January 2015 is the beginning

System

January2015 wrote: »

Totally understand Ploppy. My lenses are fairly straightforward - even the varifocals (not bi-focals, although I think I put that in my first post). I just scan the prescription and upload it and let them do the rest:)

So when you have varifocals, do they not need to get you to try on the frames and put those little black dots on them to make sure they are all lined up properly? I have always had that done and always thought that was the procedure with all varifocals......maybe not then, maybe my optician is just trying to get me to stay with them all the time...LOL

Also, if you order online, do they give you the option to add coatings like anti-reflective etc. My OH has normal single vision lens, but has always had a slight tint on his to help with migraines. Wonder if they could do that online.....might be worth a look. What is the name of the website?

January2015

Sorry Ploppy - only just logged back on to see your post. Yes you can choose coatings when ordering glasses online. Regarding the dots....I do the measurements at home (well DH does them with me). Sort of explained on this link

I was sceptical it would work at first, but I've not had any trouble.

Anyway - now back to diary update

I still hate my new job. So much so I even thought of retiring early today:rotfl: In my dreams eh!

I am actively seeking new employment or, if I could think of what to do, self-employment. I'm tempted to take some of our savings and start up in something.....tempted but not stupid (or is that brave) enough to take a risk.

Still waiting for a response from BC regarding the massive interest they've loaded onto our account. Still at least they are going to default the account - well they said they would so I have to believe they will....eventually.

Hope everyone is keeping well -x-

Brogden

Sorry to hear about the job Jan. I guess it's all to do with people being people at work. I have had it, Mrs B has had it and just about everybody I know too.

I went self employed at the beginning of this year but working for a firm. I have just quit. People being people again.....I just don't understand them at all . Thankfully I am active in something else, it's all down to me and it is paying me but much less than I was used to in my 'big job.'

I know it but it is taking Mrs. B some time to catch up with me but I am fading into retirement :eek: You know what? I just don't believe anybody enjoys working like we used to. I have had such great times and great friends - nobody seems to have that anymore.

Please take care of your 'pot' and think long and hard before burning it up in business. Thankfully I only had to spend a few hundred before calling it a day.

Everything will work out. When life brings you bad luck it then over-compensates with a big shot of good luck

January2015

I hadn't realised how long it has been since I logged into my diary Note to self....must do better:D

Brogden - don't worry, my 'pot' is safely stashed away. I am even more unhappy in my job and you are right - it's people that make the job enjoyable - and clearly I am not working with the right people.....what....of course it's not me that's the problem :rotfl:

Anyway, back to updating my DMP life. We haven't made a single payment to the CC which is 'potentially' unenforceable since beginning of January, and do you know what....they have only written to us twice in that time to ask, quite nicely for us to contact them to discuss the matter (which we haven't done) and to offer a reduced settlement figure (still far too high for it to even be considered). Pre DMP days I would have struggled to believe that you could literally ignore debts for so long and nothing happens. We live and learn.

We are back to making regular DMP payments to all other credits (rather than token payments) but I am considering doing a review and only being able to far less to pay to DMP in order to enable us to building our pot up for P&Fs inabout a year or so's time. Either way to predators get the money, just not so quickly....and evidencing we cannot afford as much each month means they may be more open to reasonable P&Fs.

I'm thinking about this too much;)

January2015

Hello diary

Well - I am still really unsettled in my new role. I've given it almost 3 months. I've put in several applications for other jobs this week. Will have to wait and see if I even get short listed, but I feel better for having made the decision I am not staying in this post.

DMP ticking along nicely and nothing else to update.

Hope everyone is well.

