So so !!!!ed off (with SOA)

whitewing

Of course, your daughter could sell her outgrown clothes to fund her new ones.

Or perhaps she could organise a swishing party at school or home. There's a thread about swishing somewhere.

PinkTwirl

slimey wrote: »

I don't do a huge amount of travel with work - although this is the third overseas trip this year. Usually I'm fine just putting stuff on the credit card, and claiming on expenses when I get back. However, this time I've not got the headroom on the card to cover all the stuff I'd normally need to pay for. Part of my problem in the past (probably why I've built up as much credit card debt) is that I've not been disciplined enough to pay my expenses back onto the credit card - so they just got spent because they were in my current account.

Hi,

I used to have a company credit card when I did a lot of travel. The wait between paying the monthly bill and getting the money was enough to keep me withdrawing money from credit cards, paying off the corporate card and then spending the money when it came in.

Some places do a thing where they pay the money straight to the credit card company. I didn't do it because I used to shell out lots of money on taxis. Maybe it might be a possiblity, I don't know.

slimey

whitewing wrote: »

Of course, your daughter could sell her outgrown clothes to fund her new ones.

I explained to the kids this morning that one of the jobs I had to do today was list stuff on ebay. I said to them that they could list any stuff they didn't want any more then they could get some money to buy stuff they did want.

My *darling* son said "Can I ebay my sister then?". I explained that ebay rules don't allow you to sell children. He then said "Oh, okay, can I ebay the cat then?" *argh* :rotfl:

Still, I've got 5 things listed on ebay already today. Hopefully find a couple more to do this evening.

whitewing

Have an ebay challenge - you, your wife, DS and DD. See who can sell the most items in a month or something. It'll focus you all, and you'll start to get very moneysaving. (I had success the other day when my son called us 'tight'. It was a promotion from being 'poor').

slimey

gailey wrote: »

Hi

im curious why is your daughter in private system and son home educated is their reason for this.

Long story... :mad: ... Anyway the short verison is that when we moved down to Chepstow (I got moved with work), we asked to look at the local state school before we tried to get a place for the kids. It was the summer holidays, and they said there'd be no-one at the school until the first day of term, so we'd just have to sign up, turn up and hope. My wife's trained as a teacher, and this really put her back up. We went to see the local private school in town, and fell in love with it - seemed ideal. That was about 2 3/4 years ago. About 6 months ago, we ended up pulling our son from the school - he's exceptionally bright (IQ of 157!), but emotionally a bit behind. School just couldn't cope with him. We realised that we were paying them a huge amount just for him to sit on a computer all day and amuse himself. For the final month, my wife was actually in the classroom with him to try to help him, and then realised that she was doing all his teaching, and why should we pay the school for this, so we pulled him. He has been taught at home since, and is really thriving. Between having a LBM about money, and realising that we're really not getting "value for money", we've subsequently decided that our daughter will finish at the school at the end of this term, and we're hoping to get her a place at the local school (the one we started off wanting to see when we first moved down - we've recently been to see it, and it actually seems like it's a okay school)

Please check boilier as we had high bill one year due to crap estimates and faulty boiler!

I'm sure our boiler isn't in perfect health (it makes a lovely vooomp every time it fires up), but until I sort out the finances to get a bit of breathing room, paying for a service is a bit out of the question. We're planning to get it done early summer when hopefully boiler engineers will have a bit less work on!

whitewing

Don't pull your daughter out of a private school that she wants to go to purely on the basis of money. My son is at private school (paid for by grandparents though). He is much better at public speaking and group discussion than he ever was at state school.

When you're looking at cutting costs it is easy to justify a big cut like this but do ensure you're doing it for the right reasons. You will be in a different mindset by Sept if you stay here so may decide it's worth the money after all. What year is your daughter in?

gailey_2

As im from southwales Im familer with schools and the area.

Not sure what local schools like in chepstow dont think its too bad and monmouth comprehsive has good reputaion.

I assume your daughter must attend rougement in newport or monmouth girls as dident realise chepstow had independent school.

My ex went to momouth boys and did very well he got part scholership so assisted fees but all the extras and trips abroad worked out pricey, he was only child though.

My cousins eldest girls went to monmouth girls and thrived.

I hope your daughter settle sok in sate sector as its such a diffrent environment was she in state school system premove?

As for son must be tricky but might be worth finding state school for him and giving him extra tuition in his best subjects and extra homework to challange him.
Does he belong to any local clubs like cubs that enables him social intreaction as well as the academic side of things?

I tink independant schools do well as for following reasons

smaller classes often better resources
more empahis on extra curricuar like sports, music to give them more all rounded education.
Parents that care and take an interest which you do.

Thres no reason why they both cant do well at state if parents are supportive.

I live in bristol and education really is pot luck here daughter due to start next year and scoring ofsted reports and sat/exam results online to try and work out best to apply for.

raq

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

Hi slimey .

Well I can understand why you might be fed up just now. There are a lot of issues in you email to address, but what struck me all of a heap was your gas bill and new payments:eek:.

Do you have your heating on volcano setting all day and all night? Do you have an enormous house? Are you heating the whole street?

I don't mean to be fascetious but we need to understand why this bill is so high. Could it be a mistake? It appears to me that your current power company have been estimating your bills all over the winter. It is always best to give them your reading o the meter if no meter reader has called. This way it stops massive bills piling up.

You really need to post your statement of affairs before we can help you properly. I'm sure that we can help you, but we will need a lot more information first .

when our gas supplier wanted us to double our direct debit I told them there was no way we could. They where very helpful and said to make sure we continue with the payment and was understandable as many people are in the same situation.
Best of luck with everything else

raq

Sunshine12 wrote: »

If you cant afford to pay for things when you away on business cant you just explain to your employer what the situation is and tell them they will need to pay rather than you claiming it back. I very much doubt any company will make you go all the way to St. Lucia on business knowing that you might not be able to afford stuff as that will only be detrimental to the business as your mind wont be on work but worrying about how you going to afford to pay for incidentals until you claim it back. Cant you get a company credit card? I know it might not be as simple as that but if you only just breaking even because you not having to pay petrol then surely they cant expect you to fork out for a business trip?? They must realise they not paying you a very high salary yet expecting you to pay the outgoings that you may have on business trips...??

This is a good idea but if it was me I personally wouldn't want my boss knowing the state of my financial situatiom

Fire_Fox

slimey wrote: »

My wife's trained as a teacher, and this really put her back up. We went to see the local private school in town, and fell in love with it - seemed ideal. That was about 2 3/4 years ago. About 6 months ago, we ended up pulling our son from the school - he's exceptionally bright (IQ of 157!), but emotionally a bit behind. School just couldn't cope with him. We realised that we were paying them a huge amount just for him to sit on a computer all day and amuse himself.

I'm sure our boiler isn't in perfect health (it makes a lovely vooomp every time it fires up), but until I sort out the finances to get a bit of breathing room, paying for a service is a bit out of the question. We're planning to get it done early summer when hopefully boiler engineers will have a bit less work on!

You don't have to answer this, but have you considered having your son assessed? It may be he has Aspergers or similar. I generally think it is better to know, as then his future school/ college/ university can tailor education to his learning style.

Perhaps, if/ when your son is back in school or you are on annual leave, your wife could do the odd day as a supply teacher? It's very well paid, and there is no commitment factor.

Have you got a carbon monoxide detector in the house?