DMP Mutual Support Thread (Part 4)

newlywed

lisa-r wrote: »

Of course i'm still worried that I might be made bankrupt by my creditors anyway, (I owe around £80k to my absolute shame) but will give a DMP my best shot in the meantime.

At least even if that does happen, you will know you did your best and tried your hardest to sort it out.

rayday2

I never know where to look on the old style board and I asked a question once there and got my head bitten off. I did find some ideas but they all either involved tinned sausage or bulk cooking which I really (sorry I know - lazy!) cannot be bothered with.

Any ideas where to start on that board?

WhoopieDoodle

I bulk cook about once a month. Well, I cook normal food but do a big batch and freeze it. I then use those meals for the months that have an extra week, if you get my drift.

Also, when I cook a meal I freeze some of it for hubby as he does a lot of late shifts so he can take leftovers for his dinner instead of buying food like he used to do.

It does get boring writing a shopping list every week and planning the meals, but it's worth it as so far I have spent under budget each week and been able to save that money for other things. If I run out of ideas I search the internet for meals that are cheap to cook (hence my meat free run at the moment).

One of my favs is cook a spag bol, keep some of the sauce and the next day do a pasta bake using that sauce and fling some cheese in it, stick some sliced tomato on top and voila!

Potato fritters - slice potatoes, chuck in a bowl, pour over olive oil (or veg/sunflower oil), sprinkle on some paprika and salt, give it a good mix, throw into a baking tray and bake for around 45 minutures until crispy. Very tasty and goes with most things.

Anyway, enough of that. This is not a recipe boards! tee hee, sorry folks.

Right, anyone know how to stop Nasty West crippling us with interest/charges each month? Our debt is approximately £800 more than when we started and they are not interested in anything we say.

:?

newlywed

Oooh I don't batch cook - I just cook double of some meals and then freeze them, eg curry, chilli, shep pie etc Work full time - can't be doing with cooking all weekend!!

The whole point is to try and find the bits that fit in with your life and those that don't you can ignore. The grocery challenge thread is good. You set yourself a target - up to you what it is and then people post tips, recipes, update how much they've spent, what bargains they bought, offers that are on etc. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1001527 (huge thread to start reading through though!!!). August one will probably be up there sometime around 25th or so, if you want to start from a fresh one.

This is the welcome thread. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=783151 about where to start.

The other good one though is when you post and say I have X Y and Z lurking in my cupboard and don't know what to do to use them up. Usually get lots of suggestions . Or some post with the entire storecupboard and ask how many meals, what meals they can make.

If you have a slow cooker then the slow cooker recipe thread is good, or the slow cooker quick questions. The freezer quick questions thread is good too - didn't realise you could chop onions and freeze them without cooking, ready to add from frozen into the pan

Other than that, the weezl thread (50p per person per day) is good fun. and a little mad (she's cooked a pig's head because it was free meat from the butcher!!) http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1007423


Sorry for the long post, just old style is where I lurk most

Just one last point, the don't throw food away challenge is good too: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=904371

lisa-r_4

Yaay, numero 221! Thanks Rayday!

Thanks also for all your encouragement guys, it means a lot to me. As Rayday knows only too well, (!) i'm prone to worrying about and fretting over things that might never happen, so i'm hoping your support will help keep me sane and motivated throughout my debt free journey! Actually if you happen to catch me venturing into pessimistic territory please feel free to tell me off! It doesn't help that I work from home so am pretty isolated with a bit too much time to think/mope at times...which is also where a part-time job outside the house might work wonders for my DFW confidence levels too!

The grocery challenge sounds great, I must have a look at that thread. I joined Quidco yesterday so I could buy this fortnights' big shop through it - not sure how many points I earned from my £80 spend, but every little helps! I wish i'd discovered it years ago actually, as we buy almost all of our groceries online! I know there must be another thread on this subject, but is there any other similar money saving/earning websites I should be signing up to?

Thanks again fellow DMP DFW's. ((HUGS))

pinksparkle_2

Just thought id let you all know that i have had my first letter from one of my creditors (Blackhorse) today saying that they are going to drop the interest on my loan with them to 0.74% till 01.01.09...

Lets hope that all the 11 remaining creditors follow with the same or even better and freeze interest...!!!

Pinksparkle
x

maz1964

hello again all

back again today for moral support if nothing else and found loads,,,,,,,,,,, thanks to your posts today..

welcome lisa-r to our gang ,- we do support each other here, its one of these mad journeys we are all on but at least never alone. Im doing my own dmp and yeah its fun and aggravating at the same time but have got there. So any queries pls shout out loud.

newylewed. many thanks for your post 615 great stuff, so helpful and will try out to that thread

whoopiedoodle, post 614 also fab will try out all ideas thanks

welcome alona1 to our gang, halifax ive just managed to get them to agree to a dmp, however they have just told me that their policies just changed and will only be accepting if its about 1% or minimum 10.00 each month, as i owe only about 700.00 im paying them 10.00 - but also they are now charging about 1% interest monthly its about 12.69apr so have lowered the interest rate and no charges though, still better than nothing, however, i have a bank of scotland account with no charges or interest for 12 months but that was sorted almost immediately way back in april - halifax took ages to reply and i had to complain. Also send your letters recorded.

just perservere that my advice to everyone.

rayday - the gang is growing thats fab and that down to you as you are always welcoming -

have a fun rest of your day and off to check out newleyweds info given on the grocery and foodstuff threads,

see ya laters ciao for now MAZ

maz1964

:T hello again all

back again today for moral support if nothing else and found loads,,,,,,,,,,, thanks to your posts today..

welcome lisa-r to our gang ,- we do support each other here, its one of these mad journeys we are all on but at least never alone. Im doing my own dmp and yeah its fun and aggravating at the same time but have got there. So any queries pls shout out loud.

newylewed. many thanks for your post 615 great stuff, so helpful and will try out to that thread

whoopiedoodle, post 614 also fab will try out all ideas thanks

welcome alona1 to our gang, halifax ive just managed to get them to agree to a dmp, however they have just told me that their policies just changed and will only be accepting if its about 1% or minimum 10.00 each month, as i owe only about 700.00 im paying them 10.00 - but also they are now charging about 1% interest monthly its about 12.69apr so have lowered the interest rate and no charges though, still better than nothing, however, i have a bank of scotland account with no charges or interest for 12 months but that was sorted almost immediately way back in april - halifax took ages to reply and i had to complain. Also send your letters recorded.

just perservere that my advice to everyone.

rayday - the gang is growing thats fab and that down to you as you are always welcoming -

have a fun rest of your day and off to check out newleyweds info given on the grocery and foodstuff threads,

see ya laters ciao for now MAZ

maz1964

sorry guys my pc froze, duplicated my post -

welldone pinksparkle. wayhooooooooo - fingers crossed

byeeeeeeeee MAZ

rayday2

You should all come round to my house and stop me turning into a fatter pig! My two daugters birthdays this weekend so I asked what food they wanted, we have warm brownies out the oven, homemade millionaires shortcake, homemade chocolate fudge, cookies (again homemade) and two birthday cakes! Then I cheat tomorrow and order in pizza lol

Thanks newlywed will take a look at those links when I get chance. My biggest problem is taking hubby shopping, which I have to do for transport and he likes his treats. Saying that we are not struggling too much but more funds are always welcome and definately new ideas.