13 Moons part 2 - Freebird & Frugabulous

Lula-Hula

Having succesfully avoided even thinking about work until I actually parked up today, it was quite pleasant to be back. In terms of seeing the people I like that is. I felt quite detached in that I was doing my job & communicating with everyone but didn't have any negative feelings whatsoeve,r about anyone.

My eyes started to ache after 2 hours of being on the pc but that may have been due to wearing lenses, whereas at home I always take them out & wear my glasses when using computers.

I was relieved to discover that the company is still in business, that was my biggest fear, to be told that it's all over. Gropey boss confided in me about some stuff going on but I'm taking it with a large dose of salt .

I'll try to remain emotionally detached & yet involved for as long as I possibly can ... no guarantees though.

A very good thing did occur whilst I was there. I was presented with the task of booking some accommodation & used my quidco account to do so, & as long as it all goes to plan - no cancellations as per the last time I tried this - I stand to gain £38 in cashback :T.

Now if only I could take over ordering all the office supplies too, I'd be having a little stream of cashback flowing my way. I wouldn't want to be greedy, but it would be quite nice to get income without having to spend anything myself .

A NSD here today in spite of DDs best efforts to encourage me to stop at the shop for sweets on the way home. I apologised & said that I just wasn't spending anything today. She chose to use her money to buy an ice cream when the van came around later on.

Had a couple of hours of home-job to do & then had a soak in the bath with a book to unwind.

I have placed a bid on an item on ebay couldn't resist - lovely looking jacket & I have a plan on how to pay for it if I win.

Need to sleep now,

G'night
xx

boredofbeingathome

Cunning use of Quidco there-I like it

Karmacat

Well thats a really good first day back! i think you're onto something there with the detachment and commitment.

Shoe_Gal

Fab news on the Quidco! I do something similar with Nectar points for work stuff I need to do :j

Wordsmith

Lula-Hula wrote: »

I was doing my job & communicating with everyone but didn't have any negative feelings whatsoeve,r about anyone.

My eyes started to ache after 2 hours

Methinks these are connected and is nothing to do with PC use.

Lula-Hula wrote: »

She chose to use her money to buy an ice cream when the van came around later on.

And when she offered to buy you one, too, you said, thanks but you can treat me tomorrow instead?

Glad your first day back was OK - more than OK. Tick V. Good on remaining emotionally detached (me, I would need rather more therapy to get to that stage).

RosaBernicia

Shoe_Gal wrote: »

Fab news on the Quidco! I do something similar with Nectar points for work stuff I need to do :j

I would be dismissed if proved to personally gain anything from a work transaction - against NHS fraud rules.

Well done on your emotionally stable return to the lair.

Rosa xx

Shoe_Gal

We have to declare everything for tax purposes but apart that my work are OK as long as the company doesn't lose out

Lula-Hula

Oh dear,

It's not a good thing that my own diary is at the bottom of page 2 of my subs .

It's an even worse thing to realise I may have inadvertently caused some taxational irregularity at work _pale_. When asked to do the booking, I openly said that I was going to go through my Quidco account ... but I'm not sure if it could be a problem if I was using the company CC to do so. I know the Goblin buys all work cleaning & kitchen & coffee etc stuff on her CC & using her loyalty card & then gets it paid back on her overtime ... perhaps I wont use my quidco acct again.

Anyway, the holiday bubble was blown apart within the following 24 hours of my return to work. It became apparent that our leaders are in the midst of yet another huge disagreement. Grumpy it seems, is on a mission to wind up Gropey - who is one of the most volatile creatures I've ever come across - to the extent that he was shaking with rage & stomped off muttering something about having to go on holiday before he hits someone :eek:.

Goblin was furious with Grumpy for winding Gropey up & I'm going to be stuck in the middle of them next week as Goblin is having a few days off.

*breathes very deeply & ommmmms*.

Amazingly, although I'm physically involved due to my bodily presence, I'm still not emotionally affected. I'm aware that with all the other background issues going on re suppliers, clients, new work systems etc that it could all be over tomorrow, but I'm still not that bothered as I am so focused on the future that the everyday-present of going to work seems just so unimportant & puerile :rotfl:. It has seemed a very long week though.

Incoming moneywise I've had a couple of NSDs this week, got a £2 coin & received a £6 tatco clubcard voucher to add to my pile of freebies. I've also done a couple of extra hours at work.

I've earned a fair amount at home-job so topped up the Presents Fund & the rest has gone into my purse for treats & fun.

