Light at the end of the tunnel

Hi all

Thought it was about time I updated my blog a bit.

Well the year is flying away with itself again, nearly May. The good thing with that is that the iva is flying along with it and we are just at half way. It really has gone quickly to be honest and still no problems, another 6 month review is just about due, but I keep everything in order so it is just a case of putting it all in an envelope and posting, just wages slips for the 6 months and any proof of rises in I an E.
The iva was for us the best decision we ever made and will give us a new start and a stress free retirement with no debt hanging over us.

Well life here is ok. Hubby needs surgery to the shoulder I mentioned in a previous post and I myself am not well at the moment but we are plodding along with nothing much to report

It is getting hard with the credit crunch but we have just pulled back where we can, making sure lights are switched off and unplugging the chargers to things and generally looking at where we can save. I mention the utilities as they are the single most huge rise we have had. At the beginning of the iva our gas and elec cost £100 per month. It is now at £145. Food has risen so much as well but I could do with eating less of that any way lol.

Hi to all on the forum that remember me and all the best to those who are in the early stages of getting advice, or waiting for their meeting.

I will update again soon.

Happy New Year to everybody. The years just seem to fly now.
We have just had our second year review, creditors have now had some payments and more due to the extra we have paid in and all is well.

I remember thinking at the beginning of the iva how far away christmas 2011 was and freedom from our debt, but it is going so quickly. We are heading for half way now, yet I remember the day we phoned to enquire about an iva, the day of the meeting , it all seems like yesterday.
At the beginning I thought how can we live with no credit, what will we do if this happens or that, but we have made it this far and hopefully it will continue.
Credit card statements through the door and the working out if we can afford to pay the minimum and get through the month is a distant nightmare. I still work everything out and budget, but there is enough to manage, before there was always a terrible fear of there not being enough, and frequently there wasnt, so we had to go without or I walked to work, anything to recoup enough for those payments. I am so glad those days are behind us.
We are still lucky enough to have the overtime hubby does, which allows us a little fun, though with the rises in everything it dwindles and the contingency doesn’t build so well.

The single most thing I am so grateful to the iva for is the fact my husband doesn’t worry anymore. I said in my first post about his heart attack, I still think the pressure of worry and earning enough had a lot to do with its cause. He still frequently says how the weight was lifted the day of our approval. I never want him to return to that worry ever again….

Well I was having a little reflective time there…so whats been happening.
There just doesnt seem to be enough time in the day at he moment, work is busy and one set of nights seems to flow into another. I have started to diet again as my clothes have tightened and I am being choosy which ones I put on, so I knew I had to do something. Not going to badly at the moment, just eating healthier and cutting out the rubbish I dont need, a bit of exercise as well if time allows. I am not going to weigh myself just learn to eat differently. We will see.

Hubby has injured his shoulder. He came home from work and decided to take a black bag down the drive for the dustmen, it was raining and didnt realise that what he thought was wet was in fact a sheet of ice and rather ungraciously and comically, slid down the drive on his back following the black bag to the bottom. OUCH….
This has been followed by two trips to A and E and fracture clinic and he is now awaiting an mri. No broken bones, they would have been easier to be honest, they think it is a tear in the cuff of the shoulder and if so will need surgery. He has had some time off work but is now back and trying to reach the mri and results as to what is needed. The way jobs are now about sickness he wont risk being off for what could be months, waiting for the mri, then to go back to the clinic and then for the surgery and the recovery post surgery is at least 6 weeks. So poor babe is struggling on, but managing, it is certain movements that are painful so he is trying to avoid them and all his mates at work are wonderful and are helping as much as poss.

We have booked yet another of the sun newspaper holidays for september so we have that to look forward to, they are great for a change of scenery and so cheap, take our food money, a few nice walks and a wander around, and a good rest. We will probably book another, if we can as we would like to take the granchildren for a couple of days. The little one thinks caravans are wonderful and keeps asking if we will take her to the caravan so we will hopefully do that too.

Decorating needs to be done but I think with hubby’s shoulder I am going to have to do it under supervision. That should be fun…not.. He usually does it all and I am the supervisor and clearer up after him. We are quite comical when doing these things together, lots of shouting and me picking fault and getting sent out of the room ha ha, you all know what it is like. I will be able to throw him out now as I am sure if I do it he will be there picking fault with everything just to get me back for all the years before.

