Lois_E begins a long MFW journey

Lois_E

Well, the school holidays are well and truly over and I have much less time to spend on here. I am spending loads of money, but the building work is finally getting done. Only two more tradesmen to chase up and track down.

School's got off to a reasonably good start. I haven't had my Y7s yet, but the rest of my new classes seem like nice kids and I've still got last year's Y12s carrying on to Y13, and they're a great group that I get on really well with. I haven't found it easy to adapt to getting up earlier, but at least it's making it easier for my to stick to my "going to bed on time" bit of Michelle's latest challenge. My kids seem reasonably happy with their new classes too. I don't know DD's teacher, but I've seen a bit of DS's teacher because he coached the football team when DS was in it, and I'm quite impressed, and v happy for DS to be having him this year.

I'm keeping up with my spending diary (well, actually I'm a few days behind but have all the receipts and can remember the cash spending, so I'll catch it up later this evening), but otherwise I'm too busy to think much about moneysaving. But then I'm too busy to spend any money, too, so that's OK. Will try to catch up with everyone's diaries later, but need to go out to the corner shop to get one or two bits for lunch boxes. DD wants to rollerskate, so we'll walk there and it will be good exercise all round.

gratefulforhelp_2

What do you normally wear to work? (Not being a weird pervert, just asking myself the question "do I need to be * alot* smarter at work"?)?

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

Hello,

I know you were not asking me, but I will stick my nose in anyway! The smarter the better so that they know you are in charge! And suits date less than civvies.

Squirrel x

Tesco_points_addict

Hi Lois

I'm so glad I don't have to buy clothes for work (I go naked:rotfl:) Sorry no, I have a uniform!! But still begrudge buying shoes!

I am keeping all my receipts so I know where our money is going at the moment. Its quite shocking how much we waste even when I think we are being good!:eek:

TPAx

Lois_E

Spendy day today - out with friends all day. Was reasonably pleased to have brought the whole thing (including exorbitant parking charge, all food for all three of us (except breakfast) and a new pair of school shoes for DD) for £35.39.

gratefulforhelp wrote: »

What do you normally wear to work? (Not being a weird pervert, just asking myself the question "do I need to be * alot* smarter at work"?)?

Well, I don't wear jeans, which is the only thing I've got to wear for casual at the moment. Even though we have a much wider choice of clothes than the men have, I like to feel I'm not obviously scruffier than them. I've got a trouser suit I wear sometimes for school, and I also wear skirt/top/cardigan or skirt/top/non-matching-jacket or smart-casual-trousers/top/non-matching-jacket etc. But all my skirts (that is, the ones I still fit into) are rather boring for casual, while I had worn out all my previous pairs of smart-casual trousers. Which was why I needed some new ones.

Secret_Saving_Squirrel wrote: »

Hello,

I know you were not asking me, but I will stick my nose in anyway! The smarter the better so that they know you are in charge! And suits date less than civvies.

Squirrel x

Stick your nose in any time you like, Squirrel (and TPA and anyone else). Everyone is welcome to contribute to my diary! :beer:

I'm off to update my spending diary now. :wave:

gratefulforhelp_2

Secret_Saving_Squirrel wrote: »

Hello,

I know you were not asking me, but I will stick my nose in anyway! The smarter the better so that they know you are in charge! And suits date less than civvies.

Squirrel x

Thanks squirrel and lois. Just pondering, I horrified someone by confessing to wearing flipflops in the lab I can't remember who.

Think it's time for me to smarten up.:o

twinklie

A lady in my department wears sandles in the lab!!! I don't wear sandles or flip flops EVER so can't ever fall foul of such things. I should be smarter in my dress. Wear suit pants and smart tops etc. But most of my clothes are old, getting bobbly etc - can't afford to buy new ones though. If I could I would.

gratefulforhelp_2

I can't afford to either...at least it hasn't got in the way of your getting promoted, so you must be smart enough!

Lois_E

Lois_E wrote: »

The electrics are now probably not going to be completely finished by the middle of next week, but almost all of it will be done by then, and there should be only one little bit left after that, which I hope will happen quite soon. In the meantime, the electrician has been v helpful, and I am convinced he is doing his best for me but being delayed by other people. The general builder is making the right noises, and I am hoping he has got the message that I'm not going to wait forever. He has promised to come on Tuesday - let's see if he actually does.

Progress happening at last.

The electrics are indeed now at the stage of "only one little bit that needs doing". Not sure when the electrician is going to be able to come, though. Must phone him today. The general builder finally came yesterday, so I am hoping that this time he will keep going with my stuff until it is finished, rather than doing a bit and then dashing off to do somebody else's job instead. Really looking forward to paying for the last of it so I can start OPing the mortgage.

Michelle's Christmas challenge is keeping me on the straight and narrow as far as takeaways are concerned, and I hope to go for a walk up the big hill again tomorrow (part of my challenge is to do it once a week), but I am still failing dismally on the going to bed on time part of it.

Bad news moneywise is that I really am going to have to get a new handbag for school. My existing one has been getting tattier for a while but is now beginning to come apart at the seams. :eek:

Lois_E

My house contents insurance was up for renewal this week. It's a policy I had on my rented house and transferred to my own house when I bought it, so my buildings insurance (which I took out when I bought the place) was out of sync. I wanted to cancel the buildings policy and get a combined contents/buildings policy instead. I phoned the company I had both my buildings and contents policies with. They said I'd need to pay a further £50 for the buildings policy (something to do with not having paid yet for all the time I've been covered, and possibly a cancellation charge too) but they'd waive that if I got my new combined policy with them. They quoted me a price.

I went online. I found a combined policy for the same level of cover that was cheaper by more than £300!!! So I'm paying the £50 to cancel the old buildings policy, and going with the new insurer. (Oh, and DD will get the free cuddly meerkat she's been longing for. )

Building work in my house is progressing. I now have a shower over my bath, although as yet no shower screen to stop the water going all over the floor. Maybe tomorrow.