DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 10

Kate_fixing_it

Hi all,

I'm back from the first leg of the Vet School Tour of England. DD1 loved it and it's made her even more determined. It's also eased my stress regarding finances. I now have a 12 day rest before the next leg...to Liverpool... On the day they play Everton... The day after DS1 has a school day trip to Normandy but I'm also quite excited and rather proud that all these trips are paid in advance with cash and not a hint of credit involved.

Last interviews for the job I applied for are tomorrow so I'm crossing everything that I'll know by the end of the week. Crossing my fingers for you too Riverview...This time next year... (as Delboy would say )

Kate x

Kate_fixing_it

ailz95 wrote: »

After a couple of years of not being on here very much - father dying, mother clinging - I am now back to, hopefully, giving the encouragement and support to others that I received.

We are living with my m-i-l, which reduces our outgoings - or at least will when we sell our house, which has stood empty 3 weeks in 4 for the last year while we paid gas, electricity, mortgage etc.

Our DMP has now been paid off but I thought I would explain how we got in a mess. I'd been quite happily taking our ccs, loans etc for several years and then I took a mobile phone offer from Virgin for my stepson. He was to pay £10 per month. The problem was that because it was in my name every time he tried to pay it the bounced it back to him - and he didn't notice. After 4 months they defaulted me and then the whole house of cards came tumbling down - all for £51.

Suddenly everyone I owed wanted their money back - about £16000 worth. I fell apart. I did the only thing I could think of: I googled debt repayment. The first company I went with charged me £28 per month - on £100 payment. I was speaking to someone from MBNA for some reason and they suggested Payplan or CCCS rather than paying - Payplan apparently are funded by the cc/loan companies. So we moved to Payplan and it all became very straightforward and I found sleeping at nights much easier. We are now waiting for them to confirm that they have paid off all my creditors with my lump sum pension.

Well that's my twopenneth for today. The thing to remember is (as someone's signature says) being in debt is not a crime - in fact dealing with it makes us the good guys

Have a good one
Ailz

Congratulations on being Debt free Ailz! :j

I love your optimism and particularly that last sentence. It's taken me nearly a year to accept my financial situation isn't criminal (although whether I'll ever stop beating myself up over it remains to be seen)

Thank you for such an uplifting and positive post, today happens to be a self-flaggelation day for me (I know! I tell others off for it all the time) brought on by my "baby" choosing the uni she wants and the fact that she won't need me as much very very soon (any tips on letting go gratefully received )

You've really cheered me up.

Kate x

Monkeyballs

Hola amigo's!!!

Been away for a while, family stuff (see my diary if you're interested ) but now I'm back and I have a lo of catching up to do!!! LOL

So, I may be quiet again for a few days but it's only while I play catch up

Chat soon folks!

MB of G xxx

Sazzie23

Monkeyballs wrote: »

Hola amigo's!!!

Been away for a while, family stuff (see my diary if you're interested ) but now I'm back and I have a lo of catching up to do!!! LOL

So, I may be quiet again for a few days but it's only while I play catch up

Chat soon folks!

MB of G xxx

Welcome back MB, we missed you.

I read your diary, possibly understandably, single people don't rate very high on the authorities housing lists but maybe family life will suit you for a while anyway.

Happy catching up.

Puzzcat

Welcome back sir mb, you were missed. X

Ellieseleven

Nellie1331 wrote: »

Hello everyone long term Lurker here, but thanks to reading your posts on here my hubby and I have gone for a DMP with stepchange starting 1st oct , Its going to be a long one about 14 years ,but you never know our circumstances may improve , got a letter from Barclays this morning saying they defaulting our loan unless we stop DMP ? can anyone help is this usual practice ? Many thanks Nel

Hello Nellie and Welcome! Just wanted to say that when we started our DMP the end date was originally 2021 but things change and you never know what is around the corner. We've managed to knock over 4 years off ours so far;)

Defaulting the loan is normal practice so nothing to worry about:o

Take care
Ellie xx

ailz95

Hi all,

I'm busy reading the whole thread - I'm on page 43 - and it is truly amazing and heart warming to read how people go from panic, stress and fear to confident and in charge of their own destinies, rather than at the mercy of creditors.

Well done everyone - take a bow

Ailz x

Equilibrium13

Hi everyone.

I started my DMP with StepChange last year, after getting a great deal of support and information from here It all started off well, made payments as planned, with some of my creditors suspending interest altogether and others reducing it. I did a review in March following a pay cut at work and the new plan was accepted by all creditors. At the end of May I moved abroad for personal / family reasons and was working on a zero hours contract over the summer, not earning enough to pay my DMP. I hold my hands up and will say I buried my head in the sand, after promising myself I wouldn't do this again

I called StepChange in July when I realised I barely had enough money to survive on after paying rent and bills with my first wages. They were fine and very supportive, said that it would most likely be fine if I was only to miss one or two payments. Despite hoping that I could go back to my payments in August, I had to make that dreaded phone call again. StepChange made a note of me not being able to pay and the reasons why but advised me to contact all creditors to explain to them why I couldn't pay. I haven't done this as I'm terrified, and also because it's expensive to call from here. I know I should have written to them, but keep putting it off. Ridiculous I know and I feel so stupid and pathetic about it all and worried.

I have now started a new, full time permanent job and will be getting a decent salary payment on the 1st of October. However, September's DMP payment is still outstanding. I have a small amount of money at the moment, which I want to divide between my creditors, but am worried they may all have suspended the DMP agreement. Could anyone please advise me the best way to go about this? I've got letters from Barclaycard saying they have cancelled the plan, does anyone have experience of this? Is it even possible to set up a new DMP at this stage after missing 2 payments and making a token payment for the 3rd payment?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Sazzie23

Hi Equilibrium,

Sorry it's not been straightforward, sounds like you did really well to keep the payments up as long as you did. I have no personal experience of missing payments, but if I was a creditor what would be my best option? Deal with someone who is willing to pay, or go to court for something they haven't got ?

If you had the courage to move abroad, which is such a scary possibility to me, then dig deep and make those phone calls, the more you talk to the creditors and explain, whatever your personal reasons were, for what happened, that you kept in touch with SC and the position you are in now.

The hassle factor should then be reduced and you can get on with sorting out a new DMP terms. Good luck and hopefully someone with relevant experience will be along soon.

ailz95

One of the worries about ringing creditors is that they 'big' corporations, and the letters from them make them seem even more so. But, when you ring them you are speaking to an individual, just one person at a time, not frightening at all. Usually they are very understanding, why not - it's not their money.

Don't put off ringing because of fear, you're doing something about your debts, be proud of that. If the worst came to the worst - and it won't - you can always hang up, the power is all yours!

Ailz