Ok, it starts here

williamD1964

Evening all. Apologies for absence, but been a busy bee. Today is my 84th day clean. Payday today, and, as usual, my company deem it neccessary to extract the urine by not paying me my quota of overtime! Fortunately I have been paid some so not quite on my uppers just yet. Have been on holiday since sunday, and on saturday I got dragged kicking and screaming to a bar in central london to watch some team in blue play football. Got quite squiffy. and wife not impressed. Fortunately one of the guys I was drinking with has a large inheritance (seriously) and put it all on his tab. I was a little bit dubious about this but he was insistant. Woke up sunday without a hangover (much to wifes disppointment) and had the kids all day until 4pm and the cricket! Again wife not impressed but hey, we're world champions after 35 years of trying! Monday was spent emptying out the shed, shredding heaps of papers and sorting out what was left into "Keep, throw away, charity shop or ebay!". Tuesday was it was the turn of the air-raid shelter (and yes I am being serious). And the piles of stuff grew. Today was payday. Bills paid out, debts coming down. Have rung santander, and they have said that the card has been approved. Awaiting papers, and then will discover the limit. Hope to get the Natwest card thats not on 0% onto it at least.
Have gone from 13 stone 2lb to 12 stone 11lb, just got to start using the ab cruncher! Still trying to go swimming, went today for 40 minutes.
Hope people like the new quote.
Got an email from the competition people regarding the wedding vows. Its a non starter. Can't complain really. Would have cost almost £650, just to have the ceremony on the bridge! Can't justify that sort of cost
Plan to look at my credit report again, see what cards I have at zero still open, and get them closed.
Hope all is well.

williamD1964

Good evening everyone, I trust all the lurkers and contributors are well. Apologies for the absence, I promise I am not deliberately ignoring you all.
Today will make 95 days clean. I will not say its been easy. In fact, there have been days where I have locked myself away to avoid going out and placing myself at risk, but I will say the good days are starting to outnumber the bad.
My problem is what I call my "silly spending". These are non-essential spends that seem like a good idea at the time. Although I have cut down on the these, being on holiday these past few weeks has left me broke. Taking the kids to the pictures cost me £30! Then the indoor play area on saturday cost me another £30. Literally. £215 in the account, £35 bank charges due, then £185 in DD's to come out before payday. Hopefully I can squeeze a few ebay sales out, and get the £50 I am owed from sister before then.
Santander STILL haven't sent me any paperwork. I have spoken to them twice now. I live in hope!
Having no money scares me, but I am trying to keep a level head. Was thinking about takibng the kids to the seaside on Wednesday for the day but that in now a no-no especially as it's 17 days to payday and I am potless. Doubt if I will be able to afford to go swimming at this rate. Seem to go so wekll for a week or so, the best laid plans and all that, but just can't seem to stick to my spending budget. Back to work tonight. Chicken pasta (homemade) and yoghurt.
If anyone else has any ideas for make a few (honest) quid to tide me over I would be more than willing to listen.
Oh well, 36 days and counting to Florence...ho hum!
thanks for all your support people, its nice to know that your are out there.
Any comments you write will be responded to

micron_2

Hi, nice to hear from you. I was wondering what had happened to you. 95 days clean is fantastic. Keep up the great work. Regarding the "silly spending days", I was like that until I joined the NSD challenge. I am actually excited about not spending any money now. It sure has made a difference to my bank balance. It might be worth going on that thread for the support and encouragement. Hope your Bank Holiday has been a good one. Just keep Florence in the forefront of your mind and you'll get through the next few weeks.

williamD1964

good morning everybody. Today to me is a red letter day. Today will be 100 days without the curse of gambling. 100 DAYS! Good god man!
Ok, enough self congratulations. Still a long way to go. Here is the state of play today.
Bills still to be paid, and monies to find. Think I am down about £30 in total but have £50 to come form my sister (hopefully).
Ebay almost as useful as a chocolate tea cup. Perhaps its the way I list them. Will have to try to find time to research listing tips.
Have been offered a rest day on overtime for sunday, which is a real life saver.
Have to email the competition people regarding the flight tickets etc.
Still swimming, trying to get in at least three sessions a week. In fact, I am off in a few minutes for a dip before work.
Weight holding steady at 12 stone 11.
STILL no paperwork from Santander. Am getting extremely irritated with them. Are they normally this bad?
Many thanks for all the support people have offered. Is really welcome.

