Ok, it starts here

williamD1964

Today, I received my santander card. They have set me a limit of £2500. The plan was to hit the NatWest card and and take it down as much as possible. I then find that because I had (mistakenly) hoped that the limit would be higher, I gave the other two cards balances to Santander. Because the limit is lower than the two balances, they have paid £1000 off the MBNA card and £1000 off the NAtWest card! When I asked them to recall the money from MBNA, they stated that as it was my mistake (apparently the online application states that if the limit is lower than the balance requires, they will pay to each what they see fit, or words to that effect) they could do !!!!!! all about it.
Fortunately, MBNA have arranged to pay the £1000 into my bank account as an overpayment! Also have re-thought my payment priorities. Been too focused on getting the big numbers down, got side tracked and should have been focusing on the NatWest card without the 0%. So, this will be my prority and I am determined to clear this card by christmas.

Went swimming today. was a struggle. Wife out doing her friends hair. (Its a black thing)!
Have decided on my stock and suppliers. Looking at approx' 8 items, with a value of £100. Hoping for a 50/60% mark up on the re-sale. If and its a big if I sell the stock, I will look at buying the same amount again, etc. The first sales will be to friends and colleagues, to gauge reaction, quality etc. Am not looking to make a million, but a few hundred to clear one credit card would be nice. So, anyone wanting a compact spycamera let me know!


Getting bag packed for holiday. Stay well people.

savingwannabe

Good luck Mr William. I saw your post on Firewalker's thread. I do hope Nid is able to help you I did ask if he could look at your thread (just) but he is vvv busy.

You may wish to wait till you come back but it might be good to let him know the situation tomorrow too. He is fantastic. Good luck with project. You are far braver than me.

williamD1964

Bags are packed, euros bought, passport to hand. I want to thank MSE for the opportunity to take a holiday that is needed not just to recharge the batteries, but to re affirm my love for my wife. Wish me luck!
Have done shed loads of overtime this month and am looking to pay off a chunk off a card.
My son is shooting up. He is now 3ft 10inches tall, with his little sister (2 minutes younger) is 3ft 8inches. Am so glad they are not going to be short !!!!!! like me!

Going to put a quote here I put on the gambling thread. Keep reading it and can't believe I have come so far.

Hi all, today I passed a milestone of 126 days with a bet. It is over 1/3rd of a year. There have been days when I have nearly succumbed, there has been days when I have stood outside of the bookies and looked at the people walking in and out and rejoiced that I didn't want to be like them any more. I have looked at the debt I have built and been physically sick and I have looked at my children and held them tight and swore that I will not destroy their lives any more.
Thank you all for all your past and continuing support.

"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm".

Off to bed. Early start as flight is at 9:45am

Italy here we come!!!!!! DID I MENTION I ABSOLUTELY HATE FLYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

savingwannabe

I hope you have a fantastic holiday William. We will be thinking of you. When you get scared on flight close eyes and think of icecream, (it works for me!).

Well done. Onwards and upwards, you deserve it.

hugs, SW.

williamD1964

Well, we are back! Finally! Weather was awesome...lowest was 37 degrees! Hotel was magnificent (as was the air conditioning!) and the place...well the place was a different world. The city is narrow streets, mostly pedestrianised (which in italian means, people, cycles and motorscooters). The Doumo was spectacular, as was the architecture, and art work, and the scuptures. I could go on but would become a bore! The food was plentiful (though very expensive). I noticed that there was a different price for locals. Even the bottled water (which was essential in the heat) was 1.5 euros for a small bottle for tourests and .75 euros for locals. Noticed a distinct absence of big names in the city squares too. No Costa or Starbucks, though there was a MacDonalds on the edge of the city, frequented mainly by americans.
Prices were extremely high too.
There were two experiences that will sa with me! We were window shopping inside Gucci, when wife was nearly dipped by pickpockets. Fortunately a store detective spotted what was happening and literally floored one guy with a right hook! The other did a runner out of the store leaving his mate to take any flack! The would be thief was treated with all the respect of a leporous dog, and was unceromoniously searched and told in no uncertain terms that he was in for a kicking if he ever returned to the store. I did point out that he hadn't even touched my wife or her property but that didnt seem to bother anyone. Anyway, the police arrived, the story was related, and the officers apologised for the incident and told us to leave it with them! They didn't even bother taking our details! Luckily we bothed laughed about it.
The other one was the flight home was cancelled due the plane conking out on the runway! We had to endure a hour sit on the runway before they decided that we weren't going anywhere and got us off the plane. By now it was 9pm, there was no representative from the airline so we all had to fend for ourselves. Luckily we had got in with a couple that knew what they were doing and explained that we had to go to one area to arrange for alternative flights, then we had to go to another area to arrange hotel accomodation for the evening...it was a bit of a farce really. Finally the fights were arranged for the following day at 7:30am but in Bologna (an hours drive away). A hotel was arranged (a hilton so not too shabby) and coaches were arranged to take us over to it. The end result was we had been at the airport since 4pm, on the plane for 2 & a bit hours, then in a queue to arrange flights for an hour, then another queue for the hotel, then a 15 minute transfer to the hotel, and ANOTHER queue to check-in! By the time we got to bed it was gone midnight! Then we had to get up at 4am, to be in reception for 5am, to be driven to Bologna airport to check-in at 6am, for the flight at 7.30am! The temperature at the airport at 11.15 was 30 degrees! But it didnt spoil anything! Of course we will be looking for compensation from the airline for all of this!
Is good to be back!

savingwannabe

Bless ya William so good to see you are back. I shan't be posting on MSE so much as Ann's thread and Niddy have moved to a new site. I shall miss ya big time but am still subscribed so i will try to pop back and check on ya as you are family dude.

Dont feel v well today so have to keep popping to bed. Will PM you both later if i am better. hugs, kit.

williamD1964

A new site? do tell me more? feel I have missed out on something

Firewalker

Welcome back, William. Pitty about the return trip but otherwise I am pleased to hear that good time was had by both. Hope twins are OK and did not get up to mischief in your absence.

Firewalker

williamD1964

Am just writing to Meridiana regarding compensation etc. Twins were "the perfect children" as they always are for other people! Am I the only one to think its a conspiracy?
Oh and people, the italians are nutters regarding driving. Seriously, they are absolutely the craziest I have seen.

Firewalker

Agree about driving. Always found them really mental - little boy and I have great time in Italy counting the cars with dents driving by. Can say safely that it is over 95% of all cars. At the same time they are really good drivers - but their idea of driving is to have a fast car and to improvise with it on bendy roads. Germans, on the other hand, have this idea that the perfect car is a large Merc; you get in and tell it what to to do; it drives on autopilot very fast on straight and wide roads.

Bru the Italians know about food and are mad about children.

Firewalker