DMP Mutual Support Thread (Part 4)

very_silly_and_scared

Ghosthunter...

It's worth calling CCCS or Debtline too I think... Have you tried CAB too. Get as much advice as you can...

And keep us posted.....

abi1811

Hi very silly and scared

I don't mean to seem nosey but how come you were not exempt from council tax as a student? I am asking because i am going back to college f/t in september and don't want to end up in a similar situation. thanks.

very_silly_and_scared

Don't panic! you will be as long as you live on your own or only with other students.

The reason why was that i was writing up my PhD and Uni told me was classed as full time student, wrote to council tax when i moved in and never heard a peep so assumed was all ok BUT if you're just writing up you're automatically immediately classed as part time it seems....

(Not ideal for me but you will be fine!)

PS if you live with anyone else who is NOT a student, you're not exempt, you just get 1/4 off your bill.

Hope that helps/reassures you....

GhostHunter_3

WhoopieDoodle wrote: »

ghosthunter, speak to Nat Debtline or Cab regarding the fuel bills. These are priority and the creditors aren't! They take what is left and lump it.

A walk is a good idea. I do some of my best thinking whilst out with the dob.

And stick around here kid, we will help as best we can and even if we can't, it does wonders to have people to talk it.

Hi thanks for that, it does infact make a lovely difference to have others to talk to.

Just cancelled my appointment with Nat West though as someone coming round to look at boiler at 330pm.

Will try and make an appt with CAB but dont find our local ones (live between 2 big towns) very helpful.

Thanks again everybody.





Will talk to Nat Debt Line

newlywed

Have you given any thought to a prepayment meter for your gas/electric?

Stay with me a moment: I know it's a pain to keep topping it up, plus you pay more for your energy, plus it's annoying when you forgot to check how much is left and it cuts out in the middle of the film/cooking dinner etc

but: you can budget it a little as you can see what you are using each week money wise and then work out ways to cut it down. Eg if you are broke then turn the heating down/off (obviously it's off in summer anyway) and then just use the money for your water heating. You can cut it down as soon as you see it start to creep up, not 3 months later when they bill you.

AND: you don't get any surprise bills - at all, ever

Only point is, if they put prepay in when you owe them money, they can make the meter take a chunk of money each time you top up your key - eg you put £20 on the key and they take £5 each time or something like that.

OH won't change back to normal meters now, he insists on keeping prepay.

abi1811

I live with my 2 kids but no other adults. thanks for explaining that for me. One other question though, do you know where i stand if i continue to work p/t? Would i still be exempt.

Ex-Spendaholic

Ghosthunter I agree with what Newleywed said. I have prepaid meters for gas and electric. However here were I live the cost is no different to quarterly bills as such. With my gas I owed them £500. I am paying that back via the meter. It was set at £15 per week going out on a Wednesday. So say I put in £30 on a Wednesday the meter swallows £15. So what I do is put on a month's worth at once about £100 and then it only takes the one £15 in the month whereas if I was topping up weekly it would swallow £15 each week. There was an option though to fill in an income and expenditure form to reduce this amount. I didn't do it as I didn't particularly want a gas supplier knowing all my business.

As for the Co-op, they turned me down too. That was about a year ago. I was gutted as everyone else even bankrupts seem to get their accounts.

very_silly_and_scared

abi1811 wrote: »

I live with my 2 kids but no other adults. thanks for explaining that for me. One other question though, do you know where i stand if i continue to work p/t? Would i still be exempt.

You're still exempt. As a registered full time student you don't have to pay irrespective of income etc so don't worry about that.

bevc_2

GhostHunter, have a really good look at the fishtank - a friend of mine had a £400 quarterly bill because of a fishtank! And that was about 10 years ago (so probably would be closer to £600-800 at today's prices!!) :eek:

Also, is it really necessary to have a powered treadmill? Not being funny, but seems expensive compared to putting on your running shoes and jogging round the block! Of course, if you have a medical reason for having to use a powered treadmill, my apologies...:o

rayday2

I would have to have a powered treadmill and powered legs to get me to exercise, but thats why I am a tubby one

I have just jumped in here after painting in the garden, what sort of fish are they? We only have the filter switched on in our tank, they are goldfish so I won't let him have the light or thermostat.