My Debt Diary, the ramblings of JCD

JCD_Capulet

I didn't get around to it, no. whilst doing other things when I come home, I'll just fill in the test and send it off anyway. och, you only get what you deserve, so they say.

hypno06

Yes, but you didn't deserve to lose that data, so you should, in my mind, still give yourself a fair crack at it!

Hope that the family stuff doesn't get you down too much this week. Sending hugs your way x

pania

Hey JCD sorry to hear things are getting to you hon, i soooo know the family thing! Be there for your family, but don't become overly involved, you can't let yourself either physically or mentally get down about it as you have so many other things to be dealing with right now. Family is always a hard one to deal with so big hugs to you with it.

Great news about the listing stuff. but grrr to the postage! had one recently where i put the wrong blinkin addy on it and it get sent back, had to pay two lots of postage which worked out more than the blinkin thing cost in the first place!! hey we live and learn.

Really sorry about the aqa stuff hon, maybe it's trying to tell you theres better out there?! Big hugs xxx

JCD_Capulet

Thanks ladies

Hmm update, what to say?
So far, selling outside of Ebay is turning out easier than I expected. I've had four sales so far which have earned me £24.61 after paypal takes its bit off. I don't mind the paypal fees alone really. I went to post the package I sold on sunday, today. As soon as I put my BIG TOE out the front door I got battered with rain! Soaked to the bone for a proffit of 25p. It's still 25p though, right?

It's not like I'm too proud or anything, not at all. If I see a penny on the ground, yeah I'll pick it up and put it in my bleach bottle when I get home. I spied two glass Irn-Bru bottles the other day, empty and just sitting beside a bus shelter. I was on my way to the shop to buy tobacco so nabbed them and took them with me. They still give you a deposit back (20p per glass bottle, redeemable for items, not cash) so I managed 40p off my £2.55 1/2oz bag of white drum. Popped the 40p diference in my 5p's bleach bottle.

I got a letter from Scottish power saying the following:
Balance on your account before this bill - £297.45
Your Electricity charges - £32.04
Other charges - £25
Vat - £1.60.
Your total now due is £338.09

What 'other' charges exactly? On the second page of the bill it goes on to say:
An electricity prepayment meter has been installed at your home.
Your meter is set to collect a fixed charge of £6.15 per week, this consists of:

• the standing charge of £1.16
• the debt recovery rate of £5

In addition, the meter will collect payment for the electricity you use. If you insert enough credit into your meter each week, we expect your debt of £479.13 will be paid by 05/06/09. Please note that due to a difference in the calculation periods there may be a slight variation between this debt and the value of the balance on your bill.

YOU'RE NOT BLOODY KIDDING, ARE YOU MATE?!
That's a diference of £141.04! I can afford putting in £10 per week to the meter, £6.16 of it I get no use of, £3.84 to last me a WEEK and they're admiting that their paperwork might be b@llsed up to the tune of an extra £141.04 ontop of that I already owe?! They'll be whistling dixie once I'm off the phone from them today. Jeeso!

Anyway! I've had no option but to make a listing on the dreaded FEE-bay. The places I've been advertising my old New Rock biker boots (which were about £110 brand new five years ago and have been worn four times, if that.) just don't seem to have the buyers. So I've listed them upon the Site-O-Manyfees where I know they'll sell. I'm looking to make at least £40 for them after fees. Fingers crossed. I also put up a bundle of the makeup I got from the poundshop for next to nothing (hopefully another £10 there) and cheekily I listed my tesco money off clothes vouchers that I recieved in the post. I've seen theese vouchers for £26 off, selling for around £2.50. Again, if they go, it's more pennies for theese MUPPETS at Scottish Power.

A number of days ago I spied some really healthy looking blackberry and raspbery bushes on the path home from the local ASDA. Growing wild of course, not in anyones garden (infact, they're on a hill just off a main road). I've been thinking about going along for a midnight picking and taking some home to freeze. But at the same time, if I switch my freezer back on it will also chew down my £3 odds electricity per week. *fumes* I wouldn't take too many, maybe a small tupperware dish or two. I'd feel too guilty about taking too many since the birds and animals who'll need the berries to sustain them have even less in this world than I do. Jesus H! I even worry about the wildlife not having enough food, *makes note on post-it, refill the garden feeder with more summer grain for the birds*

That's pretty much all I can think of for now....
Time for bed with a book by candle light.

