Botanical blunderings on a budget - good life starts here.

Pippilongstocking

Morning all

NOt acheived much last night - hey ho! Lucielle thank you - I'm not sure we're dashing past more than at speed but I'll have a think much appreciated

Today - I'd hoped my teaching money be in the bank (timesheet in two weeks ago) never mind still tighter than a ducks whotsit - bit of a blow - kinda expected it today. Nevermind can't change that!
Other bank over limit by £14 (how did that happen????????????????????????) moved money from one to the other - been 24hours think I'll get a charge - the dd wasn't out yesterday when I checked! ARGH> what an idiot I am - been a long time since I've gone over my OD. I took 20 out of bank on sat with DD - and that's why I'm over - b****cks (excuse the language) if I hadn't done that I'd not be over my limit. Boo - I'd looked then forgot and took the money from the wrong account. Pants.

Need to move that BT DD to 15th!!!!!!

OK zero in one bank - £35 in other. I really needed to be paid didn't I? Need petrol - that will be going on a card!

Listypops for today
Parcel to do
Paid work in am (3 1/2 hours)
Paid work in pm (gardening/cleaning - its a job needing both)
DD fencing later which means ANOTHER trip into town but will stay in and either go into work polytunnels or lurk in my office I've got a key (wonder when I get evicted?)
Recycling to the tip - lets hope so eh?
Doggiewoggie to walk somewhere between first paid job and afternoon work (both in different towns)
Managed to get INTO the spare room - need get that sorted potential future MIL arrives in 4 days (for two weeks)
Tidy up more plants
Pot up more stuff
Think about interveiw - need to take the clothes out wardrobe for that - eek not long now
Do 15 mins cleaning
I need relist on ebay - dunno why I'm hesitant! It works!
Plan with daddykins about when kids are flying to france

Triciaxx - I think when you change seasons its hard - here is so much shorter even than mainland scotland. I feel your pain - but yay to deep windowsils I've just discovered the new windowboxes I got have predrilled holes - booger - that will be a soggy floor then. Why didn't I check?

I've remembered OH has an old bookcase at his house so if I wait I can have that maybe? Problem with getting more different stuff is that when we eventualy live together again - we'll have far too much of everythingn

Uni I'll text you!

Morning all!
Packing parcel

Karmacat

Oh blimey Pippi, its so tight for you, isn't it good idea to wait for OH's bookcase, at least. And *please* do the recycling - even though it isn't much, it still adds weight to the car, you're paying to transport it around, remember - I know its a faff, and I know you know, just thought it'd better appear in print ....

Sorry that money didn't get to you .... I do wish there was something I could do, but you *are* making things work, you're doing astonishingly well, and DS and DD are thriving and having all sorts of new experiences. Do remember that, and don't let yourself get *completely* submerged in the carp.

Lots of hugs.

savingforarainyday

Looks over garden wall, with tea in hand.:p

Found You!!!!:D

Well done on thesis. I have just been spending half an hour on here playing catch up on your diary, when I should be working and prepping for meeting later:o

Ouch to the bank charges.:mad: I am on a really tight budget this month. I am already using my free overdraft and have two weeks before OH's payday, and we have a family party in a week and have food to buy and prep for that. Its coming out of food budget for the month, as I have been very frugal (tight) with the funds this month.

I am now very post home ed (ds been in music college since sept) and post accident. I am much more mobile and less down so i am busy exploring avenues and openings. It has been difficult getting back out there and actually talking to people, but raring to go!!!

Lottie is in full bloom and we had first raspberries and strawberries this week, may go up and do some digging tomorrow; depends on weather.

Well I have subscribed, so I shall return.

