A new start for Mooloo

Savvy_sewing

If he contributes the suggested £30 a week, I will probably be able to increase the grogery budget, as I have £900 in the miscellaneous pocket. But I agree he will need more fuel doing a manual job. He isnt one for taking Packups with him. (Usually find the sandwiches in the bin a few days later!). If he would actually stop home long enough for me to negotiate anything with him!.
Just having a look at my last Phone bill to see whats occuring there. See what I am actually paying etc.

Hardup_Hester

Hi Mooloo
Your budget looks tight, but you should be able to manage, hubby & I manage on £10356 a year when he's not working, it's not easy, but it's doable.
Hester

Savvy_sewing

Bad news is I was checking my BT bill, and realised that I am still paying for the connection charges etc. I was also not paying enough!. So it has been put UP to £61 a month!. So thats the budget wobbling already. But I do have Broadband, and free weekends and evening calls, after 6pm. So I should start to make use of those calls.! Save a few texts to my BF and call him more. We have a terrible habit of communicating by text or email when we are apart. I know it was the distance originally, but then it became easier for privacy with all the teenagers around. But both of us are often on our own in our own homes these days.!So I shall have to call him more. (As its free!). My calls for the 3 months were £32.38. So its not that we are on the phone asmuch as when all the kids were home and the bill was into the 3 figures just for the calls.
Most of my calls are to sort out bills, banks, HM Government, and Social Services. All of those have to be done during the day unfortunately.
But luckily DS doesnt hog the phone that much.
So a quick tweek of the budget already needed.

Savvy_sewing

minimoneysaver wrote: »

Maybe if your son is going to be eating at home and taking a sandwich to work for lunch he should consider giving a bit more money than £30. What's happening with the moped?

His dad took the moped away a week or so ago. That was the last I saw of it. We are now awaiting him to get it sorted. I am sick to the back teeth of asking about it. (The man always was useless!!!):rolleyes:
DS did mention it on he phone last night, but I dont know if he got a decent reply? Will ask when he comes home. If he does!!:D

Savvy_sewing

Hardup_Hester wrote: »

Hi Mooloo
Your budget looks tight, but you should be able to manage, hubby & I manage on £10356 a year when he's not working, it's not easy, but it's doable.
Hester

Hi Hester, I hope that you are right. Its going to be a huge learning curve thats for sure.
Most people seem to have gone up in the world by my age. Me I seem to be going backwards.
(Oh for the lazy days of Summer in Kenya, where we had a Houseboy, gardener and maid!!-- Mind you I was only 4 years old then!):rotfl:

Savvy_sewing

Have been on the phone to the Electric supplier as I noticed that dispite the meter being read on the 10th, I had an estimated bill. There is a dispute over the meter readings, and has been since I moved to them in July. I am sure the meter is up the spout, after a power cut, I think the meter went back to Zero on the night reading. But dont ask me. Anyway, I have been reading it for the last month, and I think that in the 4 months, I have probably used Double the amount billed. This means that I will not manage to stick to the Budget and will have to change it. The miscellaneous pot has just about gone down to about £230. In checking things once more.
Hope that Gadget arrives soon.
I have decided that the light bulbs will have to be changed, and I am wondering about turning the storage heater in the leanto off? Its the part between the bathroom and the kitchen. But I have been drying the washing infront of it, instead of usingthe tumble dryer. Hanging stuff on hangers on a pole in the room.It has saved me on ironing as well.! So maybe it would be a false economy, and rather chilly going to the loo. (which unfortunately I do regularly)

I am due to help out in the Charity shop tomorrow morning. Lets hope that for once I dont have another emergency for the family that keeps me away.

Yet again DS changed his plans and has stayed at his sisters. I am cross with him, as I could have been doing other things instead of waiting for him, and could have gone to see my BF yesterday/today/tonight. If I had wanted to go. *which I would have done, as I missed going at the weekend. Sometimes I wonder if he actually wants to come home anymore.
But his Xbox is here, and so he hasnt been doing that one.
Hope his sister is OK about him being there. She moved out to get away from her siblings in March.

Savvy_Sue

One other consideration about changing the light bulbs is that you don't have to change them so often. We have these daft multi-bulb fittings in many rooms, and if we had 'normal' bulbs I would be up a ladder every day changing one or another!

