Teetering on the brink

joedenise

One of my cards asked if I wanted an increase in my limit - it's already £11,500 and I'm on a pension, state plus small work pension so no way do I want any further increase. I've never been anywhere near the limit thankfully and I pay it off in full every month which is why I don't want any more increases and I've told them that.

EatingBeans

It’s probably because they can see you use your credit card but are a good payer. They donn’t seem to care if you might get yourself into trouble so long as you previously paid on time.

Honestly, I am ok with them upping my limits (mine are set to auto accept), I just see it as a way to lower my usage % and potentially get better deals to help pay off what I currently owe. I would much rather it be my choice to take on debt than be refused but I know for sure this past few years have gone from a manageable debt burden to debt spiral. It is a lesson learned but if I can get a job I am sure I will be able to sort it. 🤞

After a bit of a nudge from UC asking me to declare my change in savings, I finally got around to finding my debit card, making a £2500 payment to Barclaycard and declaring my current account balances to UC both on the day I got paid and today. I thought I had to do it on the final day of the period but since they specifically asked for it, I have done it now. I also got paid a first payment of ESA today 🎉 - nice to have at least a bit of money coming in again even if it is a fraction of what I was on previously. Anything that will help stretch the cash out and pay the mortgage while I am getting a new job is very welcome!

In other job news, dd1 has had a confirmed offer of a job for when she is at uni! 🎉 That takes a big weight off the shoulders (assuming she gets the grades and ends up at her preferred uni!)!! 🤞I think she will be fine. 😁 Now though we have to live with the smugness that is dd1 and her current longest period of unemployment now being 4 DAYS since getting her first job! Yes, it took her a year to get the first role but since then she does seem to have a knack for getting the next job. I am not complaining and I am genuinely pleased for her (very relieved in fact), but it does mean her ability to empathise with dd2 and I at the moment is a little lacking. Poor dd2 is still putting in applications and hearing nothing. It must be so disheartening. 😕

ellenvan

Perhaps DD1 might give you both a few interview tips?

She has done very well as lots of competition for jobs whilst at uni. It will also save you worrying.

But perhaps she could not gloat.

Good luck with interview results.

Even a bit of ESA is better than nothing.

EatingBeans

Oh dd1 didn’t need to worry about a small thing like interviewing! She works at a bowling alley and is simply being given a job at one of the other sites during term time. Her current manager was pushing for her so much I thought they were going to say no on principle. He insisted the managers at the new place call dd1 and just offer her a job rather than dd1 even having to apply and when they were taking too long he complained to the Head Office! 😬 Honestly, she is rather loved at her place as she can do everything on all of the stations and works hard without being asked. They’ve even said she can pick up shifts at her current place if she comes back for the holidays. So yeah, I am not worried about her in the slightest. 🙂

Cherryfudge

Clever thinking on the Credit cards - perhaps the second raised limit was triggered by the first?

Well done to your DD1, though I think the first job is the hardest to get so I feel for your DD2 as well. Could DD1 see if there are term time hours at her present place that DD2 could fill while DD1 is away?

EatingBeans

Another weekend is upon us, and that can only mean one thing… it’s van build time! My long suffering brother has again agreed to let me come and be a nuisance despite having to wfh from 4:30am this morning! His working hours are very weird imo. I mean he earns a good wage and all but they seem to expect him to work at any point in the 24hours of a day with no real pattern and often no notice. When he is on call he has to be working within 10minutes (day or night for a week straight) or they call his manager. Honestly, I don’t know how he does it.

Today’s goal is get the floor finished! I need to go back to B&Q and reluctantly buy Yacht varnish to do the job after waiting a week for the stuff I really should use to turn up (I could only order online), and realising I’d ordered the tiniest pot in history. 🙄 Since yacht varnish protects better against water but has potentially more fumes, I’ve decided to use that for the floor (which has more chance of getting wet and me not being able to get in to dry it), then I will use the other stuff for the wood I will actually be sleeping next to (hopefully reducing fume risk). I’ve since found other people just use yacht varnish everywhere so I think it should be fine.

Then, once I have taken everything out and varnished the floor I need to stick it down, fit the lino, put everything back and continue with the framing and seat/bed making. I have promised everyone that I will take a break after this weekend so I really need to crack on! My power station and tents have now arrived so as soon as the floor is down, camping is a go! It would however be super nice if I could also have a bed platform built because then I could stay away in it on my own too. I REALLY want to do this before starting a new job. But, this weekend is all I have for a while and at the end of tomorrow I also need to take all of my stuff out of my brother’s garage as he has people coming to fit batteries in it for solar panels. Bless him, I think they were supposed to come weeks ago but he’s been delaying them so I could do my van building. 😬 So yeah, LOTS to crack on with over the next two days. No doubt I will be flattened again next week but it will be worth it I am sure. 🤞