The Ultimate Incentive natters on. Part 9

starnac

I don't think so. Most children learn from their parents so if you are uptight going into a situation then they probably will scream the place down. If you are relaxed on the other she will take her cue from you.

If she's always been fine then chances are she will love it

wendz86

Could prob just about manage a resteraunt but wouldn't be able to keep her still for long. If we go out somewhere to eat she will only sit in highchair while she has food, would spend rest of the time running around. Can't imagine her sitting still for a show although if it was specifically for children would be a bit different.

She wouldn't be scared but this child has no fear lol.

clearmydebts

I think it depends on the personality of the child. Max was/is a ball of energy and wouldn't have sat still for 5 minutes in a restaurant. He was excellent on the flight to Portugal last Sept (was 2.5 yrs at the time) and if the show was engaging enough he would love it.
Evie is 17 months and would be excellent in a restaurant as she is generally more chilled, but would be a nightmare on a plane and at a show as she just wants to run around. She does like looking at books, but wouldn't have the same concentration span as Max. Being honest, we aren't going anywhere on holidays abroad this year as I think Evie would be at the wrong age. But then, we have 2 toddlers and both can be unpredictable!

I sort of agree/disagree with you about the holiday thing Starnac. I think couples should get away for a night or 2 as a couple, but I agree that I wouldn't go away for a week or so with my OH and leave the kids. I couldn't imagine lying on a beach in Spain watching other kiddies play while mine are at home. It would seem so wrong!

Do ye have to go this year or can the vouchers be booked for next year? Maybe concentrate on your cousins wedding this year and then have NY to look forward to next year.

Flower08

I agree Starnac, I wouldnt be able to go on holiday without Noah. Maybe one or two nights but I would just worry about him and miss him any longer and wouldnt enjoy myself. Not only that but I wouldnt want to ask someone to look after him for that long.

With regards to sitting still it really does depend on the child. Noah sits in his highchair for dinner then wants out for playtime! He doesnt like hanging around when there really is no need, so going to restaurants etc is very rare for us - although that is because we have no money as well :rotfl:
But especially now that he is walking he just constantly wants to go go go, he doesnt even like sitting in his pram when we go out now.

Anyone still doing STP? I have been doing some of the catwalk reviews tonight and have just cashed out $20 worth. Not a huge amount but things are very tight at the minute so all adds up.

wendz86

Ohh might have to give STP a go again, i did get the e-mail.

Also glad to see my child isn't the only one that won't stay still haha. I am a bit nervous of our 8 hour flight with her but she is getting a bit better at keeping still as she gets older.

Lara44

Oooh exciting holiday talk :j We shouldn't really be having any, since my wage will run out in the middle of December . But I'm going to a conference in April in Paris so we rented a teeny tiny flat for a week. I will be conferencing for the first 4 days, and then OH will join. Something nice to look forward to!

Birdie - how about a little weekend trip to Paris to help to cheer you up? (((((((Huge HUGS)))))) hope the chat with your boss goes well.

I think you're right about your cousin's wedding, Dinah. That's quite expensive, unless you could hire a holiday home and combine it with a holiday?

I printed out all the stuff I have written for my PhD on Monday. My draft is 100 pages so far :j LOTS to do, but good to see i haven't been skiving too much :rotfl:

The Amy Butler wallpaper came, and it's very nice. Hope to complete closet transformation stage 1 on the weekend.

BTW we have personal ISAs for cash and a stocks and shares ISA managed by that financial advisor friend for our mortgage overpayment savings. (Cos we only own 40% of our place, we need to find a way to overpay in order to get the second mortgage . We keep it in an ISA because our financial situation is a bit uncertain, with OH being freelance and my funding running out in September).

Nice day peeps!

