Archive for February, 2013
Beware of Debt Management Companies that charge a fee.
As someone who is in debt and struggling to meet the repayments, you will probably want to speak to someone who can provide you with practical and impartial advice. Doing a simple search online can provide you with dozens of options who offer this service, but beware of companies that do this but charge you fees.
There is an old saying “the best things in life are free” and this applies to debt advice as companies like Payplan and charities like Citizens Advice Bureau and National Debtline , who provide the very best in debt advice and debt solutions to you for free. However, there are some companies that feel they need to charge a fee to their clients for the same service that we at Payplan will do for free.
A reputable fee charging Debt Management Company will advise you of the fees that they charge from the beginning; however, some companies may not be that clear about their fees. It is therefore extremely important that when you are searching for debt advice, you follow these simple steps:
- Do your research – use online review sites such as Review Centre or Trust Pilot to see what other clients of your chosen company have to say about their service.
- Speak to several companies – find three companies and speak to them all and see what solutions they recommend and whether you like them. Speaking to several companies will allow you to get several different options.
- Ask questions – when speaking to your chosen company, ask as many questions as you feel you need answering and make sure you fully understand the entire process, especially their fee structure.
Finding the right solution may seem like a daunting task, but getting advice from the right company will take a huge weight off your shoulders and give you the assistance that you need.
Emma’s story…
Emma’s story…
My name is Emma Sheardown, I am 27 years old and from Grantham. I was born with Cerebral Palsy, which affects the balance and co-ordination of my limbs.
I am a full-time para equestrian dressage rider, based at Angela Weiss’s yard at Papplewick near Mansfield. At the moment I have one horse to compete called Purdy’s Dream, or Eddie to his friends. Eddie and I have been together since February 2008; he really is a very special chap and is great to work with and be around.
Being an international para dressage rider I have an amazing life. In 2004 I was selected onto the world class development squad for para dressage. The aim of the development squad is to identify riders’ talent and to nurture them along the performance pathway and on to the championship teams. Five years later in 2009, I was selected, along with Eddie to compete at my first major championship, the European Championships held in Kristiansand, Norway. This saw a turning point in my career as I came home with my first medals – gold and silver.
Also in 2009 I started working at Payplan for one afternoon a week while continuing my equestrian career.
As a result of my European success, in 2010 I was promoted onto the World Class Performance Squad. This was followed with a trip to Kentucky, USA, to represent Great Britain at the World Equestrian Games where I won a gold medal and a bronze medal in my two classes. This was an absolutely amazing experience, competing on the other side of the world with all the other equestrian disciplines alongside some of my childhood idols. It was a once in a lifetime experience.
Despite all the highs of equestrianism it requires serious financial commitment and, since you never know what is around the corner, I decided it was time to add another string to my bow.
Having dabbled with journalism throughout my dressage career, by updating my website and writing a regular feature ‘Emma’s Diary’ in Equestrian Life magazine, I decided that writing was something I really enjoyed. I also thought that maybe it could provide an income in the future. So I have enrolled at The Open Study College on a level three Freelance Journalism Course. Studying fits 
around my training, as there is no fixed time limit on assignments.
After working for Payplan for three years I took a break last summer to focus on my training ahead of the selections for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. I had previously worked in both sales and marketing so it seemed like a good time to see if I could find an area where I could put my journalism to good use and learn more along the way.
So, when I returned to Payplan in October I moved to the public relations section of marketing. It has worked really well and I have been involved in finding good client case studies to use in the media, as well as researching and writing blogs.
I’m really enjoying putting my new skills to good use and also gaining an insight into how Payplan helps people in debt.
OFGEM warn that energy bills could rise again
Consumers are being warned that energy bills could soar again as the UK becomes more reliant on imports.
I’m facing eviction, how can Payplan help me?
Ask Payplan… I’m facing eviction, how can Payplan help me?
Due to the ever increasing cost of buying a home, more and more people are living in rented accommodation, pushing the demand to a record high. High demand brings with it higher rental costs and, along with the increase in the cost of living, more people are finding themselves with rental arrears and possibly facing eviction.
In December 2012, the total amount of unpaid rent was £326million, representing 10.1per cent of all rent payments. *
Since failing to keep on top of rent payments can leave you facing eviction, it is extremely important that you act as quickly as possible. There are many reasons why you may have fallen into arrears, but if that reason is due to you having debts with credit cards or loans that have become unmanageable, then Payplan may be able to help.
If you were to contact Payplan here is what we would do…
- We would go through all of your incomings and outgoings to assess how much money you have left over at the end of each month to pay towards your debts and your rental arrears.
- Providing you have funds left over we would assess whether a Debt Management Plan or an Individual Voluntary Arrangement would be suitable for you. If so, we would negotiate an affordable repayment amount with your creditors. We would also ensure that you have enough funds to contribute towards your rental arrears.
- If you do not have enough funds to enter a plan, we would offer assistance where possible to help you set up your own arrangement and also look at other possible options, such as bankruptcy or Debt Relief Order.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21067561