November.2015.here.we.come

mum2one

Been organised and took advantage of the will offer, as got to do a new one. Can't believe the halifax, they paid a direct debit out in August which had been cancelled, they said it would be sorted, never thought any more of it, as been sailing very close to the wind with OD, when thought check through statements with a fine tooth comb, they hadn't paid it back, was £122. There now sending me a cheque, they did offer to put the money in the account, but as they couldn't get it right 1st time, what chance would 2nd time!
There giving me £25 as a goodwill gesture, so all help out.

Gave a statement to the head regarding a teacher, not good....

Another £60 off debts, more 2mor!! xx

taxi73

Sounds like you're getting very organised there and yuck to attempted burgalry

mum2one

On snails pace, but trying, have been organised today and paid £218 off debts, not much but every penny helps, and its gone onto 6k bracket, so plzed with that.

Had eye test at hospital, apparently at 1st glance everything looked ok.

Filled in payment plan in diary for rest of Oct and Nov, just need to get the esa sorted and then know where I am xx

mum2one

Updated list

Can not believe the weather we had for the 1st of the month, it was gorgeous... back to reality and get the months sorted.

1. Fill in diary - all OU courses, tutorials etc main course - DONE

2. Plan finances, as changing from IS to ESA, dreading that not going through. - half way there, all Oct and Nov goings out planned

3. Got to give mum £110 back, she lent me in Sept

4. B204 course offically starts on 8th Oct - to be 3 weeks in advance by half term week. The other 2 start Nov, wait till then - Got 2 weeks in advance

5. Write Halifax chase up bank charges saga, as under the old system been charged £1200....

6. Do a new SOA - as with ESA assesment I'm losing £120 per month (nightmare!!) the loan company are digging heels in, everyone been ok with reduced payments - brilliant news - won't be losing money (till Dec next review)
.
7. Finish sorting xmas presents 3/4 way through

8. Sort cards - named ones

9. Upset the bank when I take in DDs change! - the bank were nice as I'd bagged all the coins in sets.

10, Use another diary (mid yr ones) and set all payment dates in - Oct, + Nov payments all in, most of Octs cards etc been paid, just loan, and mum, etc to pay

11. Sort out money, as opened a new account, with the idea that transfer bill money across, pay by cheque (create paper trail), so know thats dead money

12. Sort our items Vistaprint, as many freebies as possible - 4 sets of orders on route, know more when do xmas (half way there)

13. Got diabetic check up blood test (this week) docs follow up next week, need to ring for eye check at hospital! Blood test done, flu jab done, follow up call booked in with GP, and eye appointment at hospital - got cancellation so been Thursday all looks ok. (done)

14. Await patientally for new court date...

15. begging letters for school pta for christmas craft fair

16. Make christmas cake at weekend - got all ingredients - halve way there

17. Follow on flavoured vodka, so far have Pommegrate, want christmas pud flavour, limoncello, and another couple flavours

18. Bag of clothes list on ebay

19. Promised DD she could have a sleep over, - need to arrange some crafts to do (help!!!)

20. Gut dining room, and put rest of items back in bedroom.

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mum2one

For once we have had some good news!!

Rang about my esa as not heard anything, 1st bloke says should have filled in forms, done x,y,z, - when explained it was the lone parent advisor who said just get sick note (luckly I photocopied the piece of paper they gave me and enclosed it with sick note), Theres me panicing, as this had basically your not on the system re-apply. I asked for a manager to call me back this afternoon.

I got a really really nice bloke, he explained everything, sick note been recieved as gone from IS as lone parent to esa didn't need to fill in any paperwork, all gone through and I'm in income related ESA the good news is the money same as IS get a disability premium, which means that yes still got to cut the cloth, but keep all my arrangments upto date. He said just get a "fit note" before this ends. But theres a letter in the post. Why it took having to ask for a manager, - so can breath easy.

The stairlift has been fixed again, they've replaced more parts, thats gd.

DD won a golden award certificate at school, out of 190 children theres only 5 issued a week.

Got my ingredients to make christmas cake, thou Tesco was a nightmare the baking section the store was bare, managed to get a mix of value, own brand and small luxury (sneaks that in quitely)... then cut across the road to Lidl and stocked up on cherries (half price of Tesco) and a few bits and bobs for xmas.

