The Ultimate Incentive part 10. The only thing holding you back is you.

Dinah93

I read a really interesting article on kiddy consumerism the other day, how we feel kids need all this stuff they really don't. I know I'm guilty of buying Grace far, far too many books, and Christmas was just ridiculous. So I'm going to try to have as few spends for the next few months, and report back what has taken our pennies off us. I'm not sure I can go as far as the lady in the article (baby toothpaste seems worth the spend to me, as do structured kids shoes although mum does tend to buy those) but there is certainly a lot of spending in my life I can do without.

Todays spends:
£8.49 - returning a parcel. Will get £140 back for the items I'm returning though that I had planned to keep so its worth the spend.

Hopefully that'll be it for today. We've had a horrendous January for spends, we had to spend £1450 on repairs on the roof (storm damage took off some tiles which revealed the felt underneath was full of holes and needed replacing and may be why we have such a mould issue). Our dishwasher has given up, which we're currently not replacing as its just too much money (although we're on the fence about it as they're in the sale atm so maybe now's the time?), and our printer has also gone to meet its maker, which probably will need to be replaced but luckily is much cheaper than either a roof or a dishwasher. We do currently have quite a bit of money in our account, but we're trying to keep it there to pay a chunk off the debt at the end of the month. Debt has gone up hugely with NIM out of work, all the work to both cars, roof costs etc.

Birdie85

Sounds like you've thought the business through pretty well Dinah. It will be great if you get a decent redundancy pay out too, you've been there a decent length of time, haven't you? On that subject, I'm getting my 10 year's service for my company in March- how am I old enough to have worked somewhere for 10 years?! :eek:

Bummer about the roof stuff, but at least the cause of the mould has finally been found- it can only get better now!

Good luck with cutting back on Gracie spends too. It's difficult but they really don't need as much to play with as we think they do! MIL has been making little toys out of scraps of fabric and they're very cute!

Was my last day today and I'm so glad it's all over now! Was a pretty stressful week as they only got my (totally inexperienced) replacement in last Thursday so I've been left to give her pretty intensive training... I've not worked so hard for ages! And no MSE time! My manager organised a surprise lunch today though (there was supposed to just be 5 of us from the team) but she got a bunch of my other friends from the office to come as a surprise. Made me feel loved after moaning to her that my friends have failed to throw me a baby shower! I got a Jumperoo from everyone in the department which I'm stupidly impressed with too! Almost cried but managed to hold it together!

wendz86

Sounds like the business idea would be worth a go especially if you have a lot of confidence in it.

That is rubbish about the roof and dishwasher. We have lived without one since we moved and is ok although did love having one.

Hope Grace is ok with teething, glad we are past all that now. I agree children don't need much but I am guilty of spending on poppy too.

Yay for work being finished birdie. Jumperoo's are fab . We didn't get one as by time I discovered she was too old but she loved trying other peoples out.

Dinah93

Glad you had a lovely last day, not long to go now till mini-Birdie is here. Do you have some names ready for when you meet your little guy?

Dinah93

TV licence came out today, which I wasn't expecting. So that's £145 gone, although at least we had it there. On the plus side got £30.82 as a refund from the Post Office who we had our landline with and recently switched to Sky. Asked NIM to get some garlic bread and Grace's milk on the way home, I'm fairly sure he forgot the milk but did get a lot of his milk (its a very funny house for milk, I'm regular semi-skimmed, Grace is full fat, NIM has lacto free) so I still need to go back to the shops tomorrow as we only have enough for one bottle, and yet it came to about £7 I think.

Been good the last few days, used up leftovers to make a stew, pies and two huge lasagnes, lots of portions to freeze for later and best of all not paying for food to go in the bin.

kavics17

Do you have a link to the article? Would like to read it. I'm a sucker for books for toddler kavics, she has a lot but she is a bookworm already . I don't buy any toys for her or clothes as she got tons from my sister, also not buying any kids food either such as yoghurts, snacks, etc, she gets whatever I get for myself (natural or Greek yoghurts instead of kids organic, apples and bread rolls for snacks rather than biscuits, etc). She is also learning to entertain herself quite well, I can't always sit down with her and play.

kavics17

Birdie, the jumperoo is so cool. Toddler kavics loved hers on and off and recently sold ours for more than what I bought it for, it def keeps the value.

Dinah93

Article on kiddy consumerism. I bought jarred babyfood when she was tiny as it didn't matter how much I pureed it she wouldn't touch anything I'd made, but now she just has what we have or a variation on it (ie I might do her fish to go on the side if we have beef or lamb as she doesn't like them as they're too hard to chew).

Had a nice time at a friends 30th last night, but woke up with a very, very sore throat this morning. I'd understand if it was a loud night out in a club, but it was pizza in his flat where I spent most of the night discussing grandkids with his wife's mum. Grace stayed with her gran last night which meant I got a record breaking 9 hours sleep, and I feel so much better for it. Even though she doesn't wake for a feed in the night anymore she grizzles so much I'll wake up 3 or 4 times anyway.

tinkerbel

Sounds like the business might be worth a punt Dinah! Well don't for coming up with the idea and the plan! You should get quite a nicer redundancy pay right? I thought you said it was equivalent to 2.5 months pay which will keep you afloat for a little bit while you get sorted?

tinkerbel

Ps birdie glad your colleagues had a lovely lunch for you I thought your replacement was that weird dude? Make sure you chill out now for the next few weeks before baby comes! Soooo excited for you!