So I am going to stop my rambling here, but before I do I would just like to say farewell to my dear friend Lily .

Lily your posts have always been so inspirational, so many people have been comforted by your words of understanding. The forum will miss your caring words and your wonderful avatar.
All love to you from me. Thank you for being lily and for being my friend. xxx

Hi all.

I just wanted to say a very merry xmas to everybody.

I have been very busy lately and not had as much time for the forum as usual. Hopefully I will be back to normal after all the festivities.

I am unfortunately working over christmas as we all know hospitals dont ever close. It would be nice just for one xmas to know that I wont be working, but after 29 years I should be used to it, but you never are. It is rotten though when everyone else is breaking up from work and you still have to go. I have spent my whole life affected by it as my mum was a nursing sister as well, and even as a child I frequently had to wait on xmas morning to open my presents as mum wasnt back from work and then my poor children have tolerated the same as well all their lives from me . Still my little moan over. I am always cheerful though when there and will take a silly hat and make the patients an extra cuppa and try to spoil them a bit. Saying that they certainly have a good day, a special menu and a cooked breakfast, visiting is usually open and the surgeons bring their familys in and carve the turkey, they have little presents in the morning, carol singers on xmas eve. Thinking of all this I might stay there lol.

My older daughter is cooking dinner this year and is working hard to do it nicely for us. Mum still has to make the gravy though ha ha I think I can stretch to that.

Chrissie presents are all bought now and the shopping is nearly done. None of the old buying loads of stuff just for the sake of it now. Just what we need and a few nice bits as the dreaded diet starts again after xmas.

All the best to Kallis for her op today, so glad she will be home for xmas.

Good luck to all who are awaiting their meetings and for those just starting on the road to being debt free.

Hopefully I will be back to normal after the new year and lets hope its a good one for all.

MERRY XMAS All

Hi all

Been a bit busy as I have had mum here for a few days and have spent some time with her.

Well I have finally got my brain into gear and written my little rundown on the first frugal friends christmas party.

As arranged , the lovely Lily and Emma T arrived about 1pm, and we sat and had a lovely lunch provided courtesy of Steve (sandwich maker extraordinaire). We had a good natter and set off for the hotel about 230.

We were going to put our stuff in our rooms but there was no parking in the adjacent carpark and we had to go over the road, so Lily and I jumped out with bags and xmas tree and the decs while steve and emma parked the cars. We decided to go straight to the room and put the tree up.

The room looked lovely, better than I had remembered, and smaller thank heavens, my biggest fear was of this huge room with a little bunch of us round one table looking lost. The room had its own bar it was as perfect as it could have been.
Anyway, we got to putting up the tree and decorating the tables, lily and I tying crackers with tinsel, emma t throwing sprinklys around and steve rustling away in the corner trying to put the tree up. To be honest we did it all in about half an hour
(team work eh) and it looked perfect for our little party.

We went up to our rooms to throw our stuff in and said we would meet in the bar for a drink as we were all parched.
I decided when we got to the room to get ready as I knew some would be arriving early, and just as well, within a few minutes my phone was ringing and it was Jan (kallis) and then straight after another Anna (pixie) so I dragged steve from trying to look at the football results and we went down with emma and lily to say hello. Jan and Dave were in the bar already. It is so nice to finally meet your virtual friends and to lose the virtual bit, Anna followed shortly after, great to see her again. Within half an hour lots had arrived,Vicki and Jon, Melanie and the girls from her team, Tina, angela and Melanie(busy making our badges), John and gwen Tegg, Andy and Bev, Debbie soulgrowth and Dave , Paul from reviva and roadrunners, Kev and Michelle.
I went through to say hello to Julia Simavi from Vincent Bond and to meet the speaker Vicky Ross, as Melanie said they had arrived.

Poor Julia and Vicky Ross were on the floor trying to hold the tree up, as they had needed to move it slightly and as always with those things, the base went funny and it wouldnt stand, panic over, all stabilised. Julia and Vicky are both lovely, we had a quick chat and were soon ready.
We all went through to the room about 7 ish after a little table arranging we all settled down at tables. Moretolife Irene and chris arrived soon after and then the lovely trevor debt47 and Alision arrived also.