In town this morning, hired scooter, all banking done, new move was draw out some cash rather than just debit card it, and it worked, I really had to think hard about what I was buying, reckon could have spent double, and not needed it. Poor dad was carrying the basket, the shopping, so funny pulled up by Cfae Nero, he said are we going for a cup of tea (my treat tea and a cake) said no, I'm going to the toilet, no more shopping, so we can have a cup of tea at home!!

Got my fruit soaking ready for xmas cake, whicky, brandy + sherry, needs 24hrs, have bit longer - make then Sunday afternoon with DD.

Got vodka schnnaps ready to make me flavoured vodks see if get time on Sunday.
xx

BEAT_THE_DEBT

mmmm i love the smell of christmas cake baking. I dont get or bake one anymore as it gets wasted i have choc log and mince pies xx

mum2one

Another day of being organised, def getting worried!! but got to get going while the going good, thou must confess has been a pj day...

Organised the rest of christmas presents, bar mum, dad, and DD, just have 2 left to get, one be cider which get when we go to Devon, the other my friends hubby, got a feeling he likes real ale, if he does get a selection. Very plzed as before started worked out needed 10 presents, but we raided the stock.

Tonight just made flavoured coffees ready for the christmas breakfast hampers, sound posher than they are!
Coffee Mocha, Swiss Coffee Mocha, Cafe Vienna, and Cafe latte.. Bailey is now wearing drinking choc powder and coffee!!

Christmas cake tomorrow... xx

mum2one

Slight fun and games in Sunday... had an allergic rection to a toffee pudding, weird as I'd eat the same brand last week and was fine, so was out of it most of Sunday.

So today

Christmas cakes done
Christmas cake flavoured vodka, cherry flavoured vodka.
Cherries soaked in cherry brandy.. lush with icecream.
Soaked mincemeat with extra sherry.

Managed a long 40 winks sleep before Miss Hoodie came home, shattered, but its one less job to do before xmas. xx

chevalier

I am in awe that you are organising your debt repayments, AND OU courses, AND your health and ESA AND this ongoing saga with ex. Well done. Just make sure you have some you time as well!

Sorry to hear that things aren't going well with the governership and also the report about a teacher must be hard too. Maybe it is time to step back doing this so that you can focus on the other areas of your life?
chev

mum2one

chevalier wrote: »

I am in awe that you are organising your debt repayments, AND OU courses, AND your health and ESA AND this ongoing saga with ex. Well done. Just make sure you have some you time as well!

Sorry to hear that things aren't going well with the governership and also the report about a teacher must be hard too. Maybe it is time to step back doing this so that you can focus on the other areas of your life?
chev

Thank you, you've absolutely hit it on the nail about stepping back, we had the converstion earlier, but (always a but), two of the courses I'm doing are leadership, management and change, and you have to be either working or in a voluntry position that you have an influence, about 50% I can recycle from the work I did for the PTA last yr, but the annoying thing is at the mo, I need them more than I really want to, so logically stuck till next summer. But I have cut back all my extra help ours etc. I've said I would go in fortnightly for a morning to read, as a goveneror, expected to go once a term, which turns into once a week, ideally whole day, put foot down to once fortngt for a morning.

Slowly getting there with debts, sounds daft so nice to see credit card statements with no purchases, and the bigger aprs, they've really helped as one was 59.9%, they've cut it to 0%, it take 5 yrs to clear the balance, but the account be closed.

Taking half term week out, so not taking any OU books with me, the family escape to Devon, could be fun were all going in one car, 3 adults, DD and bailey!

Just trying to take one day at time, no news yet from the court, but we have come to a decison more DD, shes asked does she have to see her other grandparents, as they've upset her with what they've done, so I said not if you don't want to. We've heard nowt from them since they left, so my guess is they've chose their lying son over their grandaughter. Just waiting for the court case, then going to cull all their family from facebook page, theres not much on there, but its a link they have to us.

Had a lazy day, no baking!! just done some OU work, managed to get 4 weeks worth new course done, school 2mor am for photo (try not to break the camera!!

Then madness descends at the wend DD having part 2 of her bday, taking 10 children to cinema (very mse - going or kids movies £1 per ticket) off to see Yogi bear, and got popcorn and drink all from home bargains.

Guess better go off to bed, got Bailey throwing me the look, hes curled up on settee, keeos looking across as if to say go to bed!!.

Still need a miracle with debts, but every pound is a pound less. xx