Cinny91

What Island is it, Dinah? On one hand, Greek Islands are gorgeous and it's obvious you want to be there for your cousin. But it's a lot of money, and if you can't afford it or would kind of begrudge spending the money - it's not worth it. I'm sure your cousin would understand, especially all that travel with Grace. I've just been through all this myself with Laura, going to her wedding had a ball park figure of £2,500 (plus the cost of boarding Ryder)

Thanks for all the feedback on the sofa! We're in no rush, but we do need one before Christmas rolls around. The payments wouldn't cripple us as money stands now (works out about £35 a week over a year) or take away from any other plans, plus we'll be £300 a month better off in April and £200 again in July. So even if we do pick a sofa this weekend, I don't think we'll be getting it for a few months regardless of finance or not. I don't think I need to worry about my mindset being altered from getting one thing on finance though, I'm too much like my Grandad.

shrimpy_80

Morning everyone! I am having a slight financial head-in-the-sand time at the moment with the house - ideally we wouldn't have redecorated it all in one go but the rewiring and replastering obviously affected every room, so we decided just to bite the bullet and get it done. We haven't been extravagant by any means but paint is so expensive! So, I need to sit down, assess the damage and make a plan, but we will definitely be back in the red for a few months *sigh*.

Our old EA are also trying to charge us for various things at our old property so it looks like we will have a fight on our hands to get our deposit back, which was £800+. There was a bit of minor damage which we have accepted, eg the landing wall got scuffed when we were moving the wardrobes out and we hung a few pictures up, but nowhere near the amount or scale they are claiming.

So I'm basically in a money funk and trying not to feel sorry for myself about it! Its crazy because we still have my winnings in the bank, but OHs parents lent us some money when our mortgage offer was reduced (after I'd won but before I'd received the money, so to bridge the gap) but they won't take it back until the house is finished, and also want us to use the money for our honeymoon and pay them back whenever, whereas we are of the mind that we want to pay them back asap and if the honeymoon has to go, so be it.

I know I'm ridiculously lucky to have won in the first place and to have bought a house, so I apologise if that came across as whinging, I'm just in a kerfuffle and it helps to get it all written down. Feel free to skim over this post as it probably doesn't make any sense!

Birdie - Sorry to hear you're feeling rubbish, I hope that the talk with your boss helped. Have you been to the Drs? Would it help? ((hugs))

Birdie85

I'm not really sure what the Drs could do for me, stick it on my notes and tell me I'll feel better in time? After spending so long there recently with all the crappy tests I've been having I'm in no rush to go back TBH.

Yesterday I fessed up about everything to my manager and she was lovely about it so that's a weight off my shoulders.

Sorry about the money funk Shrimpy, not too sure what to suggest as it's a personal circumstances kind of thing. I'd be tempted to nix the honeymoon or go somewhere a little less expensive and pay back the in-laws sooner. You may find that you get gifted plenty money for your wedding so maybe worth holding off booking anything until you know how much you have to play with then book a last minute deal.

Lara, I've love a weekend away to Paris! Now I just need someone to book it for me and point me in the direction of the best patisserie!

I was so fed up last night; got it into my head that I was going to paint the bathroom so went to a cheapy shop with a good DIY section and bought the brush, roller etc but the stupid woman on the till took fooooorrrrreeeeevvvveeeerrrr to serve the people in front of me because she couldn't take the security tags off the clothes and the rest of the staff in the shop are all too dim to twig that if there is a queue of 4 annoyed people and some doddery old woman serving then it might be a good idea to jump on the spare till to serve the poor people who've been waiting ages. :mad: Anyhoo, they'd kept me waiting for so long that the only shop in town that sells paint was closed by the time I got there! Going to try again tonight.

shrimpy_80

I'm inclined to agree with you about the honeymoon Birdie. We were justifying it with a kind of 'now-or-never' attitude, we will hopefully get the all clear to start TTC as well in the summer (the consultant has said we need to wait at least 6 months after my op but in reality it will be after the wedding, so Sept) but to be honest, that's more of a reason to get financially square rather than to have a big fancy holiday. Hopefully the finances will allow us to manage both, but in terms of priorities its pretty clear. I think its the lack of knowing exactly where we stand that's driving me crazy, after years of budgeting to the penny on here!

I know exactly what you mean about the Drs, I hesitated to suggest it in a way but figured it might help just to have a sympathethic ear, even if they can't do anything in a practical sense. It sounds as though talking to your boss has helped though, which is good.

I feel your retail pain! I bought some fabric the other day and I swear the woman only had two speeds, slow and stop. I hate to say it, and I know there are a lot of excellent staff out there, but sometimes you can see why people are increasingly shopping online. I find it hard to believe that some staff can be so rude and ignorant when there are people crying out for jobs and shops closing down left, right and centre. Ooooh you've hit on one of my pet peeves there! What colour are you doing the bathroom? DIY prawn?