Pinot's Potty debt free journey!!!

Box_of_Fluffies

I was just thinking £1500 on bus fares is a lot of money and so calculated bus fares for our two boys. It works out at about $1300 a year (which is about £700) and I was right. That's a lot of money. :eek: We don't have a choice for our two boys, their school is the only school in our area that I'm prepared to send them to. Fortunately for us we're in the zone, so no problems getting them in. Schooling in NZ whilst officially 'free' isn't really. Parents are expected to make a donation to the school for each child, plus some classes have fees (e.g. for text/work books/tutors for music) which equates to an extra $250 per child per year! Of course, if they go on any school trips we have to find the money for that too.

It really does start to get :eek: when you add it all up.

HappyNow

Hi pinot, both my two went to our local comp and we wouldn't have had it any other way. DS was 'average' in most of his subjects, but he went on to get GCSE results that far exceeded predictions. Our DD is very bright, and as expected got straight As in all her GCSEs. (She then chose to move to a high-status 6th form college for A levels.) Comprehensive schools are really well funded and have top-notch equipment and they have the pupil numbers to run LOADS of after-school activities and trips.

I also think it's good that they are at the same school as most of their local friends (and siblings). Our kids had friends who travelled to a grammar school in a nearby town and they didn't have anywhere near the same social life as our two. Plus those kids spent ages travelling each day (on those expensive buses!).

Congratulations - I genuinely think you've got the best outcome and she will be very happy there

poohbear59

I paid £1500 a year for bus fares for my two youngest and it was worth every penny as they were ten times happier at their new schools than at the local comp where I worked.
The two oldest went to the local school and did brilliantly academically but were bullied mercilessy.

I left to take the oldest two to 6th form 35 miles away so they didn't have to go on the bus every day. I managed to get a job at the school across the road. But once the youngest two were travelling with me I developed this awful arthritis and couldn't work so they had to go on the bus. They have the greatest friends both at home and in town and don't blame me for anything, luckily.

PinotGrigio41

I'm alive, but only just !!!:j

Birthday celebrations still ongoing, another houseful just about to arrive, so am dropping in to say hello and rushing straight back out again !!! :eek:

Will catch up tomorrow xx

PinotGrigio41

I'm sooooo tired. Had a houseful pretty much since Friday night. Didn't sleep last night, was so worried about how much was going on with the girls this week , how we were going to fit it all in with my work and their homework and also the lack of washing etc that wasn't done over the weekend and thousands of other things. Now I am like the walking dead !!

Been working all day in between trying to strip the beds, get it all dried and back on again. We only have one set of linen each at the moment For my sins I decided to strip all three beds off this morning...stupidly ! DD1 had no clean school shirts this morning , so she had to rifle around in the wardrobe for one that was too short, but at least she had something to wear and didn't need to drag last weeks out of the dirty laundry and spray with Febreeze.:rotfl: Thankfully DD2 didn't need uniform today. She is singing this evening in a children's choir, so need to make the trip up to see her this tonight , so it will be a very late night again. This will be the last year she sings in this particular choir though as she's off to secondary in September ! I have so much to do yet today before I need to leave, I am having a mini panic !!!

Breath breath breath Mrs Pinot....keep calm !!

On the money front, I have made monthly payments to all CCs today and have updated signature. :T

Anyway hope everyone is well, this is a fleeting visit I'm hoping to catch up with you all properly tomorrowxx

ebayqueen_2

Morning Pinot

Haven't been on for a few days and am trying to catch up with the diaries. You certainly have been busy. Hopefully all will be more settled by the end of the week and you will get a better sleep.

Take care of yourself and I am loving your signature...almost £12,000 that is superb :):):)

debtfreewannabe321

oooh i hope you're a little calmer this morning, lol you tire me out with all your goings on where do you get your energy!

So glad the birthday celebrations went well sounds like a fun weekend was had! xx

Box_of_Fluffies

Just a quick hello :wave: It sounds like a fab but very tiring weekend of celebrations and a very busy week ahead of you. Just make sure you take a few moments to catch your breath. Mind you, I'm one to preach, I've got a massive week of work ahead (not complaining), just had a meet the teacher evening at DS2 school, have parcels to wrap and post (trademe sales) and am still getting over the cold I caught from DS2. Perhaps I should take my own advice :rotfl:

PinotGrigio41

Hello !!

Sorry for not replying to you all individually, seem to be very pushed for time again today , but I don't want to ignore you. Your comments last week re the schools / bus fares etc were really interesting. Thankyou ! As much as I am happy for DD1 to be at the local comp DD2 is a different kettle of fish entirely . I need to try and find a bit of quiet time to sit down read all the paperwork properly re the schools / results etc and see if it is worth maybe appealing for a place for her. I know she will do well wherever she is, but not sure she will cope as well with the peer pressure as her sister does. Could ramble for ages on this particular subject !

Yes the birthday celebrations were lovely, for some reason though I felt really emotional...... not really sure why. I Think it was the whole turning 14 thing, or it could have been the kindness of our friends who were arriving all weekend unannounced with lovely presents for her , and generally remembering her and giving up their time to come and see her. We have been very elusive for many years where our friends have been concerned ,struggling to make time for them or really see them much while we have been trying to battle this mess, so the fact they remembered her and made the effort to drive over to see her made me turn into a quivering wreck at the drop of a hat all weekend . It meant a lot to me. Mr Pinot kept finding me sneaking out of the loo drying my tears and sort out the face all weekend........ he appeared rather bemused by my antics, but then again I think I was slightly baffled by my own behaviour !! Maybe I really have lost the plot this time !! :rotfl:

Anyway last night was another emotional evening, but a great night. Sad that DD2 and her friends won't be doing this again, but lovely all the same. My babies are all growing up and I don't like it one tiny bit !! :rotfl: On another note though it cost me £28 for parking :eek: Not impressed !!! We finally got home just before midnight totally worn out and had real trouble dragging ourselves up this morning.

Today is work and DD2 needs school trousers, so I need to try and find time to nip out to buy those. She has nasty cheap but trendy trousers so they aren't fortunes, just horrible !!:rotfl:. Yesterday was my Sister in laws birthday, so a bit of expense there unfortunately, on a card at least. Pressie was leftover from Xmas and re wrapped ! She will never know ! Its also FIL Birthday as well this week and DD1 has a party at the weekend, and we have another close friends daughters birthday as well this week , so I need to sort some cheap but nice presses out . I have only managed 1 NSD this month so far and that was Saturday ( actually will update signature with that now before I forget ! ) Pretty poor going though We have nothing in the budget for gifts, so I will buy those out of the Grocery budget which we don't use all of, so it sort of evens out. :T

Must rush off now, at a Sporting Event tonight with DD2 again, why these things are all arranged in the same week is anyones guess !

Sorry for still not dropping in your diaries everyone. Don't be angry with me, I will soon be back boring you all to tears with my musings !!!

debtfreewannabe321

ahhh bless you at sneaking off to dry your tears, i get like that all the time i think people are used to me being oddly emotional at random times

I hope you manage to get yourself half hour to chill out later, you sound so busy you make me feel lazy (I am but hey...... )