End Of.

I can't write on this blog anymore, this relates to a different life, a different person.
Thank you all for being supportive amd the many PM's and comments.
My debt is still hanging around my neck, but in the big scheme of things it's not my priority anymore. I wish you all a trouble free journey to being DF.

Can't be here

A horrible thing has happened in my life, I'll be back when I have the energy.

Easy Does It !

So the cheque arrived from Abbey! Overdraft cleared - again ! The card I couldn't pay on time ? Doubled minimum payment and got it in there - with time to breathe.

The worse thing that happened to me this week was I couldn't log in to www.whatsthecost.com it was only down for a short time but wow do I rely on that site to keep me going, messed around with my snowball and realised I can - realistically - do this in 48 months as things are.

But I am going to check the job market this Summer, reason being both of our children will be in Secondary school from September, that takes my time limits to a different level, and I am also worried about job security, there are some factors that are putting doubts in my head as to whether things are good within this charity organisation.

Beautiful day ahead, bright blue sky, things looking good.

Taking Stock

I'm running it a bit tight with the budget this month, lulled into a false security waiting for the repayment from Abbey, and if I'm completely honest will struggle to pay one of my minimum balances on time. I'm going to phone them to advise. It's a bad thing and it's again just bad budgetting, a glance over previous posts on this blog and it's a recurring theme and situation.

I've been posting for over a year and to take stock of how far I've come, what improvements I've made to my life I've just had a reread of my first post.

My first target was to stop smoking - failed. I'm not going to justify it in any shape or form, I'm just going to try again.

Second and third targets were linked, it's about my diet, I still drink too much tea and alcohol, however my psoriasis is 95% clear, I'm pleased it's nearly gone. In May and August last year I was wittering on about my diet full of motivation to better things and still I see more procrastination and excuses later on in 2007. My target to mealplan has also been haphazard. When will it sink in a budget is a budget ?

One good thing to report - I have lost a few marbles in the last year, taken the balance down by £1, 598. That's good to see and something to build on.

I can see I'm rather fickle and live life on a rollercoaster of emotions due to my debt. I'm usually more inspired and motivated than down and feeling full of self pity. Time to regroup again .

The Secret

All is well, very well in fact. Last Thursday as reported in my last post I was dreaming,I didn't realise it but I was positive dreaming, visualizing my family on a warm sandy beach.

On Friday last week I bought The Secret by Rhonda Byrne started reading it this week, on Saturday I received a letter from Abbey/Cahoot confirming I had been mis-sold my loan insurance and they were refunding me over £2000 !

Now I'm not about to book tickets for the four of us on a fully inclusive two week holiday in paradise, but I am starting to think this positive attitude is something to be taken more seriously. Yes I wrote and instigated the action on the PPI claims, but I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think I stood a chance.

It's an interesting book, many have claimed it's mumbo jumbo and that the quotes by empowering figures such as Winston Churchill are taken out of context. It's not the easiest book to read, very repetitive, and the layout is unusual, but it has me thinking and feeling good things.

Reminds me of a poem:

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you like to win, but you think you can’t,
It is almost certain you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost,
For out in the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will—
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed, you are,
You’ve got to think high to rise,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can never ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man,
but soon or late the man who wins
Is THE MAN WHO THINKS HE CAN!

I'm happy today.

Got To Have A Dream

It's my day off, I've decluttered my desk, there was so much stuff ! All shredded or disposed of. Think we could do with a decent desk with draws instead of the old battered reconstructed flatpack thing from the 90's.

I've been day dreaming and window shopping for houses in Barbados. Makes me feel good. I'm lucky enough to have been there, and one day we'll go back. Probably as Grandparents the way things are !

Anyway I've been tagged by The Bright Side, which in a roundabout way is why I went window shopping in Barbados. Bright Sides's memoir tag is “Been there, done that, charged it”. I guess somehow I'm still paying for those wonderful holidays in the West Indies.

So my six word memoir given that I seem to hash things up a lot (and go back to proverbial jail, without passing go and not collecting £200) is 'Any Chance I Can Start Again?'

