So here I go....

Pip_Boy_111

Hi. Well done on facing up to this and takin the first step. Just popping by to say good luck. Looking forward to reading your journey and seeing you smash this

Cheekysoandso

Thanks Pip Boy 111 and hello.
I shall be catching up with diaries tonight. I've planned a nice hot soak and them I'm gonna get reading. I need the inspiration, which from here on in, will be referred to as therapy

Cheekysoandso

I took the plunge and phoned Stepchange today because I wanted to get on with the dmp. She went through everything with me and I requested my application pack, then boom, there it was in my emails. I will gather all bits and bobs and email it back tomorrow.
I've been working from home today I got so much done, I would do it permanently if I could.
Anyway, dmp due to start in June.

Cheekysoandso

Still nothing heard from Stepchange, I feel like I'm being overly impatient about things at the moment, I just need to get this DMP started to know I am on the road to being debt free.
So, went shopping last week - came in at £39 - what was that about :T. This is because I only bought what I needed - for once. I have meal planned for next week and written my list, so on Friday I'll be off to the shops - looking for another reduction maybe.
Bank Holiday coming up, I have some bits to clear from the house, to do a car boot sale with a friend later on in May. I have done one of these before and thought people would be snapping my hand off to purchase a book for 50p - but they still haggle??? I suppose anything for something you no longer want is better than nothing, but all my stuff is still really good quality - I just have no need for it. I do have quite a few toys and bits from my DD which we're taking to the local hospital for the children's ward/waiting areas - I hope they give the children up there many hours of fun.
It's nice to see the sun again even though it's gonna get cold.
Work is doing my head in at the moment - I manage people and have decided that it's no fun whatsoever. Talk about wanting to knock heads together :mad:

Puddleglum

Hi Cheekysoandso!

I feel your pain with hagglers. I used to get it all the time with people when I was running my house as a B&B. What they didn't realise was that I valued not having to cook breakfast for them or change the room, getting a bit of peace and quiet in the evening more highly than they were trying to pay.

Hagglers were given the phone numbers of other B&Bs in the area and sent on their way. Funny how many were willing to pay the going rate at that point!

Managing people! - good luck :-)

Cheekysoandso

Hello Puddleglum - goodness me, running your house as a b&b, I applaud you. Sounds like you don't do it anymore though. Hopefully it wasn't the hagglers that made you stop.
I do wonder if I would get more satisfaction from taking my stuff to the charity shop. If I don't sell it I think I will. I really just want to clear some things and make space and although I could do with the money I'm not going to get too hung up about it.
Talking of money I heard from Stepchange yesterday afternoon and I'm now all set up for my first payment to come out 1 June :j

Puddleglum

It wasn't the hagglers that made me stop. It was the sheer mindnumbing monotony of changing the same beds everyday and cleaning the same toilets/rooms everyday! Everyone wanted a full English regardless of what else was available as well. The other thing that got me was that you had to be really careful to make sure that everyone got treated really well no matter how they treated you. If they didn't get a top notch experience I personally could be responsible for putting a downer on their whole holiday even if they only stayed a night.

I was really successful and was busy most of the time. My last night with no one in would be sometime in April and my first night off again wouldn't come along until late October! We stayed open all year.

So I went back to teaching and now I've left teaching again to start my own business.

Cheekysoandso

I've been in a right state since May. I've suffered with back pain for as long as I can remember but during May something happened and I couldn't move. Couldn't walk, sit, stand or do anything for long. Xrays, MRI and lots of pain killers later turns out I've got osteoarthritis and nerve root irritation. Can't go anywhere without my walking stick now. So very depressing. I know I am still better off than most and that is what gets me through. Work has been great.
Three payments down on the dmp and all looking good on that front.
Doing everything four times slower but getting there...slowly

savingholmes

Sounds painful. Good if work have been helpful. Keep pressing on