharing, I think it does help to hear about the toll this sort of worry has on people, and that there is an end to it.
My strategy so far has been, one thing at a time... Sign up for DMP, sort budgets, get to grips with the website, start a spreadsheet, etc,and to achieve at least one thing each day towards paying off debt.

Support on here is amazing isn't it.

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Morning Folks

Thanks for the kind words.

Hope everyone is safe in the winds. Puts debtbusting into perspective!

HHx