My journey to a debt free life

Sun_Addict

I think we must’ve got fungus gnats on the plants at work as people keep being bitten by small black gnats. The cleaner showed me loads of dead ones in a groove by the window, pesky little things.

I think a blue feature wall would look fabulous in your bedroom. You could always paint over it if you don’t like it. I have a terracotta feature wall in my living room with the other walls pale cream.

Isn’t it lovely the nights are lighter. I noticed yesterday it was still light past 5pm. When I walked to work yesterday morning it was almost light when I arrived at 7.30. Feels like we’re coming through the other side. 

Well done on managing to get another week off 😃

Cherryfudge

Sun_Addict said:

I think we must’ve got fungus gnats on the plants at work as people keep being bitten by small black gnats. The cleaner showed me loads of dead ones in a groove by the window, pesky little things.

I couldn't remember them ever biting me, so I looked it up and apparently fungus gnats don't bite humans. Why don't you ask to work from home till they are gone?  

milann

Well done on getting more days off. 

Onebrokelady

Sun_Addict said:

I think we must’ve got fungus gnats on the plants at work as people keep being bitten by small black gnats. The cleaner showed me loads of dead ones in a groove by the window, pesky little things.

I think a blue feature wall would look fabulous in your bedroom. You could always paint over it if you don’t like it. I have a terracotta feature wall in my living room with the other walls pale cream.

Isn’t it lovely the nights are lighter. I noticed yesterday it was still light past 5pm. When I walked to work yesterday morning it was almost light when I arrived at 7.30. Feels like we’re coming through the other side. 

Well done on managing to get another week off 😃

They don't bite humans so must be something else 🙀 we had fleas once in our staff room that were biting everyone it had to be fumigated.

foxgloves

Yes, I remember a few times back when I was working when one of our buildings had to be professionally fumigated. Staff were getting bitten & it turned out to be fleas! We have quite regularly had the compost gnats at home, usually when I bring house plants back into the conservatory at the end of the summer. They don't bite, but are just vaguely annoying.
F 

Onebrokelady

I called SC today to do my budget review and I currently don't have enough money to pay my DMP so they have stopped the payment for March and put a comment on my plan to say I am waiting for a welfare check.
The lady on the phone said I will be entitled to universal credit and I also explained that I don't yet know how much my bills are going to be. I haven't received my water bill for this year yet and I don't know what my council tax will be either. My rent will go up in line  with inflation in April so I also don't know what that will be either but she said I will get help with my rent. I am going to phone the CAB tomorrow to see about claiming universal credit.


I also phoned the pension people about taking some of my lump sum before I retire but she sent me paperwork to claim my whole pension so I'm not sure if I can.i was thinking if I took some early I could pay off my mortgage but I'm not sure how to do it or if it's a good idea 🤷‍♀️ 

Im not sure stopping  next months payment is a good idea because it can mean that my creditors reapply interest apparently. I'm hoping it will all be sorted before the next payment is due but that is the 1st of March so cutting it fine 

Sun_Addict

I find pensions so confusing. I’m sure they deliberately use lots of jargon to confuse people. I think there is a free pensions advice service - Pension Wise. When you phone CAB you may as well ask about this. 

Cherryfudge

Pensions are definitely confusing, I hope you get someone who can give know the best advice. Good that you will have help with housing costs, but be careful that a lump sum payment doesn't jeopardise that, or that you don't lose too much in the long term by taking part of your pension early.

enthusiasticsaver

I would exercise extreme caution on taking part of your pension firstly because presumably it is an NHS pension which is a DB pension and not a DC so not what you would call a flexible pension with freedom to take part of it early. Presumably you are still paying into it so you cannot crystallize it anyway. 

 Pension wise are good but they only advise on defined contribution (DC) pensions.  The NHS pension is supposedly a very good one and is defined benefit (DB).  

 I would definitely find out what benefits you are due though. 

Onebrokelady

Sun_Addict said:

I find pensions so confusing. I’m sure they deliberately use lots of jargon to confuse people. I think there is a free pensions advice service - Pension Wise. When you phone CAB you may as well ask about this. 

Thanks SA I will look into this tomorrow. I haven't got a clue what I'm doing 😟