DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 11

Sazzie23

muddlepops wrote: »

Hi Guys

Just a typical newbie post to say thank you to everyone who has posted on this threads and the ones previous. Have been lurking the past few months and have gone from a sleepless wreck back to semi normal. well as normal as anyone is .
Brief template is partner suffered from a major mental health issues a few months after we moved into our new place. Had only my wage for a long time whilst we sorted out benefits (he was very reluctant as he has always worked but he had been holding it together for years before it all finally hit the fan.) this was a couple of years ago and he's still working towards some resemblance of recovery (much prefer him getting help over his paycheck though!). As soon as benefits sorted my hours got cut in half at work, stress and yada yada have made my own physical health issues flare so in a way its a good thing the hours got cut. Que to spiralling payday loans and credit card. Finally realised I couldn't keep it up anymore in May and thought the baliffs would be at my door, the thought of my partner having to deal with that in his venerable state sent waves of sickening guilt through me.
Then i stumbled upon you lovely lot and realised that things arn't hopeless. Contacted Stepchange and now have my first DMP payment coming out next month. For the first time in a long time it's not all doom and gloom. DFD is obviously a way off at the moment but knowing that I've stepped out of the spiral has made everything a little more manageable. Sooo.. .yeah ... sorry to waffle on. But for a group of people I've never met you have made such a positive impact. Good luck to all on there journey and such a big thank you for all the questions these posts have already answered!

Hi Muddlepops,

Welcome to dmp world. Seems like you've had a tough time lately, well done for keeping it together AND making a start on dealing with debt. It is a relief when you step off the debt roundabout.

Hopefully things have turned a corner for you now and your DFD will start to get closer, but don't be afraid of a long DFD, there's a few long termers on here, some who've chosen comfort over speed.

Saz

grantalien

Hey

I've not posted for a while (a few years probably). Started my DMP around DEC 2009 with nearly £65k worth of debt. Well...I now have £945 left to pay (give or take)

What a rollercoaster but let me start by saying that this forum has been invaluable and I still dip in an out. For newbies it's a daunting process and this forum will support you through it.

I was unlucky that I had a creditor enforce 2 CCJs, something that the court was reluctant to enforce but obviously has no choice, they did however chastise the creditor and refuse to award them costs - thanks Nationwide - all the other creditors have played ball and for this I am thankful; at the end of the day we borrowed money and were unable to commit to the original agreements so take the consequences of that on the chin.

The process of a DMP has made us much more sensible with money, cash is queen and budgets are king, we still had the odd hiccup but it was reassuring that what was left in the account at the end of the month was ours.

Life never stops testing you, yes we have cleared a DMP but our house sale fell through yesterday so there are always challenges. Being in control feels good and learning to live within your means brings piece of mind. I go on now with £971 extra a month back into my pocket so can finally start saving

Remember the road is long and shot happens along the way but stick at your DMP and that is one more hump you can clear, accept responsibility for it and don't make the mistake again.

Thanks all to those who have supported me and I hope this helps some of you just starting out

Dubstar

To introduce myself and hopefully join in the chat! I have spend the last few weeks reading the thread while I was trying to decide what I was going to do.
1st August my first DMP payment goes out with Stepchange.

I was in such a mess and when I was not sleeping trying to work out what to sell next so I could lay the next credit card bill I didn't know what to do and when MBNA called me they recommended StepChange and I have felt a lot better since.

Today my creditor summary came back and so scary seeing it all in a list like that and the total amount of money I owe in one place. My payments to each seem to be 1.4% on my credit cards so I just have to wait now and see what happens next which I am finding really hard at the moment. I just keep reminding me what I epread here plenty of times that they can not have what I have not got and it took a long time to get in this mess so I need to be patient getting out of it again.

Anyway enough from me!

Sazzie23

Welcome Dubstar and

Hello and well done GrantAlien, must be a great feeling. Don't forget to sign the debt free roll of honour:T:T

Saz

2spicy

grantalien wrote: »

Hey

I've not posted for a while (a few years probably). Started my DMP around DEC 2009 with nearly £65k worth of debt. Well...I now have £945 left to pay (give or take)

What a rollercoaster but let me start by saying that this forum has been invaluable and I still dip in an out. For newbies it's a daunting process and this forum will support you through it.