After a great introduction from Andy, Vicky Ross the speaker gave a well delivered speech on positive thinking. It made me laugh when at one point Vicky said she was going to choose an audience member to sing a song, Bev next to me gave a resounding no as did I from nearly underneath the table ( I was going to nominate steve) he would have feinted. It was only to show us our reaction, but was funny. I will leave you all to view the speaker on iva tv.

Well the buffet followed kindly provided by Melanie and the rest of the evening was spent chatting amongst ourselves. I think most people managed to speak to everyone at some point. Poor Emma t got her usual ribbing from Steve, her poor back was hurting and lily fetched her a pillow to rest against, I will leave you to imagine what my hubby said regarding why she needed the pillow to sit on .
Irene Moretolife , kindly gave some books out that a friend had written. I am looking forward to having a read, so kind of you. There was also a prize draw provided by Paul from Reviva, I can only admit to missing that bit as we had sneaked off for a cigarette, but I gather melanies team did rather well.

Tina and Angela from Melanies team came over for a chat, as did melanie. It was so nice to meet them, Tina was telling us about her job and that she was really pleased to be able to come and meet some of the people she had spoken to previously.
We chatted about anything and everything from creditor calls to pets to xmas, telling our familys. There wasnt much that wasnt covered. The evening just flew by and before I knew it the odd ones were heading off home or back to their rooms. We stayed a little longer to put the tree away and finally retired followed by Melanie and the girls at about 1.15 am.

So thats it folks, I hope I havent gone on too much I just wanted those that have never been to see that the meetings are so friendly.
Anybody who feels it is too nerve wracking to attend one , please just try one. My first one I felt exactly the same, Lily and I met with our knees knocking and nearly disappeared into a wine bar somewhere, but I have been to all since, now followed by my hubby who doesnt normally like to go anywhere let alone with people he doe’snt know. The one single thing that everybody comments on is how nice it is to be able to talk freely with others, knowing they understand. Try just once, I guarantee you will come again.

All thanks to Melanie Giles and Vincent Bond for providing a great evening.

Anyway on the iva front all is still well. we are now just about to make our 2 yr payment so due for review again, Hopefully it will all go smoothly.

On a pleasant note , a couple of weeks ago we had a letter form our housing association saying the rent was to rise by £20 per month, not pleasant you may think, but I have had another letter today saying that due to the recent developments in the banking system and the effect it has had on many individuals personal finances they have deferred it untill 2010 to afford some comfort whilst things stabilise. I was quite shocked but nicely so, it must be hitting their grants and suchlike so I commend them for that.

Getting ready for xmas a bit, I have been buying presents here and there and am about half way at least. I get quite worked up around now, worrying about it, but I dont feel too bad just the awkward ones left now that I cant think what to get. Still I will sort them out hopefully in the next couple of weeks.

My older daughter is cooking xmas dinner this year…..grrrrreat… as I am having to work xmas eve night, which means I wont be home till xmas morning. Still it goes with the job, but one year off from working one of them would be nice. Fingers crossed for last minute annual leave ..but doubtful.

My daughter has just returned from New York , lucky thing. Her boyfriend took her for her 21st birthday. It just makes me feel old. I remember bringing her home as a baby like yesterday. Where does time go..

So thats it really folks. Good luck to all awaiting meetings .
I hope all is going well for everybody and that you all have a great xmas.

Well October is here and at long last we have had our six month review done and my ac manager rang the other night to speak to me about it. Ooh gawd, I thought, when hubby said our ac manager is on the phone . Well the end result after much worrying about whether we have paid in enough overtime etc, is that in total we owe £89.00. Creditors should be happy they have had almost double our monthly payment some months, due to overtime. Quite happy about that as we are nearly to the annual review ( yes this one was a bit late) and they have allowed rises in expenditure to be taken into account and it should easily cancel itself out by review. Rises are being offset from overtime, before we pay the 50%. We are lucky we still have the overtime, though not much this month with hubby being off work with the op. So next review, which will be our annual one, is at the end of november, so not far off really, but should be ok I religously pay the overtime in the day we get paid, to avoid any nasty scary amounts owing. I do appreciate how lucky we are to still have the overtime and still do think it worth doing. I have no problem paying the extra in, as that 50% gives us the treats we need, though lately contingency is not so good due to all the rises in the cost of everything. Still no moan,we are managing and that is what matters.

