Fri 090421Job search/Visited Streatham job centre. Did some shopping in Aldi. Paid bills: Water Rate

PAID BILLS: WATER RATE

I paid bills...

£35.00 Water Rate/£300.00 still remaining to be paid.

DID SOME ONLINE JOB SEARCHS

I signed into my gov.uk online site...and, did some job searches for the day.

VISITED STREATHAM JOB CENTRE TO EXPLAIN MY CASE...RESULT: BENFITS RESTORED

Because of yesterday's missed phone call; I had to go out to visit Streatham Job Centre in order to explain my case.

I told them I got the phone call...; but, was 'cut off'...and, when I tried phoning them back...it wouldn't let me through.

They took a note of my details...; and, explained my case over the phone to my job centre advisor: Richard; who said everything was ok...and, my benefits would continue as normal. Too, they would contact me on the 22nd of April 2021.

SHOPPED STREATHAM ALDI

As I walked up the road from Streatham Job Centre; I saw on the left hand side Aldi superstore; so, I decided to stop in there to buy some shopping. I brought £30.00+ worth of shopping...which I carried home...by balancing 3 x full bags on either side of my bikes handle bars. Luckily, I got home 'safe'...without the bags splitting/-etc.

Thu 080421 Missed 'important' benefits phone call. Skrill placed block on a/c. Paid bills: Gas/Electric/Council Tax

MISSED 'IMPORTANT' BENEFITS PHONE CALL

The benefit people phoned me, twice. 

-(I completely forgot when it was they were due to phone me, again...?!)-

I missed the first phone call...by just not being there...I was asleep.

The second phone call...I tried to reply to; but, the phone got 'cut off'...; then, when I tried to, repeatedly, phone them back...most frustratingly, I could not get through...?!  

Eventually, I decided to ride my bike all the way down there...in order to explain, that I was in; and, I did here the phone ring; but, when I tried answering it...I couldn't get through.  

They said I should return back home; and, my job centre advisor: Richard, will phone be somewhere between 2 PM - 6 PM. I stayed home...; but, didn't receive any further call.

I decided to go visit them, again, tomorrow...; to go talk about this.

MY SKRILL ACCOUNT/FROZEN

I went and made some further deposits into Skrill...£10.00 at a time.

At first, I had brought 1,010 XLM/(Stellar Lumen) bitcoins...; but, later on, decided to transfer this balance into buying some BTC/Bitcoins, instead.

I watched the balance going both 'up and down' just like a yo yo...and, all in one single day! Sometimes, it dropped by 10 points/then, the total climbed back up by 7 points/and, so on...

Eventually, I decided I've really had enough of this playing around...£380...went down to become £350.00...so, after losing £30.00...I decided it's time to quit by doing a full withdrawal. Only, then, Skill placed a 'block' on my a/c. stating...I can't do anything without having to provide further 'verification'...?!

My account currently states a balance of £348.50; (none of which it's possible to withdraw/or, do anything else with).

PAID BILLS

I paid some bills...

£100.00 British Gas electricity/Gave new meter reading...£70.00 still remaining to be paid

£100.00 British Gas gas/Gave new meter reading...£317.00 still remaining to be paid

£ 34.00 Council Tax/£310.00 still remaining to be paid 

 

 

Sun 280321 Brought some Bitcoin for the very first time...

BROUGHT SOME BITCOINS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME

I went and brought some bitcoins for the very first time...just in order to find out how it all works...including both: 'buying/selling'.

It's possible to user either Skrill/Neteller app. in order to make both purchases/sales; and, I'm sure, there are many other ways of investing in it, too...such as through the use of wallets/-etc.

YOU DON'T NEED TO BUY A BITCOIN 'WHOLE'/YOU CAN ALSO BUY A 'PART'

What I discovered was...

- You don't have to buy a 'whole' bit coin...so, if say the BTC/BitCoin cost £40,000.00+; you can still invest say: £10.00 in order to buy into it. Of course, your 'buy in' would only amount to something like owning 0.0000000000001%; but, at the same time, you are able to participate in the rewards/losses if the price either moves up/or else, goes down.

If the price drops really low, all of a sudden; then, if your investment amount was low...that could wipe out all of your investment.

If you invested high...and, all of a sudden, the price drops...you should still have, at least, some bit coin money left.

FEES/CHARGES

Rather like investing in certain stock market options...you can choose to both 'buy/sell' your bitcoins, at any point in time...; however, you also need to be fully 'aware' of the costs in fee charges; for example, using the Skrill app.

-> You are charged a fee when you deposit from your own bank a/c.

-> You are charged a fee when you purchase bit coins

-> You are charged a fee when you sell bit coins

-> You are charged a fee when you withdraw funds back into your own bank a/c.

...so,  that all adds up to 4 different sets of fees being charged...with some fees being far higher than others are...such as depositing back into your own bank a/c. is, in fact, the highest fee!

THINKING ABOUT WITHDRAWING EVERYTHING

I might just decided to withdraw all of my money out of bitcoins altogether...; as, frankly, I don't fully understanding the platform/not sure I'm investing money, properly; nor do I trust the price of bitcoin which could, quite suddenly, fall. I heard of people, suddenly, losing say 30% of their investment/-etc. 

I guess, you have to know when to stay with it...as well as, when to drop out. Myself, I'm not that skilled, yet. So, I really feel very deeply 'uncertain' about keeping any money in there. I only ever invested no more than £10.00 at a time.

