Mr and Mrs K's New Journey to a Debt Free Life.

AlexLK

:rotfl: You shall never know, my dear.

AlexLK

Here goes, I think you may all enjoy this one ....:

Thursday 3rd October, 2013.
Day 32.

Dear Diary,

On this day, for the first time in my entire life, I began to wonder if I was turning into something of a "socialist".

I had the opportunity to talk to a woman picking her son up from nursery at the same time as I, we began to talk to despite her less than educated appearance, for me to find she was in fact articulate and more educated than I. She's on benefits as she cares for her very ill husband, I hesitate to say terminal as I am not sure this is the case, anyhow he's ill and they've got a three year old that my son seems to be getting on well with. I realised that I am (still) rather privileged, after embarrassingly telling her to visit the "bank of mum and dad" only to be told they were surviving on a state pension in rented accommodation. Which leads me onto my jolt of guilt, making me wonder if my own political views are particularly fair and of what I would have done in her position, the honest truth being I wouldn't have done anything different and would have been living on benefits too. I also realise had I not been on this site, my "previous self" would not have even said "Hello", this evening and I am rather ashamed of that, I must admit.

Well, that was very difficult for me to write, so onto the debt-busting activities it is; I have had a look through a couple of piles in the spare room and fished out a few hundred pounds worth to go on eBay, not a lot admitted but still, I've done it and not my wife. We have also agreed to let our son's baby clothes go. However, we not sure whether to eBay them or take them to a charity shop instead? My wife even told me that she felt happier about "us" now than she has for a long time, even if she did warn I was on my last chance, it was still rather nice.

Summary:
+£25.00 Music teaching.
-£3.80 Coffee

Yours Faithfully,
Alex.

boo2410

What a lovely diary entry Alex, it's amazing how we perceive people and then they are totally different (we're all guilty of that at some point). It takes all sorts and I think you are beginning to realise that now. You know what they say, never judge a book and all that!!

If your sons clothes won't fetch much money on eBay (depending on what they are of course) how about seeing if there is a local Homestart Charity near you who may be able to give them to a really needy family.

Oh, one more thing, good on you for having dinner out, you've done so much in such a short space of time you all deserved it - just don't make a habit of it :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Iwillsucceed_2

Hello Alex!!

Hahaha!! Uffff I have so many things to tell you :-) but I cannot stop laughing at your assumption that we might be happy with your last post because you spoke to errr who? Hahaha people are just people regardless of what they are wearing :-)
By the way, how do you feel speaking to that lady? Who has not contagiated you with anything other than injecting a bit of change in your paridigma?

Galley girl has been wonderfull in rewording your comment in a more positive way but you still insist 'you wish it was your life' who's life we are reading then? Come on! Can you make me (us) a favour? Give yourself a tap on your shoulder!!! Grrrr!! You have been doing very well!!

Regars,

LannieDuck

You could try selling the baby clothes at a local NCT sale. Otherwise I've heard Facebook selling pages or bundles on ebay are quite good.

But you won't get £100s for them (unless they're designer...?), so if you have other more valuable items to concentrate on, it may be best to be charitable. Someone on another thread was suggesting that women's shelters are always grateful for children's clothes.

Iwillsucceed_2

Alex!!

Hahaha! It is not that I am picking on your last post to make a joke out of it but it is thought provoking! So you thought you might be turning into a socialist due to your bravery to talk to another being of the human kind kingdom? Not everyone on the welfare system are socialists, nor everyone of what you consider to be 'not of a good appereance are either...

Perhaps when you become a minimalist? Or you consider standing up to consumerism, capitalism? I don't even know myself what is to be socialist, humanist, left or right win hahaha but I do understand of human kindness!! :-) sometimes, I have this deep impression that your childhood was really wrapped in cotton wool!
Unlike your interaction with little K!! I was happy to read that you are exploring more often the outdoors with him! Enjoying the walks? You said in one post that you had such a good time! That I imagined you letting out your own inner child to be free!! Why not!! Also, I think it is not just me and I dare to say we are all happy little K is going to the nursery! Life is not easy, our journeys on our paths are not smooth, life fluctuates! You had your lows and ups but you are still on the journey and moving forward!! Great!!

mum2one

I'm glad things are on the up, as for Little K clothes if there labelled then you should have a good chance on ebay, other items have you thought of joining your local facebook group, some have seperate kids clothes groups.

Glad Little K enjoying nursery, u take care xxxxx

AlexLK

In response:

boo: Thank you, I am trying. No idea on son's clothes, none were "cheap". However, we are aware that no body would give a lot of money for used baby clothes. Some are unused, however. No idea if we have a local "Home Start" or not.

Iwillsucceed: Well, that's me told. No, I didn't "catch" anything and I'm rather ashamed of myself.

Lannie: No idea what a NCT sale is? Most are "named". Also no idea if there are any women's shelters in the sleepy little villages of Derbyshire.

Iwillsucceed: Hello again! I suppose in many ways you are right. I was not allowed to socialise with certain other children, the example I remember most profoundly was a boy I became friends with at a residential orchestra invited me to a sleepover. However, my parents would not let me go due to him being an "undesirable influence". As I mentioned on here before, my parents considered Mrs. K. to be a bad choice mostly due to her background.

I'm just trying to do all I can to be a good father to my son, as I will be unable to provide the type of opportunities my parents provided me with. Yet, I do enjoy it most of the time.

mum2one: Thank you and he's loving nursery.

Igamogam

AlexLK wrote: »

Lannie: No idea what a NCT sale is? Most are "named". Also no idea if there are any women's shelters in the sleepy little villages of Derbyshire.

NCT : National Childbirth Trust - there will be a local branch - might be worth looking them up. Most branches have a good social network and activities going on to support parents with young children. Dads are very welcome. They try very hard to reach out to all parents from all walks of life but if it is anything like my local branch it appeals to, dare I say it, middle class educated families.................worthy cause nonetheless and my closest circle of friends are those who I met through the NCT when I first joined up more than 20 years ago:)

Here is link to NCT in Derbyshire and more specifically your area??

Its not all antenatal classes and yoga BTW. A good branch will have other things going on as well!

And finally .........you would be surprised where womens refuges are located.

7roland8

Great on all your efforts so far Alex - but do you realise how pompous this sounds:
'I had the opportunity to talk to a woman picking her son up from nursery at the same time as I, we began to talk to despite her less than educated appearance,'

Isn't the mark of a gentleman the fact that he can talk to a pauper or a prince in the same way?

Also it reminds me of reading of Keano Reeve going round with his shoes fastened with parcel tape - now he could afford new ones but was not concerned.