Back to work then. Maybe another cuppa to help me on my way:D

Cheery_Daff

(((((pippi)))))))))))))))) Bleurgh to money not going in But you are on the case, and you are FAB, and you will get your cheery job, and everything will be ok! :T :T xxxx

starnac

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

you are on the case, and you are FAB, and you will get your cheery job, and everything will be ok! :T :T xxxx

And repeat 5 times a day like a mantra

Well said Cheery :T

EssexHebridean

Stripes - ring the bank, explain re going over OD, and ask sweetly whether there is anything they would be able to do re the charges - they canafter all see how tight things are, and will hopefully realise that charging you will only make things worse in the long run. You have nowt to lose. If they say no, continue to smile sweetly and thank them for trying...they may change their minds if they end up thinking "what a lovely lady!"

psychopathbabble

Hi Pippi, just popping in to ask if you can pm your ebay id? I have been reading your blog and am trying to start growing things... I'd love to be able to help someone I 'know' when I buy some seeds etc instead of buying from a shop.

Pippilongstocking

Hello all
Babble hello and welcome - and yay to blog reading - you're clearly made of stern stuff - welcome to the club!
I've nothing on ebay at the moment but my EBAY NAME is the same as my BLOG NAME - I'm at work the now and looking at relisting stuff.

If you have an idea of anything you need (I've about 200 different types of seeds - um well at least that many) - give me a PM and I can either send you my list or just let me know what you're thinking of growing and will can help if I can - my website of gorgeousness is inprogress and soon I can reveal all inbetween times I need get my finger out my harris and relist stuff on ebay. Thank you for the push I'm needing!

At work (well in the office anyway) catching up whilst DD at fencing then I've shopping to do for Ds (got his card ) and then reduced quick look and then home.

Cheery and Cheri and KC thank you xxx It won't help to ask the bank would it - EH I nearly did today but the scary lady bank manager woman was on and she's pure evil. Was yukky to me oh, about 4 years ago (I'm an elephant I never forget anything nasty) so I didn't ask her but I might ask someone else.

SFRD - nice to see you over garden wall - here's a new cup - sorry things are so tight - you can so do it! I'm also sorry we moved without sending out invites - how rude of me sorry! I just needed a celebratory new diary - thank you for the congrats - hope your lovely garden is, well lovely what's looking good? Apols also for the blethers on here - can't shut this lot up! (Runs away!)

Pippilongstocking

Brain dump update
Did 6 1/2 hours work today paid at some point work
Omelettes and baked tatties/salad/crusty bread for tea cost - 10p tatties, 39p bread - free eggs and salad and the FIRST cucucmber of the year from the windowsill - yummy yummy yummy! What a clever cucumber plant

I've negotiated a free hen look after with a pal with a cat who also lives rurally and was worrying about a cat sitter - I'm happy to do cat feeding in exchange for tomato/plant watering and hen feeding

The tight money thing makes me think how much I do need a regular job to keep the chickens away from the door IYSWIM.

SO - Done a new budget - we need 1017 a month bare minimum to live on with no other unexpected expenses.
We have 1010 a month coming in from various sources, (WTFC, Dad, CB) which I was shocked about how much that was but that's why we've not really sunk so far - but we are sinking atm.

Therefore when extras come along we're scuppered. Therefore we do need a regular p/t job - thrifty threadbare living is fine in the short term but longer term it be nice to get the cards paid off and get a bit savings/extra in.

I'm thinking 15 hour p/t job (fingers crossed)
Try and get 5-10 hour gardening/freelance botanical work a week - that might be acheivable - get a few small regular gigs?
Try and do 15 on own business at home plants/seeds/teaching
Volunteering 5 hours a week

Does that sound doable?

P/t job will stop the money panic - worked out it will be about £450 gross a month if I get the school job
Gardening keep me fit and raise profile here - keep skills current - charging PROPER rate thank you all I listened
Own business/grow home food at same time will develop nicely at home - no petrol expenses - web site on the move - polytunnel will be soon
Volunteering here at hort project - keep hand in for experience, development and help the nice man (this is at the moment a hope rather than an unrealistic drain on my time and his I hope)

I mind mapped it all and tried to work out what was my 'ideal' job and work on that as a goal. I like diversity, being at home, being around kids and learning more from guru chap. If I stayed at home/worked alone the whole time I'd go insane

What do you think? OK, or have I completely gone bananas? Can I realistically work from home/vol/p/tjob

vl2588

I am rather tired but I think that adds up to 40h per week, which is reasonable IMO if it includes volunteering as well. Plus it is very inkeeping with patchwork living isn't it?