Im not going to be an Ostrich anymore (or in short F1s debt diary)

Box_of_Fluffies

Hi F1, welcome to the world of MSE diaries. I recently started one and find that writing stuff down is a great help and of course, you'll get lots of support from people who know exactly what you're going through.

f1widow

Right am here for a waffle ....

Have not had a room hunt for money today (yet)
Had a thought last night I needed to have a stock take and do a meal planner and then saw that others do that to0.
Have not been physically productive today - verbally i have! - lots of phone calls enquiring about different things and making sure information I have or been given is correct - as yes yesterdays info was wrong:mad: My ESA claim will not be stopped in 12 months (well at the moment anyway) the government want to stop people being on benefits for any length of time (I understand this) but was so anxious and worried as my problems are not going away in the foreseeable future (I wish they would as I dont want to be like this / in pain etc and dont want it for my family) but if you are in the Support Group there are no plans to have a time limit "as yet". phew a little less worried there.

Also started my SOA but soon realised that could not complete as I dont have the final figures on my debts the Council Money Advisor does - so rang and had a good long chat with them - that made me feel better about things - and they are going to type up and send out - great!

I have also been mentally whiring around ideas - if, like the cash I have accumulated yesterday - what do I with it? - collect it up and then when we have a chunk pay off a debt? or pay it off as I accumulate it (obviously Im way ahead here) - then there is DS's secondary school uniform to buy this year have to plan for that as I understand this is expensive and as he has had no holiday for about 6 years (bad mother alert here) we had said he could go on the school trip for a week so I need to finish paying for this (luckily we have been paying in instalments - which is very good of the school) - head is full at the moment so have been writing stuff / ideas down - am very fired up the last few days (unfortunately for me my energy levels can dramatically drop so must be good and not peak too early :rotfl:)

I told Mr F1 that I could save us hundreds each year .and make money ........ he said wow you are good at this from day one - I explained that with the clothes for cash scheme all our clothes would be sent to them - thus saving washing powder, electricity (ironing & washing machine) etc and we would make money as well - he said this was fine in theory and Ok for me to be in the birthday suit at home but school and work may have something to say :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:- he then explained this does not get me off the ironing pile which has become a danger to health and could fall at any time!

Joking aside about laundry Ive typed up the letters for DH to get back some tax rebate on his work uniform laundry - print off and get him to sign later.

Now Ive typed that lot up I dont feel like Ive actually achieved nothing after all - there are a few bits there! - may pop back later

PinotGrigio41

Dont get me started on the ironing, you will probably have seen from my Diary its been a hot topic this past week or so ! Your Cash for Clothes idea made me laugh. I do use them, but only for things not worth selling on ebay. You dont get much for your huge sack after they have picked through what is and isnt acceptable. But anything is better than nothing ! My last sack fetched £7.08 pence, not much, but it all goes in the pot.

Of course you have achieved things today, you have made lists , notes in your head and on your diary of your ideas and plans. All that is very worthwhile. Re the cash accumulated, as you said what to do with it ? I would be inclined to stash the cash, so that you have some money aside for school uniform etc and unforseen circumstances. If you find you accumulate enough in the future you could make an offer of an F&F to a creditor. Personally I wouldnt use it to pay addiditional money to your creditors particuarly after you have a repayment plan in place . That could get them thinking that you actually have more spare cash than you are leading them to believe and could request an increase in payments. Again, just my opinion, someone else may given you very different advice.

You mentioned previous contact with CCCS. As I said I found their debt remedy tool very helpful, and would definitely use it initially, but we chose not to use CCCS inthe end. We have used CASHflow, pretty new and not every so well known, but so far all is going well . Its more or less the same as CCCS, but you have a more personal involvement with your creditors , which we wanted, so it depends if you are up for that. Just another thought to throw in the mix.

Anyway sounds like you are doing really well today ! Keep it up !

chalky_75

Well I just want to pop in and say how much I admire you F1 for facing your demons and being brave enough to sort things out. And for anyone who is reading this diary I have personal experience from another thread that this lovely lady has the kindest and most considerate nature and I hope you get lots of support and gradually things improve for you xx

PinotGrigio41

chalky_75 wrote: »

Well I just want to pop in and say how much I admire you F1 for facing your demons and being brave enough to sort things out. And for anyone who is reading this diary I have personal experience from another thread that this lovely lady has the kindest and most considerate nature and I hope you get lots of support and gradually things improve for you xx

