A fresh start

hypno06

It certainly would be worth you looking into it, if it means you have a chance of a job you love.

Good luck x

taxi73

Sounds like a great idea getting more training especially in a field you'd like to work in.

Seaxwyn

I rang, and the lady said that experience is more important than qualifications and recommended volunteering in this type of role. So I will look for opportunities to do that.

taxi73

that sounds very positive.

Seaxwyn

Today I have paid deposits for two more trips for DD2. The lucky girl has got school trips to both Spain and France this year and then a holiday in France with her friends in the summer. She is paying for the holiday, I paid a deposit today which she will pay me back by doing housework.

This is all money I can't afford, adding to my expensive NatWest overdraft, but I have always wanted to give my children this kind of opportunity. DD2 is good at languages and these trips should help improve her fluency. I hope I'm not living in cloud cuckoo land though as of course I realise I can't afford this.

Meanwhile I have said that DS is NOT going on a school trip in the autumn as it is ridiculously overpriced and has been sprung on us with no consultation or warning. I feel a bit mean but there you are.

A small ray of brightness is that I found out I have been paying too much into my pension. So my contributions will decrease this year, at the same time as my pay increases. I hope I feel better off and it isn't all swallowed up in price rises and inflation.

taxi73

Is DS not jealous that his sister is going on 2 trips and he isn't going on one?

hypno06

there will be other trips that DS can go on when he is older, I am sure. Certainly don't feel mean about it - these things have a habit of balancing themselves out over time...either with a more appropriate school trip, or something else in life.

Seaxwyn

Hi is actually going for a trip next month. That was partly what annoyed me - if they had told us at the beginning of the year there would be two trips we could have thought about which to send him on, but they just suddenly sprung this second one on us while we are still paying for the first, asking for commitment and a deposit in under a week. But luckily he doesn't want to go on the second trip anyway.

So far the other two haven't had any trips proposed but no doubt there will be expensive offers for the too. I wish they would plan these things earlier.

taxi73

It's ridiculous now the amount of money they expect parents to come up with for all these extras.

Seaxwyn

Some friends are moving away and have given us loads of stuff they don't want to take them - including some brand new clothes and shoes, never worn, still with the tags on. Which has made me thing, once again, that i should set up my own ebay account and flog them. Whenever I've sold stuff before it has been on OH's account, which means that he gets the money.

But is it really worth the bother? Given the stuff isn't hugely valuable - just high street brands and probably a few years old - I would get a few quid at most, and after the ebay fees and paypal fees it hardly seems worth the bother.

Can someone please give me an honest opinion on whether it is worth selling valueless stuff on ebay. And how do you find out when the free listing days are?