Life Overhaul Mission begins

moneymakestheworldgoround

Hello,

Not sure if anyone will really be interested in my diary or if I am even going to get anywhere with it, but I feel I need to write it down or I will never get anywhere.

Brief summary:

• Single Mum
• 4 kids ranging from 2 years to 14 years
• Rented accommodation
• Car worth £400
• No savings or investments

Have been self employed since December 2011 and in a relationship but we both had debts and the repayments we were making we not making a dent at all. Split with partner July 2012, then suffered from depression and diagnosed with bi-polar. I have not worked for 2 months because I just can't face doing anything. Have an appointment to see doctor next week to amend medication to see if this can help me get back on track healthwise and mentally.

Youngest was due to start nursery next month and I have been clinging onto that as I know my work time could have increased dramatically, but the school have just refused to take her due to her having PICA. She has a hospital appointment next month so the specialists may be able to help me further with this issue but I am assuming at the moment she will not be going to nursery or any child care facility.

Youngest needs constant attention so working during the day is not possible now I am on my own. Kids all in bed by 8.30pm but then I have mountains of washing up, hoovering and housework to do. I used to stay up until 5am working whilst the kids were in bed, but I do not have the motivation or inner strength to do this at the moment. I am normally in bed by 10pm now.

So I need a complete life overhaul. Debts total £18,000. All on reduced payments I have negotiated ( I used to work in debt recovery myself - how ironic!) My income presently is £442 a month without any self employment, my outgoings are £1750 !

Previously I was earning around £1500 - £2000 a month but this was supporting 2 adults and 4 kids and full debt repayments for both mine and my partner's debts. Now I have organised reduced payments for just me (because he's gone) but I have no income!

Child Tax Credit was being paid but stopped in August 2012 due to an investigation. They have never investigated or explained what I need to do and I have tried to contact them several times asking for more information but no one seems to be able to help. I have now sent a recorded delivery letter giving them a timescale to respond.

I have done a SOA but there is no point posting it at the moment because my main issue is getting an income coming in. With all the best will in the world, I dont think MSErs can get my expenditure from £1750 to £442!

So this diary is just a public declaration that I will sort this mess out and I recognise I need to do some drastic changes to my life and finances. I will do it.

moneymakestheworldgoround

Ok I have been thinking since I posted this and I can clearly see now the issues. The main one is getting my working life back. Or it is go on benefits, which I really don't want to do so I need to get my act together. Plain and simple. So mini action plan of babysteps:

This weekend - earn £20
Week 1 ( ending October 21st) - earn £50
Week 2 (ending October 28th) - earn £60
Week 3 (ending November 4th) - earn £75
Week 4 (ending November 11th) - earn £100

This may seem pathetic but it might be the baby steps I need to just do a few hours and get back into the swing of it. I am highly competitive so I am likely to want to smash any targets I set anyway.

[Deleted User]

Best of luck with your Debt Busting.

Dxxx

moneymakestheworldgoround

Thanks Dollyrocker,

I am feeling great today so I was hoping that I could use that enthusiasm for work purposes but in my true style, I have decided to clean the kitchen from top to bottom instead I have a beautiful kitchen but I have avoided doing any work successfully.

So I need to get a grip basically.

If I read my posts as if it was someone elses diary, my comments would be

* you need an income. Plain and simple. If you absolutely dont want to go on benefits, the only other option is to work. So pull your finger out and do it.

Thats it in a nutshell isnt it?

The debts are my focus, but work and an income is much more important at this moment in time.

moneymakestheworldgoround

Well, went to withdraw CB today and due to a glitch in the system, they could only give me £50 So did a thrifty day of shopping. Got home to a card with £120 in the post from the ex so made my day!

'Won' £3 on £3's worth of scratchcards. Exchanged for £3 and 'won' £3. Think someone is trying to tell me not to play them

Paid the kids school dinner bill off which has been hanging around for 3 months, some £ to Provident and got some electric. Still have the cash in the bank I cant access easily so will try and pay another bill with that.

moneymakestheworldgoround

Plan today is to do 4 jobs. All about 30 mins each so I will start at 7pm and try and get the motivation to do these. I really need to get over this hurdle I have built up.

K - 30 mins
K2- 30 mins
L - 30 mins
G - 30 mins

I have to get these done today. Or else

[Deleted User]

Hi mmtwgr,

Love the username

Happy new diary, hope you don't mind if I tag along? x

Fudgefund

Hi MMTWGR

I am also diagnosed as Bi-polar and I know how hard it can be on off days to even get out of bed, so well done on supporting four children, that's amazing!

I know you say you don't want to claim benefits, but if your youngest needs constant attention during the day, wouldn't that be the best plan, even short term? I'm not sure otherwise how you'd fit in work or what would happen if your moods changed. I hope at least you claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, you can claim if you have no income/self employed income and maintenance payments from the ex are not included in your income.

I was on medication which was not helping at all, but I've now been put on Venlafaxine and feel a million times better so make sure you're firm with your GP.

I've found getting my life back together is all about the baby steps - I will subscribe and check in on you, hopefully you'll be running soon!

beanielou

Im going to be blunt.
With the amount of debt you have & your lack of income I think you need to have a serious think about going bankrupt.
Then at least you dont have the worry of the debt & can concentrate on becoming well again.
Take care.

Do you claim DLA for your daughter?

moneymakestheworldgoround

Hi Purplemumof2 - the more the merrier. I need all the help I can get

Fudgefund - I dont claim anything. The lady in the Jobcentre put me off because she said with 4 kids I could be set for years and if I could pop another one out when my youngest is 4, I could get another few years paid for too. She worked it all out on the computer job versus benefits and said there you go, it pays not to work. It horrified me so I kind of decided not to claim anything. This was before the bipolar diagnosis and my daughters PICA so I may well reconsider.

Beanielou - I havent looked into DLA for my daughter. I have shunned all benefits so I dont know much about DLA - I will have a look later to see what it is/involves.

I did consider bankruptcy 2 weeks ago,rang the courts for advice and read up about it all, but I still think I can do this. If I can build up my income then I will be fine. If I cant, then I think bankruptcy is a serious option. So thank you for that. I did ring the CCCS and they advised me against bankruptcy and said pay token payments for the long term.

Be as blunt as you like - I have been surrounded by yes people who adore me for most of my life and I really really need people around me that will tell me the truth, however blunt. Doesnt mean I want people to be rude, but telling something to me straight won't offend me at all!

moneymakestheworldgoround

Well, lets be honest - it probably will offend me, but its what I need right now