Chalky thats a really lovely post. I bet that made F1 shed a tear or to. We will make sure that she gets all the support she needs here. x

f1widow

Hi well I have had a very emotional few days mainly from the kindness my lovely friends over on "Knit your Share" forum have shown - its just a shame its virtual kindness - we live in all different directions - Ive even been offered more wool if I get short of pennies - its strange that out of just one other "real" friend and my Mother In Law its actually only my virtual friends who have shown any real support (sorry real friend and MIL but thats the truth!) - thats another reason why Ive decided to ramble on here - some around me are as helpful as a chocolate fireguard:D
Secondly on day four I have had a few tears a couple of letters came today - nothing different to normal but it showed how long we have had one of the debts for and I realised that we have been so silly - it should have been paid off this year - so we have doubled if not tripled the length of time it should be paid in!
Anyway I must stop as I cant afford to replace my computer through water damage :rotfl:

1. I found 68p on money hunt - so that now in pot
2. An elderly friend has kindly told me about "Marmade" - makes 6lb marmalade - you need one bag of sugar - Marmade is 1.48 plus 99p sugar - she says it tastes lovely and she would normally buy the more expensive marmalade - Im not sure whether it works out better / cheaper than a value marmalade though - but I could have a couple of jars and a couple could be used as gifts or bottle gifts for school - something to think about
3. Meant to tell you about https://www.offeroasis.co.uk - its worth a couple of clicks every day so far Ive had some Olay Regenerist, 2 mini tubes of toothpaste, sample biscuits, BB Cream samples, and shower gel- the way I look at it is that you can store all these little samples etc up and could be classed as a treat for you for free - one of our sample toothpastes covered us until payday one week

Plus sadly I felt a little disheartened by the news that my lovely sister is having an extension and whilst Im not really jealous I realise that my inability not to be good with money has made our lives so very different (oh and the fact she married a well off fella whereas I married a not so well off one:rotfl:) and I always worry that at 40 will we ever have a place of our own etc

Sorry Im whinging! Tomorrow is another day & another dollar

Oh by the way I meant to ask when you have all said try CCCS etc Im a bit unsure whether they are different from the Money Advisor that Im using - Money Advisor is from our local DIstrict Council - Ive been given his services due to my health issues and using the services of a support organisations - he is pretty much like National Debtline (from the things he has asked and dealt with) but my own personal advisor - he deals with my creditors, advises on benefits, etc explains for want of a better word any loopholes - in our area Welfare Rights had there budget for benefits/financial advisor cut from the Council and they now employ there own advisor which is him - so think I dont want to jeoperdise my relationship with him by going to CCCS or confuse things for that matter - but please tell me if Im wrong

Well this is a really long post so im sorry but its off my chest now
Hope all the rest of you have had a good day x

hp48910

An extension may be way off for now but don't forget to count ALL your small achievements. Joining us on here is a big start, We're here now and will still be here when you need help picking curtains for YOUR extension ;O)

Box_of_Fluffies

Hi F1

Just popping in for a catch up. You've been very busy in the past few days. It if were me I would save any extra cash to pay for your son's school uniform, having just had to buy one for DS2 I know they're not cheap.

Updating your diary and making lists will help to keep you focussed, but I'm sure you already know that.

chalky_75

Just popping in to ask whether you have joined YouGov--- By answering questionnaires you can rack up enough money to get sent £50! I am on the second cheque now .It does take a while but costs nothing and you also do get the chance of winning a monthly prize -- a friend of mine won the £250 prize.
Keep on keeping on has to be the answer and little by little there will be more clinks of pennies and chinks of that light at the end of the tunnel-- You can not turn around now because so many lovely people here are rooting for you!

chevalier

Hi there
Well done on realising you had a problem, and starting to deal with it. Better now than when you are 50:eek:

Ref DS uniform, a) does all of it have to be label stuff from the school or can you get bits from Asda or similar? b) Is he going there in September because if so you can maybe squirrel away some money for this, plus you could get a uniform list now so you know how much it actually is. Also if he is not going til September, I would go in at the end of the last term, and ask about their second hand stuff. They may not advertise the fact that they have one but I bet they do. As you are in receipt of benefits I am sure they would help (different schools have different policies on who can access the second hand stuff).

Also keep an eye out on freecycle just in case some gets offered on there for free.

here is the link to the SOA generator

http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

If you format it for MSE then you can copy and paste it onto this thread. That way you will know what your income outgoings really are.

Obviously we don't know how debilitating your conditions are, but would you be able to complete surveys online? If so then there are plenty of survey sites out there, which you get money or points towards vouchers.

I am not allowed to give referral links here, but if you would like some links then pm me
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