Time for positive action

Canda_2

It was a great time, forgot to say we ate out with vouchers printed from here! It really cheered us both up as we were very deflated and down so hopefully as you say it's given us the boost to get on with things now.
Thanks for posting Hypno it really means a lot.

Canda_2

I know I'm being over the top but I just want to cry! The one thing I thought I'd done well on was getting my car insurance through quidco to get £42.50 cash back and then today I realise it's been declined! Why?! It's taken months and months then I don't even get notification to say its been declined and there's no reason at all! I am so cross and fed up! I wasn't relying on the money it isn't even in the budget but why can't I have it?! Why is nothing ever easy? I give up I've had enough.

Canda_2

Feeling generally a bit down and depressed, had a little cry earlier and have been feeling very sorry for myself! So much so I'd forgotten that the first sofa payment came out meaning the debt has reduced again by £323. It's moving in the right direction again, it is getting better...
Have also started moving all the direct debits to our new joint account ready for operation overdraft. And that really is about it.

Canda_2

Wow 2 months, where has the time gone. I kind of lost my ooomph and was getting very down as you can tell in the last 2 posts. Firstly, big news that changes everything I'm pregnant! Something I've wanted for a long time, not ideal timing but then people tell me it never is. It's planned in the sense we started trying but really didn't think it would happen so quickly! By the time the baby is born though we will have paid off the sofa and overdraft leaving just debt to my parents. They are in no rush for it back as they're 'comfortable' with money in the bank etc.
Now the bad news, we received a letter from my bank last night to say they're taking away £1,000 of my overdraft in 3 weeks. Last time they did this I cried my eyes out for a couple of nights and then begged my parents to lend us the money. This time however I think we can scrape through until next pay day. It means using some savings for utilities bills and our holiday but it can be done. Trouble is I know at some point this month we're going to get a gas and electric bill for £300+ and we're going on holiday 4th June! Come next pay day I reckon after paying the gas and electric bill we might scrape £250 spending for our 2 weeks self catering in Spain! This comes in the week that my husband got paid £100 short for being sick 2.5 days and orange took the direct debit out of the new account which had no money in as they told us it was definitely too late to change this months bill and it would still come out of the old account which had the money in!
So I need to seriously get back on the mse wagon not only for the short term but also because in 6 months I'm going to be on maternity leave, my wages are 1.5 times my husbands so will be missed. I'm lucky my employer pays more than SMP but it's still going to be hard! Then of course there is the issue of returning to work/childcare my MIL doesn't work but it would break my heart if she had the baby 4 or 5 days a week as she is a very domineering character who always knows best. It may be possible for my husband to work less hours which would make sense on many levels.

Anyway must shut up I'm waffling and this post is going to be huge!

Canda_2

Trying to find things to be grateful for, we're lucky the new bank charge £8 for returned DD as opposed to the old banks £30 charge! It is our first charge though and all because we were misinformed by orange so I'm going to see if we can be let off paying it. Also we can scrape through to pay off £950 of the overdraft and it means its less to do after holiday. We've also got listed 4 higher priced pieces on ebay now (thanks to FIL who is ebay crazy). We moved 4 times in 3 years so don't have much clutter to sell but these bits could get £150 between them.
I'm not going to follow how they do because I stress about enough as it is. I really need to start learning how to relax if this baby is to have any chance in life.

Lemon_Tree

hi Canda, firstly congratulations on your pregnancy, but also congratulations on coming back here even though you've been going through some lows. Why don't you have a chat with Orange and state that cos they told you the wrong thing then they should pay your fee for you, it's worth a go. Good luck with ebay wish i could get someone else to do my listings for me

Canda_2

Hi Lemon Tree thanks for your post. We've decided to ask the bank if they will waive the charge first then try orange. It's the first charge we've got so I'm hoping that as it wasn't our fault they might drop it. I've had it done with the old rubbish bank so who knows! If not Orange beware!
One of our items sold to a friend for £80 before it even hit ebay so really pleased. I have to admit I hate the idea of doing listings myself, things would never get done!

Canda_2

Only one item left on ebay now, the other 2 sold to the same person 15 miles away so my FIL took them off ebay and the bloke collected and paid cash. I'm so over the moon £220 for the holiday pot! Wow!
The gas and electric bill came in at £282 which is less than I thought it would be. I had thought we'd pay it on 27th (pay day) but would love to find the other £62 so we can pay when its due. It took me half an hour to explain to OH that paying it now means we can use the money budgeted for it next month as holiday spends. (Instead of saving this money for holiday spends) It just means we don't pay the late and risk losing the prompt payment discount.
I don't think the final item will make £62 so might need to hunt out more to sell! The budgets are stripped bare already, we've spent every night round MILs for tea to avoid shopping!
I am finally having a more positive outlook on things (it will probably only last a day!) we really are lucky. Life's a challenge but we have so much help along the way.

hypno06

Congrats on the debtbusting and on the money stuff all going in the right direction - it may not feel like you are getting anywhere sometimes, but if you look back you can see just how far you have come!

Canda_2

The last item sold for £40 after fees so in theory we've almost covered the gas and electric bill however I have to be realistic. I'm pregnant I need to eat more than I have been to make sure our baby can grow healthily. I've accepted that we are going to have to use some of the money this month to go food shopping, living out of the cupboards is not easy when it's not just you but a baby to consider. So once OH is up (and it's open) we're going to pop to Asda to get some snack foods I can munch on throughout the day and the vitamins I've been putting off getting too. It's all about balance, isn't it?
On non MSE news I've had my 12 week scan and all is well they put my due date back a few days (which I blame on not eating enough!) but I really do have a baby in my belly! Oh and I'm getting my energy back a bit now so will have to tackle the ironing that has built up! 3 loads of washing done yesterday plus the pile I've been avoiding in the spare room. Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous so I spent a few hours sitting in the sunshine, I want to beat depression myself and don't want medication again. It did me the world of good. Pity today is dull and raining and I've got ironing and housework to look forward to! Feel a little lighter though, just hope it can continue.