Outgoing moneywise I had a spend of £14.54 in the co op on Tuesday - using CC for superduper cashback & to be repaid asap - then today I collected DD then we headed to Sainsbugs where we shopped in amazingly quick time as we simultaneously admitted to a fairly pressing need to pee within the next hour. I bought everything on my list except for licorice tea & a few bits that weren't on it too. Total spend was £43.52 which brings the total household spends to £87.24 this month.

I also won an ebay auction for a gorgeous looking jacket - total cost inlcuding P&P was £27. I had £15 credit on the Uncle Richard CC so registered that with paypal & used it to pay for jacket & only had to pay another £12 from my money. I know it's naughty but it does look fab

I've been playing with post-debt budgets & I've decided that if DD is going to be having lunch at school everyday, then I will need to adjust my grocery budget accordingly. I will HAVE to live within a £150 a month budget rather than the £200 ish one I try to aim for now. I cannot tell you how much joy I am going to get from not having to supply her with packed lunches every day :j.

I would still dearly love to clear the remaining debt by the time she starts high school, it will just be so much easier if I can start then on a realistic budget that doesn't have to incorporate debt repayments into it. I know it can be done, just not sure how best to achieve it without causing myself more trouble :think:.

I've been so tired this week - shock to the system being back at both jobs so not really had a chance to explore possibilities, plan to do this over the next 3 days.

Have a lot to get done:

Collect ebay parcel from the post office, pay in cheque from auntie, take DDs cameras to be processed, take DDs books back to library, buy some licorice tea, start on the laundry triathlon, work on budget & CC repayments ...

Too tired to make sense now, so will continue tomorrow (friday)

G'night for now
xx

Karmacat

Its always nice to read your posts, Lula! But I don't see how you can have caused a problem at work by using Quidco for your purchases. As ShoeGal says, its about declaring - work knew you were going to do it, Goblin already does the equivalent, and as for tax - with everything that people say on here about earnings via Amazon, when my net earnings got up to £120 or so one year, I was really worried and talked to my accountant about it (one of the partners, not the usual technical assistant) - he said they were only concerned about £5,000 a year and upwards.

Lula-Hula

Morning all & thank you Karmacat :A for putting my mind at rest re the work /Quidco issue.

I've been a very busy Lula so far today;

dropped DD off at Playscheme with packed lunch, plasters, handgel & raincoat as they're off to Legoland for the day. We'd decide never to go again about 5 years ago, but I'm sure she'll have fun with all her friends there too.

I headed straight for Chavstown to collect my parcel - lovely jacket :j- & run a few more errands. I returned the set of curtains so that's £13 to go back on the CC but spent another £11.75 in there on a few bits I didnt' get in Sainsbugs. No licorice tea in there, although to be honest, I didn't really expect to find it. It's more a value donuts , burgers & coke type of town . I did get a £2 coin in my change so not all bad, although I've now spent £98.99 on essential grocery, household & toiletries.

I also paid the cheque into the laptop savings fund account & was quite impressed when the cashier asked if I'd considered changing my account to an ISA. I queried the rate but she admitted that I'm getting a better one where I am ( although I have yet to put any money in that counts - real rather than imaginary- so that's actually irrelevant :rotfl:).

I also asked for some of those little coin bags as I may have plans for the £2 coin savings ... and I was given a great handful so I may do some counting up later.

The washing machine is doing the first part of the laundry triathlon while I type, but the home seems rather clean & tidy so I don't feel any great need to leap about with hoovers, mops & dusters ( blatant lie, I never feel a need for that).

I'm rather enjoying just pottering about & having some quality time alone with my thoughts. Going to work does rather get in the way of pondering, although I had a great chat with young Design Dude yesterday about his forthcoming holiday plans. He's full of great ideas for places to go & I like investigating his suggestions when online.

There were a couple of amusing moments at work; a woman called to speak to Grumpy but he said he was 'busy'. I later asked who she was & he said she'd been the previous dogsbody at which point Goblin piped up she was her predecessor then .

I replied that she had sounded rather like Goblin. Grumpy however, didn't hear me say that & continued that she'd been "common as muck". Goblin was most indignant, I thought it was very funny :rotfl:.

I've still not taken the lovely print to be framed, I'm scouring charity shops for suitable frames instead - did 3 in Chavstown this morning but didnt find anything the right size.

Might wander down to train station village in a bit, can take DDs cameras in for processing, have a look in the charity shops there & try Waitrose for licorice tea .

Tomorrow, I'm taking DD & a friend to the cinema to see the Smurfs. I will do a bit of wandering & shopping while they're in there & collect them when it's over. Other than that, we have no plans so can chill, do a bit of pottering in the garden & maybe go somewhere with cheap railcard deal on sunday .