Teetering on the brink

ellenvan

If you have a little more time at the weekend to look at the competition links this site(MSE) is a good place to start

Or SuperluckyDi https://superlucky.me/instantwins/ ( Google if you dont want to click the link.

At the side of the instant win page she lists the top five competitions to enter weekly. These aren;t for huge prizes but are ones where you stand a realistic chance if you keep entering. e.g. ones with lots of prizes.

Enjoy your weekend

EatingBeans

DrunklMunkee said:

Awwww @EatingBeans,

I am absolutely delighted for ya 🎉🎉🎉

I'm soooo excited, I just can't hide it, I'm about to lose control (sorry about that) and I think I like it. WOOHOO.
I bet you have been walking on air all day.

Loving your plan of action - sounds like the breathing space has really cleared some of the debt-fog for ya 😁

The only one thing I would say - is keep an eye on that Fluid account. At just 6 months on 0% - it probably reverts to interest bearing around the same time as the next wedge of Barclaycard. However, knowing Fluid - it will be at a much higher APR - so just something to bear in mind when committing your over-payments.

Other than that - I hope you get a chance for a small 'budget-friendly' celebration with the girls tonight.....did anyone mention blueberries?🤣 It'll be good to relax that little bit more over a nice weekend.

Yay BEANS.

Thanks @drunklmunkee

Funnily enough that song was the very first thing that sprang to my mind when I checked MBNA this morning! 🤣

And don’t worry, I checked the Fluid deal and it actually says the promotional rate runs out in September so it was a 9month deal rather than 6. By which time I will have paid down enough on the MBNA to just transfer it to that card if necessary. That said, my guess is I mentally told myself the deal was six months so that I would pay attention to it well in advance of the deal ending so I could just focus repayments directly at it and avoid the BT fees. No matter what I will clear it before the deal ends as you are correct, the interest rate is insane as a standard rate.

Sadly no blueberry muffins this evening but tbh we are both pretty stuffed after a day of munching our way through Olio goodies. The only thing I actually paid for today was my coffee!
That said, we do still have the lemons ready for a lemon drizzle cake, all I have to buy is the butter. Now, I must just remember to use my new First Direct debit card when I go and buy the butter as I have cut my purchases so much I am not sure I will hit the required number of debit card transactions needed to gain the £175 for the switch otherwise! Literally a problem I never ever thought I would have! Oh how times change. 😁

EatingBeans

Andyjflet said:

I list for what I want on Vinted, sometimes I get it too, but if you have no interest then reduce the price gradually. I bought a coat for £40 and sold it for £90 after a few weeks!

Oh @andyjflet , now I totally understand how you have managed to accumulate such amazing savings now! I definitely think I need to start with higher prices! 

ellenvan

You have probably already thought of this, but if you are short of debit card transactions you can always buy a few small gift cards,

EatingBeans

Thanks @ellenvan thanks a fantastic idea! It had never even occurred to me to buy gift cards. I could count on one hand the number of gift cards I have purchased over my entire life up to now so it just doesn’t enter my head as an option. I can see they are going to become a more regular feature going forward. Haha

EatingBeans

Really not in a great place today as I am suffering high level of pain from the Trigeminal Neuralgia. I am glad it is the weekend as there is no way I can work when it is like this. Repeated shocks of intense stabbing pain through my face and in between left with pain that feels like bad toothache. In fact it is bordering my self designated ‘very high’ level as it is making me feel very nauseous. (At very high I can actually start being sick from the intenseness of the pain and if I am standing my legs go to jelly). I really hate this condition. The thought of this just getting worse with time scares the hell out of me. I am only 42 and I have a lot of living I still want to do yet but will I even make it to retirement? It’s days like this when I can understand why this dreadful thing is sometimes known as the Suicide Disease. I mean I know I have been venturing outside a bit more lately, but it has only been just for a few minutes to walk a few hundred yards to the Post Office or walking to the car to pick up the kids or Olio stuff. It’s not like I have chosen to go and stand on the top of a mountain with the wind whistling past me (sadly the joy of those days are very clearly well behind me), it’s just a couple of minutes walk, it should not cause such horrific pain! 😭

I am trying desperately to fight back actual tears at this point - not out of some desire to appear stoic, that left a long time ago and my girls are used to seeing me in pain - rather crying will just give me a headache and add to the pain. 😞

Thankfully, big dog has noticed and has come to give me a gentle cuddle. He is back in protecting mum mode and his baby sister is starting to understand that sometimes she too needs to be extra gentle around me. Having the pair of them around really does help me a lot. I long for the warmer months when I can return the favour and I can take them on lots of adventures to pay them back for all their patience and support. It will come. It’s days like this where I just have to hold on to that. 

In the meantime, I am trying desperately to find a silver lining and have decided to move the money I would have paid for dog training today (£10), to pay down some of the overdraft instead. I’ve also decided to move the underspend from last week’s food element of groceries pay down some more too (£9.95). Together, that brings me to a total of £91.47 off the overdraft this month (aka 18/100). Sales need to pick up soon if I am going to get even close to target this month but every baby step is one more that I wouldn’t have done if I wasn’t actively trying, so I am celebrating each and every one. 

So I am going to sit here, cuddle my puppies, try and think happy thoughts, and have a go at the YouGov survey that has just popped up as a notification.

Baby steps. 

~FlowerPot~

I'm so sorry you are in such pain. It really is the worst pain ever. Child birth is a breeze compared to TM. 
I must send you the link to the bit b12 supplement I take as it is very good and scientifically proven to help with repairing nerves. Il try and find it now. 
Keep cuddling the dogs! 

SuzeQStan

So sorry to hear about this horrific sounding pain. Glad you have gentle fur baby cuddles 🐶🐶🐾

Hope it eases quicksmart xx

missymoo81

I’m so sorry you’re struggling. big hugs and positive strong thoughts being sent your way. You’re doing so well! Im not sure where you live but I would happily make you some blueberry muffins if I could.
Chin up.

EatingBeans

Thanks for all your support yesterday. Both daughters did their best to cheer me up too. dd1 came home yesterday with eggs and butter for the lemon drizzle cake, and, hearing that I was having a very bad day with the TN, also added a big bar of galaxy and some Ferrero Roche too! 😍 dd2 really didn’t want to go out to get the butter herself as she was suffering her own pain from her braces, so whilst waiting for the butter she decided to experiment and created Lemon Drizzle muffins instead (blueberry muffin recipe but with lemon drizzle on instead of adding blueberries). They turned out remarkably well and ended up being dinner.

I am very relieved to report that the pain has eased off somewhat today. Time to dust myself off, grab a coffee, some breakfast, shower (avoiding that side of my face), VERY carefully brush my teeth (that can trigger the pain off really badly), and get back on to the job of listing! 

I did list a few listings on Friday but I was really struggling to find a well lit place in the house. Everywhere seems really gloomy or is lit by artificial lighting which bounces reflections off things or ends up with a shadow from me holding the phone. Yesterday I spotted another place to try - still an artificial light fitting but it is more the diffused type and on the wall just above head hight so fingers crossed if I hang clothes on the door opposite and stand below the light, that might work. 🤞 Is it just me that finds taking good photos such a challenge?

One thing I did come across yesterday in my random scrollings through the internet in a bid to  distract myself, was the suggestion of buying a one day Travel policy through Compare the Market (costs about £2) in order to qualify for 12months 2for1 cinema tickets. Have any of you tried this, only it seems too good to be true? I love the cinema and dd2 and I often used to go together so if we can get in for the price of one ticket we could add that back in as a treat from my spending money.