My DMP Journey...

nextyeartina

Wow, well done on all your debt repayments . Is that a wise decision re-adding yourself to the world of bookies? I hope you are strong enough BUT what if you're not?


Tina xxx

Monkeyballs

Hi Tina,

Thanks when I say I re-added myself I meant to the self exclusion list thingy... When you self exclude it runs out after a period of time (normally 1 year) so you need to go in and ask for it to carry on.

I know I'm not strong enough as when I went in I still had the urge to play! These self exclusions are my chastity belt LOL

MB of G x

in_need_of_direction

Loving number 8 on your list. You've achieved so much. Well done and good luck with the search for the dentist.

Monkeyballs

Hi INoD, thanks she's old and bitter but she's my Mum LOL

Monday 21st of July!!!

The count down has begun, in just one short week my work will be within walking distance and I'm gonna have a go at getting in!

It won't be pretty, it will be painful but I'm going to drag my flabby !!!! into that office if it kills me LOL

I'm hoping that I can do something useful but mine is quite an intense job and I need to be able to concentrate for long periods of time (not to mention sit/stand in the same place staring at a computer screen) so I'll do whatever I'm able to do!

If I can start going back into work then my income will go back up to full pay which is another £400+ and that's what I need to get my DMP payments back up to full force although it does also mean I can probably hike my payment up as I will no longer have travel expenses and food will be cheaper as I can come home each day and get evening meals on the cheap from the shops when they're marked down!!! Huzzah!!!

In the last week, especially with my internet being down my room has been a bit of a tomb with little to do and although I've been going out as much as I can, the heat has been draining... Booooo

Fingers crossed my plans work either way before I do anything I need to get the ok from my GP (although I'll at least go say hi to the guys even if she signs me off entirely again )

This is the last week for Moneyshop too! I know they've got a final response for me and have done since (I think) Tuesday last week but it's still not arrived... I'm not entirely optimistic, but then I wasn't about the Cheque Centre either... Only time can tell I guess more to follow!

Cya!

MB of G xxx

Monkeyballs

Update re. my Money Shop complaint.

I have received a final response which basically confirms that I have been loaning every month since February 2011 but although they never asked for any proof of income and them never offering any advice re. debt management I proved I could afford it by paying it... LOL yeah.... Sadly when I paid it I had to re-loan the same day every time!

They did offer to reduce my balance by about £80 though, so long as I paid it within the next 28 days... Nice

Oh well, next step is the FOS who have already shown an interest

MB of G

Monkeyballs

Tuesday 22nd of July

Well, I called the FOS yesterday and have been advised that they now have a special team of people specifically handling Payday loan complaints so I guess word is out!

Sadly it means they're really busy but I have been told that they will call me back (which is god as I have little credit left on my phone) but it will likely be this afternoon (I called yesterday afternoon).

Oh well, I'll live and I wasn't expecting a repeat of Cheque Centre anyway

As for the rest of today, I have a pair of shorts to return to TK Maxx as they're a bit snug around the sugar lumps and I'm ging to have to go find a new phone as mine is... Not well... To be fair, it's about 7 years old and has served me well but it's a Blackberry rip off and half the letters on the keypad don't work I'm not looking for anything flash though and am happy to go second hand, I've given myself a budget of £40 but will be trying to get something for about half of that which should be doable

Adios!

MB of G x

Monkeyballs

Wednesday 23rd of July

Well, I got no call back from the FOS but judging by the rather frazzled sounding woman I spoke to I'm not entirely surprised so I'll give it a couple of days and then buzz them on Friday if I've not heard back

Today I am in theory going to the hospital gym but my back was in agony last night and this morning I seem to be missing a leg? LOL I'm sure it's around here somewhere... I ca see it, I just can't feel it hopefully it will wear off when I go for my morning stroll

I also need to have another look for a phone as the weirdest thing happened yesterday. You know when you go into a phone shop and within seconds of browsing the contract phones you get a couple of assistants asking if you need help? Well, it turns out that if you go in and start looking at PAYG phones you instantly put on a cloak of invisibility!!!

So there I was, standing and browsing the various phones (most of which look and sound the same except for their names) with no clue as to what I was looking at!!! At one point I stopped and purposefully looked puzzled hoping to avoid asking or walking over to the cash desk but all they did was look back before carrying on chatting!!! LOL I would ask but in a phone shop it's not normal is it?

Also, today I have just made my monthly DMP payment a little ahead of schedule thanks to a mixture of my emergency fund and ESA benefits being left over and I included an extra £50 for good measure It's nothing to break the bank but it's affordable and as I get paid on Friday I can do some shuffling of funds and Bob's you're uncle!

Now I can sit and stare and the glory which is my total debt balance... Ahhhhh... I've paid back almost 55% wunderbar :j

MB of G x

Monkeyballs

Thursday 24th July

Ok, so I have had a call back from a chap at the FOS and the concern is that because everything was handled in branch at the Money Shop there is probably little supporting evidence other than a trail of lending over the course of three years... Unless of course their HO noted my account when I rang and they directed me to speak in branch but it's unlikely

He is still going to review my complaint and is sending a complaints form for me to sign and return because he can understand that going in every month (normally the same day they took the money from my account) should have rung some alarm bells with them especially as they had no I&E information.

Either way, it's something to do all experience has value and it's not like we were talking thousands in the same way as Cheque Centre. Sooner or later the Money Shop will be behind me and I'll never have to deal with them eeeeeever again

MB of G x

in_need_of_direction

It would also provide supporting evidence for other complaints and may help someone else who's struggling.

Monkeyballs

Hi INoD,

Yup, I have been a little reluctant to say too much about my success with Cheque Centre as I didn't want to give false hope or glamorise it in anyway and now after discussing the Money Shop complaint with the fella at the FOS he sounded a little... Less optimistic than I hoped...

But it will certainly be more interesting and good experience to pass on advice in future time will tell I guess but this is certainly a bit meatier than Cheque Centre!

MB of G x