Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I'm feeling really fed up this morning as I've phoned 2 creditors to chase up their responses to my F&F offers. Wish I hadn't now, I had to really gee myself up to do it and ended up feeling quite tearful:o. I was so hopeful about getting these debts paid off by the end of the year. Really bad news on one and will have to wait up to another week for the other one as my I&E and offer are still in the queue to be dealt with:mad:. I won't be holding my breath that they accept or even make an acceptable counter offer either.


Might be back later but don't want to clog up your diary:o

Oh dear sorry Carboot . Did the creditor that said no give a reason as to why? You should stress your age and exaggerate your ill health .

Don't assume that the second creditor will say no just because the first one did, as they may come back with a yes in the end.

My advice is to keep making token payments to the creditor who said no and then make them another offer in six months time.

I know you wanted them all to say yes so you can finally be debt free, but this is a delay rather than a dead end.

Have you talked about this on the F&F offer thread on the main DFW board? They have some very knowledgeable people on there.

HairyHandofDartmoor

@Carboot And when are you going to update your signature?

HairyHandofDartmoor

elizabethhull wrote: »

Wonderful !
:T:T:T:T

Thank you Elizabeth it is a massive relief . Now we just need a few other things to go right .

[Deleted User]

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

Oh dear sorry Carboot . Did the creditor that said no give a reason as to why? You should stress your age and exaggerate your ill health .

They didn't give a reason and wouldn't be pushed for one. trust me, I was uncharacteristically persistent:j

I did stress my age but because I have pensions which are guaranteed if not massive (Employment pension is a Final Salary type so might rise by a derisory amount each year but is as safe as houses ) they might see me as a better paying prospect than someone unemployed for instance.


I don't really have ill-health now the B12 deficiency situation is under control. With the injections I'm back to functioning pretty normally (if I ever was 'normal' in the first place:rotfl:). I did play the Pensioner card but I can't really use health as an excuse. I certainly don't intend to go through the rigmarole and expense of obtaining and sending a letter from my GP:(


Don't assume that the second creditor will say no just because the first one did, as they may come back with a yes in the end.

My advice is to keep making token payments to the creditor who said no and then make them another offer in six months time.

I know you wanted them all to say yes so you can finally be debt free, but this is a delay rather than a dead end.

Have you talked about this on the F&F offer thread on the main DFW board? They have some very knowledgeable people on there.

Thanks for the other advice. You're the voice of common sense and reason as always:A. I really appreciate it as you have so much of your own to worry about at the moment without bothering about my problems.

All trace of this debt will disappear from my credit file in May next year anyway, thanks to the 2013 default. I know the debt will still exist but at least it won't be ataring me in the face every time I check my online credit file. A case of 'out of sight, out of mind'.

As for talking about it elsewhere on MSE, I don't think anyone would give me any different or more useful advice than you just have. I did mention it on the DMP Support thread as I needed to let off steam and we talk about our F&F experiences on there a lot. No response as yet though. I don't go on the F&F thread much, it's not very fast moving and people can sometimes wait for days for a reply:(. A lot of the same people hang out on the DMP Support thread anyway so I usually get all my advice from there.

[Deleted User]

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

@Carboot And when are you going to update your signature?

Sorry, I'm duly told off:o. Will get onto it when I've calmed down a bit.

I didn't get round to it yesterday because OH and I went trailing round DIY stores to buy a new shower but ended up not buying anything and having a massive row:(:(:(. Honestly, if we were actually married I'd be filing for divorce:mad:

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

Sorry, I'm duly told off:o. Will get onto it when I've calmed down a bit.

I didn't get round to it yesterday because OH and I went trailing round DIY stores to buy a new shower but ended up not buying anything and having a massive row:(:(:(. Honestly, if we were actually married I'd be filing for divorce:mad:

Oh dear . We all row with our other halves sometimes but it's not nice when it happens . Men can be very difficult and women are often very forgiving imo!

With regard to your debts Carboot. If both remaining creditors say no (and one may still say yes) then my advice is keep your F&F savings intact (just in case), keep paying token amounts (for the rest of your life if necessary) and start enjoying your life.

I don't believe that your creditors will go to the trouble and expense of taking you to court over what is now quite a trivial amount of money. If you keep making token payments there is a chance that you may die before they get their money (sorry to be morbid ), which would serve them right imo.

So in the end they would be wise to accept your offer. If they choose to be foolish then just keep paying the token amounts (forever if necessary).

Anyway that's my advice. I know you want the relief of being debt free and hopefully your creditors will see sense one day so that you will be.

doingitanyway

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

Thanks OBL .

My Fitbit strap broke on Friday to add to the bad news .

But finally one piece of good news, DH has managed to fix my pc this morning :T. Isn't he clever? He opened it up and fiddled with the innards and now it's working :T. Massive massive relief. Now I can spend all day printing out stuff for the accountants.

Now I just need a job offer and DH needs a lucrative contract for his business, and then Christmas won't be a complete disaster .

I slept heavily all night so hopefully that will make me less tired. I do think the stress has a lot to do with it.

Great news re computer. What a relief and what a clever OH

I hope you get your fitbit fixed/replaced as your walking is impressive and it seems to be an integral part of your wellness

HairyHandofDartmoor

I've done a few PA surveys and I'm over the £10 mark now :T so I'll cash out and put that towards Christmas presents once approved. I'm up to £13.75 on OP so still a little way to go, but I'm hopefully I'll get to £30 by Christmas. I had a YG survey today and I'm up to 4,930 points, so close! If I can cash them all out before Christmas then that would pay for most of my presents .

My sister posted me some money off food vouchers today worth £8 in total :T. I can use one this week and one next week. She said it was to put towards Christmas food, which is very nice of her :T. So that's £8 towards some Christmas food treats for the family .

My computer antivirus scan has about three hours to go, sigh, and then I can print off hundreds of things for the accountants. It's so nice having a computer again .

HairyHandofDartmoor

doingitanyway wrote: »

Great news re computer. What a relief and what a clever OH

I hope you get your fitbit fixed/replaced as your walking is impressive and it seems to be an integral part of your wellness

Thanks DIA. Walking is good for my mental health. I'm not sure I can face getting touch with Fitbit today.

Maybe after I've sorted out the stuff for the accountants I'll have room in my head to tackle that. I always find anything to do with accounts very stressful .

badmemory

Re the fitbit, they are really nice to talk to. I had a problem with the time setting on mine going weird in March when the clocks changed & she was really lovely & talked me through it. I nearly didn't call but I read on a thread on here about someone who had lost their's whilst out & they said providing the battery was still working they could trace it.


What I should have started with is SNAP my strap tore yesterday, but, having more money than sense, when we bought my sister one for her birthday Amazon had loads of replacement straps at very reasonable prices, so I bought loads! So if they won't replace it then it won't cost a fortune, maybe an early Christmas present from one of the DSs?


If it is a charge 2 & you are stuck pm me your address & I'll send you one, but it will be a colour!