I so understand how all of the rises must be affecting some, especially those with children, so many rises in food costs, utilitys etc, we can cut back and put an extra jumper on, turn the heating down, not so easy with a family or if your budget is tight already.
Please if you are struggling, speak to your companies it is in their everybody’s interest to prevent failure due to rises, hopefully they can help, never been any harm in asking.

Nearly christmas ..ouch ! It comes around all too quickly. Sooo, my lists are starting, and I have the chrissie cards in the wardrobe at the ready. I bought them after christmas last year at 75% off. I always knew people who bought stuff reduced after christmas and thought it not worth having to store them for a whole year, suddenly on a budget I find my self saving anyway I can, so I can tick the cards off and the wrapping paper as they are here now at a quarter the cost.
I am going to do the same as I did last year decide on how much I spend for each and match a present to the person, at that cost. Buy one or two a week if poss and look for the bargains. I always research the cost of things on the internet checking out who is the cheapest or has something that bit different. I check out the clearance on websites like argos and tesco direct. There can be some great bargains to be had.
Anyways, enough of that for the moment I will check in later and let you all know how the bargain hunting is going.

Whats been going on. Well hubby has had another eye op, the other tear duct. It was done a bit differently this time, up bis nose uggh rather than an incision as with the first. Didnt seem to have gone that well this time as the streaming eye has been worse than ever, but he saw the consultant again this week and the tube they usually leave in for a couple of months has had to be removed as it sometimes causes a block as well. End result his eye is much better and he doesnt cry all day lol. I am so pleased this is over now I am a real worrier. He is so precious. (soppy woman)

Well we are off again on another sun newspaper hol this sunday. This one is going to be quite a frugal one, lots of walks and chillling out in the caravan, possibly a swim and the odd couple of drinks at the club. Collected weatherspoons vouchers to have the odd meal out with, ( found a wetherspoons near where we are) food from our shopping budget, and basically just a quiet rest and change of scenery for us after the busy few days we had away with the family. This will be the total opposite, borrow a few dvd’s and just chill, cant wait.

I am enjoying looking after the frugal friends section and moderating. Helping out with the forthcoming frugal friends xmas party. It is going to be a great night, lots of new faces to look forward to meeting, and seeing the friends we have already made at previous ones. Cant wait, the hotel looks lovely and the room is super. All that is needed is you all to come and enjoy yourselves. Dont forget post on the ‘who is coming thread’ if you havent already if you can come everybody is welcome including new members. See you all soon.

Anyway going to leave it here for the moment, will report on the holiday when we get back, though, I am hoping to take the laptop with me (I am an early riser and get bored listening to hubby snore) but need to beg for my son inlaws mobile broadband stick ( a dongle I believe it is called, sounds rude) either way will speak soon.

Well not a lot going on in august to be honest. The quiet before the storm as september has been the busiest month this year.

Iva wise it is still ticking along nicely. We have now made 19 of 60 payments. I have to say it is absolutely flying along, I just pray nothing will go wrong, there is always that little nagging feeling in the back of my mind that it will, but thats me, always been the pessimist, I call it self preservation, anything better than the worst scenario is a bonus, but it does stop me enjoying things sometimes.
Still waiting for the six month review to come back. In the end I rang my ac manager and told her I was sending it anyway, not a lot of point now to be honest it is our annual review at the end of november. What a christmas 2011 will be when we finish. Cant wait for it.

So what have we been up to. First two weeks of september were our two annual weeks off. The first week we spent doing a bit of decorating here and there, nothing major just a tidy up.
We have a very posh downstairs loo now though. I got some lovely tiles that were reduced from twenty odd pounds a box about a year ago, for just £3 a box and we have used them. A slap of paint, new lino ( which I got as someones offcut from a bootsale for £2) new loo seat and it looks great total cost was about £15. The paint we already had from doing earlier rooms, so we now have a lovely loo at little cost.

