Everything is Changing

I get anxious opening my website sometimes. I don’t know why, its ridiculous. I saw 7 comments awaiting approval and my instant reaction was oh my god, what have I said now?! The 7 comments were all Spam, thanks brain.

Haven’t written anything for a while because everything I write makes me annoyed with myself. Really get on my own nerves sometimes. My last blog probably had something to do with it. And everything COVID related is not helping.

But I need to write this blog because if you’re a regular reader you deserve to know that I finally have some…

Good News!

My finances have flipped. My housing benefit has been increased and Council Tax has been reduced! I don’t know why, I did mention my rent was £300 a month more than housing benefit payment in my BBC Money article that was published in February. Probably coincidence (or was it?) but the timing was spot on.

I then got a text from DWP. It said “Please contact us ASAP, we think we…” and i was thinking NO, NO! Don’t say you’ve overpaid me!! “…may owe you”. Mate, I needed a sit down. Money hasn’t landed in my lap for a long time, this was huge!

I still didn’t qualify for the motobility element of PIP (I could really do with an automatic car, changing gear is agony) but DWP wanted to let me know that I did qualify for a care element. That I didn’t know existed. And that opened up another payment linked to child benefit. Which will only last a year, but whatever, I feel rich!

4 years of counting ever single penny when it didn’t need to be like that. If only I’d appealed the PIP decision 4 years ago. Still haven’t asked for a mandatory appeal for the latest motobility element refusal. Must do that. Remind me?

Can’t tell you what its like to go from not being able to afford a coffee to having a slice of cake with it as well if I want. I mean, I haven’t, still lockdown-ish and can’t see myself buying that many coffees in the future. The lessons I’ve learned from scrimping are going to stay with me. No rash spending. But Sophie had a nice birthday(!)

I did buy an electric can opener (the decadence!) and some sort of paint brush sprayer thing so I can paint the garden fence. Every panel is a different colour. But typical, as soon as it arrives Sophie says she’ll paint it and Jo has offered as well.

How expensive is paint though?! Haven’t mustered up the courage to buy any yet.

I’ve been spending a fair bit on vegetable pots and seeds but that’s a good investment. First time I’ve ever grown veg. Wish I’d given it a bit more thought beforehand, but so far my strategy of just chuck it all in is working. Fresh picked lettuce every day is amazing and look at my mini cucumbers and tomatoes, nearly there!

As if this wasn’t all great enough, I requested a 12 month tenancy from letting agent and got it. I KNOW! 4 years constant fear of homelessness, being given a 3 month extension every 3 flippin months and now a whole year of not having to worry. Very happy days.

Although could’ve done without convincing myself for a good week that they wouldn’t renew it. My own fault, again. They put the rent up a week after lockdown and I might’ve sent an email in reply that said “wow, just wow”. Because I can’t help myself.

I’m going to continue with The Secret. When I remember! Tell the universe what you want. Be positive. Still waiting for Cillian Murphy but guessing it doesn’t quite work for affairs of the heart if you both don’t want the same thing. He just hasn’t met me yet. Or got divorced.

Bad News

Well that’s another blog post. For once I’m going to leave it on a happy note.
I wish you well!
And now I can’t get the song out of my head. Ah well, never mind!