debt advice

stepchange are excellent, contact them first

Hi Jeff, how timely! I have phoned Payplan today myself, and have an adviser calling me back tomorrow so I can let you know how I get on if you like? I too have got myself into not so much a very large hole but a ravine with money mainly due to gambling. I'm just over a month gambling free, and am now in a position to start sorting out the trail of debt that I have left in my wake. I was recommended Payplan through Unite and figured that they wouldn't have an affiliation with a cowboy debt management company. I have a feeling that I may have to go down the iva route but am open minded and will take their advice. I have looked at some reviews for them, there are a couple of unhappy customers but most people seem to rave about them. I certainly feel better already having done stage 1 and spoken to a lovely lady called Julia there today. She took basic info like roughly how much in total do I owe, how do I think the debt started etc. I was absolutely honest about the gambling, no point in being coy about it now is there? She was lovely, reassured me that they could help and that I'd done the best thing in finally trying to sort it etc and I feel a lot better about it already. It really is like a small part of the weight has been taken off my shoulders.

I went on to the Step Change website last year, I can only speak for my experience but I felt that it would be a great site for people who spend too much money on food, clothes, hair, going out etc but not great for people like me who lives like a pauper already! Maybe it will be different for you.

Good luck Jeff!

Rach

Cheers rach
Yes the girl was really nice who I also spoke to.
Funny old world how a nice person on the other end of the line can help you fell that little bit better when your heads in bits.
im also getting a call from them tomorrow regards debt advice.
So may be we could compare notes if you like?

Many thank
Jeff

That's a date 🙂 My call is at 6pm. I have spent the past couple of hours ripping open loads of debt letters that I had been hiding in the broom cupboard for months (which has progressed from a small pile to a carrier bag rammed full!) and sorting out all the account numbers etc. I owe about 4k more than I thought I did now that I have counted 🙁

Anyway, good luck with yours Jeff, will be in touch tomorrow night.

Rach

Will be going hopefully into more details tomorrow HL.

Today's been a bad day for me worrying what the future holds financially.
Ive got a 6 year old son who needs supported ......how could I be such a shallow s***
Doing this?????

Hi rach
My appointment is 5pm so hopefully speak to you sometime tomorrow evening on here.

Hardest thing for me recently was the break up of a long relationship and my son moving out to live with his mother.One of the things that ended it was hours on the slots when I should of been at home.
But recently its been the online slots that's brought me to a even bigger low and crippled me financially.
But we are here to try and stop and that is what I intend to do.

Regards
Jeff

That's not great is it Jeff, but you never know what might happen now that you have taken the decision to sort yourself out. I believe (and hope) that once I have sorted out some sort of payment plan, either dmp or iva, that will help ease the urge to gamble at the end of the month. My poison is also on line slots, I go into panic mode at the end of the month when I get paid as I know I can't afford to make all of the minimum payments on my debt which makes me want to gamble to try to win more money. So, if I think that I can afford to pay what I am supposed to pay (with my new payment plan in place) I'm hoping that will take away my imagined 'need' to gamble. Not sure if that makes sense. So, what I am trying to say is, by sorting your debts, you'll be a little closer to sorting the gambling and if you show your family that you are making headway and being the responsible Dad and hubbie that you want to be and that your family deserve, it can only help can't it?

Supporting you on your journey Jeff.

Rach

Hi Jeff,

I have been on a DMP for 6-7 years now, originally with a fee paying company, which was due to bad advice, I changed to PayPlan a non fee company funded by the banking sector (ironically!) I can highly recommend them and they got all my account interest froze. Please note that each monthly payment has to be paid on the agreed date in order for PayPlan to make payments to each creditor on time. Then the interest charges will remain frozen. I would go with PayPlan if their recommendations suit your situation. Had circa £50K gambling debts on credit cards and am now approximately down to £35K and still have 9 years remaining!!. Considering the IVA route but not looked into it yet.

Good luck

I did a debt management plan with Payplan and eventually paid off the best part of £28K. My advice would be to allow a bit of leeway in the amount of your payment to ensure you have some spare money for emergencies etc.

You will better when you start your DMP as although the end date may seem a long time off, the fact you are doing something about your problem is a good feeling.

Stepchange gave me excellent advice and precise instructions, made letters up in a template for me and generally made me freel happy again

Well got the dmp in action (hopefully it will start in 4 to 6 weeks).
Also handed over all my credit and bank cards so I have no access to money.Only small steps but steps hopefully for building a better future and kicking this habit.
Going to look into getting my phone bloked from all gaming sites to.