Debt free & tidy diary

mooomin

Lurker1972 wrote: »

Oh my god -was made redundant 5 hours ago -:eek: if I do my panickin gon the internet will that help me stay calm in real life???

:eek::mad::eek::mad::eek::mad::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::mad::eek::eek:

Right, DON'T PANIC!!!

There is a redundancy board, so if you've not gone there do that now.

Have you been given notice, are you going to be getting any extra money for being made redundant? I don't know how a lot of that works, sorry!

Have a nice cup of tea (My answer to everything) and read through the threads on redundancy. Sensible thoughts will follow.

*hugs*

Lurker1972

ok,
following yesterdays redundancy bombshell & a sleepless night I have decided that
TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF MY LIFE
I have made 2 appointments - one with job centre this afternoon which is bound to be humiliating, the other with solicitor on Tuesday to sort out the compromise agreement (so I can get my hands on the money)

am meeting a friend for coffee later & intend to enjoy every penny I spend on it
I'm also going to review my savings pots (Xmas & Cat fund) as I want to move them away from my ex-employer
Will need seperate account I think for the lump sum & if I am careful (which I am) that should cover us for 6 months

I am thinking that i should pay of the 0% card with it though, intro rate ends next month & without a job won't get a balance transfer - thoughts please?

finding some plus points - seems to be good appetite suppressor & I could do with losing a stone, & there really will be no excuse for not having a clear out cos I'll have time on my hands - I feel an ebay session coming on

time for drink in the sunshine:beer:oops, bit early for that, maybe :coffee:

Lurker1972

The first day of the rest of my life has been generally a happy one

Met a friend for coffee (she ws made redundant about 6 weeks ago & is so happy to be out, its like early release from a life sentence - says a lot really) wandered about town enjoying the sunshine
checked out alternative places for savings accounts, although I am thinking of having just one but using spreadsheet to split it up - will ask OH about that.
then went to Job Centre. That was an experience. not the most pleasant of places, but the advisor was pleasant and helpful - sorry for the stereotyping but I expected surly & uninterested. note to self, stop jumping to conclusions!
came home to a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, from my team at work - nearly reduced me to tears so i dread to think what will happen at my leaving do!!

Out tonight to more work friends, that should be a laughter filled night & then tomorrow I can enjoy NOT BEING AT WORK
was thinking about this earlier for the last 20 years I have worked pretty much every weekend.......this could be a real treat!!!

Thinking £££s again, I have ISA that I pay £50 a month into. its to pay mortgage off but I could suspend that until I have a new job, think its the only payment that I have any flexibility with

so many thoughts, so little time....

mooomin

You sound very positive, hurrah!

Have you posted a SOA before? Maybe we, the folks of MSE, can have a wee look over it?

Lurker1972

I'm still waiting for sobs to kick in, but despite the scary financial impact I am so sure its for the best - to say I've hated the place for the last 6 months would be understatement - I've looked for other things & always chickened out as was on ok package. now I am as free as a bird & have already seen 2 to apply for & another to investigate further so the future could well be bright

never been brave enough to do soa, think my control freak tendancies would take offense - read others with interest which is what started me looking at our food spend in the first place.....
one day maybe
first thing will be to check last months figures & join the May grocery challenge
then I have 2 jobs to apply for over the weekend
might allocate Monday to making the kitchen shiny

Mumblings on here seem to help, kind of wish i hadn't put off starting diary now!!!

anyway, special kitty is nagging me for bedtime cuddles & although I dont have to go to work in morning we have the kids for weekend so it will be a busy one

zzztime

EssexHebridean

The best of luck with sorting yourself out - you certainly seem to be going at it the right way.

For what it's worth, I've been made redundant a few times (went through a patch of specialising in being in the right job at the wrong time!) and when all's said and done it has actually done me a favour in the long run - I'm now in a job which I love where I have been for over 8 years, so sometimes these things work out for the best.

If you're not comfortable with doing a full SOA then at least do Martin's budget spreadsheet - when I did ours I just got about three months bank statements and went through working out exactly what everything was and filling it into the sheet - don't be tempted to do it off a single statement mind as you'll most likely miss all the quarterly stuff!

I appreciate that you want to keep your savings, but I think you should at least consider clearing that credit card. Interest free it might be, but in a few months time it'll start having interest applied and if you've been tempted to eat into the savings you have by then for other things, or simply to make up a reduced income, you'll start finding yourself having to either make min payments on it (not ideal as it lingers and you end up paying fortunes in interest) or trying to make payments you just can't afford......

Best of luck with your job hunting!

Lurker1972

Thanks EssexHebridean, your thoughts about the CC match one of my many musings!

Just got hit by the sobs - had to happen I suppose - went to do weekly shop & spent a FORTUNE & was frivolous - piad £6 for a vase to put the flowers from work team in - they are so lovely they needed something nice - it was a one-off not to be repeated purchase.
then left the bloody thing in the trolley, didn' realise until we got home :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
that was enough to trigger the floods.!!!!, so hoped to get through it without any

onwards & upwards i guess

Intergalactic_Floozie

Lurker, I'm in the same boat, My DH is (90%) likely to be made redundant, and if not then will have to take a whopping £10k pay cut. I was utterly distraught when I found out and felt like my world had caved in. So - I know how you are feeling! Best of luck finding another job. Keep posting

Lurker1972

One of my problems is that OH & I view things quite differently, don't get me wrong he is wonderfully supportive but is still part subscribing to I work hard so want treat now even though I have no money philosophy - thats his baggage from first marriage & is why he still paying off their joints debts & not making much of contribution to this household.

Anyway. back to the plan.
I've turned the heating off. its lovely now & if we get cold in evenings, well we'll just have to combine body heat or something;)
I'm a bit of a layers girl anyway - not putting it back on until October (even though I intend to have job way before then)
was wide awake very early this morning (6.38am on a Sunday??? didnt know it existed unless planned to do car boot) so put the washing out - its supposed to rain later, figured could get it dry before then & machine has 18 minutes to go - should get it all dried & have that lovely fresh outside smell. yum.
Had breakfast (yup, appetite is returning, damn) might make some chocolate krispies to use up the crunchy nut cornflakes HE wanted but never eats.
Got one of his mates over tomorrow night to assist with job application - hopefully as a civilian in police he knows more of what they want on application forms - closing date is 30th April so thats top priority to get completed but can't have people over when house is tip, so tidy fest coming up - bleugh

mooomin

I was up at 6.45am exactly. Humbug.

Although I have now got a pot of soup bubbling and half the dishes done. I'm making coffee at the moment (Just waiting for the glorious PING of the kettle) and then going to hang up some washing, put more on and do an online shop. Go me!

Good luck with the applications!