The Mental Debt Struggle...

Keedie

It's always one saga after another with me @AntoMac. Hopefully I won't get fined, or if I do, it won't be too hefty of a fine, I'm not really looking forward to the debts going in the wrong direction again 😂. I'm too paranoid not to have informed the DVLA, but I guess most people either have more common sense than me or they try to beat the system, so they're naturally suspicious. I don't really blame them. I mean I've been known to the mental health services since March 2007 when I had postnatal depression when my son was born. I didn't even have a licence then. So I've just been stupid all along 🤦🏾‍♀️.

I didn't think of councillors, but you're right, I'll see their advice. I didn't think of that, but I got good advice when I was having trouble with my housing years ago. I just had a quick Google, and my council is doing drop in surgeries and their email addresses and social media handles are on the council website. So that's good to know that I can reach out to them. Your parents must have had some very interesting and probably sometimes head-scratching encounters over the years as councillors. The public always fascinates me. When I used to work in Housing for my local council, we had some really oddball tenants, leaseholders and citizens. I remember one guy screaming at me because we hadn't watered the plant in the office and he stole it take care of it and brought it back a few days later, admittedly looking in better shape. 

It makes sense that the offers would be tailored for MBNA etc. I'll manage without it. A trusty friend has reminded me of Perks at Work, so I will be making use of that for cashback savings on shopping, and making use of the reloadable e-cards for the supermarkets.

badmemory

Just ring them back & tell them your doctor says that you are fine to drive & it has never been a problem.  Tell them they can write to your doctor & confirm if they want.  Mention the date & possibly the time of the conversation.

Keedie

I've put the date of the last conversation with my doctor on the form as it asks. But I think you're right and I'll call them back to let them know that the doctor has given me the go ahead and I've sent the form back, as with the upcoming strikes, I don't want them to think I've not bothered in case it misses the deadline.

beanielou

So you have to notify the DLA if you have a blue badge.
Had one for a long time & did not know that!

AntoMac

Sounds like a sensible course of action Keedie - it keeps things moving.
Yes my parents saw all kinds of everything in their time on the council. Mum still talks of it fondly. A friend persuaded me to stand just the once ‘to make up the numbers’. When I missed out by 8 votes that was too close for comfort for me, so never again 

Keedie

It's crazy what you end up finding out by chance isn't it @beanielou?

My mind is blown as much as it's overwhelmed by everything. But it's better to be informed I guess. I didn't think you'd have to say anything to the DVLA about the blue badge as it's processed by the local authority. But when I was going through the easy to read guide with all the pictures and simple text to explain the whole process and where you can park etc, that's when it said you have to notify the DVLA if you have a blue badge and you're a driver. That's what prompted the rabbit hole I went down with the different medical conditions and realised that I'd f**ked up about the bipolar notification. 

Keedie

Oooh sounds like you nearly got caught up in a role you didn't want @AntoMac. But at least you know that the public had faith in you, that's never a bad thing. 

I still have fond memories of working in Housing and working in the job centre. Real eye opener to life from different people's perspectives and mindsets. But it's always great see a sense of community and to be able to help people too. So your mum must have very fond memories.

AntoMac

Assessment day tomorrow then Keedie. Fingers crossed it’s a productive one.

Keedie

Yes fingers crossed, though I'm a bit sceptical as to the productivity as they've given me the right run around with the appointment. It was always booked as a telephone appointment, then I got a call yesterday afternoon telling me that I had to physically attend the hospital which was annoying as I had to move things around, but fine and I took time off work last minute. Then... today I got an automatic text reminder telling me that my appointment is a telephone appointment and I must not attend the hospital! So I had to call them up and ask them what they're playing at and in the end they looked into it and called me and told me that it is face to face, despite it being booked as a telephone assessment, and that I must tell the receptionist that I need to see the consultant face to face and they'll sort it out. Seems a bit wishy washy to me, but I'll jump on the bus and hobble down there and see what's what. But thanks for remembering @AntoMac 😁.