Then we had our sun newspaper hol. This one had the family coming as well. I still recommend these as a great cheap way of having a change of scenery, weather doesnt matter, if its nice its a bonus, but we al need a break from the routine. Total cost for us was £112 sounds more expensive than the £9.50 advertised, but the park we went to offered extra nights for £19 and so we booked another 2 and we also upgraded the caravan to give a bit more space. So instead of monday to friday we went saturday to friday, so a week barr one night. Food was bought with our sains vouchers and the budget for the week anyway. The weather was great much better than at home, where a lot I know were flooded out. Luckily the rain we had was always overnight, I love being in a caravan when it is raining, sounds daft but its sort of cosy.

We had a day on the beach, my grandaughter even went in the sea, slightly mad I thought but at her age I would have probably done the same. We went on the old steam train to Dartmouth, that was fun, seeing the old carriages, and before any of you say it, no I cant remember them lol, I can actually just about remember being at new street station, and the noise, smell and the steam, but must have been about three, a very vague recollection.

We also went to brixham on the boat, a near death experience in my books. I am petrified of boats, I would have driven there and met the rest but they said I was being a spoil sport so I went and though the sea was realtively calm any movement in a boat and I think it is going to tip over. It was definatley thirty minutes I dont want to do again. Coming back we saw they now had a big fast catamaran they are trialing , being run by the bus company, so I sent my 79 year old mother over to plead that she was cold , and didnt want to wait for the boat we had actually paid, for and could we go on theirs. Ha ha it worked, though the blokes face was a picture when 8 of us trundled on , I think he thought there was only two of us.
Then a couple who had been on our original boat on the way over, saw us getting on, and they demanded if we could go they wanted to as well, so he had to let them on. Bargain, lovely trip back, it was huge, lovley inside, and fast, only took just over ten minutes instead of thirty on the one over.
They even had a free bus at the harbour to take you back to the main torquay shops. We bundled mom on there, we were laughing, I think she thought she was being abducted by the bus driver, he put his arm through hers and said he would leave her by boots chemists. We walked back around the harbour and when I got there he was standing on the pavement waiting for us to collect her. He had told her she wasnt to move. How great was that , a free trip and mom looked after. Anybody from the stagecoach catamaran service who reads this. Well done, I am sure the service will be popular to locals as well as the tourists.

The rest of the week we spent swimming and mooching about. We went to the club one night and saw that chap who was on the telly from britains got talent I think he reached the seminfinal. He juggled a chainsaw a bowling ball and a jelly baby. He was really good, I am not one for that type of thing, but it was a great evening, hubby really enjoyed it too.
So that was our hol, it went quite well considering the number of us. Still hubby and I have booked a quiet one for us in october as they came up again. This one will only cost us £50 and we went to the same site last year, so we know its nice. We will chill this week and have a few walks and fish and chips. mmmm

We returned on the friday and as I unpacked one bag I repacked another to go to the frugal friends at slough.
What a lovely evening, sponsored by Vincent Bond and hosted by Andy and Melanie. The food was the best yet ( got to report on the food first) Really nice to meet Debt 47 Trevor, Mtl and hubby, stressed suzanne and david. What better than a comfortable relaxed evening amongst friends, no barriers on what you talk about. Really enjoyable as always and I won the champagne and the bucket as well, we are saving that for November 2011. Paul from reviva gave us all a lovely little Jack daniels hip flask each. With strict instructins not to flog them on ebay lol as if we would do such a thing !!!!!

I still recommend these evening to everyone, it is so nice to put names to faces and so relaxed and friendly, I am sure a lot imagine us sitting in a circle bearing all. Its not at all like that so anyone a bit nervous of coming dont be. November in Walsall looks like it will be a great evening, I am sad hubby cant come as he is working, though I am stll trying to sort that but it is overtime we need that he would have to forsake so we will see, the decision is his as all overtime is only if he wants to do it.

I also had a lovely birthday all your messages on the forum were really appreciated xx
The family all put together and bought me some ghd hair straigteners. I have been desperate for these but at over £100 they were just too much. Hubby also bought me a phone, girly pink one but really I wanted that because it has larger letters so I dont need to find glasses to send a text, some of mine were illegible as I didnt see the mistakes. I use the t9 dictionary and if I finish it angie it writes bogge lol I have loads back asking who bogge is !

Any way I will finish here as I have a busy day, a friends 1970’s party tonight and I am cooking 320 sausage rolls and 120 salmon voleau vents, so I must get cracking. We are going to look ridiculous in flares and silly wigs, but it will be a laugh.

Speak soon all good luck to all of those with meetings soon and all those stressing over debt there is always a way forward and the forum is such a fantastic place for support and advice.

Melanie all the very best for IP of the year , you always have mine and steves vote. What an honour regardless of the outcome, can we see those photos x

I will edit this later so excuse all my rotten typing, got to go cook and test them all as well lol !!!

Well hello again all.

Ooh whats been happening, not a great deal to be honest ,all has been fairly quiet.

On the iva front, we are still waiting for our six month review, not heard a thing. I did chase it up, to find that yet again our account manager has changed, ( the only problem I have found with our company) I mentioned that our review was due and was told I would hear shortly, but still nothing. To be honest it will be yearly review in November and I cant see much point in doing one now . It doesnt worry me I am a bit obssesive with keeping on top of overtime payments and rises in expenditure so it is ready and waiting to be posted in the drawer when they ask. I am just nearly half way through the next one now. My company does this and reviews six monthly, I cant see why if they are so stretched and busy, but still.

I mentioned in my last post about the rising costs of everything, and wow are they rising, I walk around the supermarket and the prices of everything is going up ridiculously, I wonder now that petrol is dropping slightly if these prices will go back down ? I know the cost to the supermarket has gone up due to the extra logistics costs, but not to the degree that they have put them up, I feel they have taken advantage of the petrol rises . I hear talk in the media of a supermarket price war, I hope they start soon, as I have had to start dramatically cutting back on shopping to cover the extra diesel costs and rises in everything. The rises now heading for the gas and elec are scary, our costs are high already and I wonder how anyone will cope with rises of 50% upwards.

Anyway, enough of the doom and gloom, the weather is lovley and we have enjoyed a quiet weekend at home sunning ourselves in the garden. I am so looking forward to our sun newspaper holiday in september, daughters and grandchildren are coming as well, not so sure if that is good I fear a lot of babysitting coming on, I dont mind really, Steve will be in his element and reverts to his childhood when they are around he loves them so much and has plans to go crabbing and swimming, which he doesnt usually, mind you I would like to see what he does with a crab if he finds one, the 2 year old will be running up the beach screaming, as she is petrified of even an ant and grandpa wont be far behind her. I as usual am looking forward to fish and chips on the beach, walks along the seas edge , grandpa’s antics and most of all no work.

We went to the Bradford frugal friends, steve for the first time, and had a great evening, loads came and we didnt go to bed till 1.15 unknown for us oldies. Hubby had a great time and really enjoyed it and I was so pleased to see him chatting away with people, I tried to get round to everybody but didnt get a chance, kept chatting for ages, so anybody we didnt, next time definately (vicki x) I have to say hi to angela and sarah from Melanies office, I hope you are coming again, both lovley, great to meet you x.
I know its always being said but these really are very relaxed evenings and great fun, so if you are nervous dont be, you will enjoy it. We cant wait for the next one .

Anybody struggling with their debts seek advice and help dont struggle on as we did for years. I cant say an iva is easy but for us it is so much easier and given us peace of mind that we can end it and settle to enjoying a few years with our hard earned cash before retiring. One of my greatest fears was that we would still have the debt at retirement and how would we have coped.

Anybody just embarking on a solution or awaiting their meeting, all the very best from me.

Well , I thought it about time to do a little update on things here.
Not an awful lot happening iva wise, though of late it has been a little hard as we have had two unexpected weddings and unfortunately now a funeral to go to. Just a bit hard when you dont have the spare cash for presents and such like. I was sweating at a wedding on saturday as we didnt have a lot to buy drinks, but we managed, and it saved the next day headache anyway.
Our six month review is due now , though I havent heard anything but I have it all ready, wage slips and proof of extra expenditure, so there shouldnt be any changes.
Hasnt the cost of everything risen of late, the obvious petrol, but it is affecting all the food I think now and everything seems to go up week by week. I am having to put a lot more thought into what I buy, as if I didnt already. But still no moans as we would be struggling so much more if we wern’t in an iva .

