Starting afresh in 2009 - I WILL be debt free diary!

Jenna

Hiya Piglet,

Think we crossed over there - good to know I'm not the only person up at stupid o'clock lol. Sorry to hear about Mr P's FM & depression, that's got to be a struggle to handle!

Hmm I'm hoping work will be okay - my manager is very nice as a general rule. At the end of Jan I'll have been there 18 months & I've never yet seen him raise his voice to anyone (not that he can't make a point if he needs to - he's just polite & respectful about it). No idea why I'm worrying about him so much tonight?!

Ey well - off to bed I go! Night night & thanks for your post xx

Jenna

Cheers Spendaholic ! Are you psychic?! At the same time you were posting to tell me to write down my worries, I was posting said worries! Anyway yes thankyou for the tip I shall/have do so & am feeling a tad better as a result. Hope you get some sleep soon too - that laptop battery could be a sign it's time to call it a night!

Right then - in the nicest possible way, I'm hoping not to be back here before tomorrow lol :P !! xx

angelite_2

Hi Jenna, it will probably be good to speak to your OH tomorrow about budgets etc. because you know what like if you keep things to yourself sometimes you feel like you're going to explode and say something that might not come out how you'd planned, so at least you'll get it off your chest.

I cant sleep tonight either, I've took a milky drink but it isnt helping. And I've got lots to do today.

Good luck with your OH later on today, and well done on keeping positive and I hope your health improves soon.

piglet6

Hey Jenna - what are you doing up again...? I'm sure your light was off when I started typing that last post! :whistle::rolleyes:

I'm sure your manager will be fine. I know a bit how you feel. In my current position I pay myself from my boss's bank account at the end of the month (just log on and transfer the money for the amount of hours I have worked!). I hate doing it. It takes me several days to work up to doing it (feels a bit like stealing, even though it isn't! _pale_ ) and I am always on edge for a week afterwards in case I get challenged about the amount of hours I have paid myself for (have worked on and off on this job for over 6 years now and have never once been challenged, but still worry about it...! ).

Weird how we worry about these stupid little things, eh...?! I'm sure you have no more need to worry about your boss than I do about mine - yet I guess we still both will...?! :wall:

I'm off to bed now, too - sleep well, and I'll catch up with you again soon!

Piglet
x

Jenna

Hey Angelite,

Thanks, yes you're so right about it being better to talk about things sooner rather than later I forget that sometimes! Hope you got some sleep in the end?

Hey Piglet,

Erm ... the iPhone is proving a little TOO useful when it comes to being able to post & update?! I'd been lying in bed for nearly an hour and just thought I'd quickly post and get my worries off my chest - but didn't expect to have such nice replies (or any really!) and thought I'd just reply quickly.

Gosh yes I'm sure I'd be the same if I had to pay myself! I fill out a timesheet for my hours and that causes me to worry what they'll think e.g. if I work lots of OT (especially if I'm working from home or on a day when my manager isn't in) then I always imagine they'll think I'm just making it up! Weird isn't it?! *note to self - stop wasting energy you don't have worrying about pointless rubbish that never happens anyway* lol

Right well I'm awake today but still feeling rubbish and haven't got my head together enough to budget yet. Had planned lots to do today but can't do any of it ... wanted to go to the cinema with my OH tonight too, maybe if I keep resting now will be able to do that. Gonna get myself a drink of water to try & clear my head & try to start that budget! xx

piglet6

Hi Jenna

Hope you felt a bit better this evening, and got to the cinema...

Babysteps on the budget - you'll get there!

Piglet
x

Jenna

Hi there Piglet,

No unfortunately not feeling better and no cinema for me, I am lying on the couch instead. I started looking at my budget but then needed to talk to my OH about the money he transferred me (can't work out what bills it's for lol) and need to know that before continuing.

I've been looking on the Disability & Dosh board for information on re-applying for DLA (my current award expires in a couple of months). I had been thinking of letting it expire but my health has been worse the last few months sooo ... back to arguing with the bureaucrats about how much it affects me.

I'm just looking up some information on the net about what criteria you need to meet to get different rates etc & trying to decide what category I'm in. It's a pain as the condition is so variable - it's not so much a case of good/bad days, more good/bad months! And then they want me to fill out a 42 page PDF and state how many times a day/week and for how many minutes something affects me - eek! I have no IDEA?!

Oh well ... you gotta laugh rather than cry I guess. Considering joining Benefits & Work as it looks good - don't wanna pay out £'s right now but also if I don't do it right and then lose the award I'm gonna be up !!!!!! creek without a paddle.

And yet I will probably STILL look/act normal on Monday and no one would believe me if I told them. GRR.

(sorry - v. down/frustrated tonight! These damn DLA forms make it worse as it makes me so much more symptom focused as have to describe things I usually try to ignore)

Jenna

Right - I'm in a much better mood tonight - so no more whining & complaining from me! I know how disappointed you'll all be lol :rotfl: so to make up for it I've done my budget & updated my figures very carefully - check out the sig, they're dropping slowly but surely!

I'd like to finalise my budget for 2009 but to do that I've got to make it balance (and it won't!) so I'm going to go to bed now & take a fresh look at it soon as right now it's just terrifying me! Then I'll post up my updated SOA & you can all get your teeth into it & hopefully save me £'s!

After that I've got to check into what my DFD will be - I think it's something hideous right now like 2016, I don't know, I haven't dared look in recent weeks! & then work on getting that down.

I'm getting quite stressed about my DLA application though as if I don't get re-awarded it I'll not be able to balance my budget at all. I'm hoping I will be okay (I'm still ill unfortunately) but you never know with the Government do you?! Of course on the other hand if I got awarded more than before (I can't remember what my previous form said & I can only fill it in honestly based on how I am lately so if they decide I'm sicker it would mean a higher award) then I could pay off my debts even faster... ohh how lovely that would be and I wouldn't feel guilty using the DLA money for that as part of the reason for my debts is having to have time off my previous job only on Statutory Sick Pay (which is next to nothing & didn't cover all my bills!).

I'd love to not be reliant on the DLA money ... not sure what the economic climate will bring re pay reviews (mine isn't til the summer). We shall see.

I'm going to make a doc's appointment in the morning and then go and meet with my manager & explain what's going on with me health wise. I've said I definitely won't be back in the office tomorrow but may be able to work from home (what I mean is, I HAVE to be well enough to work from home, otherwise I'll not be able to pay my bills!). Got to talk with him about workload and what (if anything) can be changed so it's less stressful & tiring for me as if I try to carry on now (after having had a minor relapse) everything will fall apart & it'll be a major one.

Okay well I'll shut up now night all xx

HallamLad

Good to hear your in a better mood tonight. Dunno if I've read this all wrong but it doesn't seem like you've a lot of debt to get rid of now. Apologies if I have!

Hope everything goes well tomorrow with the docs and your boss! You'll be feeling much better about things afterwards! xx

Jenna

Hi there HallamLad,

I don't have masses of debt but everything is relative as they say - I earn an okay salary (for my age) but my outgoings are pretty high too - it's just a question of trimming costs where I can, etc. Will get there one day!

Right well I've seen my doc & boss both of whom have been really lovely & helpful . I'm working from home today & tomorrow & we'll talk again after that; evidently it'll take longer than that for me to get on an even keel but it seems like there could be flexibility e.g re-allocating tasks etc.

Just taking a break as work laptop was having a funny moment lol but better get back to it xx