Speak more later people

williamD1964

Good morning sports fans...NOT! What an absolute shower of sh!te! Would say we were appalling but we were not THAT good!

Today is day 115 of staying clean. Thursday had a mental moment. On the way home from work, I walked into the bookies to see the football result. Spend 5 minutes watching people load the fixed odds machines before leaving feeling sick. Actually felt physically sick. Was starting to feel the pull. In the past might have left, gone to the cash machine, withdrawn a few hundred pounds and blown the lot. I was actually shaking on the train home.
Finally got the paperwork back from Santander. Have sent them off this weekend. Again slightly concerned that they won’t tell me limit before they issue the card.
My biggest concern now is that they plan to stop working tax credits. This will crucify me just as I get myself on the road to normality. I will lose £140+ a month out of my budget. Would mean I would be really on the limit if I had a flat week.
As you can see the bills are starting to SLOWLY come down. Not as quickly as I want but hey ho, meeting the minimum payments and more, but it seems the more I try the more I hit a brick wall. The kids needed new trainers, and school uniform, then my glasses broke, so I need to get them sorted. Been very stressed at work as well, with loads of arguments and in fighting which is exactly what I don’t need.
The final arrangements are now in place for our holiday in Florence. We received the flight tickets & spending money, made arrangements with the relatives to have the kids so they don’t have time off school. Think the break is just what the doctor ordered.
Still swimming as much as I can, but the footy has encouraged me to have the occasional beer or three so the weight loss is a bit stalled!
Hope everyone is well.

Firewalker

Hi William,

missed you and am very glad you are still clean - this is the most important thing. The rest will sort itself out.

Firewalker

savingwannabe

Hello, we have missed you. Firewalker asked about you on her thread too. Welcome back William.

Well done on coping at the bookies. If you can try not to go any where near it. Things sound pretty good for you, you are coping well. I thought you had already been on hols. Glad you still have them to look forward too.

On Mouseann's thread we are watching the footy even if we dont understand it out of respect for NID our hero!!!

Do have a good day and keep up the good work.

hugs, sw.

williamD1964

HI all, and thanks for the responses.

My "wonderful" children decided to wake me up at 5am to wish me happy fathers day. My daughter then decided that as she was already awake she would like breakfast. I went downstairs, made a cup of coffee and toast for all, only to find that she had decided it was too early and gone back to bed! Have spent the day shreading old paperwork, invoices, credit card statements and having a clear out. I also subscribed to firewalkers diary. Will spend a few hours to read it all. Looks a good read. Dinner was a traditional roast chicken with roast potatoes, green beans, carrots and gravy, and apple pie and ice cream. Now sitting watching Italy and New Zealand play footy.

Wife told me that she was called into the head teachers office on friday afternoon. She was told he he disappeared after his lunch and no-one could find him. Finally he was found in a classroom, staring at the blackboard with some addition examples written on it. When he was asked what he was doing, he said that he saw the numbers and was curious...he then pointed at the board and said that one of the answers was wrong. He then pointed out that 143 + 132 =275 not 257 (the teacher had transposed the numbers). He had also worked out the answers to the 5 other questions on the board. The teacher told him he shouldn't be in the class, and to go and play outside. The head teacher stated that he wasn't in trouble, and asked if it was ok to give him additional tests and maths work! He is 5 and 1/2 years old.

savingwannabe

oh my gosh. a child prodigy!!! Rather exciting. Something to watch and look forward to during the future.

Stay happy and look forward to the holiday. You are doing really well.

Firewalker

Hi William, how do you feel about your son and his maths? Apart from being proud that is.

Thankis for subscribing: a Sunday with you sounds great - but hope you found some time to go out and enjoy the glorious weather.

Firewalker