Sorting through my rubbish

trixiepix

Hello lovely,

I've been off for ages and have only just checked in again today (similar vibe to yourself with whole family/work stresses plus credit card is on the up - eek) - sorry to hear you 've been so blue, hope you're feeling a tad better, i'll check in again to see if you're still around xx

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Hi Trixie,

Yes I'm still around but have well and truely fallen off the wagon but I'm gonna pick myself up, dust myself down and start again.........

It has been a difficult time, just about got through the school hols, taxed and mot'ed 2 cars, 2 weddings all the associated costs of the kids being off school and then returning to school blah blah blah only to find that my extra hours have not been processed and I have not been paid them in my August pay and will have to wait until end of September now. All well and good but I am having to borrow from other pots and I never seem to put the money back when that happens. Maxed out my credit card again:eek: (had paid off about £500) and Next account looking scary:eek:.....why is it that when I'm broke I stockpile be it clothes, toiletteries, food, I amass 'things' incase I can't afford them in the coming months **NEWS FLASH** I can't afford them now!!! What is that all about, spoke to a close friend who is going through a tough patch and she does the same!

Anyway have given myself a stern talking to and I'm back on board. DH and I have been busy using all of the apples and pears in the garden, he's making wine, i'm making jam! Been through the freezers and cupboards and drawn up a meal plan. Sorted through the toiletteries stash and think we have enough to last til Xmas and then will probably receive loads more. I'm allowing myself £200 per month in cash, this has to cover food, toiletteries, pocket money for the kids and any extras not covered by the bills/petrol money. The rest of my money is being saved for DS1's upcoming 18th or paid off Next/Credit Card. It means that I will have to be very strict with myself but I am up for a challenge as I know I HAVE to do this as once DS is 18 and finishes college our finances will change drastically re WTC, CHB and maintainence. Need to clear Next and try and halve Credit Card over the next few months.

We have splashed out on a new bed and memory foam mattress which is wonderful, no more aching backs, sounds expensive but honestly it was a bargain. Have rearranged our furniture and had a huge clearout, got rid of all the clothes I was keeping in case I ever got back into them. Felt really good to have such a big sort out and the room feels totally different. DS1 now has our old bed as his had broken slats and 2 mattresses as they were so worn out and saggy 1 wouldn't do so we would have had to buy him a bed otherwise. Decorated his room whilst we were at it, just emulsion paint so not expensive and looks much more grown up now - more fitting for an 18 year old! Need to finish stripping the handrail and bannisters and get the hall decorated (again just emulsion and we have all the wax etc for the wood work), started stripping the woodwork 10 months ago!!!! Have promised DH that I will get on with this now that I have more hours at home and the kids are back at school. Also want to decorate the little ones' room, bought bargain paint (£22 reduced to £2) months ago but it hasn't got as far as the walls yet.

I'm determined to keep occupied so I don't go shopping either physically or virtually and as all of these jobs need doing it will make the house nicer and hopefully improve my sense of wellbeing.

Sorry for the long post but needed to bring you up to speed and just get everything down in black and white so that I know what I am supposed to be doing and stick to it!!

Hope all of your problems/stresses are improving, if you need to unload you know where to find me!!

Take care

321 xx

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Well, had a good couple of days. Seem to be keeping to the £200 budget so far, did stretch to a takeaway pizza for the 5 of us last night but used one of their meal deals so wasn't too bad. I know I should have made my own but had been stripping paint all day and had a thumping headache from the fumes.

The bannisters are coming along, probably need to apply another coat of paint stripper though.

Been sorting out the bedrooms today, have a huge ebay pile, will try and tackle some of that tomorrow after rugby training and cooking cakes for packed lunches.

Have been making runner bean chutney today to use up some of the glut and to give as Xmas presents. Hubby has made alcoholic ginger beer also to give as pressies.

Right off to check everything.

321 xxx

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Working a split shift today, 10-3 and 5-10, so left a curry in the slow cooker for the family. Used some diced turkey thigh and bulked it out with grated carrot and chick peas, hoping there will be enough to do them tomorrow's dinner too.

Been trying to eat out of the freezer as the apple tree is laden and I want to stew up and freeze some for the winter months. Had meat balls with a nice tomato and herb sauce on Saturday and yesterday was a lasagne with some frozen bolognese sauce. There wasn't quite enough sauce though so I bulked it out with some soya mince and tinned tomatoes from the cupboard and they all said it was nicer than usual!! Must remember that.:rotfl:

Money seems to be going out left, right and centre with 3 kids back to school/college and all the after school activities starting up again plus rugby club for 2 of them it has been a really expensive week or so. Must get back on track or I will never clear this debt.

Right off to do some paid work.....night all

321

trixiepix

Hey hun,

I've been away for a few days otherwise would have checked in sooner!!

Glad to hear your back on track (would like to be able to say the same - lol!!:rotfl:) - i am getting there though!!

