Today is a new day!

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED

Well, its sat am. DD and I are working for much of today. Will take a flask of tea with us and I dont care, we are going to have a snack at our fav cafe where we are working. It will cost about £6/7 for what we have had there before but I dont care. Im past caring. That could pay for eggs, milk, ham, cheese, bread but I dont care today! All large payts due out of my acc will be over and done with by weds, Orders galore to go through, my customer wants to join my team next month so am thrilled about that. Will be speaking to her again then.

Was thinking last night, I have been through worse than this. I dont want to come over as a control freak, but when my dh was alive and alcoholic, that was totally out of my control. I lived with a wonderful man who when he drank became someone else and who lied to cover his drinking and spent money like water but not on water!, on lager. I hate the smell of lager to this day. The most upsetting thing was watching him try to overcome it, get better, shake every day from not drinking, and going through the process together only for him to have set backs. He went to AA, I went to AlAnon. I know he wanted to get better, I wanted him to get better. It was out of my hands though. So too was my falling over to a degree. I fell over so many times I lost count. That was stress dealing with dh murder and working and looking after dd. I still trip and although I think Im walking ok, customers often say to me be careful getting back to the car. I must look quite unsteady, I do lose my balance but touch wood I haven't had a serious fall for a while and neither do I want one. Looking back I dont know how I got through all that you know. My dd kept me going bless her little heart!

This financial situation is not out of my hands. Its just one more challenge to overcome, and overcome it I will. I am just about coping. I have to cling on to that. I may be limping along at the moment, but I do that anyway daily with my walking and its not stopped me! Things will get better. I have items in due course selling, my mortgage is due to reduce in Sept, my WTC payts I am certain will increase once I know my exact net income for tax year 09/10. I am sure it will be less than the year before. Would prefer it wasn't but every cloud has a silver lining! Then, my business is within my control to a degree. The feedback from customers about my newsletter is ongoingly great - recd some more positive comments about it last eve during the course of my deliveries so I feel I need to just keep up with the retail, and make a start on the team building side again. Then, if things still feel tight, I still have options open to me as KM has pointed out and I will consider those as I go.

So, my plan is to review my situation in June and then Sept when my mortgage is set to reduce. The sun is out today, tomorrow I want to relax in the garden and empty my brain of it all for a day. Its a bit of a scary ride, but Ive been through far worse before now and have survived to tell the tale.

thrifty_fifty

That's the spirit!

Know what you mean about the smell of lager. My mum and dad used to have terrible arguments when I was younger, usually on a saturday night when my dad came back from the pub drunk. I always remember sticking my fingers in my ears, so I could try and get to sleep and that horrible beer fags and stubble kiss goodnight he would give me afterwards.
Usually at lunchtime (because he went for 2 hours at lunch and 3 in the evening, he had his routine), burnt crusty cheese cobs would be incorporated into that aroma.

I can't stand to be kissed by my boyfriend-past or present-when they have been drinking and have stubble now, it just makes me shudder. And I won't eat a burger or grated cheese sandwich on a crusty cob.

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED

Well, feel quite a stranger to my diary! Im currently having a second break of the day, quite a luxury in terms of time. I usually have 5 min breaks through out the day re my walking, however this is my second 1 hour break!!! My dd is at a club and then my mum has her for a couple of hours hence the ability to do this! The weather here is lovely. Ive put out most of my catalogues today, just about to go back out and distribute the last 80 or so. My newletter is definately hitting the spot. I now have two customers wanting to join my team in the coming month or two, I will not celebrate until its definate, nevertheless promising will do for now!. So far this Kleeneze week which goes from thurs to thurs so we are 4 days in Ive sold £1150, books going out today I am hopeful will bring a further £5-600 on thursday to that total. And then to top the week so far even further, I recd a call from a prospect who had requested info from me ages ago and he found it all in the shed while gardening! He had another look at it and is v interested in joining!! I am speaking to him again at the end of the week. So, its all v positive, and going in the right direction.

Been a v hectic, busy school hols. My dd as always v understanding why I needed her to attend the holiday club most days. Miraculously all bills up to date and paid. Once again, I am eternally grateful for my business. Debt is reducing and I will update my signature at the end of April.

Its a tight budget with my mortgage due next week and then Mays bills pending, however I am ever confident all will be well. Some jewellry is going up for auction this fri, followed by my pictures next week on the 29th. I keep thinking to myself we are virtually 4 months through this year, in another 4 months I will be on the verge of reduced mortgage payts. My debt will be all the time getting lower in that time, then its Xmas and bumper sales will ensue. My plan is to hit £1500 retail weekly before then, so that my xmas sales could be £2K weekly, by doing that I will build up a reserve fund throughout the summer and beyond, earning far more than I need and getting ahead of myself. Am ready to incorporate team building and am exploring ways I can practically fit this in again. For eg, I am booked into a fair in June up the road that is v high profile. A friend and I are sharing a pitch, shes going to promote her business, me my Kleeneze business. Its on for 6 hours and I think it will be a good way of interacting with people who may be looking to earn extra money. Plus, I can do this while sitting down more than walking, with my dd with me for some of the time, and having fun at the same time. One thing I do know, giving up is not an option. I do not want to do that. I can visualise my business growing and the businesses of those in my team, and I want to retain that vision and make it a reality.