Here's the rules :

1. Write your own six word memoir.
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you want.
3. Link to the person who tagged you in your post.
4. Tag at least 5 more blogs.
5. Leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.

Who to tag ? I'm not very good at this, so if you don't want to play then feel free to pass.

1. Notes From the Frugal Trenches
2. Dump the Debt
3. Collecting My Cash
4. No More Spending
5. Eliminate My Debt

I'm back off to the beach....

The Only Way Is Up !

I've shut the door on my bad week. Something I've really noticed is that as a Mum, wife, daughter, colleague and other roles I play if I'm down it causes a ripple effect. I have two sons and lovely husband. My negativity caused a general bad feeling, I'm not blaming myself, just coming to terms with the fact the it's so easy to wallow in self pity, in turn I felt selfish. No more of that it's just wasted energy.

So last night I sold a book on Amazon, that's three this month total £11.51. One of them a boot sale purchase for 25p sold for £4.50. Would love to sell books, but I must focus on the jewellery. It's payday tomorrow. Today I must menu plan and then write a list.

My EF went out the window, due to the phone/internet bill (just changed the contract and reralised that BT's confusing calling plans dupilicate themselves so that was £39we didn't need to spend. Attention to detail is one of my downfalls.

It's great to see so many other UK PF bloggers on the scene, I really must update my blog roll.

Negativity

A horrible week at work last week, a phone bill and some hiccups in family life made for a big dip in my mental attitude. I don't like being negative, but that was the flow of things last week. I'm actually of the belief that I don't think I've had the real lightbulb moment yet.

I found an old diary from 1989 in which I had entered the amount I earned each week. At 21 I was earning nearly twice the amount I am earning now. But then at 21 I had a mortgage no kids went on exotic holidays every year and more importantly no financial savvy.

This is food for thought.

Slippery Slope

The snowball effect works both ways I guess. Only thing is it's easier to fall straight back into the mess from whence you came.
My absence is due to several factors, and it's not good news. The car, £300, I'd budgeted for that. Took it on the chin.

The one situation that I knew at the back of my mind was going to happen but wasn't prepared for was the death of my PC. At nearly 5 years old it was behaving erratically. Last week no power, nothing. I had no real hands on idea what to do. I don't know how to fix it.

Do I need one ? Yes, it's a means to an end, I don't have to justify it because it will justifiy itself. So I bought a new one. I'm not over the moon about it because I'm sadly the owner of an overdraft again, after all my parading about not venturing that side of the zero balance, and I did it. I can't shake my marbles off without this form of communication. This has really put the cat amongst the pigeons, only minimum payments this month on all cards, put my extra income plans back a week. The silliest thing is I didn't back up important documents from the old PC because it's never going to happen to me right ?

Cross with myself, but taking it as another learning curve.

I have a lot of catching up to do on the PF blog front. Hoping you've all had a better two weeks than me.

I Want.

As most PF bloggers are aware want is different to need. A 15 minute trip around a supermarket with my youngest is a prime example of want and need and not something I willingly do anymore !

I want to start another Open University course, but more importantly I need to. The children are getting older, there is more time and space for us as adults, but selfishly I need to acheive something for me. Even invest in me. Torn between a techie course or a social science course, the difference in cost will probably sway my decision.

The jewellery extra income will kick off for me after Easter I have been very busy planning, designing and yes spending on materials. Just discovered www.etsy.com - what a great place !

As for reclaiming my PPI with Cahoot, their first response was a 9 page letter from Abbey, the parent company, including a 14 point intrusive questionnaire asking everything they already know and not relevant to the claim. Second letter going off today.

I'm maintaining a positive frame of mind, even though the car will have to go in this week, I'm expecting a £300 bill, I'm staying close to my budgets, maybe not close enough, no extra snowflakes this month.

In one hand out the other

The story of my life really. The starter motor was going on my car, bought the parts myself (saving £30) and local garage fitted along with a full service, £200 on the car. That's okay, however garage noticed I may have a cambelt problem, can't find anything in the service history to suggest it's ever been changed, this car is 7 years old, done 78,000 miles.

