Hi, newbie (ish) SOA

chevalier

hi there
just caught up with your thread. Welldone for going on the course:beer: I am glad you didn't back out as in the long run, you will be able to benefit from it.

A couple of points. You were saying that your furniture was falling apart. Have a look on https://www.freecycle.org (you have to register which is free). People put things up on there that they don't want and it is FREE to you. All you have to do is go and pick it up. I am sure that this would be a way of refurbishing your house, for the cost of petrol. Certainly there are regularly chairs, shelving etc on my site, as well as for example bed bases, mattresses etc. Well worth a look. I also gather that if you are on benefits, your local council may have a furniture warehouse which you can go to and get stuff. Not sure if it is free, but it may be worth checking your local authority website to see.

I did wonder at the time about your gas and electric figures.Did you try switching via quidco to get some cash back? If not now might be a good time.And of course now your car insurance is coming up for renewal, so you could do that via quidco and get cash back on that too.

Best of luck with soldiering on
chev

Kazonline

Thank you so much Chevalier - your post really made me feel better, it was a much needed boost.
I have now made moves towards sorting my utility costs - I rang BG with my current readings this week so I should be able to get an up to date DD review with them, and I've also calculated my usage on gas and ele for a 12 month period so that I can do a price comparison.
I'm also planning on reducing my mobile contract if they'll permit it as now I no longer do the party plan I don't really need to use my mobile so much. I'm still too much of a coward to change internet providers, but I'll probably change my landline contract as I barely use the phone nowdays.

While I had investigated cheaper insurance I hadn't thought about quidco, so that was a great reminger - thanks!
RE freecycle, I received a bag of clothing from there a few months back with some stuff for the boys, but as I haven't offered anything yet I feel a bit bad about taking anything else, IYKWIM. The only thing I feel I could offer at the moment is a free massage treatment - but somehow I think that could easily be misconstrued!!!!
Blimey - it's taken me ages to answer this - pc keeps freezing.
thanks again,
Kaz x

Bargain_Rzl

Kaz,

If you're after something to offer on Freecycle, and you've benefited from second-hand kids' clothes from there in the past, could you maybe scrape together some clothes YOUR kids have grown out of to offer somebody else? I seem to remember you've got all boys so perhaps you're working on a permanent hand-me-down system but do you maybe have some stuff that the youngest has finished with?

Or some old baby equipment? Anything that you don't need any more and is still in any way usable. It's probably worth considering so you maintain a good reputation on Freecycle - in the London group one of the rules is that you can't take anything until you've given something.

Kazonline

Bargain_Rzl wrote:

Kaz,

I seem to remember you've got all boys so perhaps you're working on a permanent hand-me-down system but do you maybe have some stuff that the youngest has finished with?

Lol, you've got it in one there Bargain Rzl - by the time the youngest gets it it is often more holey than Godly!

As for baby equipment there are a few bits like potties etc. I'm hoping to find the time to have a F/L session (de clutter) in the Christmas hols. Hopefully I can 'release' a few bits then if I can find anything anyone would want, lol. I'd certainly feel much better about receiving anything then.
Kaz x

AussieLass

Kaz,

Good on you. I don't have any advice for you but I'm sure lots will come on and give you the help you need. Good luck with it all & chin up.

Kazonline

Aw, thank you hun ((((HUG)))) Shame airmail is so costly, from what I hear you could do with the potty at the moment (lol, just think what that sounds like to anyone who doesn't read the OS daily thread!!!)
Lots of hugs,
Kaz x