 

Sat 270321 Been looking at Bitcoin videos...hoping to learn more

BEEN LOOKING AT BIT COIN VIDEOS...IN ORDER TO LEARN MORE

For quite a few days, now, I been looking into 'bitcoin' videos in order to learn more what it's all about.

Fri 270321 Winnie phoned me, again...

6 PM+ WINNED PHONED ME, AGAIN

I got another phone call from Winne; this time she wanted to chat about the builders...; as she wanted a shed built to go inside of her back garden.

I told her the builders had moved off to Wales.

We spoke about many other things...

- My cousin, Andrew (who died)

-etc.

Thu 250321 Winne phoned me evening

6 PM+ WINNIE PHONED

During the evening, I received a phone call from a family friend, Winnie. She just wanted to see how I was doing...we had a long chat.   

I cannot, right now, recall all that we talked about...

- Chronavirus...that I recently got the jab

...and, quite a few other things.

Wed 240321 Bike got stolen in Brixton/Reported it to the police

2 PM-2:40 PM BIKE STOLEN IN BRIXTON

I was standing up in a queue in Brixton...; when I first looked up my bike which I'd chained up to a green post outside of the Beehive pub...was there...though, lying down on the floor(maybe, I didn't chain it up, properly?); and, the next time, I looked up...the bike was completely 'vanished'...?! 

I looked everywhere all around me...; thinking I might see who the perpetrator(s) were...but, saw nobody...

-----

REPORTED BIKE MISSING TO THE POLICE

At first, I tried going down to Brixton police station to report it...; but, they told me I must go home to get the necessary details...bike frame reference nos./-etc.

So, I took the bus home...; and, then, got the details...returned back to Brixton police station...only to be told I must go back home...and, report the missing bike on phone number: 101 (non emergency police line).

I returned home...rang 101...gave them the details...then, was passed on to somebody else...who confirmed some further details; then, was told they would look into it.

-----

NOT TOO HOPEFUL I'M EVER GOING TO GET MY BIKE RETURNED BACK TO ME, AGAIN

Frankly, I'm none too hopeful that I'm ever likely to see my bike, again; after all, on the streets of London, I have lost so many bikes to date...seriously, it must all amount to over 20+...! I never got back a single 'one', yet; whether I reported it or not.

What I do very deeply regret...because, I'm unemployed/broke...therefore, cannot afford to buy a 'new' bike...is I should have brought some insurance...which I did not. If I had done that...I would, at least, have gotten back some money to replace it with a 'new' bike. Well, maybe, next time, I guess...and, especially so if the bike I brought is really expensive...this one was the most expensive I had ever brought in all of my entire life. So, I miss not just the bike...but, also, all of that money.

£350.00 Carrera, Subway Two, Black

£160.00 2 x £80 each heavy duty bike chain locks

£ 80.00 3 year bike care plan (labour/not parts)

=

£590.00 Total

Thus, constituting a massive financial loss to me.  The most expensive bike I ever brought before cost just £200.00 in range, instead; and, this bike had cost me 3 times that sum! 

-----

GOOD LESSONS

What I did learn when I went and brought myself a £350.00 Carrera bike...is the 'quality' is that much higher...in terms of ride quality; and, also,...

- the bike tends to break down so much less

- it runs pretty much 'puncture' free

- when in good order; it moved fairly 'fast'

I believe I owned that bike for around 2 or so years; and, as far as I'm concerned having had that experience was, really and truly, worth it. Meaning, I would like to replace it with the same exact model that I really 'loved' riding...far more than any other bike I'd experienced having before. 

I'm thinking of going to Brixton; then, paying for it using monthly instalments. However, it may take some time to save up to get all of the other accessory gear...such as bike locks/bike warranty/-etc.

-----

BAD LESSONS

Looking back, now, I can see where, in a way, my loosing the bike was really all due to my own fault.

I was totally negligent...

1> I knew the bike had fallen down flat onto the floor...; this would make it, instantly, noticeable to anyone passing by...including, 'bike thieves'.

However, I had chained up bikes before...which had fallen onto the floor...but, because they were chained up...I just left it there like that...and, there was no problem...it was still there when  I returned.

2> I had two heavy Kryptonite bike chain locks...and, I should have tried chaining up both wheels...as well as, the frame. Unfortunately, I got really 'lazy'...and, instead, just used just one chain, alone, tying up the bike to the 'thick' lamp post...and, around the top of the bike frame.

Had I bothered with chaining up both wheels...or, even, a single wheel; then, even if it had not been properly chained to the lamp post...nobody could easily ride off with it...as both wheels simply wouldn't turn. If one wheel was locked...then, they would have to slowly walk off with it...but, using only 'one' wheel to move it. Thus, it was a really big mistake to leave both wheels unchained...massive mistake, actually...through just not having enough time/patience.

3> There were proper bike stands over across the road; but, me, being in such a dreadful hurry...I didn't bother to even think about using those.

After all, previously, I had chained my bike to the very same lamp post...and, it was never stolen, yet.

4> I had read about buying bike insurance...; but, for some reason, decided I just couldn't afford it...; instead, I wanted to save that money to go and do something else. 

Buying insurance, always seems a little bit mad...when nothing is going wrong; it's only when things go wrong...that's when you have the very deepest regret that you did NOT get any proper insurance.

CONCLUSION

Make no mistake about it, I really miss my bike...;  I miss loosing all of my money invested in it even more; and, the whole idea of having to start up saving to get another bike...honestly, makes me feel a bit 'sick'...what if the next bike gets stolen, as well(gotta buy some insurance, like it or not)?!