The Mental Debt Struggle...

Keedie

Unfortunately @in_need_of_direction and @beanielou, if I point out that I'm waiting to move, the council won't do anything and I'm still waiting for a medical assessment, which won't happen anytime soon. I've almost given up to be honest. The stairs are tough, but I'm trying not to think about them too much. When I do, they hurt more. So I've been trying to trick my brain into believing that it's not that big a deal. And I plan when I am leaving the flat so that I'm not too worn out. For the most part it works.

And I think once the flat is all decluttered, it will be easier to live here. No surplus of nonsense to look at, with everything having a place, I won't have to do much to maintain it with the help of my carer and son. And it'll make it easier to move anyways if I only have the actual stuff that I need. I think I need to rewatch Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and The Home Edit on Netflix for some inspiration. I feel incredibly overwhelmed by everything as I tried to start too many things. 

I ordered some plastic storage drawers from Amazon, which were meant to arrive on Monday but turned up today which I wasn't expecting. And despite being labelled as 'fragile', the driver was bashing it all up the stairs and one of the drawers was broken when I opened it. I've reported it to Amazon, but as it's a third party seller I have to send the thing back, but it's so large, I can't take it to the post office and trying to arrange a courier is stressing me out. I know it's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but these kind of things frazzle and paralyse me. I tried to get the customer service to help me, but the guy ended up generating another return label for the other 4 drawer unit (one was damaged and one was fine). He said that I have to pay for a courier, and then claim it back from the seller. And I asked why the unit was £21.33 when I brought it, but it was showing £17.33 as the refund value. He didn't seem to have a clue, but sent a message to the seller to issue a full refund and to refund the courier cost. It's not heavy, but it's bulky. But it's all such a headache. And I'm starting to mentally unravel the closer we get to the clocks changing. So I'm tempted to just keep it, damaged drawer and all. What do you think? 




Anyways, I'm more hopeful about the paint still being in a good condition @Debsnewbudget, so thank you. And yes @Sarahwithlove, it's so great to have my carer back as she started this week. And I'm enjoying her company again, and it's a great feeling to be debt free. I went to Wetherspoons this evening with two of my sisters, and I was able to sit and plan out my savings strategy for the 2025/26 tax year and my savings goals. So I'm starting to get excited about that 🤗.

Cherryfudge

Ideally, send it back but if that's too much to face, could you reinforce the broken bit somehow? We have a similar drawer that's damaged and it no longer supports the weight above it properly.

lellybun

Could you tape up the broken bit of the drawer and then swap it with the top drawer so it doesn't have to support the above weight.
It night be possible to turn the drawer around so that the fix doesn't show? I know you shouldn't have to repair a new item but sometimes the whole sending back is a nightmare I know!
Lelly

Sarahwithlove

Could your carer help you take it to the post office or your son? 

in_need_of_direction

I think keeping it would irritate me each time I see it.  You probably have a higher annoyance threshold (most people do). Just consider what’s best for you right now.  

Keedie

Thanks for you advice everyone. I'm feeling a little less jittery today, and my sister is coming over in the afternoon. So I might see if she can help me arrange a courier collection. The box is too big to go to the post office, and our closest one has closed down and become a Hollands & Barratts (dunno what that's about), so either my son or carer would have to take the bus with the big box or I'd have to drive it to the other post office.

I was thinking of putting it in the top drawer so that there's no weight resting on it, but it would annoy me to open and close it. I brought two, as they'll be going in my hallway cupboard which is like one giant sized junk drawer at the moment. The idea is that one unit sits on the floor and the other unit sits on the ledge in the cupboard that used to house the old water tank. They'll have things like aprons, gloves and shoe covers for the carer, excess cleaning products, washing up liquid, hand soap and other toiletries. So that I can go back to buying in bulk and having somewhere to store everything. I also brought a wrapping paper storer/holder that can keep all the wayward wrapping paper in some sort of order. I figured that if there is a place for everything, I won't get so overwhelmed looking in there and then I can just have items that I actually use and I can find what I need.

Once the cupboard is sorted, it'll make it easier to declutter the living room. As things will have a home and I can then get on top of the laundry. I have too much clothes, and I probably wear about 15% of what I own, as I tend to wear the same clothes or style of clothes all the time. So I need to go through everything that is still in good condition but not my taste and give them to charity. I'm hoping that will take the stress out of dealing with laundry and help my carer to help me, when there is less chaos. 