HAHAHA! That just reminded me of a Lee Evans sketch. Talking about his wifes utter love of candles he said "Turn the F*cking lights on Luv! I'm not Charles-Bloody-Dickins!"
That's me that is! :rotfl:

G'night y'all x

hypno06

Morning JCD, I hope you manage to get the electricity people sorted today - £141 is a huge difference :mad: Good luck too with the ebay listings

As for the blackberries - we stumbled across some blackberry bushes and some wild plum trees at the weekend. We picked plenty for us, but there were still loads left behind. so i would say go pick - don't wait until midnight, others will go and pick in broad daylight, it is very acceptable to do!!

Even if you just get a handful to enjoy over the next day or so, it will be fruit, free, and delicious x

Seaxwyn

Joanne that is outrageous from Scottish Power - 'extra charges'? daylight robbery more like.

Give them what for, then go ou and pick those blackberries and get yourself a blast of free vitamin C. There will be more than enough for the birds inside the bushes out of your reach so don't feel bad about taking all you can. They only get ruined when it rains anyway so there's a short window for deserving beasties, human and otherwise, to feast on them.

I thought of you last night when I walked along the road and peered into my neighbours' recycling boxes. I got a Hello Magazine and a Harpers Bazaar, which made interesting breakfast reading this morning but I don't think they're worth listing on feebay.

pania

HI JCD, I have to admit i so admire your resourcefulness! good for you! Keep an eye on the freebies and grabbit board, I've just got 3 full size bottles of No 7 foundation for £2.50+£2 postage!! those will be sold asap. also got some free sim cards to try my luck with, hey £1 each better than what i sold them for! (what site do you put them on hope you don't mind me asking?)
Can't believe that about scottish power that is awful!!! bless you. How can they be so damn incompetent and think you won't mind! grrrr!! You go girl!

Re the berries, think of all the possibilities, Blackberry crumble, blackberry jam and hypno's fav blacberry vodka! YAY!! so don't worry about the lil birdies, they've got ants!! and go grab em! xxx

JCD_Capulet

'Morning ladies, thanks for the comments x
Seaxwyn, it makes me smile that my scavenging is rubbing off on other folk! Maybe I was a Womble in a past life :rotfl:

I phoned Scottish power, they said the £25 is there because I had blokies come to my door to fit my meter. The girl on the phone also said the £141 is charges incurred for Scottish power obtaining a Warrent to gain access to my flat (if I wasn't home) and also for the installation of the payment meter. GNARR!

So my £300 clear a debt challenge has jumped by over £100. This just means I'll need to try to find more ways of bringing home pennies (litterally. Ooh! And I found 5p, 2x2p and 1p outside this morning when I was putting the bin out! hahaha!).

Pania, I'll PM you the livejournal community info where I sell. Because it's a closed community the moderators, once recieved an application to join, decide if you're in or not. I'm not sure how they do this, or what they look for, but I'll show you anyway x

Gotta go do things now. xxx
Y'all have a good day x

immoral_angeluk

Have you tried in your car and sofa? Any old handbags/purses hanging around? Checked inside the seal of the washing machine??? Any shops with £1 per trolley thingys that you can go stalk in case anyone leaves their £1 in?

Can you tell I was also a womble in a past life? :rotfl:

JCD_Capulet

immoral_angeluk wrote: »

Have you tried in your car and sofa? Any old handbags/purses hanging around? Checked inside the seal of the washing machine??? Any shops with £1 per trolley thingys that you can go stalk in case anyone leaves their £1 in?

Can you tell I was also a womble in a past life? :rotfl:

Hello you
I don't have a car (can't drive 'legally' yet), I've already emptied all the old handbags and purses because I'm selling thoose off and I've lost SO MUCH in my washing machine! There is a 9ct yellow and white gold diamond earing in there that I don't know how to get out. It's not in the seal, I check that all the time, so I want to find out how to get to it without further wrecking my non-spinning machine. The town where I live (it's more of a large village really) has an asda, and yep, I've stalked the trollies before.

Because I'm self-training as a taxidermist, I take a black bag, rubber gloves, dust mask and seceteurs EVERYWHERE with me. I knever know when I'm going to be lucky enough to find a wee critter (I only ever lift roadkill/deceased wildlife) and believe me, theese things are handy to have! Ages ago there was a couch out for collection by the clensing Dept, it was lying on its back.....very handy. I gave the underside lining a casual *kick* and heard *ching*! So I cut a line in the the lining and scooped £3 odds in lost change The rubber gloves were very handy because I don't think the couch came from a very hygenic household *remembers the bananna*.

HA! I'm quite sure folk around my way are too scared to stand still incase I have a root through their pockets! :rotfl: