The Diary of a reformed Ostrich! (no more head in the sand!)

petrafyde

Hiya

To be honest, I don't think they had. We ended up getting an emergency loan from hubby's dad because they even scared hubby (which is not easy) to get rid of them. If he hadn't been able to, I just don't know what we'd have done!

Once I've the basics in order Npower/bank etc, I'll tackle the credit files so I can clearly see how bad it is. Seems the order I'm gonna do things in is changing but if it does the job I don't care. I just want rid of this hump that's been attached to my back for the past ten years. Just call me Quasi for short if you like.

petrafyde

Good morning everyone,

Well I had a quiet but frustrated day yesterday. Everytime I try to use the number I have for Npower its unavailable (rings forever or goes to answerphone) and the main guys can't help with any other numbers. Going to keep trying today though

I'm now checking online banking regularly and I opened my post again yesterday, so I think I'm over that little hurdle now. I got the statement of charges they're going to take on the 31st, and that coupled with all of the cancelled direct debits mean I should stop going over my overdraft this month. I'm really glad because it means I can begin again.

My mum and me are now exchanging money codes and vouchers hehe, so we're on a little mission together. It's the first time we've had something in common for years so thats good too!

I don't want to drag my feet but I'm feeling a strong urge to take it one step at a time. The only real immediate concern is NPower, the rest are secondary debts so can wait another month before I start to give them their money? The reason I say I'm thinking of waiting another month is just to get over the bank hurdle. Its been such a strong feature in my life for the past few years I just want to make sure it's all ok before I start rearranging things. What do you think?

I'll make a start on organising direct debits today for the other bank account too I think.

chevalier

I think you are doing really well to start changing your relationship with money. One thing are your children old enough to be getting Saturday jobs to help out? Also I think I missed what your OH does? Either way another source of income is the up your income forum on here. There are loads of sites, that pay for you to do surveys online, and if you both sign up then it can add up to a nice little bit, if you are disciplined. Also your older children might be intersted in signing up for slicethepie which is a website where you review music for a small reward.

Good luck
chev

petrafyde

Thank you Chev.

The kids are 11,7 and 3.

OH has had his own business for a long time, but has been off work for a long time too due to health issues so it's just me at the moment. I am a stay-at-home mum but I'm utilising eBay again and have even started selling my old books on Amazon in the hope people will buy them It's only pennies but they all count!

Have started the sealed pot challenge in the hope of raising pennies for this christmas, and am going to make papier mach! piggies over the weekend with the kids, one will be an emergency pot and the other will be toward next christmas.

I'll go and look at the up your income forum, thanks a lot!

Off to collect the mirrors I got for free from freecycle now, it would be nice to get the house looking good as cheaply as possible as well as everything else

petrafyde

Update.

Transferring over to British Gas on a price hold plan for Elec complete on 24th Oct, have arranged DD into new account.

Had to renew extended warranty for the kitchen appliances as the three from hotpoint have all broken! It's costing a fair whack a month but to call an engineer would cost even more (they seem to break that often!) but that's on DD in the new account too.

Telephone is in credit for the next quarter, and have looked at the dial number companies before making the actual call and have cellotaped the number to dial first to the phone to remind us all!

Sky has been reduced to the bare minimum OH could survive on.

Water is up-to-date.

TV licence - thats something I need to sort out as the DD was returned unpaid in August!! I'd forgotten about it.

Also found some more post I'd ferreted away... but I've collated it all and when the time comes I'll have plenty to review when comparing to the credit files.

*sigh*

Verbatim

wow petrafyde,

I'm amazed at how much you've achieved. But perhaps the best is the complete change in how your posts come across now as compared to your first ones. It's lovely to "hear" how confident and assured you seem now. You're clearly a determined and very capable person. I have every admiration for what you've accomplished.

fizz190

petrafyde wrote: »

Good morning everyone,

The only real immediate concern is NPower, the rest are secondary debts so can wait another month before I start to give them their money?

Hiya,

Firstly, well done again! Sounds like you're doing really well!

Re the other debts. One thing I did when sorting out all my mess was to send out token payments to everyone while I got everything on track. It sends a good message of 'I'm not ignoring you, just give me time'. Because all my bank accounts were up the spout I gave my mum the cash and she wrote out the cheques. Doesn't have to be much, just a couple of quid if you can spare it. Obviously if you can't, stick to the priority debts first

Fizz

scaredy_cat

petrafyde wrote: »

The kids are 11,7 and 3.

maybe they can help with the sealed pot challenge and add any pennies, 5p's etc that they find on the ground when they are out with you! :j

petrafyde

Hi Verbatim,

Thanks very much! I feel a lot better, less of a failure for starters. I simply had no idea just how many people were like me. It made me feel (scuse the pun!) ostracized (sp!) a sort of outsider, or someone who was abnormal and those are not welcome feelings let me tell you It's just nice to be in control again really.

I'm just waiting for the bank to take these last charges now. Using this month to establish some stability because it's all been so 'up in the air!' for the past few years. Once that's done I'll tackle my credit files and creditors with gusto! I've already decided to get reading about obtaining a copy of the credit agreement from those who have me listed on Experian etc. I don't want to do anything underhand, but the way I've been treated by these people just makes me angry. I appreciate its money they've lost through trusting me to repay to begin with, but also if they hadn't been so greedy - perhaps just a bit more understanding instead of so threatening I would've paid it by now.

Anyway, enough rambling on! Thank you again :):)

Hey Fizz, I think that's a really good idea, thanks a lot.

Scaredy, the kids are really looking forward to making the papier mach! pig and penguin, so I reckon they're going to want to contribute - if it's a 5p found on the floor then I'm not going to be too proud to let it go into the piggy bank!

petrafyde

Going to tot up total debts I know about on the original post. This won't be complete for a while but as I get the totals I'm gonna plonk em there for easy reference!

Just found out the totals from provident, and was gobsmacked but the good news is they DO have a rebate total which I'd like to pay in one sum if possible at some point!