Monzo is giving 2% cashback for Tesco and Tesco has some kind of promotional competition going on where you can earn extra clubcard points. So that will make the big food shop more cost effective. We've really got next to nothing in the fridge, cupboards and the freezer just mainly has frozen vegetables. I'm going to sit down after I've done my Sunday Summary and figure out what we're eating for the next fortnight and then go and do the shopping. I just need to make sure my son's eaten before we go as he tends to put nonsense in the trolley when he's hangry 😂.

Baileys_Babe

Your storage and organising plans sound well thought out and should make a difference to the flat and easier when you come to move.

I feel returning the damaged drawers would be for the best long term otherwise whenever you use them you will be niggled by the damage and will no doubt replace them at some point. Also as the damaged drawer would restrict what it could hold this might reduce your options of how you wish to use it.
 
I hope your sister, son or carer can help you arrange a collection of the drawers or drop them off with/for you.

Sallyforth

Hi!
Regarding the Amazon delivery just stick with it. Coincidentally I’ve just had a very similar experience with a third party seller through Amazon for a hosepipe costing £18.95 including free Prime delivery.
The hosepipe came shrink wrapped in plastic and tightly coiled up. We unwrapped it and set it up outside to replace our old leaking one. At first it seemed okay but then developed massive kinks despite being advertised as “kink free”. So, like you, I went onto the Amazon chat thing to report it and was referred back to the seller who said they’d refund with pleasure if I returned it. I asked them to send me a return label but they just kept sending the same automated reply to return.
I went back to Amazon who said they would send me a courier label. However, I pleaded with them for a refund saying I didn’t have the original packaging, it was bulky and heavy and therefore extremely difficult for me to return. I also said I don’t drive and that’s why I use Amazon delivery. Basically I put forward a very polite sob story.
They finally agreed to refund me so honestly it is worth trying again. You should also complain about the way the delivery was handled.
So sorry for your inconvenience because I understand from my recent experience. I’ve now replaced the hosepipe for a more reliable (yet more expensive) one from Argos. I will simply dispose of the faulty item now which is no use so not sure why returning it would have benefited anyone!

Keedie

That's actually really helpful @sallyforth so thank you. Sorry you had so much problems though. I'd put a note on the return request to state that the delivery driver showed no consideration when delivering it and was bashing it around despite it saying fragile. My sister didn't come over as I went to her instead, but I'm going to contact Amazon tomorrow and explain the situation. Especially as their representative made things worse whilst trying to help, and both items are set for a refund and I don't know which returns label is associated with the full refund 😬. I probably should have gone to Argos, they didn't have clear drawers, but they're probably sturdier than what I've ended up buying. 

Keedie

THE SUNDAY SUMMARY

(Week 11 ~ 16 March 2025)

Debt Regrets

Goal 1 - 100% repayment to Argos Card - due 30 April 2025
🎉 Achievement Date = 7 February 2025 🎉

Goal 2 - Clear Barclaycard Plan 1 (£1,506.20) - due by 31 October 2025

🎉 Achievement Date = 9 February 2025 🎉

Goal 3 - Pay £750 off my MBNA balance in 2025 - due by 31 December 2025
🎉 Achievement Date = 9 February 2025 🎉

Goal 4 - Pay £2,500 off my overall debt balance in 2025 - due by 31 December 2025
🎉 Achievement Date = 9 February 2025 🎉

Saving Grace

Goal 1 - Save £1,500 emergency fund - due by 31 December 2025
Progress Checker = £1,500/£1,500 (100% saved)
🎉 Achievement Date = 7 March 2025 🎉

Goal 2 - Save £500 for 2025/26 Subscriptions - due by 30 June 2025
Progress Checker = £0/£500 (0% saved) ⛔️ ON HOLD ⛔️
I have moved the date forward for this and made it Goal 2. This goal is split into fixed subscriptions (set due dates) and aspiration funded subscriptions (a year's worth upfront). The amounts needed will enable me to top up what has already been saved for 2025, and to bridge the gap for the remainder of the tax year to cover January to March 2026. 

