Reeling from the Reality Check

Historybuff

Thinking I might try writing this time as you suggest, Brogden and granny. Still got £210 left to last to 23rd. Aiming to save as much of it as possible. Wouldn't that be a turn up for the books!

Brogden

Historybuff wrote: »

Thinking I might try writing this time as you suggest, Brogden and granny. Still got £210 left to last to 23rd. Aiming to save as much of it as possible. Wouldn't that be a turn up for the books!

Good idea HB.....I have had literally millions of telephone conversations with predators. Sometimes 6 in a day !!

However the bit I hate, hate, hate (as Granny puts it ) is doing an I&E on the phone :mad: !! I now refuse that every time it is suggested saying I don't have the 'Management Information' to hand :rotfl:!! The figures never add up to what they should - they tell me the food bill is too high, they say I pay too much for the Gas and the worst bit is.....I never know if they are looking at my credit file whilst they are talking to me :mad: !! The Gnat's Vest DO!!!! Not sure about others and rude to ask

All the best my dear......I guarantee full success with doing it in writing with a plausible I&E statement. Make sure you are generous to yourself and include the cost of gym, golf club, dancing lessons the lot !!

Brogden x

AlexLK

Brogden et al.,


Regarding phone calls from creditors: keep a diary of when / how often they call, refuse to do anything over the 'phone and try to get them off the line as soon as possible. Written communication is much less stressful. Do not forget the people that call are just minimum wage slaves doing a job because they've been told to, most have an inability to think for themselves. They are asking you the questions because their computer (or boss) says so. Furthermore, judging by their attitude, I imagine a fair few are getting some kind of commission should they manage to get someone to pay.


Do not be pressurised into giving them any information other than to say you are only willing to communicate via letter and/or email. I sent all correspondence to my creditors by recorded delivery, therefore they could not say they did not receive my letters.


If anyone has debts which have been sent to collection agencies, negotiate as much money off as you possibly can. I had two and managed to reduce both debts by a very significant margin.


Hope this helps.

Historybuff

Thanks guys. I'm definitely going to give it a go. Now I just have to decide whether to wait till after January to do it, because I bet there are loads of people ringing them up at the moment with it being just after Christmas. I've noticed that the DFW forum numbers have increased a lot over the last couple of weeks. Or shall I just do it and see what happens? Being more realistic in what needs spending and paying less to the predators is going to help my stress levels no end. The vast bulk of what I owe is charges and interest from them anyway that built up over the years I was stupidly paying minimum payments.
I'm thinking of also buying a lottery ticket every week too, or is that just £2 a week down the drain that I could have saved? Maybe I could get a syndicate going at work, so there's more chance of winning!

in_need_of_direction

We do a syndicate and each contribute just £1. It's a cheaper option since the prices went up.

Brogden

Historybuff wrote: »

Thanks guys. I'm definitely going to give it a go. Now I just have to decide whether to wait till after January to do it, because I bet there are loads of people ringing them up at the moment with it being just after Christmas. I've noticed that the DFW forum numbers have increased a lot over the last couple of weeks. Or shall I just do it and see what happens? Being more realistic in what needs spending and paying less to the predators is going to help my stress levels no end. The vast bulk of what I owe is charges and interest from them anyway that built up over the years I was stupidly paying minimum payments.
I'm thinking of also buying a lottery ticket every week too, or is that just £2 a week down the drain that I could have saved? Maybe I could get a syndicate going at work, so there's more chance of winning!

They have one team of monkeys dealing with phone calls and another team of monkeys dealing with letters so just go for it when you are ready .

Don't worry about the any monkeys if you are writing in In fact....don't worry about any monkeys at all!

grannyx2

Do it now HB, it can't hurt but it can certainly help x

Thanks Alex, I refuse to answer predators security questions if they ring, which flummoxes them and is quite fun to do. They get a bit agitated saying they can't speak to me if I don't answer their questions. To which I reply, well put it in writing like I've asked you to do then. Always works.

Granny x

Brogden

AlexLK wrote: »

Brogden et al.,


Regarding phone calls from creditors: keep a diary of when / how often they call, refuse to do anything over the 'phone and try to get them off the line as soon as possible. Written communication is much less stressful. Do not forget the people that call are just minimum wage slaves doing a job because they've been told to, most have an inability to think for themselves. They are asking you the questions because their computer (or boss) says so. Furthermore, judging by their attitude, I imagine a fair few are getting some kind of commission should they manage to get someone to pay.


Do not be pressurised into giving them any information other than to say you are only willing to communicate via letter and/or email. I sent all correspondence to my creditors by recorded delivery, therefore they could not say they did not receive my letters.


If anyone has debts which have been sent to collection agencies, negotiate as much money off as you possibly can. I had two and managed to reduce both debts by a very significant margin.


Hope this helps.

All good information Alex.

I meant I used to ring them! Cost me a bomb I haven't had a predator call for what three months now and over the whole of last year not more than 3 or 4 calls

Its all about having an agreed payment plan and sticking to it and its amazing how much peace just £1.00 per month can buy! Great value for money - this is MSE isn't it :rotfl:!!

Brogden

Historybuff

Going to get my letters done and posted this afternoon. Had a good chat to son over the last week about his debt levels. He's been doing the head in the sand technique, but after I persuaded him to contact SC, he's decided to write to his predators and set up a token payment plan. Progress. So there's a whole heap of letters going off today. Fingers crossed they accept the reduced payments.
So at the end of Jan OH and I will be the only people living in our house again. DS has found an affordable flat where he wants to be, so is on the move. This time I've told him he is taking all his stuff with him too! One of our goals this year is to finish the decorating off and completely get the house in order. Living room almost there. Just waiting for delivery of the replacement fireplace to put in, then OH is moving onto the hall. After that there are little jobs to finish off downstairs, so the aim is to have it all complete by the end of Feb. Including the little finishing off bits that don't normally get done.
Hairdressers this evening. Looking forward to that.

Brogden

Historybuff wrote: »

Going to get my letters done and posted this afternoon. Had a good chat to son over the last week about his debt levels. He's been doing the head in the sand technique, but after I persuaded him to contact SC, he's decided to write to his predators and set up a token payment plan. Progress. So there's a whole heap of letters going off today. Fingers crossed they accept the reduced payments.
So at the end of Jan OH and I will be the only people living in our house again. DS has found an affordable flat where he wants to be, so is on the move. This time I've told him he is taking all his stuff with him too! One of our goals this year is to finish the decorating off and completely get the house in order. Living room almost there. Just waiting for delivery of the replacement fireplace to put in, then OH is moving onto the hall. After that there are little jobs to finish off downstairs, so the aim is to have it all complete by the end of Feb. Including the little finishing off bits that don't normally get done.
Hairdressers this evening. Looking forward to that.

Hi HB.....You and I are probably less concerned but you have remembered the tokens would mar DS's credit file haven't you.....just in case he would be wanting a mortgage or even renting?

I'm sure you've discussed i :)t