THE FUTURE IS ONE BIG CHALLENGE AFTER ANOTHER for 3Dogs and friends ..... PART 4

3Dogs

It’s that time again guys – time for a new thread – PART 4

For background info, Part 1 of my original Diary is here and Part 2 here. Those diaries dealt with how we got into the problem we were in, and how we came to get help from MSE/CCCS to deal with the debt we were in, and still are in, and I thank my friends on here for their fantastic support during that time, which really kept me going, especially with my Mam in hospital for 3 weeks in October 2010, and then in the Continuing Care/Palliative Care Unit in a care home up in North Tyneside since 10th November 2010

You can find Part 1 of our Challenges Thread here
You can find Part 2 of our Challenges Thread here
You can find Part 3 of our Challenges Thread here

I started this thread as, from the start of 2011, Mr 3Dogs and I took a different look at how we approached everything, and, so, we set ourselves several challenges linked to our individual/joint debts, budgeting, spending & saving, raising extra funds, getting to grips with the house and garden, our diet and exercise. In other words, our whole way of life

You will find my list of challenges for 2011 in the post 2, and those of Mr 3Dogs in post 3. I have brought my challenges up-to-date and will continue to update them as the year goes on, reflecting on how well, or otherwise, I do in the challenges I had set. Others also set there Challenges and you will see how they are getting on with them too. I would still like to invite anyone to set their challenges too, on a single post which they can update as the year goes on – that way we can encourage and support each other along the way, with lots of back-slapping for successes and (((hugs))) when things don’t always go as planned, plus we cheer each other up with silliness

We’ve made such lovely new friends during the time this thread has been running, and hope to make many more as time goes by, after all, friends are just strangers that you haven’t met yet, aren’t they?

So let’s get this show on the road ...................................

3Dogs

THE CHALLENGES OF 3DOGS: (Updated 16th October 2011)

1. DRO (Debt Relief Order) - paid fee, DRO submitted 12th Jan, granted 13th Jan 2011 so am DFD from 13th Jan 2012

2. BUDGET – to set out a full budget and stick to it – properly!! - withdrawing exact money for food shopping/dog food and only using that in the week - no more sneaky topping-up from other bank account Was doing well on this until lost track, with travelling up and down to Newcastle all the time, but must try to get back on track

3. SAVE - set up a separate account to put aside money for annual and occasional spends such as heating oil, vet bills, van repairs/MOT/Car Tax, clothing, dentists/opticians, emergencies, etc - opened eSaving a/c with Nat West and going to transfer a set amount to it every month to cover these expenses. This has all come to a halt with reduced income and going up and down to visit Mam in the home, but must get this back on track – but one good thing is that we now qualify for free dentists/opticians/prescriptions due to receiving Working Tax Credit since Mr 3Dogs started self employment doing the car boots

4. EBAY – I haven’t done any eBaying for over 4 months now, so I must start it up again, especially as we have so much stuff around the house to sell on there – Got £150 from friend for selling an item for them but not done any more – MUST START NOW

5. SURVEYS – again, with the ill-health of my Mam up North, I have neglected my online surveys so have to get back on top of them and do them regularly. Plan is to claim the vouchers as they become available to put away for Christmas 2011, whereas the one’s that pay cash (BACS/PayPal) will be put into savings pot – hardly doing any surveys so must get back into it

6. CASHBACK - get back into using cashback sites too, making sure that I claim any cashback going on quotes, insurance, purchases, etc and, though they are fewer of them around these days, to so some Daily clicks too to boost the amounts - made some purchases through cashback sites and recently had a £150 payment

7. HOUSE – to declutter and decorate the bungalow – these two have to go together as we can’t decorate until the mountains of ‘stuff’ is out of the way. Selling on eBay will help, but so will being ruthless with what we have – if we haven’t used it in almost 3 years since moving here, we don’t actually need it, so it can be eBayed, car booted or taken to charity shop/tip – we did some but it quickly gets untidy again – got to keep on top of it

8. GARDEN – it’s a mess, as we haven’t done very much to it at all in almost 3 years since moving in – tidy it up, keep it tidy and use it more - nothing much done here yet and that is getting me down

