Debit Card problems

Ever since I promised Tessa to buy the tickets to come and visit in October, I have been trying to think of a way that I can buy them. Ryanair will only accept payment over the internet but they won't accept Paypal. As I don't have a debit card nor a credit card, I thought I'll open a new account where I could get one. For this I chose HSBC bank and filled in all the necessary forms, etc.

They soon sent me a letter saying they needed more information such as a "certified" copy of my current bank statement. After debating about what "certified" meant, I decided that it was an original paper statement sent to me from the bank which I then had their signature put on. Obviously, this was not going to happen (neither certified nor otherwise) as i have opted not to receive paper statements for many years ago. They are just a waste of paper and put an uneccessary strain on trees. I explained this to HSBC bank but to no prevail. They are not interested in having me as their customer. Ce la vie, in the long run it's their loss, not mine.

However, I still haven't solved the problem of buying the airline tickets and hope that the plane doesn't fill up enough for the prices to go up, by the time I have come up with a solution.

Stupid Japanese thrash!

My car is nearly 3 years old and therefore due its first MOT. I have known for a while that I need new tyres but since they were faulty I was hoping to convince Mitsubishi to give me something towards them but they wouldn't cooperate.

So, I decided to squeeze my purse and managed to scrape together enough money for two tyres and the MOT. I thought that I can always get the other two tyres in the next couple of months or so. It had completely got out of my mind that of course, the tax was also due at this time. So, not only did I need to fork out £150 for tyres and MOT but I had to also find another £80 for the tax. Then I had the shock of a lifetime. Never in a million years did I expect a car that had done 12,000 miles to fail the MOT, but it did. Brake pads, hand brake, CV joint, etc meant that now I had to immediately find yet another £150 to get it through the MOT.

The nature of my job, of course, means that if I don't have a car; I don't work. So the only thing I could do is to try to borrow the money of someone, quickly and luckily Chris' mum leant it to me. Consequently, ever since then and up to next payday, we have been living on beans and rice. It is extremely fortunate that I give a lift to a neighbour's lad who also works in Hanley. He gives me £5 per week for petrol, so i have been able to go to work.

So much for buying a new car so that I don't have these unexpected, huge garage bills!!!!