Tales from a country cottage

ani*fan

Thanks Igamogam...I hadn't even thought of that. I'll look into it tomorrow.

Funny how I just assume no-one will want to give me credit. I haven't missed a payment on anything ever.

ani*fan

I've just had a look at the fugures for next month. It looks as though we'll be lucky to make it through again, never mind having anything extra to pay towards the debt. I'm feeling pretty tearful right now but trying to pull myself out of it.

Two of my clients cancelled on me today at short notice. I'm pretty annoyed. Not only is the money for today lost, but they were both due me cash today which I now don't have. :mad: I'm trying to appreciate the extra time on my hands but to be honest, I'd rather have gone to work.

In four weeks' time I'm supposed to be going away with a sports team I joined. I was so excited to get picked for the team, yet this has been completely overshadowed by wondering where I'm going to find the money to pay for this trip. It's so depressing.

I've actually realised that 100% of my worries in life at the moment are financial. There is no let up from it ever. It's a constant dark cloud effecting everything, day in, day out.

Igamogam

Cheer up Ani*fan. This is just a blip:) Ring up those clients and book 'em in again. Tell them if they cancel at short notice again then there will be a charge............:o sorry dont know if you can but it was just a thought. Does your sports team do any fundraising for trips? Do they have any subsidised places? Can you pay them in instalments? Be up front with your financial situation - you will be amazed how many people will symapthise;many will empathise;only a few will not understand. I had to take a stand with my group of very good friends recently and told them I couldnt afford to go out for a meal - even a cheap one - so we had a contribution cake evening ( had to be homemade) at mine and I supplied the tea:) There is only one member in our group who doesnt really understand how we are all feeling the pinch - and we are all full time working professionals ( except her I have to say;)) Think I am just trying to illustrate the being 'up front' thing - my friends all confided that they were finding things tight too:)

Igamogam

Oh yes I meant to say - join in some of the 'challenges' on here - keeps you focussed and makes the whole debt thing a bit more fun - honest

Decluttering

*Hugs* Sounds like you've had a bit of a bad day. I hope tomorrow is better for you and that your situation isn't as bleak as you're envisioning it to be right now. Igamogam seems to be much better at this than I am, so maybe read her posts again instead of reading mine too closely!

ani*fan

Thanks Igamogam and Decluttering...today everything looks a little better and I seem to have recovered some determination. I hate self-pity and it seems to come over me in waves sometimes. i could do with getting a handle on it. Things could be a lot worse, and they're not. I have an income, it covers the outgoings (usually), I could do with counting my blessings.

I just tried to buy cheap cheap train tickets online but my pc won't let me log onto the site. How frustrating. I've tried enabling cookies and pop-ups and all that but no joy. I might try using my work pc later on today.

I haven't applied for the credit card yet but will get onto it in the next couple of days.

I bought my first christmas gift last night for £4. Bargain. And I'm well excited to have got started already.

I'm working today and training tonight (car share sorted out for cheapness), I have a job interview for an extra day at work tomorrow. It's about 90 miles away so fairly expensive petrol-wise. It should be a formality but you never know with my place. Thursday I'm working 'til about 8pm and Friday working 'til 5pm. I expect to be a bit tired but it all keeps money coming in.

ani*fan

There's a real sense of autumn in the air today. The plums are beginning to ripen already and I expect some windfall later in the week. Shame it's fruit and not cash.

I need to borrow a ladder and check the insulation in the attic. I've been meaning to do this for years but am a bit scared of going up there. I'm expecting spider hell, somewhere along the lines of the movie arachnophobia(sp?) but it needs checking. Who knows how much cash is being wasted heating the air above our cottage?

There's wood to be chopped and grass to be cut, and I promisd I would paint the last few sections of the outside walls this summer and they've still not been done. OH and I planned to sort out the home-made double glazing for the kitchen yesterday but didn't get round to it, though the sitting room window is done so that's a start. We need to order more sheets of plastic for the bedroom and 2 other rooms, though that will cost in the region of £150 I think. But well worth it. Maybe this weekend I'll have a chance to get some of these things done.

Winter here is truly bitter and we're lucky to achieve even a reasonable heat with the oil heating on and log fires going. It's so draughty. But this year I'm on an insulation mission. I refuse to freeze!

chevalier

I can empathise with not wanting to freeze, we are coming out of our winter here, and I froze at time cos the windows are single glazed and very draughty.....
chev

Igamogam

ani*fan wrote: »

There's a real sense of autumn in the air today. The plums are beginning to ripen already and I expect some windfall later in the week. Shame it's fruit and not cash.

QUOTE]
Look at it as money saved;)

ani*fan

Igamogam...you're so right. I won't have to buy any fruit for a while and if I get organised, I can make a load of wine too. Very mse.

Chev...I'm guessing you're on the other side of the world somewhere? The very thought of winter coming fills me with dread. I never used to feel like that 'til we came to live in this draughty old cottage 4 years ago. It's so beautiful here and the summers are fabulous, which is why we do it. But in winter although it looks very pretty we have been known to sit here with 2 layers of thermals on, sallopettes, woolly hats, the works. And instead of getting changed into lighter clothes at bedtime we tend to add a couple of extra layers for good measure and wake up seeing our breath with ice on the inside of the windows. Last year's home made double glazing really was a revelation and I'm determined to find the cash to do the whole house this year. At the moment, moving wood around is enough to heat me up. I don't actually have to set fire to it yet. But our stocks are quite depleted and there's much chain sawing to be done.

ANyway, enough whingeing.