Vegan, Bipolar and in Debt.

Jox

Hugs to you, I'm sorry you are having a hard time xx

Florence_J

Oh EvKizzy,

I hope everything clears up (easier said then done).

I was thinking about my own situation today. A year ago if my OH asked me to pick up something (e.g. milk) after work, it would cause a panic in me. Because unless it was payday that day, it was very likely that i would have to put that on my CC, or rummage through my bag for change, or buy a smaller size than we needed. Often to find out if my CC still had money on it or if I had gone over I would try to buy something small, like a 40p pack of chewing gum, on a self service machine.

I can't tell you how many times I couldn't even buy that. As i had gone over my limit on my credit cards. Usually within days of paying the minimum payment.

Every time i used to make a payment by card at a till i would say 'Oh, it's a new card, it may not work as I can't remember if i've activated it yet' This was a lie. I would say this every time I bought something at a till because I was so in debt, so out of my depth, and so terrible with money that I would do a little silent prayer that the transaction would go through.

I'm not saying you are as bad with money as i was, or that you were/are as stupid with money as I was. What I am saying is the key word is WAS.

I haven't missed a debt payment all year.

I haven't been overdrawn in my bank account since January 1st.

If my OH asks me to pick up milk I can go and buy it, without putting it on a credit card or coming back empty handed because I had no money in any account and I just hadn't realised it.

Things are tough at the moment. You have so much to contend with. For people like you and me getting out of debt is a small part of the battle because we also have to take our mental health into account. We want to put the debt first, but sometimes we have to put our health first.

There is no shame in buying groceries on a CC. You need to eat!!! I memorably once bought a YS loaf of bread on a credit card as I didn't have 35p in my bank account.

To paraphrase a quote from Batman/a Mamas and Papas song, It is always darkest before dawn, but dawn is coming.

I wish you a happy birthday tomorrow. x

crazy_cat_lady

You'll get there - hang on and don't give up. Lots of love to you.

doingitanyway

Thinking of you and wishing you well

K9sandFelines

How are you dear?
Has your group disappeared from Facebook? Cannot find it!

Hope you are well

evkizzy

Apologies for another looong absence. I’ve been in Hospital. Daylight hallucinations and full blown psychosis. My partner and I decided that it was best to remove me from social media for a while (I guess that deactivated the page). I’ve just reactivated it.

I’m getting the help I need soon. I have an appointment with the charity Mind to start a course of therapy for dealing with bipolar in everyday life (in January). I have been referred back to secondary care after 5 years of not being taken seriously that I’m struggling. It’s so frustrating sometimes to think it has to get so out of control for me to access the services I need.

Debt wise. I have a meeting set up in the next 2 weeks to get help with debt as well as being in touch with Possitive Assets (a service to help people with disabilities get back into work. At this point I just need a job.

My dad is still paying me back in tiny drips (£30 a week- most weeks). With no income I’ve been paying only the minimum on my CCs and OD. My partner has agreed That he can put £50 a month towards my loan if I can find the other £150. So far I have been cashing out swag bucks, cash back apps and given him ALL of my birthday money. So I didn’t get a single present but then I didn’t get into more debt.

My dad (also poor and living in Gibraltar) has paid my flights £50 return to go see him for a week over Christmas. I’ve not seen him since he moved out there in July/August? time. This way I don’t have to see the rest of my family so I can get away with a tiny hamper. I bought 7x (accidentally vegan) drumsticks/refreshers/love hearts sweet tubs (89p each from Savers), a bottle of red wine (£3.60 on one Jordon Cox’s tips) & a bottle of Cava (£3.50 JC tip off) which they can share on Christmas day. So my Christmas spend is at an all time low and wasn’t bought on CC. I have a beard oil for my brother and an adult colouring book for my sister. Just need something around £1-2 from my other brother and sister and I’m done.

I bought my partner a really expensive birthday/anniversary/christmas gift in September so I’ll probably buy some small bits for him to open - as It’ll be our first Christmas apart in 6 years.

I think only have my best friend to buy for and we’ll probably get a Groupon and go for a massage or other pamper session together in the New year.

My focus right now is doing everything I can to scrape money together for next months loan (goes out on the 10th Dec) I’m up to £30 of the £150 I need.

I got a new mobile (desperately needed and justifiable as I couldn’t use my apps on old one so now I’ve access to moneysaving tools.. and signed up to Tesco Xtras which means I suffer annoying advert pop-ups on my mobile to get £3 a month off my bill to make it a reasonable and manageable £20 a month. It came with a free gift so I chose £70 to spend on Google Playstore so my partner can have that in exchange for the £65 I owe him for my half of Minky’s vet bill, being wiped. I’m literally selling everything I can live without that isn’t nailed down to stay a float.

I hope you guys are well and smashing debts. I’ve missed being on here.

crazy_cat_lady

Hope you're doing as ok as you can be. Pleased to hear that there's lots going on progress wise as well. Good luck!

Florence_J

I'm glad you're back. I was concerned. x

Jox

Missed you evkizzy, you're more organised than I am for Christmas. Take care:)

K9sandFelines

Oh evkizzy you are having a right time of it aren't you. At least you have your trip to your Dad's to look forward to over Christmas, and mostly knowing that the majority of your gifts are done and dusted and then your referral.coming up in January.

I have been bumbling along using all my spare cash for my young daughter who on Good Friday came home and told us she was pregnant. Also, helping with stuff for their house, as they managed to find a little rental (her and her bf). So just this last week I became a nanna.

Nothing else new to report, except I have two more cats now as well. How is your cat evkizzy?

I have missed your posts too. Hope to see you back on Facebook when you are feeling up to it, and here