If you don't need 'fancy' bulbs (eg candle shaped) then there are good deals to be had out there, plus sometimes you can get a couple of free ones from your electricity supplier.

Savvy_sewing

The light fittings are candle shaped,but I currently dont have shades on them, so I think I might be able to put the ordinary bulbs. I have afew in a box somewhere, as my Dad gave me them for the old house, but they were the wrong fittings.
The bedroom has a screw in spot light (which is ugly as 'ell!).
Rang my landlord last night about the Warm Front Grant, and he said "who was going to do the work, and that he didnt want any cowboys doing the work".So until he speaks to WarmFront, my gale force wind is going to still come through the door a little longer. !!! Dispite 3 layers of curtain, it just bellows it out eventually, and gets around it. (MInd you the curtaining has made a huge difference!).
He has also said that he will fix the outside light for me today.
I havent tackled him about the hotwater heaters wiring. But if I am here when he comes to do the light, then I will mention it. But it will need an electrician so I am not so sure.
Wondering about getting a WaterMeter, and see if our water bill could be reduced. Not sure if the water that is in the shed/or the electric for that matter, is mine or part of his parents, as its on the opposite side of the courtyard.

I am off to help in the charity shop today, so I better get a move on.

I have decided to have a HUE delivery next week from MrA. With a small stock pile of Smellies to take us into the new year. Mr A Smart prices. So the money that I have for the rest of this month, and next months budget have been used to place an order.
I do still have some funds, as the income hasnt gone down yet. Thought I would buy it now, before I get caught up in the Christmas hype. AS I am planning to make most of the presents with the fabrics etc that I already have, I am not expecting huge outlays. (Except for DS's DJ hero). Which I will go through the cashback type sites and see if I can get it on a deal.
Now Imust fly!

Savvy_sewing

Its way passed my bedtime, but I am just trying to wind down. I had my morning working in the shop. Ended up doing books, which was hard on the arm,as no matter how much I try I still am left handed, and I reach for the books with my left. So the topshelves did it a bit forme.
No matter, I could come home and have a few heatpads etc and relax.

OH NO. 5.25 OUR WORLD TURNED UPSIDEDOWN AGAIN.
Social Worker Rang me to ask me to have DGD again. Immediately. She visited today as arranged, was still not happy with the situation, and she went in and took DGD from my daughter, and brought DGD here.
My daughter, is naturally, distraught. They asked me to have DGDfor one night until a meeting tomorrow. But they told twin1 it would be for upto 3 weeks.
It was only when she got here with DGD, that she also said to me it may be upto 3 weeks.
I was somewhat stressed. About the way they go about doing things, about if I can actaully manage. And about the state my daughter is in.
It was nearly 8pm before the social worker left.
Now she is telling me, as they have removed the child from the mother and brought her here, they will now have to do a parenting assessment on me!. A police check etc.
I said thats fine, I hold a publicans license, so I have had police checks.
But what worrie me is the lifting of DGD. She is hard work, at 2 they want up. etc etc.
Biggest of Mooloo was here when they arrived,luckily. She has saidthat between us we can cope. If she has to have DGD, after work she will.But she needs to keep her job so its not so easy.
She would need to put DGD into Childcare/nursery. etc.
Personnally, I will just have to try and take it all one day at a time. But the SS will have to keep me and Twin1 informed.
They plan to do an assessment of twin1's learning needs/difficulties/parenting skills, in a Centre, for 3 months. The wait is for the place in the centre.
Then of course, it has knock on effects for the tenancy on Twin1's new flat.
I dont have much space in the cottage for Twin1 to stop. She could sleep on the reclining chair on the odd night.The sofa is only a 2 seater. But it would not be possible for a permanant basis.
I cannot live at her place with her, as I have DS to also consider.
As you can see, I am in a real quandry. Between a rock and hardplace.

I also will have to think of the costs involved, of extra travel to see her Mum, and to heat the cottage better with a little one in it. As the hotwater, for baths. washing clothes etc etc.
I dont suppose I am really asking for help here, I think I just needed to sound off to those that know me.
If Ithought I was struggling before, it looks like dear SS are putting me right back in the frame again!
So much for Mooloo's new life!.

grandma247

Mooloo I am sure you can claim for upkeep of your gd. My daughter was told her ex could have money if he asked for it for the 1 day he had his son. Ask anyway they can only say yes or no. It never rains but it pours does it?
I spent all monday reading this thread.