Live on £4,000 for a year - 2009, Part 4

slowlyfading

Brighton_belle wrote: »

SF - it's lovely to not only hear you tell us how much you are enjoying the actual teaching, it lso come across in your post in unspoken ways.

bails wrote: »

SF, I echo what BB said, it really does come across how much you're enjoying it. There's a teacher right there, I thought

Ee thank you I had a rowdy year 7 class this afternoon, which made my throat and head hurt. lol one of the things they keep putting on my lesson observations is to be quiet and wait for the class to be quiet before continuing - I HAVE to learn this sooner rather than later :rotfl:

cw18

Brighton_belle wrote: »

sorry to hear that CW. I think once you are working there, and they know you, that he will get offered something in the next round of recruitment.

Turns out all may not be lost this time

Had the first part of my induction this evening, and the last thing was to collect uniforms from the HR lady. I took the opportunity to ask if it was possible for DS to get in touch for feedback, and she said not to bother yet.

I knew she was rushing through this intake, as she wanted new staff in 'and trained' before she's off for a week (which is next week). Turns out she's not had time to fully process all the applications she took to interview (40 interviews, with 12 of us in for induction today/tomorrow), and still has a 'pending file' to take more on from once she gets back -- and apparently his application is in that file


DS reckons she shouldn't be discussing his application with me, but as I pointed out to him she was purely explaining why it's not worth him asking for feedback just yet........ It's not as if she's told me he's definitely in with the next batch, nor that he's still unlikely to be taken on



I now have an answer over my hours not adding up though --- and I've no idea why I was told it was 27 hours, as the letter clearly states 24 ! These letters would normally have been posted out rather than them phoning, but (due to the urgency of filling the positions and the RM strikes) we got a phone call with the offer then the letter tonight.

savingfortravel

Hi Everyone!

SF-Sounds like you are doing brilliantly in the classroom. At the end of the day if you love teaching that's the main battle won. Everything else you can perfect gradually. i'm so glad things are working out for you.
CW-Also sorry about your son but once they know what kind of stock he's from I'm sure he'll go to the top of the list.
Nyk-Shame about the heating. We are spending the evening with my parents and my dad brought 7 paper logs with him so we are having a extravagant evening, with a roaring fire. Raining hard here too and its at times like this that I am so grateful that we sorted out the roof during the summer.
2TR-So pleased to read your message about your mum. Hugs and best wishes to you.
BB-Glad the lodger is working out well.
HH-Love the sound of your frugalising. Keep it up.
SM-Sounds like you've re-evaluated your life and worked out what most important. You're a brave woman and I really admire you. I have similiar plans in the future to live a simplier life.

Well school has been mad this week with parents evenings and other dramas. Will post properly tomorrow.

Have a great evening

SFT

slowlyfading

savingfortravel wrote: »

SF-Sounds like you are doing brilliantly in the classroom. At the end of the day if you love teaching that's the main battle won. Everything else you can perfect gradually. i'm so glad things are working out for you.

Thanks There's obviously a lot of things I have to work on, but every lesson I'm feeling less nervous, so that's a start!

Well, I didn't have a NSD today, but I knew I wouldn't anyway. I met some of my friends after school in Starbucks, and had a lovely time there. It was really nice just to sit and relax and talk to some people who ARENT doing teaching training lol :rotfl: its expensive there, but so worth it for a treat

I've been mega productive this evening as well, which I'm pleased about. I've done all my work for this evening, I've hoovered and tidied my room, changed the bed and my washing is currently in the laundrette so all is good. The BF isn't arriving til midnight as he's been on the late shift this week, so its given me plenty of time to do everything this evening. I just have to make a list of things I need to do this weekend, and then I'm going to watch a film I think for a bit.

I'm quite an organised person already, but I've found that writing multiple lists is really helping me focus on what has to be completed each day and by the end of each week. I'm hoping this will continue so I won't feel too overwhelmed by the mountain of work that seemed to keep growing!

I'm going to a wedding do tomorrow night with the BF, and meeting yet more people! I'm not good at meeting people really, so I hope I make a good impression. I bought a new dress from New Look last week that I'm going to wear with some black high heels so I'm going to look respectable at least.

