Shuffling My Feet

Debt_Overload

@in_need_of_direction @Baldyear it seems waiting for defaults is what we should do. The 500+ page thread on dmp mutual support, well I read 200 pages of it and that seems to be the way. I'm sure StepChange are perfect for people who have already fallen way behind, but for those of us who've fought to avoid that and stayed up to date with payments, going immediately into making payments seems to shoot us in the foot. I needed to stop paying any of them just to have cash for covering all the things I'd been using credit for - including mobile phone bills, Internet bills, council tax and food. I paid all debts up until mid January and so far only 1 of 11 have said they'll default me. 3 in total have registered "late payment". Otherwise I just wait, and keep building that emergency fund.

It feels good to actually be in charge of my own money. 

Debt_Overload

Dear Internet, they say it is quietest before the storm. It's very quiet in the Overload household. The only debt-related letter I've had of late has been an email from StepChange acknowledging that I have cancelled my DMP. "And so it begins..." she says.

I actually found an affordable child carer who seems good. I'm astounded. I just have to fill in the paperwork and make sure my manager will keep to the days that I enrol Small Person.

There are too many hours in the day to think about where money can go and what it can buy, and I'm afraid I went silly on several small purchases for Small Person for child care. It isn't like me at all. They were all from V1nted but even so it means less stays in the Everything Fund this month. There's still a fair amount really, but I'm still frustrated with myself and, well, with the world for costing so much.

I hope the lengthening daylight hours do all our hearts good.
Love Detty

Debt_Overload

Dear Internet, you are very patient. It's just that so much is going on in real life. I did receive a few bits and pieces - a statement from Totally Silly Bank credit card was the first. I'm keeping a notebook and the last entry for this bank was exactly a month ago when they sent me a statement. So apart from a little "Did you forget to pay?" note on that statement, they haven't gotten upset.

I've also received a Notice of Sum in Arrears with Formal Demand of Arrears from the largest creditor, which is my personal loan with Neverwide. It's paper which doesn't mean much. Right now all they're saying is "catch up with your repayments", with the usual notes about credit checking me and putting a marker onto my file, and how if I don't, I may end up with a CCJ. I know there's more paperwork long before that happens so I am fairly relaxed about things.

The Overdraft bank, Nowhere bank, has sent me a Demand for Repayment, a notice they are removing my overdraft facility, and a deadline of 16th April before my account will be locked. I have already emptied it, cancelled all direct debits and standing orders, and made sure my income goes to a different bank, so I am not concerned.

It seems like a flurry of paper but to be frank it is less than I expected. I thought this would be a frightening time with deep threats. But I see these papers for what they are and I am perfectly able to cope, I just find them interesting! Then I write down the type of letter and the date, in my notebook, to refer to later, and I file the papers into one of my pretty coloured folders.

Small Person has started at the new child care place ✔ and I will be increasing my work hours after Easter. It's kind of exciting to see how much I will be able to put into the Everything Fund, until I remember all the things which have to be paid out of it. 😂😭

I hope the Easter Bunny is good to you all.
xx Detty

Debt_Overload

Dear Internet, I have resisted updating more often as almost nothing is happening. I received another Notice of Intention to Default, but so far, nothing is actually happening otherwise. Only one account is locked so far (a tiny credit card) and my mailbox is just empty.

I received a payrise from work. I was already getting more than the NMW, and was hoping they'd be fair, but no, it's now mere pennies over the NMW. My workplace's pay is no longer competitive, to be honest, but I like the place and they mostly do as I ask, so I won't rock the boat.

I have been watching my "stash" tick over with its few pence of interest each day in the savings account. I've also kept one eye on the circus across the other side of the ocean. It occurred to me that if other people are panicking with their investments, then I could do better. I spent a couple of days researching and finally moved half into gold. So far, it's leaving my savings account for dust. Most of the stash is earmarked for my building maintenance arrears but the management company hasn't billed me, so it can stay in my bank earning pennies until they bother to wake up.

Brownie points for this week, I got a £5 bonus offer from Little Supermarket if I spent £25 and actually organised myself and did it. There is a second one if I spend £30, and I'm going back tomorrow to do that one too. I don't actually need anything right now though, so I expect to buy a trolley full of loo roll.

Speak soon, Detty xx

biggerpickle

@Debt_Overload just read your diary, well done on getting onto DIY with your DMP, am sure you'll crack it.