After a bit of research I realise I have to have this done otherwise it's the end of the road, literally. Quoted £250, coming to terms with it. It's a lot of money, that I can afford without going into the EF or putting it on a card. Just that car tax is due next month aswell.

Cahoot have received my first letter re PPI, this morning I receive an email from them telling me that the policy for my insurance on my loan ( I don't have the loan or policy anymore !) is available via the website etc etc. Is this a mass mailing and coincidence or a response to my letter ? I know they are tough nuts to crack on PPI and I'm sure this one will go to the FSA.

My printer hates me, it refuses to accept any colour cartridge I put in it. I don't have a good relationship with printers. This one is 18 months old.

Aside from these little blips I'm doing okay snowflaked £150 extra on to my debts last week and staying focussed, these little things won't push me under again.

Still being good

I'm here ! Just been whizzing around all week, why does everything happen at once ? Parent's evenings, work meetings, Mother's Day all within a week.

Nothing major to report. Still holding on tight to the purse strings.

Smile !

It happened ! I received the refund on Thursday. First thing I did ? Paid £1500 off my debt and put £100 in the EF. Now I have control, I'm not letting it slip away. Yes I have a credit balance too, just a small one, but that's my buffer until I get the momentum going.

I am going to invest in my plan for creating extra income. I will have to invest in some components for my jewellery making, but that will be minimal because I am determind to make it work this time.

Thanks for all your comments, I've had five days off from work as it's half term, so am feeling refreshed and positive for the weeks ahead.

Patience

I didn't have a great day at work yesterday, sort of puts you off kilter. I loathe office politics, why can't people be open, wasting energy moaning and bitching brings everyone down, I seem to be the sounding off board. Anyway, enough negativity.

Still waiting for The Bank That Owes Me to come through with the PPI refund. A few phonecalls last Friday and they had lost my paperwork, thankfully I'd sent it recorded and royalmail clearly states my acceptance was delivered. They've promised a bank transfer, so we shall see tomorrow morning. Meanwhile Cahoot aren't forthcoming with any paperwork, so they are due another phonecall.

I've not made any debt progress this last month, although I'm not going mad spending, I'm coming to the end of my mealplan and the cupboards are decidedly bare, this is the tricky stage where I'll find myself shopping daily. I seem to be on hold whilst waiting for these extra funds to come through.

Looping

My bank that holds my current account, NatWest kindly (!) took on my Cahoot flexible loan, with that loan I included my small but always in use overdraft. Two things to note here. I've been with this bank since 1985, and only broken my overdraft limit once some three years ago, rest of the time I have lived well within it or precariously on the edge within pennies ! So decided to get rid of the facility because if it's there I'll use it.

Now bearing in mind I have had a loan with them before and at that time they suggested I keep an overdraft of £100 in play as there's no charge. Within 6 months of that loan decision they upped my overdraft to £600, without me asking, of course I had my financial beer goggles on and used it unwisely.

So returning to this overdraft and loan I checked my online banking this week and my overdraft facility of £1000 is still there. I know what they are doing, they've got me on an ever repeating loop. Give her a loan to pay off the Cahoot debacle and overdraft, forget to remove the overdraft, and in a couple of years time play the game again ! I'm their guaranteed income !

Not this time. I'm going to live on the right side of the account.

Head In A Book

Several bloggers pf and otherwise have sung the praises of library facilities. I love the escapism of a good book or film. In fact many a purchase of a bestseller has added to the cost of my financial situation. Somewhere I have a mint copy of The Devil Wears Prada, unread, saw the film, just didn't bother with the book. Now I'd be lucky to sell that for pennies on Amazon. The same with the Da Vinci Code, every car boot I go to there are loads of Dan Brown bibles for 10p. Why I didn't just go to the library I don't know.

There is something highly enjoyable about browsing for books, more enjoyable at the library because it's free, I've shaken off the Waterstones habit of buy two get one free, even if I did sell them afterwards I rarely got my money back.

But recently I've started to enjoy motivational and positive thinking literature, and unfortunately my library isn't overloaded with this sort of material, so I did visit Waterstones to buy Change Your Life in Seven Days by Paul McKenna. This wasn't a good choice for me. It really is a visualisation technique and I'm just not good at that, always something going on around here to distract.

