MF at last! Now for the £300,000 'Mansion' Fund.

earthgirl

Well I have not posted of late as I have been enjoying an amazing holiday week! Kind of makes me wish I didn't want a big house and big garden and in fact could give up work and just potter around, but I couldn't anyway with oh being self employed !!

I had a lovley extra long weekend at my mums, and found out that my brothers wife is 2 weeks pregnant! This is very exciting, and has kind of slowed me down in wishing for another baby so soon - I can coo over theirs next summer!

I have had a lovley money saving week. Mum paid half my petrol, and I didn't spend anyrhing when there. I put loads of stuff on ebay whilst mum played with LO. When I returned I had a picnic and a free farm visit with a friend and her little boy which was lovely.

I have done a little sewing as well, and loads of work for ohs business. I am about to test my washable pads I feel, so fingers crossed! It is co-insiding with a trip to the inlaws this weekend I love going there but not when I am testing my latest money saving idea! Still I don't have any bought protection in, and I am not going to buy any!!

I have also wrapped all the xmas pressies I bought in January to take up to the inlaws, and I have most of the cards ready so hopefully MIL will hand them out. This is much cheaper than posting all the presents and cards up in December, even if they do think me a little crazy!

I have been offered the speed awareness course instead of point but I think that its quite expensive (£77) so not looking forward to buying that. Still there is nothing I can do about it, just bring in the pennies where I can.

Hope everyone is enjoying the start of Autumn, off to read a few diaries!

Brodiebobs

Although the course may seem expensive, i'm sure the rise in cost on your insurance for the next 4 years would be more!!

Peonie

Some people who have been on the course say they now drive their car a lot more efficiently, improving their mph. As hard as it may be you could look at the course as an investment to saving more money in the long run.

earthgirl

Thanks for the words of encouragement!
I have still not had the letter through telling me where I can do they course, so i think I have to respond to them now to say I haven't got anything.

We had a nice w/e at MIL and OH is still there with work until Tuesday, so i had to bring LO down on the train from Scotland and it was a nightmare. He was very good bless him, but it was tough amusing him in such a small space!

I love being at home on my own though, and after reading a time management for busy mums book lately (reccomended on here) I have re organised the house a bit, although I have still a bit to do.

I am trying to do it whilst spending as little money as possible, and recycling where I can. I will have to buy a few things though - a hanging box file thing I got with an amazon voucher +£3, and I need to get a cheap shower curtain so that I can make some more large nappy bags to transport dirty nappies back from the childminders, and therefore won't have to supply and unpack individual nappy bags all the time!

Anyway, loads of stuff sold on ebay, i will give a total when I have all the money paid, but I am hoping it might cover my speed course in the end.

gratefulforhelp_2

What's the time management book?

I have just read "How to be an amazing Mum when you just don't have the time" by Tanith Carey (mail writer, 'nuff said) and it's a load of boswelox. Basically just a list of things to buy which adds up to 5 or 6 thousand quid.

And apparently Mummies can only wear dresses, knee length boots and navy coats.

CathT

earthgirl wrote: »

Thanks for the words of encouragement!
I have still not had the letter through telling me where I can do they course, so i think I have to respond to them now to say I haven't got anything.



I love being at home on my own though, and after reading a time management for busy mums book lately (reccomended on here) I have re organised the house a bit, although I have still a bit to do.

The course is local to you Earthgirl, my mum went on one.

Book sounds interesting, my life is busier than ever!

museumworker

gratefulforhelp wrote: »

What's the time management book?

I have just read "How to be an amazing Mum when you just don't have the time" by Tanith Carey (mail writer, 'nuff said) and it's a load of boswelox. Basically just a list of things to buy which adds up to 5 or 6 thousand quid.

And apparently Mummies can only wear dresses, knee length boots and navy coats.

I have read this and although I agree about the purchasing aspect, there were lots of useful tips and also it was the general approach about streamlining your life, and being organised. (I do kind of think that a dress + tights and shoes/boots is essentially the best way to do a working wardrobe too )

earthgirl

Can't remember what it was called now (My memory is sooo bad still hasn't returned since pregnancy!) But it might be that one as it does mention coats and boots and dresses. Anyway to each his own, and I liked the book I read as it has loads of tips and ways to get organised. More than actually telling me how to do it (and therefore going off and spending loads of dosh that I would rather save), I just needed a bit of inspiring to get rid of all the niggly annoying timewasting aspects of my life, so that I can spend more time with lo and oh.

I read another time management for mums book and discarded it as it just seemed to be a gigantic to do list and lots of theory as to why I should like like a slob because spening time with lo is the most important thing. There is obviously a happy medium!

Today I am looking as together as I ever have, with my long black wool coat, a black dress and knee length black boots (all charity shop finds last year) so co-ordinating jewellery and makeup that includes mascara - so it must be doing something for me as I don't think I have managed that for years!

The house is clean and relatively organised, and so for I have spent £4.50 on getting organised (£3 for file box, £1.50 on shower curtain to turn into reusable nappy bags) I might treat myself to a double sided microfibre mop for the kitchen (£4) and that will be it!

OH back today from scotland, so looking forwadr to seeing him and having some time in the house whilst lo has cuddles with OH!

Today I need to:

-organise tutoring for the week
-sort out the speed awareness course
-make my nappy bags
- post ebay parcel
-check my asda receipt

At the weekend I need to:
- clean car
-tidy back bedroom and attic

gratefulforhelp_2

museumworker wrote: »

I have read this and although I agree about the purchasing aspect, there were lots of useful tips and also it was the general approach about streamlining your life, and being organised. (I do kind of think that a dress + tights and shoes/boots is essentially the best way to do a working wardrobe too )

You guys win two to one then. You mean my Waynetta slob trackie bottoms and flipflops won't do???????????????

cha97michelle

gratefulforhelp wrote: »

You guys win two to one then. You mean my Waynetta slob trackie bottoms and flipflops won't do???????????????

No it is a draw. I didn't like that one either. I bought it, read it and completely disagreed with stuff about not letting them play with lego or jigsaw books. I could see her point, as it winds me up to high heaven picking it all up and mending broken models, but sometimes that is what parenting is about - giving them toys that stretch them.

She did have good ideas though about being organised. I prefer flylady though myself.

(Spoken from another person who likes wearing trackies these days, though mainly as my jeans all wore away and I haven't lost enough weight to fit in the ones my mum bought me yet. )