Ok, I appreciate there has to be balance in all things. But why does it feel so much like the scales are always tipping rather too much for comfort in the... wrong direction at times. More than 'at times'. Most times actually.
My lovely writerly-friend Claire Allan (she's a best-selling novelist don't ya know?)'s FB status said yesterday:
Seriously.. could we have a day when some money comes in and none goes out? Just for a change?
And she's right. It doesn't seem to matter how hard we 'normal' people try, there NEVER seems to be a time when there's a proper breathing space from financial demands. And no sooner have we started to save a bit of money to buy a carpet for the stairs (oh, we don't ask for much - no Bahama retreat for us - just a simple floor covering to replace the paint-tea-bleach splattered existing one that's been here since we moved in 5 years ago) than what little we've put away is demanded elsewhere.
Point in case:
My gorgeous Carpenter Husband has decided to buy the van he's been using from the guy he (hasn't since November) worked for - so that he can start doing proper private work and get himself established as a Carpenter under his own name - start his own company if you like. So we got down with Meerkats one night and found what we thought was the best deal insurance-wise and went ahead and paid deposits and signed paperwork etc.
Only today, to receive a letter from them returning the last Insurance certificate he sent off confirming his lengthy no-claims details. Because he's not entitled. In fact he won't be getting ANY no claims simply because for the past 2 years the van he's been driving was insured by the guy who he worked for and owned it and not himself. So he has to go back to ZERO NO CLAIMS (whereas he must have over 10 years of previous no-claims in his favour - but that doesn't count anymore) and pay... wait for it - DOUBLE insurance premiums. That's £800/year. Eight hundred quid? The van's only worth another couple hundred more than that!
Why is it in today's shitty economy and with everyone else sponging off the state on benefits etc, that when ONE person tries to make a difference to their lives and tries to improve the quality of their employment and wants to actually go out there and do a decent - honest day's work that they get shot in the back and penalised to the hilt for trying to do their best?
Seriously - is NO ONE allowed to get on in life these days without some bureaucratic bastard standing in their way and waggling a finger of disapproval for just trying to better themselves?
They should come see our carpet then they'd realise what some people have to put up with.
I could sob.
6 comments:
Your pain is my pain.
wish I could wave a magic wand... at the moment I'm robbing Peter to pay Paul and Peter is looking his money back... and quick.
Thanks Claire. I feel so weepy with anger and uselessness right now. The insurance co. have just stung us for a month's cancellation fee too so we've paid them nearly £100 for 10 days insurance. It's so demoralising. Del's even talking about jacking it all in and living off benefits like everyone else does.
Can I join in too? We live in a 'high crime rate postcode' area (not where we are, but between two horrid places). Our stinky old ford van insurance is £875 per year. Also, we have to PAY for a bloody parking permint to park outside our own house. I don't drive, so I additionally have to pay £55 per month to get to my job on the bus.
The lovely Eric is also self employed (landscape gardener)and when he wanted to raise his prices by £1 per hour, his regular customers treated him like a leper.
We wouldn't even get benefits coz he's French - we're not married and he's not naturalised - and I would only get jobseekers. I couldn't even pay my electric bill on that. Plus I won't be able to retire until I'm about 100 coz my insane ex stopped me working and I won't have enough NI contributions. It's never-ending. *sob*
Oh yet a couple round the corner just burned their kitchen down to get a new one on insurance and were laughing about it on the street.
OMG, Jacqui, it seems like the Good Guys always finish last, doesn't it? What a shitty position to be in. And there never seems to be a let-up, does there? I bet there isn't even a bloody heaven after all this, where we least get a pat on the back for being so f**king tolerant. Bah.
You are reminding me of all the reasons why I left! Has nothing changed? Just to rub salt into the wound the comprehensive insurance on our Land Rover Discovery td5 costs $380 (about £190) and the diesel to fill it costs $1.20,less than 60p a litre.
The suns out too! and the word verification for today is palegal
Pah! legal you mean, John? It does make us very sad about UK. I know Del would emigrate in a heartbeat. Keep a look out for properties on the market, will you? Once Alice is settled we may well be wanting to up sticks. So long as you can guarantee no funnel web spiders down your way! x
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