I think my non fiction will be The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, that's if I can get my head out of a James Patterson.

Snowflakes Melting

For the last 24 Hours the results of the Whatsthecost calculator has been burning in the forefront of my mind. £65,658.08 interest if I live another 110 years of course. How ridiculous is that ? Further playing around with it, if I only paid an extra £1 off a month it would reduce it to 82 years. Again ridiculous but brings to mind the well documented practice of snowflaking.

One of my aptly favourite quotes is a Chinese proverb - 'The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.' So reading No More Spending's progress snowflaking and digging deeper to the Paid Twice blog - Five Golden Rules for Snowflaking I realise I've broken an important rule. Whenever I get an extra income payment - be it cashback or an ebay sale - it seems to get swallowed up by day to day stuff, whereas I should be snowflaking it straight on to the Marbles balance.

It's another step to losing my marbles.

Interest

A phone call to the bank that owes me money yesterday as postie only delivered a La Redoute catalogue (no idea why - never requested). I'm told that the refund I'm due is usually processed within 4 working days, and it will be in the form of a cheque. 4 working days ? From when ? The day they recieve my acknowledgment I'm told. Well that doesn't add up, should have been here last week.

Mr Marbles tells me that cashiers only do the mundane tasks like this every two weeks on Thursdays or Fridays and to face facts they are hardly going to break their necks refunding me.
He's probably correct, but that doesn't make it right.

Anyway, having paid Cahoot off I called them to request the relevant paperwork regarding the loan set up and insurance, very helpful call centre assistant said no problem, however was I aware that there was still £41.77 left to pay on the loan. Obviously it's interest accrued between the last statement and the day I paid it off. That sucks, better sort it though, want to be free of them.

Still haven't bought any ink yet....


Wandered over to Whatsthecost credit card calculator this morning. I owe Marbles £9550.03 interest rate 26.9 APR, 2.5% minimum payment a month. results :

• It'll take you 1329 months (that's over 110 years) to pay back £9,550 if you only pay the required minimum of 2.50%.
• Over that period of time, you'll pay an additional £65,658.08 in interest.
• If you could afford to pay an extra £10 a month towards your credit card debt, it would mean you'd repay it in 433 months (just over 36 years) and you'd save yourself £30,151.78 in interest. In fact, if you could afford an extra £25 a month, you'd repay it in 247 months (just over 20 years), and save £43,168.91.
  
• Totals (paying minimum of 2.50% per month):
  Original debt £9,550.03
  Time to clear debt 1,329 months
  Interest charged £65,658.08
  Total paid £75,208.11

Talk about motivation !

Can't Keep It To Myself Anymore

Right, perhaps if I blog about it it just may happen, way back in October I blogged about reclaiming my PPI from a well known UK Bank - see this post . First letter they said no, I challenged their decision as I know I wasn't given the option to take this without the PPI product included. In January they sent a letter not admitting they were at fault but had decided to to refund my premiums and interest.

This is pure estimation but that works out at approx £2,200. I have to estimate it as they didn't quote any figures or advice how or when they were going to pay. Included in the the letter was a form to sign that no further action would be taken regarding this claim and return within 10 days, I duly returned it by recorded delivery. However I didn't include a covering letter (to be honest I've run out of ink !) Now a little research on a few consumer forums and I should have added a letter advising I would appreciate the funds being repaid to such and such account within a stipulated time frame.

If they don't reply by todays post I think I will phone and follow up with letter (have to be hand written ugh!) I'm taking control of this situation now, because it's my money.

Secondly now I've paid Cahoot off I shall start the same process with them. (And buy some ink in the process!) If you don't ask you don't get.

There I've told you now..if you build it they will come :)

Not In Cahoots with them anymore !

I've done something ! Something positive. I don't think I've mentioned this before, but I have a 'flexible' loan of just over £3,500 with a division of Abbey called Cahoot. This particular financial institution offered a very flexible loan deal way back at the turn of the century. Now bearing in mind I had my financial beer goggles on at that time I took them up on the offer of a £4000 @ 6.9% or thereabouts. This 6.9% has considerably shifted over the last 7 years and is now at the extortionate rate of 19.9 % ! The balance has stuck fast, not helped by me dipping into it to bail me out here and there.