Yes, still not out of the woods, certainly feeling more positive about everything. I truelly have a guardian angel looking after me and dd. Onwards and upwards. Will get the final section of books out and then home to do some phone calls before my dear dd returns home from her grannys!

InaPickle

Yay! Well done, PaF! This all sounds great!

beanielou

Fab to hear you sounding so positive.
Take care

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED

Ok , been updating my finances. Overall since LBM Ive paid off a v modest £2633.62. My credit card debt reduction leaves a lot to be desired, however I have to remind myself it has been a long process learning and adjusting our life to live without them on a day to day basis, and then with the snow three months in a row, tax bill, unforseen house expenditures which would not have been a problem had I possessed a reserve fund for emergencies, it is actually a miracle I have made any headway at all.

On the down side or perhaps its for the positive aswell, Ive had enough of MBNA. On checking my debt to them expecting it to have reduced this month albeit by a small amount, the interest Ive paid actually exceeds my payment. I actually owe them more than before and that is with paying an extra £2.53 on top of my min payt ( I rounded it up you see!) I am going to call them in the morning and get it sorted. The trouble is I have phoned them before and written to them about my situation and how I want to repay the debt but on a lesser interest rate and they basically said tough. However, now Im beyond caring. I just want to be able to make a dent in the debt owed. I did once have a really good rate with them, then for reasons I can not remember but I do know were beyond my control I defaulted on one payt, it was a day late I think from memory and they put the rate up to 29.9%. I think it may have been due to not getting money into my acc on time for the dd due to one of my falls. If they still wont budge I will simply go bite the bullet and call National Debtline for advice.

So, wish me luck on that one! Will let you know the outcome in due course. Am feeling self empowered!!!!

thrifty_fifty

No harm in trying hey? I think this is the way you have to look at it. Mr Branson has £114 in interest off me every month. Git! Just think what I could do with that! But you're making positive progress, and like I'm noticing, at the beginning you see your spending power going down, but not an awful big difference in the debt coming down, but I'm sure that a good six months down the line it will be a different story.

Do let us know how you get on.

xx

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED

Just a quickie. Couldn't sleep v well last eve, getting stressed about the call to MBNA, planning what I would say in different scenarios. However, one thing I am definately going to do is run the Uneforcibility process just to check the original CCA I signed back in 1999 is lawful. My theory is I do not want any more credit, I just want to get on with life quietly, build my business, live with peace of mind etc etc, so I couldn't care anymore about the effect on my credit file where MBNA are concerned. I have tried to deal with the matter, expain my situation and they have been totally unhelpful, unsympathetic etc. Not that I want to be a victim, but the reality of the past few years is as it is, and
I had hoped they would work with me in the form of the interest rate to repay the debt successfully. However, I do not intend to repay extortionate sums to never clear the interest let alone the debt. I also wonder if that does in fact comply with their code of practice in which it would state somewhere they have to act "reasonably". I am someone who wants to repay them, not run away, anyway will see how today goes, speak to them again about the interest rate and arrange to send my first letter requesting the CCA. I have been refering to the National debtline website on this and the forum on the DFW site. Will post my progress! Must go, get dd brekkie and get her to school. The lady from the charity is coming round this am, I may talk to her too. Tried to talk to my mum last night, but I wont again. Once more shes raised the issue of the money she gave me for the adaption etc which was what prompted me to try and talk to her. She did say how was she to know I was in a bit of a tight spot at the mo, but I said to her mum, are you really blind to it all? What exactly do you think I was using when during my life Ive had to spend thousands on things relating to my disability with no help from you and dad till now? Each of my previous adaption where £800 min plus the charge for installing them. Ive never ever come to you for financial help. What do you think was the case when I was falling over and unable to work an entire month? When I had to take time off from work for the police, for other things relating to dh murder, for physio, for dental treatment, for thebed rest I needed after each fall? How much do you think I lost in earnings during this recent winter.? I love her dearly, and Im very appreciative, but I am certainly never going to be let of the hook about this recent gift of paying for the adaption and it is quite clear that she and dad are people I can not discuss the situation with at all. Maybe thats for the best..

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED

Have not tel MBNA yet but with good reason. I have organised a letter requesting my CCA agreement from 1999, and they have 14 days in which to respond at which point the Unenforcability board on DFW recommend payts are not made. I am brave enough to do that. Have just requested advice on that board as to whether I should call them to set up a repayment plan given my next payt to them is over 14 days away. Im just concerned if my agreement ultimately proves valid, however until I hear more on that point Im not going to waste any more time on them. In my mind, I have tried to communicate with them already my situation, theyve said tough, Ive carried on paying them, but this months lack of repaying any debt whatsoever is the final straw to me. They clearly couldn't care less, no surprise but Im just beginning to wonder what I am doing trying to repay them when it could be they are in breach of the CCA anyway! So, the journey of needing to be extra brave starts now!

Keeping_Motivated

Good for you PAF, you cannot try anymore than you have, well done for taking the steps you need to. You'll sort this, try and treat it business like instead of emotional and find out your facts, take all the correct steps and tick off each thing you have to do and you will get there xx