Good luck on your journey. Well done on being motivated to get things sorted and getting a plan into place. I would agree that bank account switching is a good way to make a couple of extra pounds. I have made £700 since January. There is a good list of current offers on the MSE website. The other thing to consider is having a clear out and selling any items you no longer want or need. I have found the vinted app good for this as they don't charge fees like ebay. It is easy to set up an account and use to sell clothes and things. The only expense there would be printing the postage label (I do this at work) and buying postage bags to send. Will be subscribing to support you on your journey!
So what I’m considering doing this week is this. My debt management plan, of £166 a month, is down to only covering two debts. Would it be crazy to just call the two companies the debts are currently with and try to deal with them directly? Give them my current financial situation, perhaps offer each something like £20 a month temporarily? My worry here is that they could start putting late payments fees and interest back on the debts
Right I am no expert on DMPs but my thoughts would be to contact Stepchange and tell them because of urgent financial pressures you are not able to make payments for the next 2 or 3 months, make sure you cancel your direct debit.
I think I have read on here that the companies can't suddenly start and charge you interest and fees once you have defaulted on the debts.
Someone with more knowledge of DMPs will be along at some point.
If you go down to the woods today you better not go alone.
I've redone your statement of affairs. The blood tests and medication should have money put away for them every month instead of you thinking that you have a "free" month. £150 x 4 = £600 per year and £130 x 4 = £560 per year. Total £1160 + 12 = £96.66 per month so I've rounded it up to £97. I've left off the flea treatment for now.
Internet £ 30.00 Phone £ 5.50 Rent £625.00 Gender £ 32.50 Water £ 38.00 Gas £ 30.00 Elec £ 74.000 C Tax £126.00 Cat Ins £ 8.00 Hair Rem £ 70.00 DMP £166.00 Bamboo £ 69.10 Aqua £160.00 Zable £ 17.50 Vanquis £ 15.00 Ocean £ 30.00 Zopa £ 20.00 Paypal £ 40.00 Blood/ Meds £97.00 Food £200.00
Total out £1853.60 versus income (£1460.00 plus £50.00) £1510.00 = minus £343.60
I'm thinking that stopping your DMP won't really help. You need a strategy to earn another £350 each month so maybe a second job is a good idea?
Hi, @EmilyDiary. I sympathise with you regarding the cost and waiting lists, I am the mother of a trans boy, (maybe man, he's 32). I don't know where you live, but have a look for community pantries, etc. in your area. They let you buy food cheaply, that would otherwise be destined for landfill. You don't need a referral or need to be on benefits. Have a look at the food challenge, top of the old style board, for ideas on how to cut your grocery bill. Think about every item before you buy, do i need it? Can i get it cheaper or substitute for something else? Every penny needs to count. e.g. Dishcloths, have you an old towel you can cut up, or an old t-shirt? Have a read of some frugal blogs/vlogs, try some of these. Atomic shrimp, (the food related ones), frugal queen in France, frugal Jo. Frugal cottage. On Facebook there are groups, living on £1a day, and living on 50p a day. Hope some of these ideas are useful, I'll be cheering you along, hugs, mumtoomany.xx
The good news is, I have overestimated the costs slightly of all the credit card payments, the bloods and the meds. So there IS a bit more room than it seems, I based this on what I paid last month which would have been a slight overpayment. The meds change all the time so it’s hard to pin down, as do the bloods as I need transport costs too. But if I can just use this forum to make sure things aren’t getting worse any faster than they need to, until I can get some more income, that’s not the worst move I think
I know this is really radical, and probably not simple because cats, but can you do anything about your housing costs? Your rent is a huge chunk of your income, and that council tax bill is pretty high. Could you have a lodger, or maybe downsize? I'm just thinking about your treatment being your priority right now, so maybe housing is somewhere you can make a saving.
It’s tricky, it’s a tiny one bedroom flat so I can’t downsize or get a lodger in. And it’s a yearly tenancy so I’m locked in till next June in any event - even if I was able to look for renting a room somewhere, the two cats will be an issue there won’t they. So it is difficult. Really what needs to happen is a second job, get rid of the credit card debt and the dmp, and then I’m fine arent i. Just need someone to hire me!
Hi, I have absolutely no idea about this, but £70 for laser hair removal sounds loads. Would it be cheaper to buy a laser hair remover tool of your own in the long run?
My cats are house cats, which saves on flea treatment and gives them less chance of vet issues with injuries, but more costs in cat litter. Swings and roundabouts I guess!
Replies
I think I have read on here that the companies can't suddenly start and charge you interest and fees once you have defaulted on the debts.
Someone with more knowledge of DMPs will be along at some point.
Internet £ 30.00
Phone £ 5.50
Rent £625.00
Gender £ 32.50
Water £ 38.00
Gas £ 30.00
Elec £ 74.000
C Tax £126.00
Cat Ins £ 8.00
Hair Rem £ 70.00
DMP £166.00
Bamboo £ 69.10
Aqua £160.00
Zable £ 17.50
Vanquis £ 15.00
Ocean £ 30.00
Zopa £ 20.00
Paypal £ 40.00
Blood/
Meds £97.00
Food £200.00
Total out £1853.60 versus income (£1460.00 plus £50.00) £1510.00 = minus £343.60
I'm thinking that stopping your DMP won't really help. You need a strategy to earn another £350 each month so maybe a second job is a good idea?
I don't know where you live, but have a look for community pantries, etc. in your area. They let you buy food cheaply, that would otherwise be destined for landfill. You don't need a referral or need to be on benefits. Have a look at the food challenge, top of the old style board, for ideas on how to cut your grocery bill. Think about every item before you buy, do i need it? Can i get it cheaper or substitute for something else? Every penny needs to count. e.g. Dishcloths, have you an old towel you can cut up, or an old t-shirt? Have a read of some frugal blogs/vlogs, try some of these. Atomic shrimp, (the food related ones), frugal queen in France, frugal Jo. Frugal cottage. On Facebook there are groups, living on £1a day, and living on 50p a day.
Hope some of these ideas are useful, I'll be cheering you along, hugs, mumtoomany.xx
Trying to live on only £2640 for the year for most meals for seven people.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6414174/im-back-trying-to-spend-less-on-food#latest
Spent so far: £589.82/£2640
🌊 A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor 🌊
2023 challenges - (1) £8k savings challenge = £2k (2) 2 stone 3lb weight reduction = 12lb
My WW and friends diary is here 😁 …
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6259606/must-try-harder/p1