Keedie

I'm still playing around with the amounts that I need for the remainder of the month, but I am continuing to use the weekly child benefit as my son's allowance/spending money and for debt overpayments. So £20 went into that Monzo pot to cover his weekly allowance and £1.80 to the PAD pot. These are set weekly payments that I will keep rolling on.

The PAD pot is now £13.11 as I have round ups going to this account as well, and I'll chuck whatever is accrued at the debt at the end of the month. I've decided to humble my ambitions, as I had this set to a completely unrealistic target of £150 a month. So I changed this a more idealistic £50 a month, as that top up with the current direct debit of £100 to MBNA could see me paying anything from £107.20 (£100 DD + £1.80 a week) to £150 a month and this will bring the balance down in a more affordable way. Besides, the lower target means a greater percentage saved and that's always a useful boost and motivator. So my £13.11 is 26.22% of my £50 target - Happy Days! 🤗

I've got rid of my Christmas Fund for now, and put that money towards bills and grocery shopping etc. Once I have balanced everything and I get to the end of this month, if there is any of it left at that point, I will put it towards the exam fees. I want that paid off as it's hanging over my head. I've been anxious that I don't get the money together in time and then the exam centre is too full. That would just be nightmare! Once that's sorted, I can go back to saving for Christmas and work my way through things that I am saving for. I have reduced the amounts as well to take the pressure off me.

I'm trying to focus on one thing at a time, so that I don't overwhelm myself. So the order for my savings/sinking funds and the target amounts and amounts saved so far is as follows:

• Exam Fees = £0/£540 - I estimate that I should be able to pay this in the first week of November at the latest, as I am using some of my freelance money and my PIP to scrape this together.

• Christmas 2022 = £0/£360 - this target has been reduced from £410 as I have rejigged the allocated budget for each person and will keep any spare change from the weekly food shop in a tin towards my Christmas dinner contribution as we get together for a big meal and split the cost and bring different dishes.

• Car Service & MOT 2023 = £0/£350 - this target has been reduced from £504 as I am no longer trying to pay for my car tax upfront the year, although it's cheaper, when I've been reviewing all my commitments, it just made no sense to stress myself over an £8.25 annual saving, so I will continue to pay monthly until I am down to one or two creditors. Also, as I now have car maintenance fund that I pay into every week I can put whatever I have saved towards any repairs that might be needed when it's serviced and MOT'd. The £350 saving between January 2022 to April 2022 is £87.50 a month, and this is manageable and less stressful as I will have the car maintenance pot to fall back on. 

• Globetrotter Travel Fund = £20.39/£500 (4.08% saved) - this target has been reduced from £900, and I have disregarded the cost of replacing our passports (£151) as I have already saved that as the savings pot was originally £171.39 and £20.39 is what's left. And I decided that as we're all inclusive I don't need to have lots of spending money and I refuse to pay for every excursion twice over. So I've told my son that he has to sort his own spending money and towards any excursions above the two main ones that I'm paying for. He wants to go clothes shopping in Turkey as well (he's whatever the male version of a fashionista is), and so he's going to start saving some of his pocket money, wants to start his zero hours job and his dad claims that he'll be giving him a weekly allowance (I'm not holding my breath). Of the £500 I am not focussing on, I've decided to allocate £100 for airport parking and towards petrol, that leaves £400 of which £300 will be for excursions and my spending money and £100 will be for any additional hotel expenses or spending (almost like a holiday emergency fund). I have my sealed pot challenge to open on 27 October, so every penny in there will go towards this travel fund. I think I have approximately £70 in there, so it will be really exciting to see what the total is in a few weeks time. I have already brought the next sealed tin in Poundland.

I was quite excited as I found £35 in my little safe that I keep our passports, birth certificates and important documents in. I went to lock my birthday money from myself and realised that I had £35 folded over in one of those clear coin bags that they give you in the bank. I've no clue what to spend it on, but I have put it altogether and locked the little safe back up. I feel like I accidentally gave myself a present, so I don't want to spend it on debts, groceries or my son or anything like that. I want to treat myself, but I don't know what I'll get. But I'm chuffed at the discovery 👍🏾.