I am going to be so busy from saturday as hubby goes for an eye op on saturday, grandaughter for facial surgery on tuesday and then a funeral on friday. Not a week I am looking forward to but all very necessary so I just want it all over. Hubby has to stay in as he had a heart attack previously and they will monitor him overnight. He doesnt want to, but I am making him as even though I nurse for a job I panic about him if he pulls a face about anything so I will relax knowing he will be watched. My gorgeous grandaughter then goes for hers on tuesday, she has had so much to withstand in her ten years, I think this is the fifth op. She was unfortunate and was born with a cleft lip and palette, and severe at that, so this is something she has to go through. Hopefully they are nearing an end, a few more to go though I think. I will be busy looking after younger sister for the day aged 2, so will occupy myself with building tents and playing with her, and hubby as well ,because when she is here he reverts back to childhood as well. Hopefully nice weather and I can give them a picnic on the lawn.

Sorry for a seemingly depressing post but it is helps to be able to talk about it and release it from the system , something I dont find easy.

To all those in debt , dont let the stress get to you seek help and find a solution, there always is one.
For those with meetings coming up soon all the very best of luck .

Speak soon

Hi all
Well we went to the debt debate, hubby and I, and what an enjoyable day we had. We left home about 11am and our train was at 12. We arrived on time after nearly getting chucked off the train due to our tickets being wrong, ours had midland something or other and they should have had virgin on them even though our seats were reserved, which helped to show we were on the right train. Why me, it always happens, I had already had a load of trouble over the phone booking. Still the chap was nice and agreed it was rotten service by virgin and said no more. We got to Euston and then went outside with the map i had so very carefully researched and laminated. No use whatsoever as we didnt know what the name of the street was. We showed it to a station worker and he didnt know either, but then told me the tube station at Euston was inside the train station and I didnt need to come outside anyway. Next bit, what a pair of idiots trying to get a tube ticket, everyone knew what they were doing I was looking at the screen thinking what on earth is zone 1 and 2. So yet again another kind station worker pressed the buttons and showed us what to do to get to Leicester square. I couldnt get over how narrow the platform was, scary, I can see how people can get knocked off and this wasnt rush hour. Two stops and we were there.
We found the courtrooms easily, only thing we managed without being led, lol. Emma T sent a text and we arranged to meet her, then debbie (soulgrowth) rang and her taxi driver didnt know where she wanted. Twenty mins later we had met and all was well.
We met Andy inside and we were introduced to Dominic from the forum.( Great Guy)
The debate was really interesting and Andy and Melanie did us proud, being a shy little bunch we went to the back and managed to avoid the cameras. I think there is a quick flash of my hubby on iva tv. You sit at the back to avoid being on telly and then everybody in front of you wants to ask a question or make a point. lol .
We had a lovley glass of wine or two after and Debbie, Emma and I planted ourselves rather strategically near the nibbles and nibble we did. The one waiter kept coming back, he must have felt sorry for us poor hungry souls. We were joking they would be able to tell we were in an iva because we were having our dinner ha ha.
Had a lovley chat to Melanie, hubby was providing the drinks. We spoke to Gill Hankey ( I think thats right) and she is so nice as well. Just as we were leaving Melanie introduced us to Andrew Graveson. We had a joke about him being grey haired and sitting behind his desk. He is nothing like that at all, quite a handsome young man.
Anyway, as we had a little time to spare before trains we had a quick drink outside a pub with emma and dominic and returned back to Euston.
Got on the train, you can guess my luck no reserved seats and I had a moan to the train manager and like a good chap he put us in first class for the journey home. A whole carriage to ourselves free vodka and coke, ham sarnies like doorsteps , smoke salmon coleslaw (which was horrible) sorry, and we had two pieces of cake and two big bananas and not forgetting the pretzels, and best of all it was free.
Thank you very much virgin train manager , my first time first class. Hubby acted the total idiot that he is( he always makes me laugh) and waved liked Prince Charles out of the window at people. He really enjoyed it, and that was our day at the debt debate. We got home about 1045 a long day and a very tired pair, but well worth it.

