The long haul supporters thread...

Northstar68

Me too, me too.......I'm new here and in it for the long haul.
I'm about to start on a DMP with my hubby with the CCCS........17 years they estimate it will take us to clear our debts :eek:......I'm very much hoping it will be before that. It's been hard and taking us both almost to breaking point. But, I'm here and relieved to be taking active steps to sort us out (even if he isn't ) but that's another story for another time!

I have been around for a few months just reading up on all the posts etc, everyone here is so supportive and helpful, I learned a lot from you all already but couldnt pluck up the courage to write......until 2 days ago.

I would love to join please and I look forward to getting to know you all and hopefully helping too. Having the support of someone out there who knows what this is all like is such a good feeling,I really believe my closest friends don't 'get it'.
It has been such a lonely road for me lately so I thought that this would be the right time to get typing and that I should just do it. So here I am.

xxxx

sallymander

Hey bailey and northstar and welcome from a fellow newbie to this thread, don't worry hun you will find lots of support on here and although the future may seem bleak at times, we are here with you for the long haul. And just think how bad it would be if it had gone longer before your LBM!! That always make me fell better - it could always be worse!

Gpuk

Bought some of my xmas presents on friday with cash , probably first time ....ever!!! Felt really good, made a list , then scaled it down and then went into town bought what I needed and came straight home instead of milling around the shops for an eternity like i used to and then having an expensive lunch and then buying loads of stuff on impulse , I went in with my OH and mid-shopping in boots said 'i'm so proud of you, you are really trying to change' .... made me feel soooooooo good!!!

In_Search_Of_Me

bailey59 (187)
northstar68 (188)

Welcome both...we are all at various stages of dfwness...some been here (like me) for donkeys years but "could do better!...hang in there we'll get there one day!

Northstar68

Awww thx for the warm welcome!
Now, these abbreviations! Anywhere I can find the list of what they mean pls, have had a scout around with no luck, I keep opening so many windows and then I forget where I was in the first place!! LOL
Some of them I have worked out like DMP (surprise surprise lol), but what's a LBM pls?
ta

bailey59

Hi Northstar, LBM = Light Bulb Moment. The moment where you suddenly realise you are in debt and start to do something about it. I had mine at the weekend and it sounds like you did too. Things can now only get better

Northstar68

LOL yep, I had mine loud and clear and I feel a whole lot better now I started posting. I have suddenly got the energy now to get on with the paperwork and get it sorted. Just opened up a new account so am in the porcess of moving everything over and protecting our wages.
Things now can only get better and they will for us all.

In_Search_Of_Me

the early days are the worst as mind whirring but also god because youre dealing with it...have to say I've had a number of lightbulb moments over the years! My advice would be make changes but also make sure you have some cheap fun to stave off insanity. Also look at WHY you got into debt and discover ways of overcomng - for me it was emotional spending/boredom etc ...

bailey59

I could really do with some inspiration on the cheap fun thing please In Search Of Me. I am really struggling to get to grips with the amount of entertainment money I am allowed on the DMP. £21.00 per month!! I think this is the hardest part of it all. My DH plays in a darts team every week so he goes to the pub weekly. He cant miss a week cos he plays in the team. It looks like I will be sending him there with a flask of coffee:rolleyes: We dont go out now as it is, all meals out, going to the pub, takeaways, day trips, holidays etc have all been cancelled for the forseeable future. I dont know how we are going to cope over the next 10 years but we dont have any choice so cope we will. I guess we will have to reduce our food budget so we have spare cash to play with and sell things on car boots and ebay to make extra money. But then I keep thinking that if we have some spare money we should use it towards paying off the debts. The more money we throw at the debts the quicker we will be DF and able to start doing these things again.

I know why we are in debt and its not boredom. Its because of a place called Cyprus!! Looks like we wont be going back there anytime soon.

At the moment though I am mainly trying to concentrate on sorting out paperwork, bank accounts, DMP etc. Once I have got my head around all of this the rest of the things I am worried about will hopefully fall into place. I have a sneaky suspicion though that once I start the DMP I wont be worried about the lack of entertainment money, I will just get on with the next 10 years of my life and remember fondly all the happy memories I have from spending too much money!

bailey59

I could really do with some inspiration on the cheap fun thing please In Search Of Me. I am really struggling to get to grips with the amount of entertainment money I am allowed on the DMP. £21.00 per month!! I think this is the hardest part of it all. My DH plays in a darts team every week so he goes to the pub weekly. He cant miss a week cos he plays in the team. It looks like I will be sending him there with a flask of coffee:rolleyes: We dont go out now as it is, all meals out, going to the pub, takeaways, day trips, holidays etc have all been cancelled for the forseeable future. I dont know how we are going to cope over the next 10 years but we dont have any choice so cope we will. I guess we will have to reduce our food budget so we have spare cash to play with and sell things on car boots and ebay to make extra money. But then I keep thinking that if we have some spare money we should use it towards paying off the debts. The more money we throw at the debts the quicker we will be DF and able to start doing these things again.

I know why we are in debt and its not boredom. Its because of a place called Cyprus!! Looks like we wont be going back there anytime soon.

At the moment though I am mainly trying to concentrate on sorting out paperwork, bank accounts, DMP etc. Once I have got my head around all of this the rest of the things I am worried about will hopefully fall into place. I have a sneaky suspicion though that once I start the DMP I wont be worried about the lack of entertainment money, I will just get on with the next 10 years of my life and remember fondly all the happy memories I have from spending too much money!