It's lovely to hear of your self sufficiency with the chutneys and beer and stuff, i would love to live the 'good life' - it's nice to daydream i guess as time wise i can't see where i would squeeze it in plus hubby has no interest in anything garden orientated - other than BBq's!!
This year i did have a go at growing tomatoes, courgettes and peppers - the tomatoes are still green, courgettes have been ravaged by slugs:eek: and the peppers are still rather small and it's the end of the season, i don't think i'm gonna be setting up a market stall anytime soon:rotfl:

Anyway, in work today so going to have to hop off shortly, i had an email yesterday from approved foods mentioning they have free delivery until tomorrow evening, so i'm going to place my first order today, i'll let you know how i get on!

Hope you have a good day and the wood stripping is going ok ( my hubby mentioned stripping the paint from ours a month or so ago but then i think he realised the work involved as is now trying to convince me that white satin will look far better - hmmmm if i didn't know better i would think he's rather not do it!!:rotfl:

Trix xx

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Hi Trixie

Yep my Husband would love to be like Tom and Barbara from the Good Life but I see us more as Margot and Jerry, G'n'T in hand!!!:rotfl::rotfl:

Well done for growing the veggies, we were like that the first year but every year gets better as you get used to what works for you. Potatoes are easy to grow in a bag if you only have a small area and runner beans are great grown in large pots. Strawberry planters look lovely dotted around too.

We haven't done too badly this year, got a free greenhouse from a relative so that has helped and hubby has almost finished the hard landscaping (our garden is long and very sloped so we have been terracing it and decking it over the last 3 years building retaining walls with railway sleepers).

Our crops have included strawberries, white raspberries, a few cherries from our baby tree, apples, pears, tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, cucumbers, various coloured peppers, different potatoes including red, purple and Jamie Oliver's Smiley Face ones!, runner beans, white french beans and purple french beans. We also planted rhubarb, blueberries and gooseberries this year but no fruit yet. Also have leeks growing but they are not ready yet and we have some humungous pumpkins and some small green winter squash to enjoy soon. I probably wouldn't bother with any of the purple vegetables again as although they look pretty when you pick them they loose almost all of their colour once you cook them.

Hope your Approved Foods order arrived ok, I have used them before and they were great, I was especially impressed with how everything was packed. I have also used Big Brands for Less and Food Bargains but they are smaller sites and their packaging was a bit slap dash. I just keep an eye on all of the sites and if I see several things of interest I place an order. Still working through the large bags of scone mix (2x3.5kg for £1!!) and the LLoyd Grossman Risotto bases which worked out at 5p each.

Still stripping the bannisters - definately making progress but the house is over 80 years old and there are loads of layers to remove. I will keep at it though as I did the fireplace and doors and they look great.

Not doing so well money wise, haven't received the pay they owe me and now line manager is off sick for at least 2 weeks so I doubt it will get resolved any time soon. Have almost completely emptied the savings for my sons 18th and it's 10 days till payday. We will be ok though, I have £20 for this week and the same for next and loads of food in the cupboards, freezer and garden!!

Hope all is well with you, take care

321

chevalier

Can you work not do you an advance as they have stuffed up?
chev

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Hi Chev

Yeah you would think so wouldn't you but Head Office are really sniffy about that sort of thing, been trying to sort this out with my line manager who has now gone off with stress so i'm just going to have to wait til the end of the month for the next pay run. Meeting with the Area Manager next week so will tell her how unimpressed i am:rotfl::rotfl:

321

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Hi All

Have been on to Payroll and HR, it appears that all of my backdated hours are to be paid at the end of the month with my next pay, which is a relief, but I am still really annoyed that I pointed this out to them when I received my payslip last month and, through no fault of my own, I have had to wait a month to get this money, it was their mistake, if I had not submitted my timesheets it would be fair enough.

Right rant over - on with the day.

Working an extra shift today, so having to be organised. Toad in the hole for dinner tonight, will leave DS1 cooking that.

Must, must, must Ebay this weekend, I have a growing pile of stuff to list and it's taking over the landing:rotfl::rotfl:.

Right off to do some work, will hopefully pop back later.

321

trixiepix

Hey lovely,

Glad to hear your payroll issues seem to have been resolved, it's such a pain with finances as companies don't seem to understand (or care) how we are all working to pay our bills and if there are mix up's it can cause a whole heap of problems.

Well, all good with us at the mo, the kids are back in the swing of school, i'm having to work some extra day's - which is a total imposition on my social life - lol :rotfl:!!! but as of next week should be back to the normal routine.

My hopes for the weekend are - clearing and defrosting my huge freezer and removing chicken, mince and beef, creating meals with them and then returning to the freezer as chicken casserole, cottage pies, spag bol and stew (we'll see!!!) - also want to try out a new baking recipe ahead of the school winter fair, so cake pop's here i come...........

Have a lovely weekend xx