Pixie's pulling her socks up...the next diary!

hannahroberts1985

:wave: Don't go....

I'm more of a silent stalker but can be more vocal. xxxxxxxx

OrangeFairy

Ohhhh a date ????????

Sorry I have popped on to read every now and again

I've been a bit rubbish to be honest

Xxx

pixiechick99

Good afternoon...coooeeeee, is anyone in the room?!?:rotfl:

After my absence, I've decided that I miss being able to record my spends and have a rant now and then:) So, I'm back...hope you'll stay with me:A

The last few weeks have been tiring, I was off work not well for a couple of days...and just generally exhausted by the time half term arrived. So, phew, it's half term and I'm enjoying doing not very much at all.

I have remained pretty good MSE-wise. I did splash out on a tv for my bedroom - I used the £10 off code at Tesc0 direct and used some old clubcard vouchers towards it, so spent £51 of my own money on it. Typical now that I see the clubcard exchange is back so I could have doubled up my vouchers...arghh. Oh well, I'm happy with the tv;)

I have been busy selling bits and bobs on ebay...I transferred £141 from Paypal today and £30 a couple of days ago. I spent just over £25 posting it all. A bit of the money was for the girls as I sold clothes that were Xmas pressies for them, but about £100 for meeee:T

I also have jacked in the college course....I got too behind after I was ill. Looking back I shouldnt have continued into the 2nd year after missing most of the 1st, but too late now. So I listed lots of my uni books on Amaz0n...and made £50 just over the weekend...great:T

I am gutted about dropping out though, but it was such a constant worry hanging over me that I am relieved to not still be doing it. Before I worked in the school I did do a few Open Uni courses - I did 2 maths courses which I loved, but stopped studying with them so I could do my teaching assistant courses. I am hoping to carry on OU studies, aiming for a maths degree. I love maths (went to Uni at 18 to study it, though left 2 years later as I didnt work enough:o), I'm loving helping dd1 with her gcse maths...so I think that could be the way to go. Student loans say I am still entitled to support as it'd be part time. So, I've bought the course materials off ebay for the courses I did way back in 2003...as I'm feeling rather rusty. Then hopefully by next October I can begin the next course. Sounds like a plan?!

Girls are in town today and ex is taking them for food tonight...so I have an afternoon to myself. I must get some more bits listed on ebay and also start looking through my maths stuff.

We're off shopping tomorrow as girls are so short of clothes...they've not been bought anything in months. Ex gave me £50, I'll have £100 of tax credits in tomnorrow, and the money from ebay is earmarked for winter clothes/boots.

It's good to be back and keeping track of it all:)

Coco114

Ahh it's good to have you back :T
I missed your updates !!!
Sorry to hear you have been poorly but it sounds like you have it all worked out

Coco x

rising_from_the_ashes

Hey Pixie not seen you around for ages - just spied the *new* diary so thought I'd say "hi"

Sorry to hear you've been unwell (((hugs))) - similar here and just had an emergency hospital stay of 10 long days & nights (eta thankfully just managed to avoid surgery but it was a really close call this time) ..... very glad to be home & now trying to get my strength back.

Will have a read through just now and see what you've been up to ....

pixiechick99

Coco114 wrote: »

Ahh it's good to have you back :T
I missed your updates !!!
Sorry to hear you have been poorly but it sounds like you have it all worked out

Coco x

Hi coco:D
Nothing too bad kept me off work - I just had a stinking cold that went to my chest. I get mild asthma but this left me using my inhaler every 15m, so then I felt all funny;) a course of steroids and steroid inhaler sorted it out quickly. Half term came at just the right time:)

pixiechick99

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Hey Pixie not seen you around for ages - just spied the *new* diary so thought I'd say "hi"

Sorry to hear you've been unwell (((hugs))) - similar here and just had an emergency hospital stay of 10 long days & nights (eta thankfully just managed to avoid surgery but it was a really close call this time) ..... very glad to be home & now trying to get my strength back.

Will have a read through just now and see what you've been up to ....

Hello again rising:D
We haven't spoken in ages!
Sorry to hear you haven't been well...I did see on the 'small things' thread that you said you've just come out of hospital:( Was it Crohns related? But good you avoided surgery...I dread that one day I might have to have that again. My crohns isn't being too bad - I just feel like since my op (which was now over 2 years ago) I've been left with ibs type symptoms that I never had before. I used to forget I had crohns, but not now...Booo;)

pixiechick99

So with November coming I am going to join the NSD challenge again, though I might not count any spends that are for Christmas presents...I'll just count unnecessary spending.

I watched a programme last night about food banks and the people who have to have their weekly shopping from them due to their situation. It really made me think about how much I buy...and how much we could cut back. I do stick to my budget, which is now £130 every 2 weeks, but at feels a lot. Watching theis programme made me feel like I'm too 'well off'...how come, as a single mum, I don't struggle too badly, I have a few savings and live ok. I feel a bit of a fraud if I'm honest...I was thinking I should struggle more:o I guess during term time we really don't spend much - I've been saving at least £50 each week out of my £100 that I have each week...the rest on petrol, day to day spends, any presents needed, etc. maybe I'm just very careful and I dont have that much, I just knw where it all goes.

Anyway, it made me think a bit....and think that I'm lucky really. Though I moan about where we live (I want to go back to the village we were in before June)- this house is lovely for us and we all do ok. I also worry about what I'll do when the girls are older and leave for college. Obviously my benefits will go...and I only earn about £700, so goodness knows what I'll do:o Maybe if I keep up studying I can use that.

I let the council know about the fact I do more hours at work now, as it'll affect my housing benefit - I earn £90 more each month....so my benefit gets cut by £60:( Its really frustrating that I work 14 hours extra for £30...just over£2 an hour. Still, £30 more is still extra, but I had hoped I'd keep a bit more!Oh well, it's more hours that I should definitely keep while they're available for me:)

I must be positive!
Off to get more goodies on ebay:D

rising_from_the_ashes

pixiechick99 wrote: »

I did see on the 'small things' thread that you said you've just come out of hospital:( Was it Crohns related? But good you avoided surgery...I dread that one day I might have to have that again. My crohns isn't being too bad - I just feel like since my op (which was now over 2 years ago) I've been left with ibs type symptoms that I never had before. I used to forget I had crohns, but not now...Booo;)

Sadly yes ...... totally out of the blue as it's been really well controlled with meds for 3+ years ..... on huge doses of steriods just now which I know are a necessary evil but they just make me feel so carp!:( Having a new drug by infusion every 2 weeks to try to settle things down .... hey ho, the joys of Crohn's!

Pants to having to give up studying (me too!) but hopefully we'll both get our degrees one day ..... something positive to focus on!:)

Chocforever

Hello

A lurker pleased to have you back .

I did an OU degree; seems like ages ago but only graduated a couple of years ago. The course presentations start at different times of the year now so if you are feeling keen, you may be able to find a course that starts before next October.

I saw part of that food bank programme too. Had to switch it off when the evangelicals got too much. I was struck by the girl saying she didn't eat until the evening so that she got used to not eating through the day and did not feel so hungry if she kept up the routine. And she took it all in her stride.

Enjoy the rest of half term