CW - fingers crossed for DS then

Hope everyone is having a good evening x x

bails

SF, I don't know if this is a universal thing - SFT might be able to help with this? - but in some primary schools the teacher holds their hand above their head (as if raised to ask a question) and the children know this is a sign to be quiet. They raise their hands too to show they're listening and once everyone is quiet you can carry on. This is great for Year 7s in particular as it's so ingrained from primary that they do it automatically as soon as you do. It may not be so great for older classes (as they may find it patronising) but use your judgment with each particular class. In my lessons, I never shout - the power of silence is much more effective HTH x

Well done on being so organised too, a true bonus for a teacher :T Now if you could just impart some of your knowledge for me... :rotfl:

SFT I was just thinking about you last night and wondering how you are x The roaring fire and family sounds prefect, wish I was there! The simpler life sounds like a wonderful way to go; I look forward to the meet so we can all get excited about our plans in person :T

CW, that's great about DS :T

Pensions, now's there's something I really must sort out when I have a job again. I used to pay into one so need to find out where that's 'gone' and work out the best way to save for the future, same for OH. I'm intending to start pots for my kids as soon as they're born too, so that expensive things like uni and weddings aren't so scary when the time comes :eek:

I have been feeling a little pants for a few weeks but thankfully have come up with a good plan with the lovely BB to hopefully rectify this. Now that the job is looking more promising, I will focus on that until I've seen the process through and then after that, focus on being out here. I have been thinking about the wedding and if I get the job, I think I'm going to still be sensible with money but give myself more freedom to have the day I really want. Not that it's a competition but when you compare my budget to some others on MSE, let's just say I feel much better about it :eek::D

Have a wonderful weekend everyone, I intend to (especially as it's now less time til OH gets back than he's been away already :j) xx

cw18

bails wrote: »

SF, I don't know if this is a universal thing - SFT might be able to help with this? - but in some primary schools the teacher holds their hand above their head (as if raised to ask a question) and the children know this is a sign to be quiet. They raise their hands too to show they're listening and once everyone is quiet you can carry on. This is great for Year 7s in particular as it's so ingrained from primary that they do it automatically as soon as you do. It may not be so great for older classes (as they may find it patronising) but use your judgment with each particular class. In my lessons, I never shout - the power of silence is much more effective HTH x

My Mum used to do this in Brownies (so with girls aged 7 thru 11), though I don't remember ever having it used at the local school school

But at one of the big birthday bashes I threw for my children (think it was elder DS's 10th, so almost 11 years ago) the children were being a bit rowdy when we needed them to listen, so I stuck my hand up in the air. A few children immediately stopped running around and put hands up (possibly Brownies from my Mum's unit), the majority saw them do this and followed their lead, and the last few were grabbed by some who'd stopped and made to follow suit. My DH (and the DJ we'd hired) were literally stunned at how easily and quickly I brought a village hall full of about 30 children to total silence :rolleyes:




Great to hear how people are getting on with things, both with the challenge and with life in general - apologies I've not passed on congrats and hugs to everyone individually (please take them as read, as I do read every post on this thread)

Things are a little hectic here at the moment with starting the new job and having to work out the financial side of things. Had to phone Inland Revenue to check where I stood in terms of tax code for my new job (all my allowance is used up with my pensions, so I'm on a 'zero code' for the job - was aware this would be the case, but wasn't sure how to ask the employer to implement from day 1 - so being told I needed to complete a P46 form stating I was on a 'BR' code was a great help, and simplifiied things last night at induction), and now I have some more info with regards to hours and such I have to phone Tax Credits tonight (as I'll be eligible for WTC while I still get Child Benefit, so a wee bit extra cash from there to come until next September as well :T )

cheerfulness4

the_cat wrote: »

OH's pension is not as bad as it could be I suppose, as he has a half decent amount already put in which will be frozen. I always knew it was on the cards that as it was a final salary (and non contributary) scheme it would probably go.