Frugal friends

Frugal Friends in Portsmouth, was a great night as always. emma T very kindly offered to collect and take me. We had a great journey down it didnt seem long , we talked all the way. The hotel room was super and clean and comfy. We went to meet Debbie and had a quick sandwich and before we knew it it was 7 and we had to run back to the hotel and get changed quickly. Everyone was there John and Gwen, who so kindly hosted the evening and provided food for us all, Andy and Bev, skippy and dave, Teresa and Shaun (trees)Debbie and Dave who we had met in the pub before and another couple, steve and Lin, who hadnt posted but now have (reggiestirred). The meeting was as relaxed and pleasant as always. A natter about different aspects of iva,s the insolvency register. A lovley meal, and we finished about 1130pm.
I sleppt really well. Guess what Angie had a big brekkie in the morning. I love hotel breakfasts, and very nice it was. Back on the diet now and looking forward to my lettuce leaves in a bit . Back home by 2pm and a super time had by all .

Iva Update

Not a lot happening in our household, you will all have read about the heating saga , all ok now and seems to be no damage. Our 6 month review is at the end of this month, as our company does this and all is still well. I will update if there are any changes, but I doubt there will be.

Good luck to all with meetings in the near future and for those just embarking on the journey to debt freedom.

Well hi again.
I thought it about time I wrote a bit to my blog.
I have to say thank gooodness there have been no major disasters in the household lately, except for loss of my lovely big koi fish dyson ( anybody confused we called him dyson cos he went round the pond hoovering all the food up), the other fish I said I would report on and they are all present and correct, the pond is just about starting to clear enough to see their shapes moving. I maybe I shouldnt speak too soon.

I had a lovley evening at the frugal friends meeting in Birmingham, saw my mate Lily, and met Melanie for the first time, Emma t, Pixie, gavin and Donna, Paul, Andy and Bev, John Tegg, and Gwen. Martin, soulgrowth, another Gavin. I think that is everyone. A really nice evening, as it was the last time I went, lovley chats, food which was greatly received Melanie thank you, regardless of Basil and his troups lol. Please ,nobody be nervous of these meetings they are very relaxed, and so nice to meet others in similar situations, and put some faces to names. Birmingham city centre shocked me a little, very busy and I have to say not pleasantly either. It isnt the main going out bit but rather scary whilst waiting for my taxi. I only got approached twice, but I was ok , one chap wanted busfare as he had lost his mates and another I think, slightly worse the wear for standing up, but very polite and no problem I just said I only had my taxi fare. I wouldnt open my bag where I was. I felt quite safe though , as I know the cameras cover all areas around there, and the police are very sharp with trouble. I did jury service and I sat on a case in the city centre, and they showed the chap that was in trouble, all the way around the city for over an hour and didnt lose him once, talk about big brother, but reassuring all the same. Another venue will be needed for next time me thinks. At least one of the other hotels with its own carparking.

I am going to go to the debt debate in London and hubby is coming as well. I havent been to London since I was about 7 I think , when I went with the school, only thing I remember was the planetarium and the smell on the underground stations. It will be a nice day out for us as we are on holiday from the end of that week, well hubby is anyway I am still waiting to hear if I can have my holiday.

Our iva is still running smoothly and we are still saving every little penny we can. Weigh ins on the forum for our little weight loss club is working, except as a few will have read for the giant mixed grill my hubby made for me last night, such a good boy, and the wonderful chinese he is taking me for next saturday for our anniversary, 22 years he has had to put up with me. He will know about the chinese when he reads this after I have finished. ha ha hint hint.

Lots of lovely people joining the forum, Beans on Toast, who I secretely call sausage sandwich, another Ang, loads, quite a few accepted iva’s in recent times as well, so nice to see people get through the stress leading up to their meetings. Hopefully there will be many more the same celebrating in the future.

Lots of pickies of all the furry creatures you all love, and a special mention for Harry, who adopted Skippy and Dave recently, a very lucky boy. Congrats on your discharge too
skippy xx .

I shall stop here I think as there is not much else to report. just good luck to all from me.