Making the future happen - museumworker's MFW diary Pt 2

museumworker

Hello all, long time no post.

It is superbusy here at MW towers with DD back at school. DS is waking up every 2 hours at the minute as well. We had family come and stay for a weekend, and last weekend we combined visit to work event with nct sale, local park launch event, visit to local art trail... no wonder I'm exhausted!

Have started expressing ready for first aid course which starts next week. Really enjoying the baby massage, and have tried mums exercise class where you take your baby for £2.50 - which was a really good work out and DS was adorable just staring at all us women jumping around! Tried a singing group for £2 today which was really friendly and local. Have read the book for book group and also have found two of the forthcoming books in charity shops for 50p each.

Switched my energy to the sc0ttish power fixed rate tariff which was pulled, plus should get £34 cashback which will be an OP.

Managed a £40 shop this week :j for the first time in ages - the week before was £90 but included half our school uniform.

However, money is leaking out of our account. Tried DD with a drama group which she really enjoyed and have decided to sign her up for the term - which is £60. As part of her G&T she will be giving presentations and she is a bit shy at performing so think that will help grow her confidence. I've also started coaching her for the 11+, so spent £55 on books yesterday :eek: and that is probably only about a third of what we need to get :eek::eek:! However I noticed that waterstones are doing a stamp card so when you spend £100 you get a £10 gift voucher. The 11+ books are buy one get one half price so work out not that much dearer than amaz0n, plus you don't have the hassle of waiting for the post! So think am going to buy more books to fill a stamp card next month.

We've also bought DD's bday present (:shhh: a kindle), so that's another £60 odd. And haircuts this week = £34... it seems quite constant and I'll have to dip back into savings to make ends meet this month.

I've also been spending very regularly at charity shops, which I probably should curb. I finally feel like I have enough clothes to wear which a) fit me and b) work for breastfeeding, so am thinking of signing up to £100 clothes challenge again.

£4.84 OP made the other day from Ama$on sales.

museumworker

Somebody stop me - bought 3 pairs of shoes yesterday on fleabay :eek::eek:!

Also, can anyone recommend some cheap but decent leggings?

icklehelen

I've never had the guts to buy shoes on fleabay as a few friends have had issues over sizing and returns! Having said that I have bought little leather pram shoes for dd which are so cute and keep her socks on!!

I do have some decent quality leggings from Primarni that I believe were £2! I have had some not so good from there too but you can feel the difference in the material! I've also had some good ones from our N3XT outlet (their SP range) which were £5.

Hope this helps

ickle

janineh1982

icklehelen wrote: »

I've also had some good ones from our N3XT outlet (their SP range) which were £5.

Hi earth girl,

I can second the NEXT leggings, they are more expensive than primarny etc - but the quality is pretty good and i generally get a good one or two autumn/winter wear out of them

JH x

museumworker

Thanks for the next tip, I have a voucher to use there too!

Any tips on skinny jeans? are the primarni ones any good? Can't spend too much as weight coming off quite quickly!

Managed a £40.50 shop this week :j, although OH won't half fill the car and we need petrol before payday so will definitely go into overdraft, just trying to limit how much.

Temperature has really dropped. Noticed could see daylight through gap in wall :eek:! It had been covered by old radiator. OH bought some insulating foam and filled it, along with gap around tumble dryer vent and outside pipe - needs tidying up now.

We need to get the builders back to fit a threshold to kitchen door and adjust windows - this will be free as should have done properly in the beginning. Also looking at filling gaps in floorboards and having our double glazing properly refitted, which we'll have to pay for There is a breeze coming through the surround - confused smiley gone but not forgotten.

Peonie

You'll definitely need those jobs sorting before winter hits.

icklehelen

DSister and I recently did a clothes swap of the clothes that don't fit any more - she got my 'fat' clothes and I got her 'thin' ones :j
There were a pair of Primarni skinnies and I have to say they're not bad - plenty of stretch in them but need washing quite regularly to keep their shape (although with a baby washing seems to need doing more often anyway! )

HTH

ickle

museumworker

Definitely Peonie, the sudden change in temperature is quite shocking! Am trying not to put heating on, but am aware need to think about DS. We ordered an oil filled radiator yesterday for his room, where we change him and he will be sleeping in in a few months. It has 3 external walls so feels distinctly chilly, but as it is at the top of the house it would take ages to heat up with the heating. I used £20 of vouchers have earnt from surveys, so £77 of own money spent. I have also dug out some of the baby sleeping bags we've been given and he is now using these at night - was toasty yesterday!

Thanks for the tip icklehelen, I am writing a list of things I am going to look at in Primark; think will do a trip in a week or two once funds all replenished.

Have had to take £210 out of savings to make ends meet this month, but given how much we've spent on 'extras' I suppose it is unavoidable. Also I am using the tumble drier today as did a washload and have nowhere to hang it!

On a more positive MFW note, took DS to be weighed today (for first time in 2 months ) and got my form signed and stamped by the health visitor to show I am using reusable nappies . Only 2 more steps and I can send it off and get a £54 grant. Have done a few surveys and got my inbox back under control - now the weather is worsening I feel I need to have a better routine to keep me sane.

To do by weekend:
* photocopy proof of residence
* photocopy birth certificate
* post off application for real nappy grant
[STRIKE]* chase MrS re: refund for ruined baby clothes
[STRIKE][/STRIKE]* check vouchers this week
[/STRIKE]* measure gaps in floorboards to work out which thickness of fillers to get
[STRIKE]* chase builders re: returning to sort out windows/threshold
[/STRIKE][STRIKE]* post Ama$on sale (today)
[/STRIKE]* put away laundry mountain
* 11+ work x [STRIKE]3[/STRIKE] 1
* drop stuff off at charity shop one bag dropped off, one to go
* do any survey invites sent to me going well!

Plus exercise class, baby massage, nappucino event, baby group, badgers, swimming, drama, first aid course, book group... there really isn't time to get bored here! Better get ready for school pick up!

newgirly

Hi mw, well done on sticking with the re-usables.I had a go with my twins many moons ago and lasted about a month Good luck with that very long to do list!

Peonie

museumworker wrote: »

* measure gaps in floorboards to work out which thickness of fillers to get

I'm not really sure what you mean by fillers but I saw a Beany programme and she advised a couple how to stop droughts (sp?) through floorboards. She told the couple to use an electric sander to sand the floorboards, mix the collected dust with PVA, fill in the gaps, let it dry, then sand the floorboards again to match in the filler and boards. You use the dust as the colour matches the boards.