The impossible dream

Tahlullah.H

The problem with agency staff is the finders fee.  You use them and find they are great, then offer them a job and then the agency wants an enormous finders fee for the privileged.  This may work well in the corporate world, but it can be a big chunk out of the budget fro a charity, so we are wary of using agencies unless we absolutely have to.

I agree, there is only so much you can do from home.  And the idea that this could go on for another 2 months is chilling.  But what price do you put on someones life?  A small sacrifice in my opinion to have to stay at home and watch TV for the majority of the day.

savingholmes

HI Tahlullah - yes I'd rather stay home and be alive that be out there at risk. Not much time for TV in the day tho as I can work from home.

greent

A skype interview? My DH is recruiting someone in America - he originally flew out there for 24 hours (!!!) but the candidate he offered to accepted a job offer elsewhere and he didn't like any of the others. He's since been interviewing more in the past week via Skype (taking a while due to time differences and sometimes tech failure!) With the view that maybe it's a temp position at the mo? - can then re-visit in, say, 2 months?

Tahlullah.H

Hi Greent.  That sounds like a sensible option.  But would you leave a secure job for a temporary post?  I'm not sure that I would in the circumstances.  There must be a way around it, but I haven't found it as yet.

greent

A hard one - life keeps throwing up all sorts of issues which are usually so easy at the mo!! (all first world stuff, for sure - goes to show how much we take for granted!)

savingholmes

I think people currently furloughed or worse would be interested. I heard a saying once, "Don't say other people's no for them".

Tahlullah.H

Well, here we are half way through April 2020.  The sun is shining and I am on my last day of the Easter holiday before I go back to work.  By that, I mean get up and turn on my laptop to see if any of my team are in need of assistance or to see what emails I have received that need some action.  Once that is done, then I can perhaps set up a couple of Skype talks with individuals to get a sense of their workload, and how and when they can start picking up further work without it becoming a burden.

I have been cooking loads and eating plentifully.  Far more than necessary.   I read a great comment which summed up my current predicament pretty well - 'the button and button hole on my jeans are practicing social distancing!'  I have not done a stroke of housework because it is not my thing.  I have spend many hours cursing the fact that the lock-down doesn't allow me to get some home help in.  No doubt there are quite a few people who would love the opportunity to earn a bit of money, but can't due to the restrictions.  And then once the lock down is over, I won't be at home any more so won't have need of the help.  It seems strangely contradictory, but hey, it's the way I am wired.

I have made my monthly payments to the mortgage, but I know I won't be able to make more this month.  Here we all are, at home and not going out, so in theory not spending as much as before, but still have less money than before.  I would love to say that I have extra money to throw at my debts and my mortgage, but that would be a lie.  I'm not even spending on ebay as much as I was because things aren't being delivered.  All the home expenses are going up accordingly - food, heating and electricity usage etc.  Anyway, things will get back to normal at some point and I will hopefully get back on track.  What this lock down has allowed me to see is all the stuff around the house that I need to sell on ebay once this is over.  A lot of it is buyer collect because of size.  Perhaps I will be able to recoup some of the money and redirect it to other areas.

Anyway, my total debts are -
Visa - £1,650
Car loan - £16,000
Mortgage - £64,750

I am still overpaying on the mortgage and hope to be mortgage free before I reach the grand old age of 60 in 5 years time.  The car loan is doing ok on its own.  I am making the repayments as contractually obliged and when I have a bit of money, I am rounding to whole numbers.  I feel no urgency or sense of overwhelming debt with this car loan as the payments are set and it will be paid off at the end of the agreement.  The visa is coming down slowly.  Again, the debt is under control and if I absolutely needed to, I could find the money to pay this off, but do not feel this way inclined at the moment.

I feel that the return to money saving in earnest should re-start after the lock-down is lifted and anything I can manage to do in the interim should be celebrated.

savingholmes

Hi Tahlullah - I miss my cleaner.... We are not housework inclined either! Neither are we saving oodles of dosh - our commute costs were relatively low and I took food to eat in anyway. DS coming home has bumped up our costs but I am also well versed in online shopping and a lot still deliver.... I thin we are each finding our way through this. You are making hefty payments to the mortgage - and as you say the rest of your debt is on an installment plan. Hope you get to enjoy the sun.

Tahlullah.H

Thanks SH.  Seems pointless to focus on saving money when the whole of society is in turmoil.  Instead, finding a way through that doesn't impact negatively is a blessing.  We will look back at this period in the future and be happy just to have survived.  Saving money and paying off mortgages and debt should be way down the list in order of importance.  Stay safe.

savingholmes

I agree we shouldn't sacrifice our health to pay stuff off but I need to find a balance. Unfortunately I am well versed in online spending - so this crisis isn't really saving me money. I need to improve. Have a positive weekend.