Recently there have been rumours that Abbey are downsizing (or whatever the financial term is) this division, not taking anymore applications for cahoot and want the existing account holders to apply to Abbey (all rumours though). So I need to shift this loan, the very nature of it's flexibility makes it increasingly hard to pay off. I'm not in a position to apply for 0% cards, or loans at reasonable rates. However my own bank called me in for a financial review this week, and the long and short of it is they have taken the loan on at 8% ! Awesome !

By the way this is not the 'Just Maybe' good news I reported earlier this week, you'll have to come back for that......

Just Maybe...

I just may have some good news, but I'm not revealing it until I see it. If it happens then a few stumbling blocks will be removed and I can step up a gear.

Stay tuned.....

Late

I'm going to be late with a card payment this month, I get paid on 29th, payment due 28th. I thought I was over this sort of thing, clearly not, all I can do is phone them this week and advise.
This has got to be the last time it happens.

While playing with my blog settings this morning I notice Adsense has decided to make the most of my Christmas ramblings about turkey. However I'm not sure that villas and cheap flights to Turkey are what my targets are ! I think some tweaking is needed, as the other ads I see are debt reduction companies, not something I approve of.

Where I belong !

If I don't blog I don't get anywhere - Fact. PF Blogs have a great inspirational and motivational effect on me, the minute I bypass this routine I start to detour. Two of my regular haunts No More Spending and Eliminate gently comment when I'm missing in action. It's always a heads up to where I should be :)

Thanks Ladies :)

Treading Water

January is a hard month, and I can feel things slowly slipping. Not quite out of control, but I'm treading water. Missed out on a few clicks on Quidco and Topcashback this month, played the lottery and clearly not won, been a bit slapdash with shopping. All these little things add up to stunting my progress.

I have to keep focussed if I'm to pay this Marbles card off by December and in effect rid myself of a third of this debt, it's so easy to fall off the debt free wannabe trail.

All my aspirations and intentions to improve my income by bettering my qualifications, restart my sideline hobby/business have had stumbling blocks. Financial ones. Kids need constant maintainence, ie haircuts, school uniform bits and pieces, youth club and football club subs. Just that little lot adds up to £70 in one week. That's not a weekly expense and comes round every month or two, and I know they are coming it's just I'm scrabbling around again.

I've always said it's the little things that make the big things happen, ie look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves.

Slap round face with wet fish required.

Slice Of Pie Anyone ?

Where have I been ? Slicethepie . ( Not an affiliate link) Interesting relatively new site allows you to listen to unsigned new bands and artists, write reviews, get paid and if you think they rock invest in their future. If you ever fancied yourself as a music scout, are sick of manufactured trash, have a look. As you review tracks and score them your credibility as a music scout increases, as do your earnings.

I've been playing for 4 days. earnt a respectable £8 and enjoyed it. There's some real talent out there.

Warning it's highly addictive ! The about page explains it much better than me.
About Slicethepie

The Way Up

I'm guilty of faffing around for the last week, with the children not due back at school until this week, getting back into a routine has been hard, well not hard I just haven't been applying maximum effort. Been back at work for two days, which was nice to ease into, I guess I'd only be whinging if schools and work had all started at the same time.

Nothing will come of this sort playing around, so today is the (yet another) start of my renewed efforts to knock my debts on the head. Particularly those Marbles.

Whilst faffing I've also been thinking. I'm become increasingly eager to restart my jewellery making. I'm two minds wether to go the ebay route or develop a website/blog sales point. I suppose I could do both. It's just the ebay fees are high, although good for advertising.

Looking a little further ahead, this time next year both our children will be in secondary school. This leaves me able to get a job with longer hours equalling higher earning potential. Having been out of the job scene while attempting to run my own business, and having young children I guess I lack some skills. I've done some Open University, and some NVQ. I need to get some up to date qualifications if I'm to move up. I love my job, at the moment it's ideal, it fits around our family life, but it's a dead end job.

I've certainly got food for thought.