And thanks for the reminder about the £5 off £30 voucher thing - I half glanced at it shopping yesterday as I was busy feeding the cash/card machine with over a tenners worth of loose change for some shopping so I'll pop down again today to spend a few more quid to get free stuff next week!

Newstartforme

Hope all going well DO , I'm a few steps behind you debt wise so your posts are very invaluable to me . It's hard just to not pay but got to be done I suppose

Debt_Overload

Newstartforme said:

Hope all going well DO , I'm a few steps behind you debt wise so your posts are very invaluable to me . It's hard just to not pay but got to be done I suppose

Lovely to connect with others in the same boat 
I have had a few wobbles wondering if I should send out a fiver... but so far I am staying strong. We can do this.

Debt_Overload

Hello, Dear Internet. Another card has told me that I "will" be defaulted, but so far, there are no defaults on any of my credit files and no official default letters. The first creditor to take real action on my debt is the £500 (overdraft) owing to NoWhere Bank, they closed my current account and have sent me a letter that my debt will now be managed by Wescot. It's the same as several others, stating that it's in my best interests to pay what I can and to call to make an arrangement. Erm except no, it's not in my best interests at all. Maybe in theory it is, but I want that account defaulted first, and once that happens I'll write, not call.

StepChange, although they acknowledged that I was cancelling and told me that they would close the arrangement, sent me a statement in the mail and are still behaving as if it's current. I even got a letter that they hadn't received my expected May payment. Yeah, that'd be because I cancelled you and you agreed! Most of the creditors are also writing things like "we know you're working with StepChange" or similar. So I am not convinced they carried out my wishes in informing them all... I know banks are notoriously slow to update things, I have seen other people note that they get letters from the same bank contradicting themselves or take months to acknowledge letters from clients. So right now I'm treating it as just amusing. It seems to be delaying some of them in actually taking action. My breathing space has ended, so I'd have expected them to crack the whip, but it seems they're still in limbo because of the imaginary StepChange payment arrangement that they expected, but aren't getting.

My Huge Maintenance Bill came in and it's huge. It outstrips what I had put aside for it. So I sold the gold and I've paid what I can, and I will keep plugging at it with each pay day. It's not one that I can ignore because the funds are needed for building work. They are proposing further cosmetic works and right now all the joint owners are bickering over what should and shouldn't be done, which is good news for me because I know how this plays out, nothing will get decided for quite some time, therefore no further large bill for quite some time. 

I hope the world at large is being kind to your little corner. Speak soon,
Love Detty xx

rachmac3

It sounds like you're doing all the right things and a good mental attitude about it all. I love that you are finding it all amusing, these things can far too often cause us stress. 
Good luck with it all !

Newstartforme

Debt_Overload said:

Hello, Dear Internet. Another card has told me that I "will" be defaulted, but so far, there are no defaults on any of my credit files and no official default letters. The first creditor to take real action on my debt is the £500 (overdraft) owing to NoWhere Bank, they closed my current account and have sent me a letter that my debt will now be managed by Wescot. It's the same as several others, stating that it's in my best interests to pay what I can and to call to make an arrangement. Erm except no, it's not in my best interests at all. Maybe in theory it is, but I want that account defaulted first, and once that happens I'll write, not call.

StepChange, although they acknowledged that I was cancelling and told me that they would close the arrangement, sent me a statement in the mail and are still behaving as if it's current. I even got a letter that they hadn't received my expected May payment. Yeah, that'd be because I cancelled you and you agreed! Most of the creditors are also writing things like "we know you're working with StepChange" or similar. So I am not convinced they carried out my wishes in informing them all... I know banks are notoriously slow to update things, I have seen other people note that they get letters from the same bank contradicting themselves or take months to acknowledge letters from clients. So right now I'm treating it as just amusing. It seems to be delaying some of them in actually taking action. My breathing space has ended, so I'd have expected them to crack the whip, but it seems they're still in limbo because of the imaginary StepChange payment arrangement that they expected, but aren't getting.

My Huge Maintenance Bill came in and it's huge. It outstrips what I had put aside for it. So I sold the gold and I've paid what I can, and I will keep plugging at it with each pay day. It's not one that I can ignore because the funds are needed for building work. They are proposing further cosmetic works and right now all the joint owners are bickering over what should and shouldn't be done, which is good news for me because I know how this plays out, nothing will get decided for quite some time, therefore no further large bill for quite some time. 

I hope the world at large is being kind to your little corner. Speak soon,
Love Detty xx

Really great advice and attitude , I think the first few months will be the hardest