debt free in 1200 months!?

bountiful

Hi Seaxwyn - thanks for kind encouragement - re work - no, not really, my net salary is £13,000 and that's a good rate for work down here. My manager only just gets just over the £20,000 for a hell of a lot of responsibility. I am, of course, optimistic that my qualifications and experience will lead to something better one day!

I had a chance encounter today with a chap I know (a bit) who works for the council and has contacts in housing - my rent is £625 and he has a place for £325 - so he said, when I want to move, give him a call and he can definitely help - also the council has deposit bonds they will put up to enable people to remain housed - so that was a useful connection to have made.

bountiful

Interesting development just when I was feeling nothing could change. A friend at work (who is a Christian) has a Church friend who has recently retired and got involved in debt advice - something called Money Coachers - helping people budget and learn to live with cash. He put me on to CAP (Christians Against Poverty) which have a centre in my area - and it sounds good. They offer personal support, the usual budget planning and working out fair payments, but you open a CAP account and they deal directly with your creditors (bit like a DMP by all accounts) and will offer you support until you are debt-free and beyond. I am going to ring them tomorrow (or the next day when I am not at work) and see if they will take me on. To have the stress of letters and phone-calls taken off me would be wonderful. And to have a personal 'mentor' who offers support would be wonderful. You don't have to be a Christian to be helped (I am a Buddhist). Will keep you posted.
Meantime, I still get letters and phone calls - and things not changing at all - so this looks like a move in the right direction.

beanielou

Wow Bountiful that sounds just great.
Hope it works out for you.

bountiful

Thanks Beanie - I kind of didn't notice the CAP listed on Martin's information before because I blocked out the word 'Christian' - I think they probably do hope that they will be able to help you become Christian, but they are offering help to everyone, regardless, so fingers crossed. I have made the phone call and left my details for them to contact me. Will let you know how it goes.

Just had my first telephone call from a debt collection agency - the Post Office have passed my credit card debt of £1,173.50 to Red Castle Recoveries Ltd. They sounded very reasonable (but that might be the warm-up!) they have stopped interest and put a hold on phone calls for 14 days whilst I wait to see the CAP - phew!

We have our first HQ course actually on our own in Cornwall at the beginning of November - and I cannot NOT go - so have sent off a cheque for that - I am promised astounding benefits.

How are things with you? I know you are often on the weight loss threads - I have been doing the low GL diet for about a month now - I am not very overweight, but wanted to get reduce my risk of diabetes, heart disease etc - anyway, it is very easy to live with, and I have lost 3lbs and feel a lot trimmer round the tum and middle area.

beanielou

Im ok ~ seemed to get lots of benefit from the WD course which was good.
(Ive managed to pay another CC off!)
Weight loss is so slow but I havent got that much left to loose and Im never going to be a skinny sixe 10!
Our GM is in Edinburgh in a couple of weeks so looking forward to that.
Really really tired at the mo so hope that lifts a wee bit soon.
Anyway take lots of care & be kind to yourself.
"I live so I can become stronger than all obstacles"~Great quote me thinks.

bountiful

Hi Beanie - sorry to hear your feeling so tired - it is so hard to chant when energy is already low, isn't it? It's daft, I know - like the thing about the man with the broken leg waiting until he's better before he goes to the doctor! I made an error at work the other day - and it has really knocked my confidence - I have been feeling emotionally drained by it and developed a cold (lots of other people at work have colds too mind). I have just left a second message for CAP - as I haven't heard from them yet.
Had a letter from Red Castle Recoveries asking for repayment of my Post Office (Bank of Ireland) credit card debt £1,173.50....... need help pronto!

I picked up a brochure about Basic Bank Accounts yesterday - and have been considering getting one - a Basic Bank Account, that is - to break the habit of using my debit card when I run out of cash, or to order things (books usually) off the internet. There are downsides, like not being able to write cheques etc.... Perhaps when I get support from CAP I will have the incentive to draw out cash each week and stick to my limit - knowing someone is actually going to care whether I have used my debit card or not, or stayed within my cash budget, would be a major motivator.

Seaxwyn

Hi Bountiful. Nice to see your name pop up on the list, I have missed you! Let's hope the CAP get round to giving you some support. But meanwhile, we care if you have stayed in your budget etc etc. You can always post here for moral support (yes I know that's not actually as taking the flak from creditors but never mind).

How is lovely Cornwall this autumn? Do you live near any of those beautiful gardens?

beanielou

Bountiful~I think that opening a new account is a good step forward for you. I hope you hear from CAP soon.
Would it help you to post here re the debit card?
We care about what makes you less stressed.
Take care.

bountiful

Aw thanks girls! I'm sorry for being so self-pitying recently! I really appreciate your words of encouragment!!:A

Someone from CAP is coming to see me on Wednesday - and I am spending the rest of today getting all of my paperwork ready for her. Really scary thing is that they take all the paperwork away with them! Talk about losing control!!! Help! I am fighting with an urge to photocopy everything (which I can't do anyway).

I will ask her about opening a basic cash account - it might be the right thing for me, but I am not sure of the implications. Also, I like the idea of posting my debit card usage on here - and sharing how I am doing with you. The CAP will set me a budget, and I will have to live within it. Some people have said they are actually better off, because they set a realistic budget. We shall see.;)

My son is confusing me at the moment because he isn't sure if he is going to go to America and get married and stay over there forever, or whether he will get married in America and then they will both come back over here to live (and be full-time students), or go to America and get married then have a long-distance relationship until they finish studying in their respective countries. I feel a bit bad about it, but I find myself feeling really grumpy at him about not being clear about when he is expecting to leave home....:rolleyes:

I will report back on the CAP visit as soon as I can. xx

bountiful

Seaxwyn - Cornwall is lovely - well, I think so. I just spend four days in Bristol and was SO glad to get back home! I can't do cities!
I live in West Cornwall, so, yes, I am pretty near to a whole load of lovely gardens - but I haven't visited any of them. That sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? I do get out and ramble the great outdoors though. Two weeks ago, I was lucky enough to see a pair of Choughs flying off the coast near Sennen - it was brilliant.