If I ask you to humor me and engage in a moment of possible woo?

[NeverWinsMNComps]

I joined MN a few years ago, around the time of the accidental-swimming-pool-undressing (your Minge!) and the shat-upon-pouffe, if I remember correctly. (Pouffe as in footstool, before anybody gets upset) I've namechanged for this as I'm a little too identifiable under my usual nickname. What follows is a bit of a "thought experiment"

Lately (The last year or so) things have not been good. My marriage is rocky. I don't have any family near me and don't get much time to see friends. We're skint. We both work, but by the time I've paid for childcare and petrol I actually struggle to afford food. (It's not helped by the fact that I've had a client skip out on a big bill and another caught up in a year-long bureaucratic snafu delaying payment) I suffer with long-term depression and sometimes can't afford AD's, which leaves me sobbing and contemplating suicide. The worst part is the gut-wrenching feeling when I check my bank balance or go to use my debit card, never sure whether there will be enough to cover basic needs. There's always the hope that one of my outstanding accounts will have paid up, and when I see that they haven't... the disappointment and stress just re-ignites itself every time.

My point is, I've been knee deep in shit and I really need some kind of "win" in my life (not necessarily of the MN comp variety, nickname notwithstanding). Call it karma or good luck or cosmic ordering or an actual honest-to-goodness Christmas Miracle, if you like. I know there are people worse off than me and I'm sure there are people more deserving of sympathy.

But if you've managed to read this far, what I'm asking is for you to take a moment and send me good will. Say a prayer, think positive thoughts, send good vibes, cast a spell, light a candle, summon positive energy, or wave some flaming sage about the place with wild abandon... and then point some in my general direction. I know it's the most apalling pile of superstitious woo, and quite unmumsnetty to boot. But I've got nothing to lose and you never know--maybe it will work. (At the very least, it will make me feel better if I think some total strangers give a monkeys!)

Thanks for reading.

I'll forget at 11 so here's a bit of woo from me

Read The Power, it's all about this positive vibe thingy....probably shite but worth a try

Am I the only one dying to read the Minge thread now??????

Will be sending positive thoughts and maybe even a prayer for you at 11 but just had a thought about your prescription. If your GP is friendly could you explain current financial situation and its impact on your health and see if GP would consider giving you a longer supply of ADs per prescription so you can better afford to keep yourself healthy?

Another idea regarding kids clothing needs cropping up and preventing you getting prescription filled, have you got a children's sure start centre near you? My local one has a rack of clothes and shoes so you can swap outgrown but in good condition items. If the centre know you're in need they give you what you need fromthe rack without you bringing in anything to swap.

I'll see if I can dig up the Minge thread. It may be in Classics now.

Another complete stranger giving a shit here OP.

I am another one who believes in making their own luck. Sometimes the going gets tough though.

Happy to engage in a bit of woo if it helps. However, I do think it's more likely to be effective when paired with actual real action :)

No amount of hoping and praying will make your clients pay. They won't pay because it's the right thing to do, or because you need the money. They will pay when they are chased, and you become enough of a pain that it's easier to just pay you!

I used to be a credit controller and the majority of my clients were government bodies. They do take their own sweet time to pay, but they have specific processes to follow, and it helps to be familiar with them.

Send copy invoices marked "True and certified copy" and sign it.
Follow up with a phone call to check they have it, ask for the name and phone number of the person who has to authorise the invoice, and ask how long it is likely to take, reminding them that the invoice is already X number of days overdue. Is your work regular enough that a threat of suspended services would help spur them on? It might be a total pain in the rear, but quite often you do just have to chase the invoice through their entire payment system.

For your client who has seemingly disappeared, you must have an address for them? Can you go in person to their premises, to hand deliver an invoice / letter? More travel and fuel, I know, but if the bill is big enough it might be worth it. From what I remember, an initial solicitor's letter (stating that legal action will follow if the bill is not paid in seven days) doesn't cost too much money. I believe you can also start court proceedings yourself for very little money, so if you were to deliver them court papers asking them to fill in particulars of why they believe the invoice should not be paid, that may put the frighteners up them enough to pay.

Do you have specific payment terms, and are they stated on the invoice? Do you credit check your clients in advance, or take part payment up front? It might be time to start, if not...

Sorry, that was really long! I'm dredging the memory banks a bit here too, so the court stuff is a little hazy. People will always try and avoid paying though, that never changes! PM me if you would like any more help or info re: chasing for payment. Good luck!