I was unlucky that I had a creditor enforce 2 CCJs, something that the court was reluctant to enforce but obviously has no choice, they did however chastise the creditor and refuse to award them costs - thanks Nationwide - all the other creditors have played ball and for this I am thankful; at the end of the day we borrowed money and were unable to commit to the original agreements so take the consequences of that on the chin.

The process of a DMP has made us much more sensible with money, cash is queen and budgets are king, we still had the odd hiccup but it was reassuring that what was left in the account at the end of the month was ours.

Life never stops testing you, yes we have cleared a DMP but our house sale fell through yesterday so there are always challenges. Being in control feels good and learning to live within your means brings piece of mind. I go on now with £971 extra a month back into my pocket so can finally start saving

Remember the road is long and shot happens along the way but stick at your DMP and that is one more hump you can clear, accept responsibility for it and don't make the mistake again.

Thanks all to those who have supported me and I hope this helps some of you just starting out

Well done, nearly there!.

We finished out DMP this year too and can only echo the points you raised and agree wholehearted with them.

To everyone starting out ... there is a light at the end of the tunnel, you just need to hang in there.

[Deleted User]

Received a letter from StepChange today which threw me into a panic (it doesn't take much:o)

They said that Tesco Bank Credit Card had rejected my payment this month because they're no longer dealing with my account. I hadn't received any information from Tesco that they were 'selling it on' or who to so it came as a bit of a shock.

I phoned Tesco Bank (I thought those stomach-churning days were long gone:() and I was told a company called Hoist had taken over the debt. Has anyone heard of them please, they're a new one on me?

Apparently the transfer of lots of people's details is being processed but they've hit a few snags:eek:. I'd have thought Tesco Bank would have kept on accepting payments until everything was finalised instead of rejecting payments.

Tesco say Hoist will be writing to me and StepChange as soon as it's all sorted.

zenshi

Isn't it odd how there's no rhyme or reason with these companies!

Three years into my DMP and 2/6 have been sold on. 3 have outside collections but still owned by OC. One (tesco) I still deal with direct.....wonder if mine will be one of the masses they are offloading

KID77

Hi Carboot,

Tesco sold ours to Hoist too about 6 months ago but Robinson Way actually manage it, no issues so far.

xx

neiljmuk

bbwcaz wrote: »

Hi all,
I have had a bad year mentally physically and financially to help me cope yes I know how stupid I have ran up more debt nearly 5,000 worth and since losing my job due to disability partner leaving me,Now he is back ! I can not keep up with payments to the credit card and overdraft that I was able to spend on.Only myself to blame.
I have never defaulted on the DMP.
The advisers at Step change are fab and helpful but I am scared to contact them as once when I asked for a delayed payment I felt she was very cross with me.
What a woos and what an idiot I am.
I need to toughen up and face this mess.:mad::mad::mad:

I just got a little messed up budget wise with extra expenses and need to get ahead of myself again. I'm going to contact Stepchange to just get them to drop my plan from £300 to £50 for two months (so they all get £5 token payment a piece). I had to do this in my first year as well, twice!

I email stepchange and they just say 'yeah we'll change the DD to £50 for 2 months' pretty much. I rang a couple of times last year as they got busy and had a weeks turnaround on email, also accidentally agreed to make the £50 permanent lol!

I also had to call to finalise yearly review due to dropping my monthly amount and they were always nice but emailing to temporarily drop the payments to token payments for 1 or 2 months could not be easier.... Hopefully won't get any hassle this time, but is the first time this year I've done it (my yearly reviews are December)

[Deleted User]

Thanks, neiljmuk, for the information on being able to email Stepchange on requests for reduced payments.

I had to resort to reduced payments this year (already just over 3 years in to a 6.5 year DMP). It was the first time I had to do it but I was desperate .

I phoned them and it was all sorted so easily:j. I asked just for 2 months of reduced payments and the woman I spoke to was incredibly on my side and advised me to take a month or two extra to get a little emergency fund built up so the situation wouldn't arise again (dire emergencies apart) for the remaining 3.5 years of my DMP. They are happy to do it as a 'one off' but she suggested that they frown on people needing to keep asking for reduced payments.

So, my experience of the advice given was a bit different from yours, I think it depends on the advisor who deals with you at the time. There seem to be no hard and fast rules;).

Good luck:beer: