Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

carbootcrazy wrote: »

Thanks so much, HH, for answering my question and explaining so clearly how you went about it. I now recall reading about the hoops you had to jump through and having to provide medical information for the awkward one. I'm so pleased everything worked out so well for you and your family:T:beer::j


I'm worried about the percentage situation. I have 2 debts of the same size the 2 smallest ones, which are UE according to AAD but which the creditors had provided CCA information for and said in their covering letters were actually Enforceable. I was going to start with them and offer a very low amount and if they were unwilling to accept counter with the information that as I've been reliably informed the agreements are UE they are lucky to be getting even a penny. Maybe not put as cheekily as that but you know what I mean:rotfl:.


My biggest remaining debt of the 5, which is almost half of the total I still owe overall, is to Lloyds who have been difficult throughout (even pre DMP when I didn't even owe them anything:eek:) and still own the debt themselves. I can't see them playing ball somehow:(. I certainly don't think they'll accept the same low % that the smaller/UE ones would. If I offer Lloyds a bigger % I doubt the 2 other Enforceable ones would accept a much lower one should they know about it. That's really the thing that's stopping me get on and start offering. I don't want to offer the same % to all and if any ask me I don't know what to tell them:o. Would they be able to find that information out from anywhere? Checking my credit file I suppose but are they allowed to do that?


You also said some wanted more info when you phoned them. Could I please ask what it was they needed to know other than you told them in your offer letter? Just the type of info they needed not the specifics.


Maybe I should start with the 2 UE ones straight away and get them out of the way. I could then tell the others when they ask further down the line that the paid-off ones had been UE. Apart from the Lloyds one which I'm leaving until last (wimp that I am:o) I'm concerned about the 2 middle order debts. I shall offer them roughly the same percentage as each other, obviously more than the UE ones so if they ask it's OK. I just wonder how any of them react to knowing one or more of the debts has been cleared sooner rather than theirs. I had never planned to pay all creditors the same %, I'd kind of worked out a sliding scale based on what I can actually afford, how big the outstanding debt still is and how likely they might be to accept it (sold on or original creditor). I may have overcomplicated things as usual


Sorry to hijack your diary, HH, especially so early in the day:o. I know you always accept these takeovers very generously:A but I feel guilty doing it anyway. As you know OH doesn't know about my debts and apart from one person who knows a tiny smidgen of it neither does any living soul. It's all beginning to get to me at the moment and stress me out. I hardly slept a wink last night and not for once because I was cold. I just couldn't switch my mind off:(

badmemory wrote: »

A CRT screen is one of those old bulky ones, not a flat screen as they all are now. All modern appliances seem to use so much less power than the old ones. I've compared my old fridge & freezer usage to what they say new ones use & the old ones use 4 times as much. I need a new kitchen when I will finally replace them. My father installed this one 28 years ago & most of it is still absolutely fine. This is one of the very few times I miss having an OH cos I always feel that I am being pushed into getting something which is not really what I want - I don't & never have done trendy!