Blackruby's Better Day Challenge Diary

Blackruby

I thought it would be best to start a diary seeing as things are kicking off in random directions and my poor friends on here are finding it hard to keep up.

First things first, the debt.

Student overdraft - £2700 (interest free until July)
Halifax credit card - £1275.16 (limit is £1250)
Capital one credit card - £546.93 (Limt is £500)

At the end of February, I walked out of my part time retail job because I thought I was starting a new one in mid-march with the tax office (and because I suffer with depression and alcohol problems). But the tax office are still going through the pre-employment checks and haven't given me a new start date. Leaving me floating around in a sea of confusion and worry.

I was going to start a new job in sales but I haven't got the capital to put in it for travel so I can start earning money, so I have had to turn that down.

My landlord has been giving me a hard time on rent, which I think is completely unfair because I have been living here for over a year and a half and I've never had problems and I could seriously drop him in it because he has a very dodgy system going here of allowing non-students to live in his student house to avoid paying council tax.

The landlord situation caused a panic where I thought I would have to move out immediately and live back with my parents in a caravan down by the coast and work on their stall. But my friends have convinced me that it is possible to hang on till the end of my current tenancy (end of June) in the hopes that something will turn up soon.

The way we are working it is that I am giving my landlord just over half the rent I owe him for April on tuesday. Then I have applied for JSA and when the first payment of that comes through, I can give him the rest and be clear for rent in April. Then in May, my housemate said he will lend me the rent money and I can pay him back in fortnightly installments from my JSA, covering that. June is fine because my landlord uses the deposit as the last months rent. So it looks like I can be covered for the rent till the end of the tenancy.

The idea is if I haven't got a job by then, I can move back down to my parents and work on the stall in the height of summer. If I have, then great, I can stay up here.

The credit card bills and stuff are not getting paid, not because I don't want to, but because I can't. I know I should ring them and explain but I haven't got anything to offer them at the moment, so I suppose I am being ostrich about it.

Plus we've had a utility bill through this morning, gas and electric. The boys can pay their bit but I'm gonna struggle with mine and the general rule in our house is if we get late payment charges, the person who has caused the late payment is responsible for it. That will be me then, unless I ring them up and explain.

So yeah, there is the basic breakdown of how the finances are at the moment.

Mood wise, I'm doing good, I've suffered with depression about 4 times since I was 17. Since I came to uni, alcohol became a large part of it. But I've given it up and am now on 6 weeks. I try and stay positive and constantly remind myself that I am doing everything I can to get control and sort it out. I don't want to move back home if I can help it but I am not terrified of the idea like I used to be.

redsquirrel80

Hi Ruby, just found your diary. It's great to hear that your friends are supporting you and helping out.

Do try to contact the credit card companies - I'd say writing is less stressful than phoning, plus it means you've got a record of what you've told them, even if it is just to say that you can't pay them anything until such-and-such a date because of your current circumstances. It does feel better to have done something rather than to keep ignoring them (been there, done that!).

Loads of luck with everything x

Blackruby

Had a majorly productive day, went into town with a bag full of dvds and games and sold them all for £37. Listed a few things on ebay too. Used the money from the dvds and games to buy myself a good deal of food and I still have some left over, I'm either going to give that to my landlord. Or keep it to pay for postage. Haven't decided yet.

Fire_Fox

Perhaps you could use it to send token payments of £1 to your creditors? This will hopefully mollify them so they realise you are doing your best and not gove you too much grief.

Gemmzie

I agree with Fire Fox Ruby, you should be making some form of payment or it can get complicated in court. You're on JSA, so £1 token payments are fine, just fire them off with a letter

savingholmes

Good luck Ruby - I would make token payments even if they are £1 each. Well done on staying alcohol free for 6 weeks and for having a plan.... Hope things pick up job wise for you soon....

Blackruby

Thank you for the advice given, it's certainly something that I'll consider.

Wanted to make a note about health, I am a migraine sufferer, now normally I get migraines every 6 months, so regular you can almost set a watch by them. Last one I got was in mid-february. But in the last month I've had two. Currently suffering with the aura of one right now. This stress related migraines seem to be different from my normal migraines in the fact that I suffer the aura but fall slightly short of the debilitating headache. My vision goes funny and distorted, I get numb hands and a numb face but apart from a slight headache, no actual migraines. I'm gonna go to bed for a couple of hours now and see if I can make myself feel a bit better.

Blackruby

Hello diary!

Feel much better today, I've also got some good news. I have a cheque clearing on friday that means I can pay my landlord the rest of this months rent and have done with it.

postingalwaysposting

Hi BR, Great to see you have started a diary. I have been following you on the daily threads and its nice to keep track in one place. I agree with firefox send your creditors token payments so they can see you are willing to pay. Are you being charged fees for being over the avalible amount?

Keep up the good work and good luck with your ebay sales :j

redsquirrel80

Blackruby wrote: »

Hello diary!

Feel much better today, I've also got some good news. I have a cheque clearing on friday that means I can pay my landlord the rest of this months rent and have done with it.

That's great news! Hope you're feeling better with the migraine.

Blackruby

Hello posting, I think I am getting late payment charges and over limit fees of £12 each at a time.

Hey red, I got hit with another fake migraine last night but it didn't last too long. So that's good.