• 3.1 Fixed ~ EA Access = £36/£36 (100% saved) - 🎉Achieved in 2024 🎉
• 3.2 Fixed ~ Amazon Prime = £95/£95 (100% saved) - 🎉Achieved in 2024 🎉
• 3.3 Fixed ~ Apple Care = £85/£85 (100% saved) - 🎉Achieved in 2024 🎉
• 3.4 Fixed ~ Playstation Plus = £60/£60 (100% saved) - 🎉Achieved in 2024 🎉
• 3.6 Aspirational ~ Parent Care £0/£300 (0% saved)
• 3.7 Aspirational ~ Kindle Unlimited = £0/£30 (0% saved)
• 3.8 Aspirational ~ Crunchy Roll = £0/£15 (0% saved)
• 3.9 Aspirational ~ MGM+ = £0/£15 (0% saved)
• 3.10 Aspriational ~ NOW TV = £0/£80 (0% saved)
• 3.11 Aspirational ~ Apple One = £0/£60 (0% saved)

Goal 3 - Build a Buffer of £500 - due by 31 December 2025
Progress Checker = £300/£500 (60% saved) 
This has been demoted to Goal 3, and I've not paid anything into this fund this week, but I've decided not to be all gung-ho about it and have it as a standing item on my budget at £5 per week. That way, it just drip feeds in there and the only time the weekly top-up ceases, is if it reaches the maximum amount which is £500. I'm keeping the goal date of 31 December 2025 for now and will see how I get on.

Goal 4 - 50 Envelope Challenge (£1,275) - due by 31 December 2025
Progress Checker = 0/50 Envelopes = £0/£1,275 (0% saved) ⛔️ ON HOLD ⛔️
I'm starting this next month, so there's no update at the moment. I've got some money set aside for it, but I've not put it in the 50 envelope challenge as yet, because I'm figuring out a few things. But my tracker is all ready, it just needs laminating. But that's a task for Future Keedie to think about.

Goal 5 - Penny Challenge (£667.95) - due by 7 January 2026
Progress Checker = £23.46/£667.95 (up by £4.55 since last week)
This is being done automatically via Monzo's Penny Challenge and they move each consecutive daily amount from my current account balance. Today's amount was £0.68. It will be just under £30 by this time next week. By mid-April 2025, it'll start being a minimum of a £1 a day. I've got £50.37 in the current account sitting and waiting for the penny challenge to be deducted each day, and that will take me up to early May 2025. I need to make the most of cashback offers and some surveys to get on top it some more, so that it almost passively pays for itself.

Goal 6 - Save £2,000 for 2026/27 Annual Bills - due by 31 March 2026
Progress Checker = £0/£2,000 (0% saved) ⛔️ ON HOLD ⛔️
I worked out my council tax as I looked at my council's 2025/26 band rates and worked out what mine would be with the 25% discount so I know what my 2025/26 bills will be. So now, we're cooking with gas with my grand master plan for my finances 😂. Basically, my bills used to be £1,200 a month including a tiny buffer, but as I've cut back on some things, and overpaid on others, my bills reduced to £1,085 a month for things like rent, council tax, water rates, gas and electricity etc. So I'd reduced the bills allocation to £1,100 a month, but I was fritting away the additional £1,000 in my budget. So I'm going back to allocating £1,200 for bills, with £1,100 going into the bills pot and the other £100 going into a separate savings pot towards next year's bills. My friend owes me some money, so as she repays that, I'll put it into the annual bills fund. I'll start what I can in April 2025, and then concentrate on it properly once Goal 2 is done (the subscriptions).

Balancing the Budget

This section of my weekly check-in will focus on how I am preparing for the upcoming month, so that I can stay on track and be more successful in meeting my targets.

Income Tracker - £2,300 for April 2025's Budget
Progress Checker = £2,135/£2,300 (92.83% accumulated)
I've set my budget for 2025/26 tax year, and it will be £2,300 a month and any excess once I get more freelance work, will go into boosting sinking funds and savings challenges. 

Freely Debt Savings - £200 Goal
Progress Checker = £0/£200 (0% saved) ⛔️ ON HOLD ⛔️
If I can accumulate an additional £200 a month, then I'll use that money for boosting the sinking funds and savings challenges. This is on hold though until a little later in the tax year once I see if my proposed budget actually works.