DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 10

KID77

Triangle wrote: »

Hi all, I haven't posted in a couple of weeks, hope everyone is well.

So this is the month we start making token payments! Quick question, should I make a courtesy call to creditors to explain as well as send the letter?

Many thanks
Tx

Hi Triangle!
I am hoping to start my DMP 1st July, just waiting confirmation from Stepchange which I should hopefully get this week. If not, then I will have to make token payments for July and I planned to just email them as all my online banking sites have secured message facilities. I paid MBNA a token payment this month and sent a message, they came back next day to say thank you for letting us know your situation, your account is on hold for 30 days until we hear from SC but we can't stop interest and charges until we hear from them.
So if I have to do that again for the others then thats all I do, I won't be ringing them.
Please keep in touch on here as to how you are getting on, I plan on doing a little monthly update as I know reading through everyone else's experiences on here helped me make the decision of DMP and realised I am not the only person in the world with a huge amount of debt.
xx

Sazzie23

fermi wrote: »

New thread due at 5,000 posts.

If anyone fancies writing something nice and inspiring to start it off rather than me doing the normal blah blah blah, give me a shout.

Hi Ferni

Hoping inspiration will strike, but so far nothing, it's an empty vessel I'm afraid.

Thanks for your other useful posts

Puzz usually good for inspiration, bit currently MIA, missing your positive vibes and useful posts.

Triangle

Thanks Kid77, much appreciated.

Looks like we are starting roughly the same journey at the same time, like the idea of monthly updates

kb_soma

Hey everyone, welcome to all the newbies and well done to those starting off their dmp. It's a bit scary at first, but loads of great advice on these forums.

I started my dmp in November 2011, I am still with stepchange and I have found them a real pleasure to contact. They've held my hand every step of the way and calmed me down when I'm in a panic.

Automated letters will come at various points during your dmp, and if you feel worried at all, pop on the forums and ask, or call sc if you are with them.

My current dmp status is 94% paid off and I'm hoping to clear the rest of it at the end of the month.

By being thrifty and not carrying my bank card around with me and setting a very strict budget for myself, I have managed to squirrel away extra to pay off each month.

Stepchange helped me to set a very realistic budget to live off, but by cutting down things like haircuts, presents for others and simply cutting back to budget brand food shopping - I have managed to save a bit more. Sc have been great when I've wanted to pay off a little extra here and there.

If you are just starting out and trying to be frugal, I advise not doing everything at once, start a little at a time, eg. Taking lunch to work, and writing down what you spend. Keep receipts and add everything up at the end of the month. But, most of all, give yourself the praise you deserve for wanting to get debt in order!

I spent a while worrying before I started the dmp, but that first step was the most important decision I made in my lifetime.

Good luck everyone. Xxx

Sazzie23

kb_soma wrote: »

Hey everyone, welcome to all the newbies and well done to those starting off their dmp. It's a bit scary at first, but loads of great advice on these forums.

I started my dmp in November 2011, I am still with stepchange and I have found them a real pleasure to contact. They've held my hand every step of the way and calmed me down when I'm in a panic.

Automated letters will come at various points during your dmp, and if you feel worried at all, pop on the forums and ask, or call sc if you are with them.

My current dmp status is 94% paid off and I'm hoping to clear the rest of it at the end of the month.

By being thrifty and not carrying my bank card around with me and setting a very strict budget for myself, I have managed to squirrel away extra to pay off each month.

Stepchange helped me to set a very realistic budget to live off, but by cutting down things like haircuts, presents for others and simply cutting back to budget brand food shopping - I have managed to save a bit more. Sc have been great when I've wanted to pay off a little extra here and there.

If you are just starting out and trying to be frugal, I advise not doing everything at once, start a little at a time, eg. Taking lunch to work, and writing down what you spend. Keep receipts and add everything up at the end of the month. But, most of all, give yourself the praise you deserve for wanting to get debt in order!

I spent a while worrying before I started the dmp, but that first step was the most important decision I made in my lifetime.

Good luck everyone. Xxx

Thanks for a very positive and useful post KB, excellent news, last 6% left will fly by. :T

kb_soma

Thanks Sazzie23, it has been quite a journey. Without the advice of people on the forums and speaking to people in similar situations to me I don't think I would have got through it.

I felt so alone at the beginning of the journey, but so glad I could talk to someone.

Everyone is doing so well by tackling debt head on. Xx

Time_to_face_the_music

kb_soma wrote: »

Hey everyone, welcome to all the newbies and well done to those starting off their dmp. It's a bit scary at first, but loads of great advice on these forums.

I started my dmp in November 2011, I am still with stepchange and I have found them a real pleasure to contact. They've held my hand every step of the way and calmed me down when I'm in a panic.

Automated letters will come at various points during your dmp, and if you feel worried at all, pop on the forums and ask, or call sc if you are with them.

My current dmp status is 94% paid off and I'm hoping to clear the rest of it at the end of the month.

By being thrifty and not carrying my bank card around with me and setting a very strict budget for myself, I have managed to squirrel away extra to pay off each month.

Stepchange helped me to set a very realistic budget to live off, but by cutting down things like haircuts, presents for others and simply cutting back to budget brand food shopping - I have managed to save a bit more. Sc have been great when I've wanted to pay off a little extra here and there.

If you are just starting out and trying to be frugal, I advise not doing everything at once, start a little at a time, eg. Taking lunch to work, and writing down what you spend. Keep receipts and add everything up at the end of the month. But, most of all, give yourself the praise you deserve for wanting to get debt in order!

I spent a while worrying before I started the dmp, but that first step was the most important decision I made in my lifetime.

Good luck everyone. Xxx

Some great advice here and brilliant news about being debt free at the end of this month. Please come back and celebrate with us and don't forget to add yourself to the debt free roll of honour :j

TTFTM x

GibbsRule_No3

Sounds like you know how to live after your DMP. :beer:

Karen777

For the new thread starting, How about using Sazzie's great post that covers everything about starting up here - then it's easy to refer people to it and a great starting point for newbies and a good reminder for the rest of us!

Meatloaf1981

Had a lovely letter from Barclaycard this weekend telling me that I was right in my belief I had PPI in my three credit cards from way back when and that they will most certainly look into whether they were missold, as was my assertion due to never needing such protection and never actually discussing it with anyone when applying for the cards. I hope they find in my favour and give me a little bit back to make a dent in what I owe. That would be lovely!