January2015

Hello

Just popping in to say hi :wave::wave:

The DMP in the January household is ticking along nicely We are now sub £82k debt. I know that level of debt will horrify some people, but given that just 18 months ago we were very close to owing £95k and that would have, with continued interest, quickly spiralled up to £100k plus - we are very pleased with owing less than £82k :T

Life since going self managed at the beginning of 2016 has been good. We pay less each month on the DMP because we control it. We set our budget without feeling constrained by a debt management company and feeling guilty we wanted to have a life whilst paying off our debts. We don't have an excessive lifestyle by any means, but we are able to budget and lives within our budget and very occasionally have a take-away. We are going on holiday for a long weekend this summer. Not abroad, but it's a holiday we have saved and paid for in full - not, as in the past, on a credit card. What a lovely feeling However, I do appreciate and thank Stepchange for getting us started with the move to sorting our debt problem. We possibly could have done it our own from day 1, but SC gave us the breathing space and taught us the discipline to get on road to sorting our finances so that we can look forward to a debt free retirement.

As some of you will know we were lucky enough to have a largish sum of money come our way earlier this year. We made F&F offers to some of our debts - none of which were accepted. I am pleased to say we still have the lump sum safely stashed away and are adding to it - slowly building it up for another round of F&Fs. We are aiming to get to 50% of our debt saved before going in for the next round of F&Fs - so not for sometime yet. We intend to wait until we don't intend to start offering at 50% but want to have some bargaining power. However, I honestly think we would have to drastically reduced our DMP payments before creditors would consider F&Fs lower than 80 or even 90%. We could do that, but at the moment we are in a comfortable place with our lives and how we are coping with our money and debt and therefore will leave things ticking along as they are for now.

I am still in the same job - well it can't all be good news can it I'm still looking, and wishing my life away each day by clock watching. BUT - I'm still employed and bringing home the money to pay the bills and DMP - so putting things in perspective, the job's not too bad.

Happy August everyone :beer:

January2015

Just popped in to up date my diary with news of our first default from the dreaded BC. It feels like I've had a major win

Just for diary progress - we started with:

• 12 predators
  • paid 1 off in full (awful Very catalogue account that would have added hundreds in BNPL interest if we hadn't cleared it - and though it was a struggle, we managed!)
  • 10 now officially recorded as defaulted:j
  • 1 BC account still getting token £1 per month to push for the final default

Life on self-managed DMP ticking along very nicely. Much more settled and happy life since facing up to the debt problem and dealing with it. I love that we cannot get credit. What a change from a mere 20 months ago when we started our journey.


On the down side we have been overspending on our grocery budget throughout the summer. I need to rein that bad habit back in so we are living off the contents of the freezer for the next month and only buy essential items such as bread, milk etc. I even have enough supply of loo rolls, cleaning items etc. to get through September without having to buy those, so I am aiming for a £50 spend between now and end of the month (and hoping that is an excessive forecast as well:D).


No change on the job front. I still hate it but the rest of my life is going so well I can live with that

Scottishmummy

Well done on the sub £82 and the BC default. I totally sympathize re the job. Things are not great where I am so I've been looking around. Have only applied for two and had interviews for both but no luck with either. Talking with a neighbour who works alongside the first post I applied for I am glad I didn't get it. It sounds like there have been horrific problems with that post mainly due to it being a newly created post but they hadn't figured out the exact role so they have had the person doing things they are not qualified for and it sounds like those that are qualified are going to put in a grievance.

As for debt busting, the PPI payment I received has been swallowed up in childcare thanks to concentrix and tax credits but there is a very sweary post about that in my own diary.

System

Hi January
I haven't been on boards for ages now, but think of you often. Glad things seem to be going along nicely for you. Same for us with the DMP, ticking along and we now ow under £49k, where we originally started at over £57k in March of last year. Like you, we are pleased we cannot get credit and have booked a few days from 25th for our wedding anniversary and I am so excited as it is paid for in cash.....lots of overtime and hard work saving, but we have done it. Keep up the good work

Daydreambeliever

Hello, I've been on a dmp for longer than I care to remember and have found this site invaluable. Only two people know the mess I have got myself into over the years financially, my sister and best friend, and to have this site and read everyone's stories has helped me as I feel so ashamed. Anyway, my second LBM came in January 2015 and that is when I started following your diary and I haven't been on the site in a long time so have just caught up and so happy to see that you are now self managed, the large sum of money coming in to help with F&F and the Very catalogue paid off. I hope the job has got better.