We had a letter telling us that DH's pension was being wound up too, so in same situation.
Can't really do much about saving for the loss much at present while we sort out other financial issues first but will have to make the adjustments as soon as we can.

Good news though - my little old car went for its MOT yesterday and passed! :eek::j
DH's car took over £500 to get through and my lil 'ole thing flew through. So happy I could dance. We were seriously thinking I'd have to go without a car as no money to buy another.
Off to Morrisons to splash out on one of their half price beef joints for the hols at end of year to celebrate.

the_cat

Not seen mention of it anywhere yet but Morrisons are doing their £25 off your shopping thing again this year. Got a leaflet inside my newspaper this morning. Basics of it are that you have to save your receipts (and spend min £40) for 5 of the next 6 weeks. The week after that you get £25 off a spend of £40.

I will def be doing this again and stocking up the cupboards for the winter with basics. Might try to get a few prezzies from them too!

Hope this helps someone
Cat

Discodee

Mooloo wrote: »

Oh dear, I have blown all reconition of the budget for me. Today I spent £200!! Eek. After DS lost his mobile phone , I have bought myself a new phone (Could have just got a sim card, but the back of phone has been long gone, the battery hardly lasts a day, and some other bits are falling off of it, so I got a new phone too), and two new sims for the twins, [QUOTE/]

I know I am not part of this but I cannot BELIEVE peeps on a budget have a mobile phone!!!!!
I am 46 and have never had nor wanted a mobile phone. I have a perfectly good phone in working order indoors. I pay £17 a month for internet, line rental and all calls, and if I wanted to take it further i could knock the internet off and just pay £11 a month for the rental and all calls (ThaT INCLUDES 0845 AND 0870 NUMBERS) and just use the library free for internet.

Mobile phones apart from all the damage they are causing to the environment and to our children, due to the radiation emitted from masts (They reckon claims against mobile phone companies will be ten times as many as made against tobacco manufacterers when the dangers of nocotine were finally proven) are the biggest rip off. Just look how vodafone can afford to snonsor cricket AND formula 1, the megA BUCKS sponsorship deal!!! Thats cos mugs everywhere pay for phones.

I appreciATE THAT you can want a teen to carry one as an emergency (My 15 yr old does. But she has never ever used it as she has never been in an emergency. It was an old one of my dad's and has £3 on it. She's had it since starting high school and never used it once! Cos true emergencies rarely happen!) That said you can buy a phone second hand for a few quid on ebay and get a sim card with a few quid on it free from this website to use for emergencies.

if everyone did that there would be less radiation and they'd save a fortune.
Don't waste cash on a mobile!!! Plus the eleccy to charge it!!

We are living on 5k a year atm as DH was laid off 7 mths ago. However we do now get our council tax paid and that was £30 a week, so it amounts to more really. hard times! Good luck to everyone

Discodee

cheerfulness4 wrote: »

We had a letter telling us that DH's pension was being wound up too, so in same situation.
Can't really do much about saving for the loss much at present while we sort out other financial issues first but will have to make the adjustments as soon as we can.

Good news though - my little old car went for its MOT yesterday and passed! :eek::j
DH's car took over £500 to get through and my lil 'ole thing flew through. So happy I could dance. We were seriously thinking I'd have to go without a car as no money to buy another.
Off to Morrisons to splash out on one of their half price beef joints for the hols at end of year to celebrate.

can you not share a car? years ago every family were lucky if they had one car and they coped.
We have one car and also we walk and cycle everywhere we can to save petrol. (Keeps us all slim and fit too. DS is cross country champ at 11 yrs old! We walk 3 miles each way to school daily)

if you shared a car you would automatically save insurance + tax+ MOT+ repairs+ each month.
eg take your hubbys car
I dont know exactly what insurance you pay, but lets say £200 a year, then tax £150 a year then your £500 mot
Thats almost £20 a week over a year before anything else!! And your insurance may be higher. Mine is £150 a yr fully comp, but yours may be more, i dont know.
maYBE it would work out cheaper to get rid of one car and share one?? And any short journeys the one doing that walk, or maybe get a bike. You can buy one for a fraction of what you'd get if you sold his car!