Today is a new day!

taxi73

I agree with the others ..hang on in there..you are doing fantastically.
Seeing the CAB won't do any harm and at least you can explore you're options.
you've brought up a lovely caring daughter and you are right to be so proud of her x

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED

Oh bless you all, thank you for your encouraging words. Today sees me in a better place than I was when I wrote my last post. I dont feel so despairing and thats down to improvement in the weather and reassessing my finances as opposed to just panicking about them without knowing the exact figures!!!!! I am telling myself everyone is paid up to date apart from my mortgage whch has been agreed I can pay late. I am not too concerned by this as I know I will be back upstraight by the end of December with them. Its just the way it is for now. I have calculated my finances and taking Xmas into account could actually be ahead of myself by the New Year, I say could, because of course the weather could change everything!. For this week, I have money in the bank to cover the 4 direct debits due on tues and weds. And the snow has gone! What a difference 24 hours makes. Friday night my car was surrounded by snow drifts, a neighbour kindly shovelled them out of the way but it was simply too icy for me to safely get out and in parts walking in the snow on thurs, it was higher than my knees. Amazing! My books due to be collected where still out but clearly my customers would understand. Then overnight Friday it simply rained and rained and rained!. Yesterday it rained it rained and rained! Today there is no snow to be seen! Dd and I went out collecting the books and got soaked yesterday. We did have a laugh in the rain. She jumped in every puddle she could, I was just trying to limit the damage of looking like a soggy wreck! It still amazes me how the best moments in life dont cost a thing. Dd was so happy just jumping in puddles and I was happy to see her happy! Yes, it was a wonderful afternoon yesterday! I still need to sort the books out today so I dont know how many orders Ive collected, but I have a fair few with lots of writing on so Im confident it will be around £3/400 Min. And Parcelforce have delivered all 3 of my outstanding orders yesterday, nearly £800 worth, so behind me I have 5 huge boxes to sort out. Today and tom are going to be busy days.
Today the plan is to have brekkie in a tick, get dressed, my dd is at a friends having a sleepover, I babysat for them all last night and left dd behind if you see what I mean, so will be collecting her, come home, have a nice lunch, sort out the boxes of deliveries, sort out the catalogues, planning to put the Xmas decs up, at least make a start. and also make some fairy cakes, organise my plan for tomorrow, phone customers where I need to for delivery, and then this week if the weather holds just go out there and work work work! There is a 2 week window to guarantee pre Xmas delivery and I have hundreds of customers to go to.
The other thing that is v positive is ebay. Ive really started to get into this and whilst it was snowing I utilised the time to put lots of items on there to generate money and be as proactive as poss. one item has generated 21 watchers!!
So, life is feeling more positive. I do believe I can see this debt thing through. I do think we will be ok. We have successfully cut back on many things, we are living without having to use a credit card, money is so v tight but we are seeing the debt go down and therefore things can only improve. So, I just need to believe, keep believing and focusing, and working hard, and enjoy the ride as they say as best I can!........Am so looking forward to picking up dd this am and my breakfast of scrambled egg in a tick!

beanielou

Great to see you so much more positive x

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED

Can not believe how quickly this last week has gone. Have worked so hard, been so cold in the process , my bed socks have become part of my daily attire!! Am feeling v good today. lots of things to be so grateful and positive about. The Christmas tree went up last weekend, and today my dd and I sorted out all the other little Xmas bits we have, giving them all a home round the house, even the bathroom has a Father Christmas toilet holder and loo seat cover! If I say so myself, our home looks cosy and v Christmasy, and it really cheers me up and makes me just as excited as dd!. The only thing left to do is put up my litte fibre optic tree in the room from which I am typing now. , our conservatory, come office, come play area, come kleeneze product dispatch centre and more recently ebay product dispactch area!!! So, other news, mortgage still behind, but £300 being paid on tues, and the rest next week, and then Dec payt all covered for the end of the month. So, feeling good about that. 2 of my pics sold at auction so I will get another chq of £120 or so next week. Ebay, have sold £42 worth of items this week, so that is great and more this wekend, I think another £5 or so but as we all know every single penny counts. Kl sales going through the roof. Can not keep up, planning to place £1500 to £2K in orders over the next 8 days to ensure everyone gets their orders before Xmas. So, if that goes to plan - weather permitting, I would have sold getting on for 4K in less than 3 weeks. Once again, am left feeling so emotional by my customers, all I do is deliver a catalogue, their order and take their money! What do they do? A number have given me and/or dd gifts, tips, and offers of cups of tea in the cold weather. Just how lovely and kind is that. I feel so so humbled by it all. Well, just loaded more bits on ebay, just about to write some Xmas cards for customers and family while we have supper, watch a movie and then the X factor final later! And then just before I go, last Sun, dd and I nipped out to the car only to find it had been cleaned by a neighbour out of the kindness of his heart. That moved me to tears literally. My car had been looking quite sorry for itself and this neighbour is someone I dont know v well at all, He must have felt v sorry for my car! The kindness of others amazes me. Anyway, must get the supper on, and cuddle up with dd. Shes just come in from playing outside, all rosy cheeked, bless her!

taxi73

how lovely of your next door neighbour and customers..you are obviously well thought off xx

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED

Snow, snow, snow.....! And more snow forecast for later today! Well, Im getting braver in the snow, did a load of deliveries on Fri eve with dd, "wasn't expecting to see you dear". "Be careful". It can wait till the New Year!" Well, the truth is Im better moving around in snow when its laying rather than the day after when its turned to ice. So, I have some happy customers, and money in my bum bag!. I am trying to stay calm but the basic fact remains that I have three orders outstanding to come this week. over £750 worth in total. I gave the parcel force delivery man a hug on friday, so relieved and appreciative was I to see him arrive and he knows I need the deliveries, he will do his best. Time will tell how things work out.

So, this year has seen me make massive savings into the hundreds of pounds by reviewing my electric, phone, cancelling direct debits such as my extortionate life cover, extortionate because I have a disability which annoys me. From the word go simply because I have a disability premiums are higher etc. Anyway, thats another issue... Over this year, Ive made drastic changes to things like changing my toiletries to a less expensive brand, utilising the food in my cupboard, etc etc.

Next year, will be all about maintaining the staying within my means situation and earning more than I need to survive, so that next winter I have room to breathe if it snows ongoingly. As an aside, I am already putting all my customers tips for Xmas in my money box and there they will stay to accumulate with the odd change I will add over the next few months. Start as I mean to go on..

Yes, theres no doubt about it these next few days are going to living on the edge, if my deliveries do not arrive some direct debits will just have to be paid in the New Year rather than next week. If any companies object well I will be def seeking advice in the New Year re my debts. To me, they expect perfection in any given situation that occurs, that shouldn't be a surprise but I surely can't be the only one who is simply unable to live up their expectation of perfection in what is a situation beyond a lot of peoples control. , but the reality is I am worrying if my deliveries dont arrive and even if they arrived will I physically beable to get them out to my customers if the ice worsens. Anyway, better get on with things, a lot to do today and a lot to be thank ful for, I need to just put my worries to the back of my mind, hope for the best and focus on what needs to be done today....

beanielou

Hope you can get the deliveries & get out safely to deliver them.
Take care x

Verbatim

Lovely to hear from you and I'm glad that you're coping so well.
Take care from me too.
V

brizzledfw

And an echo from me. Have a great Christmas with your DD and hope 2011 brings lots of lovely experiences for you both

brizzle

taxi73

hope they manage to receive and deliver them.