debt free in 1200 months!?

bountiful

I'm still here. Son messaged me from USA to say he'd run out of money - and I have spent the evening on internet getting National Express ticket for him to get home from Heathrow next week. Like I can afford it, eh?
Haven't got time to log my spends this week - I know I bought 2 t-shirts in the charity shop for 75p each - bargain. I haven't had a spendy time yet - did buy chocolate today - but only a 45g bar of fairtrade stuff - not a 150g bar! Is that an improvement? Internet was off for a couple of days - I have changed the payment details to myself (from my son who kept not paying) - because I value the facility too much to let it go. Rain Rain Go Away, Come Again Another Day.:D

bountiful

I'm still here! Checking my bank account daily - watching it go down - counting the days to pay day already. All my payments have gone out - am relieved everyday I come home and find no post on the doormat. I have been leaving the landline unplugged. In the back of my mind I know that the Post Office will be handing my debt to a debt collection agency and I am dreading it. Me and son both broke. Dad's bunglow sits and waits for a buyer........ if only that would happen - just that one thing would resolve all the current crises. It is frustrating to be so near, yet so far, from a result.
Working every day until next Saturday - I am keeping my spending diary.... had to go to a show with one of the people I support - and that led me to spend about £20 in total on hair accessories!!!!!!! slides, clips and things.....
I had a day doing voluntary work - and kept the receipts so I'll be reimbursed next month.
Bought a pair of trousers and a skirt in M&Co sale - spent £15 on the two items which would have been £44 full price - I think that was worth the spend.
Going to pop over and have a look at Seaxwyn's diary, check out the latest etc - see you soon...;)

Seaxwyn

Hi bountiful. Sorry to hear things are still so tight. Do you think your siblings and the agents are doing all they can to sell the bungalow? Is it all clean and tidy and looking nice? Would it be worth popping up and planting some flowers or anything and generally spread some positive vibes around? I know it might be hard to find the fare.

Hope your son enjoyed his trip. Get him out looking for work the minute he's slept off his jetlag.

bountiful

Hi Seaxwyn - my brother and sister have been brilliant (and their partners) - my sister used to sell houses as a show-home rep, and my brother is an artist, my sister-in-law used to hostessing for posh folk - they have collectively done everything they can to make it look lovely - moved furniture round, restyled rooms, made it all light and attractive, lovely flower arrangements, grass mown etc. My Dad kept everything in 1st class condition - so there is no structural stuff to worry about either. My brother is onto the agents to spread the word further afield. I have determined that we will have a firm offer by the end of August!
Son has cost me £45 for the bus ticket home from Heathrow - I bought one for him for Tuesday 12th - then realised that he would not be home until the next day - so had to pay another £5 to amend the ticket - none of which would have been necessary if he'd been communicating with me! Sigh!
Thanks for looking in on my diary - I have been feeling a bit lonely.... I'm not making much progress/any progress at all really on the debt-busting... but I am surviving!

Seaxwyn

It will sell - there is someone out there who wants that house, they just have to find it. Let's try and visualise someone walking up to the bungalow and deciding to buy it (well it can't do any harm). Good to know you can trust your brother and sister to handle it properly.

Surviving is the important thing. Don't let the debt drag you down. Things will surely start looking up a little now that your son is back and can start paying his bills again. Will he be able to get his old job back?

beanielou

Great determination.
What i got from our womans course was that all we have to do is believe in the power of NYRK.
Look after yourself.
lou xx

Seaxwyn

Hi Bountiful. How are you doing? You haven't posted for a while. I hope that's for a good reason. Hope you're feeling OK and on top of things. Pop in some time and let us know.

bountiful

Hi Seaxwyn - apologies for being away so long - I've got a bit hooked on facebook at the moment and it's a distraction from the stalemate of my financial situation! Everything has gone quiet from the creditors - and the statements still keep coming showing my small payments then gobbled up by their interest etc - I need to write another round of letters but the printer is out of ink!
Son came back from USA in love and planning to get married next summer. He got paid £250 and owed me £250 - so I said I wanted £200 transferred NOW - which he did - so he is still in arrears with his rent etc. I handed over the piles of paper which I'd dealt with for him whilst he was away - I don't think he's taken any action. He has a 8-hr a week job with Sainsbury's and is currently able to get a lot of overtime - he has done a cv and is intending to look for a job - nothing's happened yet though.
My Dad's bungalow hasn't sold yet - but I have been proactive in posting links to the estate agent's advert on my facebook page and sent it to all my friends too in case they know anyone who might be interested. I did a bit of checking out and I think my brother and sister have got it priced too high for the area - but they are hoping someone will make them an offer. My brother has just lost his job (he was a self-employed graphic designer in an advertising company) which is his golden opportunity to develop himself as an artist - which is what he wants to do - but this will also sharpen his determination to sell Dad's bungalow.
I am determined that we will get a firm offer by the end of August.

Seaxwyn

Good to hear from you. Wow, son in love and getting married... how do you feel about that? Is he a tad young to make such a commitment? Not to mention broke. Good to hear he is getting lots of overtime, let's hope something more long term comes up soon.

SEnding positive bungalow-selling vibes..... If you want to widen the net please PM me the link to the ad, I will show it to my parents, they may well know people looking for a bungalow. It may even be a good way to introduce the subject of them getting a bungalow themselves... Do you know if your brother has put ads in places like the local parish magazine - that might get more attention from elderly people (who I assume are the main bungalow buyers) than the internet.

Good luck!

bountiful

Seaxwyn - I have PMd you the link - thanks for help in promoting it - you never know.

My latest thought has been that I go and live in the bungalow for the winter months - as we will have to put the heating on soon, and the lighting becomes more of a problem as the days get shorter. I have put the proposal to my brother and he is going to talk to my sister. I have also determined to get over the 40/40/20 thing and take 100% responsibility for moving this situation forward. It maybe that moving to Bexhill is not the right thing - in which case, I trust that it won't happen! Or it could be the right move - in which case, it will happen! Waiting to hear what my sister thinks.

Son just knows everything about everything and communicating is a bit of a delicate operation at the moment (young love!) - re: getting work in America, visas, money, credit records, student loan debts, etc etc etc. Let alone how I will be able to afford to pop over the pond for a wedding (I have just looked up the prices for going by boat to New York from Southampton on Queen Mary 2! If my Dad's house does sell, reckon I'll have my once-in-a-lifetime cruise experience - 6 days to cross the Atlantic).

Had the conversation with the son about maybe taking more than one job for the next 6 months and work his butt off to get the money to clear debt and go to America with some money - he's not interested - he says in America debt is normal - no big deal etc etc etc. I can't reach him on this one - I am going to have to watch him struggle.

Friend of mine told me of friend of hers who actually left her adult son in her house and moved away for 2 years in order to make him take financial responsibility! I can't quite see how I can do that...... but I am definitely thinking about it!