9. SLIMMING – I joined Sl*mm*ing W@rld in May 2008 weighing in at exactly 19 stone at 5 ft 5 ins. Quite quickly at first and then much more slowly, I got that down to 14 st 6 lbs making a loss of 4 st 8 lbs which I am delighted with, but lots more to lose so must do something about it – Gain, loss, gain, gain & gain so very up and down – currently on 3st 7 lbs lost so still a stone to get back to my best

10. EXERCISE – due to arthritis and other health problems, I haven’t been able to exercise as I would like – but things have improved with my arthritis as I have lost weight, and, touching wood as I speak, I am in a much better position mobility-wise than I was, so must start some exercising to aid the weight loss. We have a Vibration Plate which you stand on to exercise and it magnifies the effects of your movements, so must get back into the routine of using it, as it does work (if my knees hold out!) - whoops, no sign of this happening yet, which is getting me down, which makes me even less like starting any exercise though, in fact, arthritis in hands and neck worse at the moment, as is my sciatica, and I am getting 'funny' dizzy/palpitation spells which are under investigation at docs

11. MSE – to be a more active member of MSE. I must get back into this, bumping up the NTN thread and offering support and advice on the DFW forum. I did this when I first started posting, soon picking up pieces of advice and passing them on whenever I could. I did enjoy this and saw it as putting something back into the site, which has given me so much, but, recently, my heart went out of it to be honest, with various things happening on here. However, I must find that zest again, as it helps me to help others, so everyone benefits in the end - still don't feel ready to spread my wings again DITTO - I just don't feel the same about everything on MSE after all the trolling and abuse, especially with NTN, which makes me so sad Back to posting on NTN, which feels right again

12. FINALLY - 11 is such an odd number, so I needed another challenge to round it up to a perfect dozen, and I could think of no worthier challenge than to not let things get me down, TO BE POSITIVE and TO BE HAPPY - I am HAPPY with my DRO going through and money side of things, but depressed about not getting started on certain areas DITTO Still getting down about certain areas, namely clutter, finances and Mam’s condition, but trying to remain positive, and I am certainly HAPPY with how other things are going like the friendships built up on MSE and the great meets we have had – especially our visits to see Kit, Andy & Steve

Well, that’s my updated challenges for the year, and there is a lot there to be honest, but I can only do my best, and I do actually feel that they are all achievable, if I set my mind to it

So, here we go folks ....................................... what about you???

Mr_3Dogs

THE CHALLENGES OF Mr 3DOGS:


1. DRO (Debt Relief Order) – 3Dogs arranged new pro-rata payments to my 4 creditors and did CCCS Debt Remedy, which recommended DRO now that Pension Funds not included as asset any more. Paperwork all completed and posting to CCCS on 17th October

2. BUDGET - get 3Dogs to set out a proper budget and help her stick to it – properly!!

3. SAVE - get 3Dogs to set up a savings account to put aside money for annual and occasional spends such as heating oil, vet bills, van repairs/MOT/Car Tax, clothing, emergencies, etc and not moan when she won’t let us take money out of that fund for something else

4. CAR BOOT – I’d started this under Permitted Work Rules, but then signed off Incapacity Benefit and started doing it officially on a self-employed basis from 7th March 2011 – not making any money but I am covering expenses such as my mobile, all van expenses including insurance/diesel, so these are not paid from household budget anymore and this frees up some cash each month

5. EBAY – I am learning how to list items so I can do some myself

6. HOUSE – to declutter and decorate the bungalow – these two have to go together as we can’t decorate until the mountains of ‘stuff’ is out of the way. Selling on eBay will help, but so will being ruthless with what we have – if we haven’t used it in almost 3 years since moving here, we don’t actually need it, so it can be eBayed, car booted or taken to charity shop/tip. I must also get the flooring, that we have had for 2 years, down in the lounge and bedroom, and the fitted wardrobes put up in the bedroom

7. GARDEN – it’s a mess, as we haven’t done very much to it at all in 3 years since moving in – tidy it up, keep it tidy and use it more

