hanging my head in shame

k2tog

Keep reading that sort of material Jim and you'll be a dead cert for the "random" section of the pub quiz - hey, a money making venture :beer:
It's strange which biographies end up being interesting or amusing, and I bet it's often those that don't necessarily fly off the shelves.
Re your neighbour, one of those catalogues that always falls out of the weekend papers (sorry can't remember which one) do a phone with big buttons. Maybe he could get a free sim card (think Tesco are doing one at the mo) and buy one of those?
Enjoy the rest of your holiday Jim.

worried_jim

Poured down with rain this morning so went bowling in Worthing. I must say Worthing has a better class of nutter than Brighton, every shop doorway has one. Managed to get 2 games for the price of one. If it is still raining tomorrow (everything suggests it will be) I will rent 24 season 6 boxset for the week and let Jack Bauer entertain me if the British summer can't. I would be really p1ssed off if, I could have afforded (which I can't, which now negates my moaning, but I shall continue anyway) to go abroad but instead listen to all the environmental claptrap about the dangers of air travel and choose to holiday in the UK on the promise of near mediterranean temperatures due to global warming. Well bearded weirdos we in the UK are now into our third consecutive !!!!!! summer where it rains every single day and when its not raining its blowing a gale. Again. God I am turning into Scourge early this year. Have been reading Ronnie Woods bio today- God that man has done some drugs with some very interesting people (Christopher Reeve) and now he's shacked up with a 20 year old Russian cocktail waitress. Sex , Drugs and rock n'roll- Ronnie does exactly what it says on the tin. I am not jealous, its just the weather is !!!!!! and I am on a moaning roll.

worried_jim

Just received a letter from First Direct regarding my claim for bank charges, the thing is though I am not sure if this is good news or not and would appreciate your advice-

worried_jim

Now is this letter saying that they will give me £108 now to help me out whilst they process my claim and that by taking £108 doesn't mean that they will consider the case closed (the amount I am claiming is £2600). Obviously £108 would be very helpful and I could mot my car but I don't want to settle for that when I believe I have a legitimate claim for the full amount.

k2tog

That's what I would think it means (an interim payment) but hopefully someone who actually knows something will be along soon.

worried_jim

k2tog wrote: »

That's what I would think it means (an interim payment) but hopefully someone who actually knows something will be along soon.

Natweststaffmember
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=23715263&highlight=#post23715263

has said - "That is basically what they are doing. they are not saying that the rest of the charges cannot be claimed but that it is redeemable at the conclusion of the OFT test case."

Well I have replied and await receipt of £108, I guess that means I am now one of the many who have (to some degree of success) claimed back bank charges. I wonder if this interim payment is any half way house measure of acceptance by FD, and could a further £2.5k be on its way by the end of the summer.

k2tog

It's not a bad start Jim - a bit less to worry about for a few weeks at least. Do you do any of the up your income things at all?

worried_jim

Had an excellent day today, the sun came out for the first time this week. went to the wildfowl and wetlands trust in Arundel - http://www.wwt.org.uk/centre/116/arundel.html - not really big into nature but I must say this was brilliant and saw loads of wildlife. Managed to get in for half price thanks to the Walkers crisps promotion. Went for lunch at pub afterwards, again used Walkers vouchers to get 2 for 1. Will be back to the rain tomorrow no doubt.

parsniphead

Hi Worried Jim

I have been reading your thread for the past couple of hours and just wanted to say that you have inspired me to really crack on and get myself sorted out.

I can't wait to finish the whole thing.

Parsnip

Fire_Fox

parsniphead wrote: »

Hi Worried Jim

I have been reading your thread for the past couple of hours and just wanted to say that you have inspired me to really crack on and get myself sorted out.

I can't wait to finish the whole thing.

Parsnip

A lot of us find that, once they get into the MSE way of thinking, the journey is part of the fun!! It's like a challenge to yourself to see if you can find the same item for half price, or how much extra income you can generate with very little effort!