mumstheword's reply history at Help.com

One big mug of hot sweet tea…

and an even bigger sweeter hug to go with it :) x

Congratulations!

Premium Bonds tend to have been overshadowed by the glitz of the Lottery, but now and then, they do pop up a nice surprise! And whilst you don’t earn interest, your original stake is always available to you. So yes, you can reclaim your £100 anytime. But remember that a £100 Bond bought many years ago will still only be worth £100. You don’t earn interest and devaluation in the pound means the true value will have gone down (in other words, 30 years ago, you could have done a LOT of things with £100 whereas now you can do far less) However, the money spent on Lottery Tickets is lost to you forever…

Most people buy Bonds for new babies and family weddings. However, they are often forgotten about so if you have some, make sure that you update your contact info whenever you move! It’s worth people in UK checking the unclaimed prizes list. You can access it and more information about Bonds on the information site http://www.nsandi.com/products/pb/ind…

Courty is right.

Scams like this are all too common. This person could well be gathering snippets of info to use your ID. fraudulently. If they call again, keep their number, do not enter into conversation and keep your wits about you. Then contact your cellphone company and ask their advice about protecting your account just in case.

Unfortunately, you are not exempt from Council Tax if you are a part-time student. However, if you are on a low income you should be entitled to Council Tax Benefit. Also, if you live alone, you should get a 25% single person discount.

I would pay a visit to your local Citizens Advice Bureau who can help you to check that you are getting all that you are entitled to.

You may also be interested in exploring this site (Martin Lewis is the GMTV money expert) which offers lots of useful advice to UK residents and is an excellent resource for students on tight budgets:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/

This calculation engine will help you to work out if you are missing out on any payments due to you and is free to use: http://entitledto.co.uk

You can also read up on entitlements at www.direct.gov.uk

Good luck with your studies.

I can’t believe I’m actually seeing an ad for “authentic voodoo spells.. guaranteed results” on help.com ! What???

wrap yourself in a tube of brightly coloured bin liners, attach a ruffle of fronds made of crepe paper around your neck and be a sea anemone :)

one word to sum up the notion that legalising abortion was a conspiracty to enable scientists to conduct stem cell research….

drivel.

Thank you for your sweet comment. My only experience stems from my work and training and from meeting people from very diverse backgrounds and circumstances. I consider myself fortunate to have enjoyed learning from many “special” people. :)

Welcome home x

3 am here too. :)

You still need to rest. We may feel physically ok, but our cells need time to repair. When you have a troubled mind, it’s important that you don’t add to it’s difficulties phsyically.

Have you ever tried aromatherapy and colour therapy? You could spend some time looking into what it’s all about. Amazingly, they can work wonders. I was very sceptical until I tried it myself. As long as you follow the guidelines very carefully, aromatherapy is very effective at reducing stress. Lavender oil is the first oil to try (but don’t get it on your skin). Do some googling and see what you think. It even works for animals. You know how cats love catnip? Catnip has a very similar chemical to lavender in it. Cats use it like a therapy to help them feel good.

You could fish around for some interesting new hobby ideas too. Hobbies are therapeutic. They help to empty our minds and give us a new focus. There are so many ideas out there. Cardmaking, beadcraft, jewellery making, graffiti art… your local adult education centre will have lists of things you can try out. Most do Saturday workshops (I just had a go at nail art!) and they are very cheap - sometimes even free - if you are still in education. It’s a great way of getting out and doing things.

I have to go now, but I’m thinking of you. Let me know what ideas you come up with for your birthday. What about doing something crazy for Children in Need as a birthday bash? Might be fun!

If you want to talk to someone, you know childline will listen anytime don’t you? Their number is 0800 11 11

Take care. Things will work out just fine, you’ll see :)

Well, I think you should do something special :) It doesn’t have to be big or expensive..

Why not invite a friend around and have a pamper day? Or rent a couple of dvd’s and make some popcorn?

Tell yourself it’s YOUR day and enjoy it.

It’s very late. Do you have to go to school tomorrow? Maybe you should try and rest now. Rest is a wonderful healer.

walking his plants???? that was meant to say walking his dog or watering his plants! sheesh… I will have nightmares of Triffids being walked about now.

Your mum is grieving still. People grieve in different ways and for some, it means having to cry openly, talk about the person who they have lost, have ceremonies…

Death doesn’t surround you.

What you are witnessing in your mother is very much a necessary healing process. It’s a LIFE process.

Of course everyone is worrying about Grandad. But what he needs is for people to try to be positive. Not masks, not false smiles.. being positive means telling yourself “this is not a good situation but we can work together to improve it”. How? By finding practical ways to help. It might be getting involved with something like walking his plants or making sure he doesn’t miss his favourite programme if he has to go to an appointment. These little things give you focus and help remove some of Grandad’s tiny worries. The doctors tell us that this helps people to stay as well as possible.

Grandad and Mum would love to see you planning your birthday I’m sure. What do you think you might do?

231 sweetheart, you have been through a lot and have unresolved grief it seems.

From your post, it sounds like a parent has behaved in a way that feels like you’ve been betrayed too…

I’m not at all surprised you feel this way.

But, like I say, there are solutions. Bit by bit, you can be helped to be happy again.

Trust me. You have beautiful times ahead of you even thoug they are probably impossible for you to imagine right now. Don’t allow depression to deny you them.

:) Thank you.