8. SLIMMING – I joined Sl*mm*ing W@rld in May 2008 weighing in at 20 st 4½ lbs at 6 ft tall. Quite quickly, I got that down to 12 st 11½ lbs making a loss of 7 st 7 lbs and reaching my target, making it to the Sl*mm*ng W@rld Man of the Year Semi-Finals/Finals in 2010, which I was delighted with, but started being naughty again, especially when the Boss is away up North with Mam so ill, and I am now well over my target weight. So my aim is to keep on track and get back down to target, as soon as I can

9. EXERCISE – other than walking the doggies, I haven’t been exercising as I should for some time now, so must start some exercising to aid the weight loss and to feel better in myself. We have a Vibration Plate which you stand on to exercise and it magnifies the effects of your movements, so must get back into the routine of using it, as it does work, plus my Iron Gym above-door kit, and TV exercise sessions too – lots to work with there

10. FINALLY – to work together with 3Dogs to achieve all our challenges, and to not let things get me down, TO BE POSITIVE and TO BE HAPPY

You may notice a common link to most of my challenges, in that I need the help and direction of my Better Half in compiling this list and in then completing the challenges – in fact, you may have already guessed that the Boss a.k.a. 3Dogs has typed these challenges up for me and posted them – well, she is the Boss after all!!! P.S. remember, she wrote this, not me!!

:beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer:

3Dogs

Well I got up in time and took Mr 3Dogs down to the car boot but came straight home again - it is collllllllddddd out there, foggy as we drove to town along riverside road, but no frost

As you see, I have opened the new thread, so look forward to seeing you all here later :j Gonna get on with some washing and work now, tarra :cool:

frugaliciousness

Morning 3Dogs

I'm sorry to read that your palpatations are still only being investigated. It's gone on for so long now.

Oooh challenges. I'm going to hang around and wait till new year to post some challenges I think. I've had so many changes that anything I set previously would just be so far from what is going on. I've changed my degree for a start and my final vocation in life but I won't bore you at this early hour.

I think for me the best change is I'm pretty much a happier person. Hardly any really low points now although I still get the panicky/frantic feeling whizzing in my head but no more panic attacks other than I was electrocuted during the rewire - which is hardly surprising!

Looking forward to chatting later, must dash - have puppy class! Have a good car boot 3Dogs

Morning to everyone when you wake up

frugaliciousness

ooooh you aren't 'booting, just being a chauffeur

3Dogs

frugaliciousness wrote: »

ooooh you aren't 'booting, just being a chauffeur

I will join in when I go down later ................ about 9 or 10 am ...... it should have warmed up a bit by then

Enjoy the puppy class Froogs

steviehants

Morning gang...:j

Yes its certainly cold outside this morning. Nice to see youve opened a new thread Susan:D

3Dogs

Morning Bonnie Lad - it is cold ain't it? winter on it's way

boultdj

Happy New Thread,3Dogs,and baggsie the seat in the corner,so I can keep my leg away from the dog's.
Well my challange's have changed-mainly due to the leg,so here go's and yes you can nag or boot up the 'arris,as the mood dictate's

1. Start meal planning
2. Face my fear,and do shopping on the internet I want a nail biteing smiley
3.Lose weight
4. Exercise more just not gym work:eek: till the memory of the pain goes
5. Plan what I'm going to grow next year,so far got tom's,potatoe's, chillie's,runner bean's,courgette's yellow one's so I can find 'em spinich, pea's and think I will have another go at turnip

6.Use the Wii more,got the sport's resort and basic sport,so no excuse not to exercise

7. Learn how to use a computor properly,instead of my self taught bodge job.

8. Get fit and well for that half marathon my friend challanged[nagged] me in to doing with her it's for bowel cancer research

9. Enter more compertion's.

Can't think of anything else yet,so will leave it at that.

steviehants

3Dogs wrote: »

Morning Bonnie Lad - it is cold ain't it? winter on it's way

Hiya Susan, Yes winter is certainly on its way.. Brrrrrrr:mad: