Cassie claims first Direct Debit prize of 2019
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The Trust’s first Direct Debit prize draw winner of 2019 is Cassie from Dudley, who has won £100 in Love 2 Shop vouchers for paying her rent by Direct Debit.
She said: “Things have been pretty tough for me over the past couple of years. I moved home, became a mum and started receiving the Universal Credit (UC) benefit, which has been really hard and stressful to deal with at times. Thankfully, I had the support of my parents and sister who live nearby on the same estate.”
When asked about her experience of receiving Universal Credit payments and how the local Trust team supported her, Cassie was honest and said: “It was really difficult for me to go from working full time to coping with being a single mum on benefits and having to move house, however my local shop supported me.”
“It took around six weeks to receive my first UC payment; I can see why a lot of people get upset about that, because it’s a long time to wait if you have nothing. Luckily, I had savings so I could make payments and get ahead with my rent.”
Cassie’s advice to anyone on Universal Credit is to be organised: “I have a list of all of my payments, so I know how much is going out and when. I’m also good with budgeting and that’s key for staying on top of any payments.”
She also highlighted the benefits of switching to Direct Debit to pay her rent, “It’s easy to manage and I don’t have to worry about remembering to pay.”
Cassie is really proud of how she’s turned her house into a home for her and her son: “My house is beautiful; the rooms are spacious and perfect for our needs. We live in a nice, quiet area, close to a country park so we can get out and about. My neighbours are fantastic and we’re a real community. Everyone joins in with celebrations and seasonal events, which I love.”
Cassie has decided to save her vouchers for her son’s second birthday: “The vouchers mean I can treat us both, which I don’t often get to do. I wasn’t expecting to win anything and I was amazed when I found out. It will certainly make things a little easier.”
All Trust tenants can pay their rent, home contents insurance and garage rent by Direct Debit; it’s a safe and easy way to pay. As a thank you for doing so, we enter all of our Direct Debit payers into a monthly prize draw to win vouchers. If you’re interested in making the switch, speak to your local shop and next month’s lucky winner could be you!
31st January 2019