I am sending you mad positive vibes, and also wondering if you should take said local authority to county court, which may help them get their shit together?

Would it be helpful to burn our Christmas tree for you?

seriously, I hope things get better for you soon.

With the LA, it really does seem to be a case of people internally not knowing what the hell they are doing. My work is with vulnerable people, so the money all originates through the local authority. The council can either contract services on behalf of their clients (adding my business as a new service provider is the part that's been caught up in SNAFU) or they pay the money directly to a vulnerable person with an "agent" who helps them to organize their own services.

And if the agent buggers off with the money... you're pretty much screwed. It's financial abuse, so I was able to raise it with the safeguarding team and get the person removed as agent. During the investigation, it emerged that several services went unpaid by this agent, who basically just stole the money that was allocated for a vulnerable person's care. They'll face prosecution, but that money is gone.

I do chase the invoices that are to be paid directly to the council, I've found out the names & numbers of all the people involved and cc all of them into emails so they can't just pass the buck to another department. I've also made formal complaints to the head of services, and gone in to the office in person. The constant effort is exhausting, but I'm just not going to cut off service to a vulnerable person because the council can't get their arse in gear.

Pennyapple that post is really helpful, and I'm going to print it out as a reminder.

And for those who asked (I'm so sorry TSC, but this has got to be one of the best stories ever) The Minge Thread

Sending you good vibes everyone deserves a bit of good fortune sometimes.
I think that if you believe in cosmic ordering its a DIY job though :-)
You write what you hope for on a piece of paper and either bury it near the house or burn it in an ashtray and hey presto all will be well. One of those daft TV presenters (maybe Noel Edmonds) is a great fan of such stuff.
I'm not a believer in it but I wish good luck to anyone in need.

Glad it was helpful. Emails are brilliant, but do remember that the people are probaby cc'd in hundreds each day, so may well not see it as quickly as you'd like, or may disregard it as not relevant, unless you have spoken to them just before / after sending. Yes, dealing with LAs can be like wading through treacle. I can see why you wouldn't want to actually suspend services, but mentioning it if you're really struggling to get anywhere might help. As in, "I really don't want to suspend Mr X's service, but..."

Take meticulous notes of who you spoke to, on what day, and what they said. Ooh, I've got my chasing head on now! Want me to make some phone calls? Good job it's Sunday, I'm getting all fired up on your behalf, I'd be on the phone by now! :)

Right, off to check out the Minge thread.

Hi there, NeverWins, I will happily send good vibes your way . I'm concerned about your ADs - wth most ADs, you need to keep the dose coming so there is a consistent amount in your system. Stopping and starting them will mess with the way they work and play havoc with your mood, which you really don't need to deal with at the moment. Is there any way you could tell your doctor that you can't consistently afford to pay for the prescriptions? They may be able to prescribe larger numbers so you get more for each prescription charge, or there may even be a way of waiving the charge? I'm sure there must be posters on here who would know more about this.

I'm in the same boat as you Never, wading knee deep through a financial, treacly mire and cursing the bank and their charges on an hourly basis. I know the sinking feeling on checking the bank balance and having to say "no" to almost everything DH and DS want to spend money on. I'm in a good place with my marriage though so I count my blessings for that. Like many on this board, I don't hold with woo or magic, religion or anything like that but I have the remains of a 99p Ikea Christmas candle which I'm going to go light now (and hang the expense).

Good wishes to you and yours are winging their way to you and hopefully 2013 will be kinder to everyone.

Sending you positive thoughts and dearly hope things turn around for you.

Ill think of you. But also wanted to let you know that you can pay £10 a month dd for a pre payment certificate for prescriptions. If you qualify for tax credits you should get them free.

Thanks so much for all your woo and non-woo wishes alike.

Countdown to woo at 11: T-30minutes and counting!

Happy to send you good vibes - I had a "woo" moment at the end of 2002 which had excellent results in early 2003, so I pass on my good fortune to you. x

Sending you positive wishes and hope things get easier for you. I know how it feels to play "cashpoint roulette"! Keep your chin up.

All the very best for 2013 - sending positive thoughts your way & will also say a little prayer for you at 11am just to be doubly sure.

Other people have given great advice here. I will be here wafting positive thoughts your way at 11am.
I only have fresh sage - but I will try to set a tiny bit alight for you and waft it your way!

It's nearly here...

Good vibes your way....

You need to purchase a yearly prescription though.

www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2422.aspx?CategoryID=68&SubCategoryID=161