New Year, New Start. Probably dries and lows as we Tryers to be Dryers try 2019.

[Frouby]

New thread for the New Year.

Support thread for those who want to moderate and reduce alcohol. Absolutely no judgement, just advice and support. Absolutely everyone is welcome whatever your goals or hopes for 2019.

Am no good at clicky linke but there are previous threads and we look forward to continuing to moderate and reduce in 2019.

Especially today. 14 coming for 3 courses at 3pm and I have a raging hangover to start the year. Fml.

Oh Flossie, sending you all love x

Oh flossie, I’m sorry, thinking of you x

Sorry to hear your dd's not well, Flossie. Hope she feels better soon, and you also!

@Flossie44 so sorry to hear that! Thinking of you.
I'm now embarking on my first AF weekend since November. Tonight and tomorrow are no problem because no DH. He usually caves on a Sunday when he's not working although he's back to work on Monday morning. I'm determined at the moment to stay strong for both of us.

Sending love Flossie.
AF here too. Shook myself up last night with that fall and have a sore jaw where I landed on it.
Good luck AF crew.

I had not been going to post on here this evening due to being such an effing failure, yet again - but can't not, now I've seen Flossie's post.

for you, Flossie, and more for DD2. xxx

What happened Dion? Are you ok?

Oh, NC4, yes, I'm ok. Very sweet of you to ask. Just the usual inability to stagger through an AF evening. I only seem to manage it when I'm so hung over that I can't face a drink. I hope you're feeling a bit better today...

Flossie I hope your DD is ok

Well I’ve bought a bottle of red wine. Got home to a letter threatening a possession order from my mortgage company .
I was unable to make my payment last month due to a payroll/UC cock up. I’ll ring them tomorrow but I just can’t be arsed tonight.

Hugs Zoflora. I am sure you will be able to sort it out if it was just one delayed payment.

How is your DD now Flossie?

Heading to bed after first AF Friday probably since pregnancy. Wasn't so bad in the end. Had a posh AF beer, ate casserole, played a board game, listened to music and, thanks to this thread, lit a candle I forgot I had. Not the best Friday night ever but not the worst either.

Flossie - I hope your daughter is improving and will soon be home.

Zoflora - that is really quick of the mortgage company - really unfair and not good for stress levels.

Dion - hope you are ok.

I had half a bottle of red last night - a definite improvement of the usual bottle of wine on a Friday. So I am pleased with that

Have a good week-end everyone.

@Flossie44 - sorry to hear about your DD. Hope she’s home v soon.

flossie .

Poor flossie . On to day 5 here. Mind racing and shaky but I really need to give up as it interferes with my meds. Also once I start I am very bad at stopping...dh doesn't reaĺly drink and doesn't like me doing it too. Glad he doesn't because that means house can be an alcohol free zone. Got 3 hours sleep earlier. Maybe couple of hours later on

I was made unemployed in August, got a job within 3 weeks but I’ve only had emergency payments (£390 & 750) in sept and October. So I was in a repayment plan and then UC didn’t pay in Dec because my employer put sept, Oct and nov money through on one payroll making it look like I’d earn loads of money! So I defaulted in the payment plan. Hence the letter.

HMRC are now investigating my Mandatory Reconsideration I submitted on the 12th if Dec. Basically it’s all crap!! And I drank the bottle but only just finished it. Feel tipsy but not drunk.

That's really rubbish zoflora. Not surprised you hit the . Sending you too

Hows your dd flossie? Did you get home in the end?

zoflora can you get some financial advice lovely? Stepchange or somewhere free to help you deal with the bank etc. Fight tooth and nail to keep your house, it's so much better than the private rented market.

dion hope you are ok this morning.

I feel pretty bleurgh. Had a good day at work so celebrated by drinking 2 cans of lager and 3/4 of a bottle of prosecco. Had a shit nights sleep and feel more tired now than getting up for the school run all week. Had a good time though, silly night with dh and the dcs. Sooooo much to do though this weekend.

Zoflora that’s terrible. I’m dreading switching to UC. It’s bad enough with tax credits.

I’ve had confirmation that my employers messed up my tax code too, so I owe tax on an entire year’s wages as opposed to the six months I was expecting. Fuck. That’s a big bill to find by the end of the month.

I finally got the date for DS pip assessment through this week too. They’ve been paying my tax credits as though he were eligible, as he previously got DLA, so I’m panicking in case they say he isn’t and I have to pay it back.

UC is crap, because I was on an emergency tax code (rang HMRC to sort it myself) I’ll get a tax rebate in this months wage. That’ll be classed as income. So next month I’ll get less UC but I will get my normal wage so less money. I haven’t had one month the same in 4 months. People tell you to budget but how the hell can you when you go from ok to skint every other month!

The govt lost in court yesterday over UC variability with a case brought by 4 single
Mums who said UC was causing poverty. Coupled with the latest news from govt that they are reviewing UC and stopping the roll out I pray there are some significant changes!

I can’t get smi to help with mortgage interest as I don’t qualify as I work. The mortgage relief scheme isn’t available in my area. It’s a headache and a half.

Good luck with the pip assessment

It’s an absolute mess. I went from self employed to employed. They put me on emergency tax and then rebated it. I didn’t realise they gave me the whole lot back.
I think UC comes in here in July so I need to get this sorted quickly.
I don’t know how you are supposed to cope with fluctuations and as I’m now back freelance, it will be a complete mare.

Day 12 here AF assuming I don’t drink, which I won’t

💐 to everyone having tough times

The benefits system is a bloody joke. I am very, very lucky to not claim anything now, but relied on them for a good few years when dd was little. It wasn't too bad then, or tax credits weren't but the housing benefit and ctax benefit system very nearly pushed me over the edge.

I wont bore you with the details but it involved dds father not paying the csa he should have been, so he ended up paying off arrears for a full 3 months before he left his job. HB said I hadn't declared it, I had and for the year was something like 3k down, but because he paid £100 more for 3 months they wanted all the hb payments back for the full year, despite me being worse off.

I really sympathise with anyone having to negotiate UC. My dsis went onto it after a change in circumstances and has been horribly misinformed leaving her 2k in rent arrears. .

We have done absolutely fuck all all day. The dcs have slobbed about in their bedrooms, I have alternated between laying on the sofa or laying on my bed. Think we are all knackered after getting up for school and work all week. Was going to nip to my mums for an hour but the kids wouldn't even get dressed to come with me so have left them to it.

Tomorrow I will be mainly doing housework, ironing, paperwork, shopping blah blah fucking blah.

Have 1/4 of a bottle of prosecco in the fridge I am thinking about. And I might possibly have a can of lager. But then I plan on being dry for 3 days.

It's getting to that time now for me on a Saturday. Could murder a glass of wine after working all day. DH out working again tonight though so I need to remember that really I'd be drinking on my own and I'll have both DD's to deal with whilst on my own and tipsy. Trying to read my book and forget about it. I'm at 6 days AF if I hold off tonight! So hard to be strong at the weekend.

The horror of Thursday night is starting to fade for me now (sadly faster than the bruise on my chin) so of course I’m thinking 💭 🍷.
Not going to though.
DS stayed home this weekend with apparently no plans. I can’t get pissed again.