Milanns mutterings on this last milestone.

milann

Just read it's 102 days until Christmas - so I am marking my callendar and aiming to put £1 a day away - that way I should have £100 for just before the big day.

I have done this before (and before my holiday) eve if I don't manage EVERY day it is a nice little nest egg to fall back on - I had cash for a couple of outings between Christmas and New Year that wouldn't have happened without the cash.

Milann

beanielou

God Christmas is cancelled this year me thinks.

taxi73

thats a good idea putting a £1 a day away..like you say gave you a couple of days out.

savingholmes

Sounds like a plan.... I've started buying a few things for xmas already....

milann

Well I got paid - it was worse than I expected this month - but by going back into the LEA I had to start back at the bottom of the pay scale as my previous experience with them was 10 years ago and not counted anymore!!..... plus it was a basic month, the extra non-service days I did will go onto next months pay. So this month I came out with £300 less than I was getting. I am working 10 hours a week less too, but I was half expecting about £200 less. It has been a bit of a shock to be honest. I am still not sorry I left, I feel so much more relaxed.

I have applied to go on a bank for holiday work, which is very flexible (in both directions). Plus I had no pension at my last place and it was beginning to niggle me. I know I am only working part-time but feel happier having something taken towards a pension again, even though I am out of pocket for now. As time goes on I know I will work my way up the pay band again (presuming my year's contract is renewed) - NOT one of my best decisions coming out of the LEA and working for a charity 10 years ago - but that's life LOL

I am pleased I finished the loan which was virtually £200 a month, so I'm hoping I can juggle things about and keep afloat on these reduced hours.

On the plus side - I have enough (I shall make sure of it!!) for Christmas this year as I have been saving all year in an ISA for it. My freezer and cupboards are full so basically I'll just have to be very strict with myself to make it work.

I renewed my membership to the gym - there was an offer for £249 a year. It works out less than a fiver a week. I am feeling slightly guilty about the new job and not asking at the interview EXACTLY what I'd be paid, so wasn't going to bother, but DH told me to go ahead and get the membership on the 0% as my health benefits from it - I didn't need telling twice LOL. THAT is the last I'll spend on it though.

I will make this work - even if it takes a little longer to get df.

It was lovely yesterday - DH had the day off and picked me up as I finished work at 3pm. We were in Blackpool before 5 pm - had fish and chips and a good long walk along the sea front, watched the most beautiful sunset and then walked along some of the tableaux illuminations and drove along the rest and back home again. It felt like we'd been out for the day and not just a trip after work. I wouldn't have been able to do that at my old job, so there are lots of benefits to this job too

Milann

savingholmes

ouch to the £300 less

Good to hear you are feeling more relaxed tho - and now have pension options again... Hurray to a loan finished that enables you to take a less stressful job too! Good price for gym membership providing you use it enough... So when are you planning to go this next week

milann

Planning on a swim tomorrow SH and then I'm booked in for tai chi on Thursday.

Now I have said it I'll have to go for a swim tomorrow - stuff is in the car (but it has been for the last week.......) A friend has also renewed hers so we will meet up sometimes too and try hard not to undo the good we have done in the coffee shop!!!!

TADA
I have tidied everywhere
Done all washing and ironing
Had a nsd today so far but not planning on going out anywhere.
got lamb steaks out of freezer for tea

Talking about tea - I shared mine with the carpet last night - salmon, asparagus, new potatoes and hollondaise sauce all slid off my plat as I sat down. Good job I had hoovered cos I ended up scraping it up and eating it - I COULDN'T throw it all away!!!!!!!!

Milann

beanielou

Glad you had a good time in Blackpool.
ouch to the £££'s but your health & wellbeing are much more important.

milann

I went for a swim yesterday and was pleased to have managed 24 lengths - not a lot by some standards I know - but ok for me I was hoping to go tomorrow too but my SIL came out of hospital over the weekend after a knee replacement so I am going round to see her after work complete with lasagne for our tea.

I'm planning to do a couple more lengths each time I go. I could kick myself for letting my swimming slip.

Funny the things that get to us - when I woke up in ICU to be told I had a colostomy bag - all I could say was 'I won't be able to go swimming!!!! - I used to go a couple of times a year, but the way it affected me you'd have thought I was an channel swimmer or something. Anyway my stoma nurse assured me I would be able to go even with the bag. Soooo once I was fit enough - I went, I was weak and very consious incase the bag showed through my costume. It took some doing on all levels. I managed half a length but I felt I'd achieved the channel swim. I went regularly and built up then had to go in for the reversal op - I was back at square 1 doing half a length again. Again I worked hard and built up to around 40/50 lengths.

SO WHY did I get out of the habit???????????? I was having womens problems that left me anaemic and I was just too tired after work and once my problems were sorted I'd just got out of the habit I suppose. But now I'm feeling positive about this new job, I'm beginning to feel I might even know what I'm doing LOL and can relax - I WILL get back into it and get a bit of strength back in my tummy muscles as it's surprised me how quickly I have lost the little bit of tone I'd built up.

TADA (over last few days)
have stitched most of a cube bean bag for ds (just got fastenings to do)
taken lunch every day to work
swam 24 lenths
done terms planning for work
kept on top of house
made lasagne to take to sil tomorrow
cancelled dd for loan which has been paid off
kept spends to minimum and kept record of them to pay off at end of month - (£53 including petrol so far this pay month)
applied for application form for holiday work.

Milann

beanielou

Wow well done you