Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

HairyHandofDartmoor

doingitanyway wrote: »

Thanks OBL for sharing. That is a great story. Well done. :T
HH once employers see your qualities they are bound to be impressed. Enjoy your coffee with your stepfather

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I'm a big believer in getting your foot in the door of a company however menial the job. It's not so easy these days to get the post you really want straight away. With lots of recent graduates having to resort to working in McDonalds (not that I'm belittling McD's, it's just not the type of job they spent 3 years at Uni for:eek:) any job is better than nothing with all this Brexit uncertainty. I don't think people who need rather than want a job can afford to be too fussy.


As you say, doingitanyway, once employers see HH's qualities they are bound to be impressed and internal promotion is more than likely to follow:j. A good, hardworking and loyal employee that they already know (like HH is sure to be) is often preferable to taking a chance on someone unknown with umpteen qualities on paper.

Nicnak wrote: »

Enjoy your coffee.

I agree with Carboot above. Someone will meet you and realise you are perfect for the company x

Thanks all of you . I hope you're right.

HairyHandofDartmoor

It was a bit soggy on the bus this morning and not that warm. A chilly drizzle has been falling all day :eek:. I had coffee with stepdad for an hour and a half (it's lucky he insists on paying ). Then we went our separate ways.

I posted a birthday card to my nephew with a ten pound note inside (I only give to under 18s when it comes to nieces or nephews). Then I bought a Christmas present for stepdad (Scottish calendar as he likes Scotland), stocked up on bananas and satsumas and came home.

Total spends today:
£2.40 bus
£10 nephew for birthday
£3 Scottish calendar
£1.52 fruit
TOTAL = £16.92

So a bit of a spendy day but no frivolous spends. I have to give my nephew something for his birthday no matter how poor I am because his mum (my sister) is dead. Poor little chap he was only eleven when she died .

I feel really tired and a bit rough now, I don't know why, so I'm on the sofa wrapped in a blanket and I may just stay here for the rest of the day. I hope I'm not coming down with another lurgy :eek:.

[Deleted User]

I hope you enjoyed your coffee with stepdad. It's lovely that you meet up with each other every Saturday and have the time for a leisurely chat. Sounds like it's good for both of you although I expect you talk about your Mum which makes you both very sad.


I'm not a happy bunny as our postman's just been with no reply to any of my settlement offers:mad:. I've got to wait until almost tea time on Monday before the next post will arrive:(. I remember from reading your diary in the very early days when you were on tenterhooks for so long waiting for the creditor who'd asked for the Doctor's letter. I might have to phone mine like you did but probably not until Monday now. I don't know if there'd be anyone senior enough to deal with settlements over the weekend. It's going to be a very long 2 days:(. I was quite content to slowly amble through my DMP days but now I'm almost at the end I'm so impatient:o


Hoping you're not coming down with anything. Try to take it easy, you've done plenty this week, and take care of yourself.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I need to do a review of who I need to give Christmas presents to and what I could get them, as I feel completely disorganized at the moment.

DH - Choc orange (£1), matchmakers (£1). BOUGHT
DS1- Choc orange (£1), matchmakers(£1), tin of oreos(£2.50). BOUGHT
DS2 - Choc orange(£1), matchmakers(£1), whisky gift set(£8). BOUGHT
DS3 - Choc orange(£1), matchmakers(£1), tin of oreos(2.50), craft beer gift set(£6). BOUGHT
STEPDAD - Scotland calendar(£3). BOUGHT
DAD -
STEPMUM -
STEPSISTER - Ceramic egg holder(£3). BOUGHT
DH BROTHER & WIFE 1 -
DH BROTHER & WIFE 2 -
NEPHEW 1 -
NEPHEW 2 -

IDEAS
Buy chocolate eggs to go in ceramic egg holder for stepsister. Buy charity shop books for stepdad, dad, stepmum, DH's brothers and nephews. It sounds mean but as we're so catastrophically short of money this year, I literally cannot afford to spend much on presents this year . So I thought a book from the charity shop may be better than nothing. I'll choose new looking books. Postage will be about £4 for two books, but if I can get the books for around a pound each then it would be very MSE.

For DS1, 2 and 3 I need to get them a bit more as they deserve a good Christmas, but there will be a strict limit on spending, maybe £30 each. DH and I won't get anything for each other (other than bargain chocs and maybe a charity shop book).

We also need to find money for food on Christmas day and boxing day. (So far have got two tins of roses and two packets of pringles - well it's a start ).

So I think I need to find £100 for all my Christmas presents. For Christmas food I'm hoping £50-£60 would easily cover it for the two days. Christmas for £160 wouldn't be bad would it? Very MSE :T :money:

please-let-me-be-lucky

Poundland have had some decent books recently. Might be worth a look? Not sure how old your nephews are, but was thinking particularly of them while I said that Xx

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I hope you enjoyed your coffee with stepdad. It's lovely that you meet up with each other every Saturday and have the time for a leisurely chat. Sounds like it's good for both of you although I expect you talk about your Mum which makes you both very sad.


I'm not a happy bunny as our postman's just been with no reply to any of my settlement offers:mad:. I've got to wait until almost tea time on Monday before the next post will arrive:(. I remember from reading your diary in the very early days when you were on tenterhooks for so long waiting for the creditor who'd asked for the Doctor's letter. I might have to phone mine like you did but probably not until Monday now. I don't know if there'd be anyone senior enough to deal with settlements over the weekend. It's going to be a very long 2 days:(. I was quite content to slowly amble through my DMP days but now I'm almost at the end I'm so impatient:o


Hoping you're not coming down with anything. Try to take it easy, you've done plenty this week, and take care of yourself.

It is nice meeting stepdad for coffee. We do talk about my mum a lot but it's nice to remember her.

I feel your impatience Carboot re your F&Fs, I was exactly the same. Why don't you ring them up on Monday? It could take weeks for them to write you a response and you'll have died of impatience by then. I think you're right that no decision makers will be around at the weekend. Have you paid the creditor who said yes yet?

HairyHandofDartmoor

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote: »

Poundland have had some decent books recently. Might be worth a look? Not sure how old your nephews are, but was thinking particularly of them while I said that Xx

That's a good idea Lucky. Nephews are fifteen and nearly thirteen. The fifteen year old is quite geeky and was really into Dr Who, but is now more interested in acting and science.

please-let-me-be-lucky

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

That's a good idea Lucky. Nephews are fifteen and nearly thirteen. The fifteen year old is quite geeky and was really into Dr Who, but is now more interested in acting and science.

Pretty sure you will get something in Poundland for them Hairy. My youngest has been getting Goosebumps books from there, and there is usually something suitable for the eldest too. Must admit I haven’t paid a lot of attention to the more grown up books, but hopefully you can get what you need for everyone from there Xx

Willowtree222

That's a good start on Christmas list and some of the bits, and some good ideas too on what you need to buy.

x

HairyHandofDartmoor

Thanks Lucky . I think I may visit Poundland on Monday and check it out when it's not too busy (hopefully). If I trawl the charity shops for books for presents at the same time then maybe I can get most of my Christmas shopping done. It would be a big relief to get it sorted.

As long as I don't get another lurgy :eek: come on immune system, start working.