Pollyanna

Oh, and remember that little girl I used to teach who had to move back to her home country very suddenly (deported :mad:), well the family are having a hell of a job finding a suitable piano teacher, so have asked me to teach her over Skype.
It's not something I would normally say yes to, but it's extentuating circumstances, I already know the student, and I know the family well enough to ba able to get them involved effectively in the lesson for moments when Skype isn't quite enough. Plus, I've only agreed to a trial run, see how it goes.
I'm not wholly convinced, and to be honest, it'sreally not the money that got me saying a provisional yes in the end, but the weekly conversations I have with the remaining family member left in the uk about how difficult it has been to find a piano teacher for the little girl.

I have reservations, but it may work out, we won't know till we try it.....

Damn. I don't think the water rates went out I new account. Have to wait for them to open to check. I might be wrong, they might be due tomorrow....

I'm even starting to consider a savings account for yearly spends - I don't think I could put all my yearly stuff away for when I need it (Tax is one I just can't afford, but I'm no longer panicky about it as I can always do what I did this year if push comes to the proverbial) -
But I can put away (maybe roll them all in gradually as things improve so it's not too much of a shock to my current account at once)

1) School Uniform
2) Accountant
3) House Insurance (currently paying ouch% by direct debit so really should sort this one first, maybe chuck it on a credit card, only found that out last week though so haven't got round to doing it yet)
4) Musical Instrument Insurance
5) Professional fees (I haven't paid them again this year, I should do)
6) Piano Tuning
7) Presents
8) School equipment (I have a budget for text books and stuff for my daughter, it stops me worrying when she says she needs something)

Think that's it

Edit: I've looked at spreadsheet properly, and I actually can afford to put tax money away after all. That came as a bit of a shock, but it's the reason why I've started the savings account for the car; because contrary to what i initially though, I can finally pay all of my bills :eek: it felt quite bizarre realising that, I have to say!

Opened a post office savings account yesterday for yearly spends I really do finally feel as if I'm getting this under some sort of control I reckon it's taken me about 10 months of slowly trying to stabilise everything and waiting for silly contracts to end, and finally getting on the 0% wagon, and I think now it's sort of there; I think I have a bit of stability and a little security.
So...... New plan....

Open post office account for yearly spends (done)
Start saving for a car (:T) I'm fed up with costly buses and public transport, and my daughter has GCSEs next year, I really want to be able to pick her up from school of she stays late for revision or goes round a friend's house. Also desperately want to be able to drive her in on days of exams as the morning buses are horrendous and a taxi during rush hour could be extortionate if it hits a problem.
I've already paid for one taxi back this week so she could stay behind and finish coursework; the buses only go every hour after 5pm, the stop is on a poorly lit country road and without shelter
So.... I've opened a co-op savers account (sort of, it's subject to a credit check, but if I get declined I'll find one that doesn't credit score, like the post office one, so I don't really care

I've also really liked putting the groceries on the credit cards whilst I've been shifting debt off the overdraft: my bank account is clean without hundreds of card spends! (I'm better with cards than cash, I fritter cash). So I think I'll carry on putting the grocery shop
On the 0% cards pay off that amount every month in one go. It seems to make more sense to me!