WTBSEs 'Starting From Scratch' Savings Diary.

JoJoC

That sounds terrible TattyCathy! I hope you're ok! Did they say what they thought it was?

Poor you- hope you're taking it easy.

I popped another £4 into my £ tin yesterday. I like the fact that it's filling up! It's nowhere near full, but it's getting a bit of weight to it so it is exciting.

tattycath

JoJoC wrote: »

That sounds terrible TattyCathy! I hope you're ok! Did they say what they thought it was?

Poor you- hope you're taking it easy.

I popped another £4 into my £ tin yesterday. I like the fact that it's filling up! It's nowhere near full, but it's getting a bit of weight to it so it is exciting.

They decided it was either muscular-some long name I can't remember or possibly reflux. I honestly thought I was having a heart attack yesterday morning, I was in agony. Mr tc took me to docs and they saw me straight away-they did my obs and an ECG and wrote a letter and sent us off to a and e. They took obs, bloods, ECG and then bloods again, then chest X-ray. Then last night they told me their findings and said I could come home-thank goodness.
So today I am most definitely taking things easy.

Well done on your savings :j they're growing!

WantToBeSE

Good afternoon All

Gosh, I am shattered! I cannot wait until the weekend! I cant believe that in little over a week we will be off to Longleat for the weekend! Woo-Hoo, bring it ON!

I am still trying to decide what to do about food. On the Friday evening (we'll arrive at warminster Travelodge at about 7pm) we are going to eat at the Little Chef onsite. Not very exciting, but I don't really want to be driving anywhere having just driven for 3 hours.

Before I go I will be bringing some food with us to eat when we are actually at Longleat, as the reviews all say the food is expensive there. Saturday evening (after Longleat) I am hoping to find somewhere to eat out.
Then we'll have a nice big fry up at the Little Chef on the Sunday morning before we leave

I think that as long as I pack lots of snacks, we'll be OK to just take £150, what do you think?

It's only 2 weeks until I can save another £500. Looking forward to that! I am really glad that I changed over to monthly TCs and petrol allowance, it makes such a difference to my savings. I get a tad fed up of not being able to save anything weekly, as its really tight, but I love being able to save bigger amounts every month.

Tattycath- I hope you are taking it easy and relaxing?

Jo- How are your savings coming along now?

tattycath

I'm alot better thanks. I'm baking and resting.

JoJoC

That's exciting that your long weekend is so close WTBSE! I bet you and your boys are excited!

I'm not sure about food really- is the £150 to cover the little chef when you arrive, Saturday night dinner and the Sunday brunch? I think if you're sensible, you can definitely make that work!

Why don't you look online now at restaurants near to where you'll be on Saturday night and see if there's any that look good but do pre-theatres or set menus? Might save a little bit! Or some kind if carvery- here we have a chain of them that's basically a plate full of meat and all you can eat veg and potatoes for £5- bargain!!

My savings aren't going too badly, not managed to add anything since the weekend though, so I'm desperate for husband to be paid next week so I can add a little bit. We've got an expensive month coming up so won't be able to put as much away.

Last night I added £5 to my £ tin and husband put in £1. That's about £15 in within the last week so I know it must be adding up.

I've just been told about an opportunity in work yesterday- my boss told me that she's going on sabbatical for three months and would I like to be acting manager in her absence.

It's a great opportunity because:
1. It's good for my Cv
2. It's good experience to have management of 3 staff
3. It'll be more money for those 3 months
4. Once the secondment is over, I'll be back to full time hours so we'll have a bit more money still

It's scary because:
1. I'll need to go back full time (currently work four days)
2. It's quite a stressful role
3. I've no idea if I'm capable of doing it!!

It's quite a big decision, but I think I'm veering to 'yes'. I've checked with my childminder and she could have my son on the extra day I'll be working, so I don't need to worry about that.

It's just scary!! And soon! She's talking about going away in May.

Xx

WantToBeSE

Morning All

Wow Jo, what a great opportunity for you at work! I think that you'd be more than capable in that role, go for it! Your boss wouldn't have suggested YOU unless she was sure that you would be capable either

it sounds like your savings are going really well, well done! What kind of 'pot' do you put your change in? I am thinking of getting one of those really pretty ones so that I don't open it!

Yes, the £150 is for the Friday night dinner, Saturday night dinner and the Sunday morning fry up (as well as spending money for Longleat). I think I'll just take the £150 and I can always withdraw cash if I need to.

having a late start to work today, I don't start until 11.30am. My son had his Easter assembly at school so I went along to watch it. It was really good.

You'll all be pleased to know that I have ALREADY started writing my food shopping list! I am determined to get the shopping done tonight after work. That means I can have a lie in tonight, and we will actually have some food in the house! Last week we ran out of bread and milk! That rarely happens, but luckily I bought some UHT milk that was on offer in Tesco a few weeks ago.

Also, I have to drive into Plymouth on Monday after work. My son broke his ankle last year and I don't think it has healed properly, as he has twisted/sprained it about 6 times since then! It takes hardly anything for him to sprain it, so I have to take him to Derriford hospital to get it X-Rayed. That'll use up yet more of my petrol money, but worth it if it means getting to the bottom of his ankle problem.

So, I am off to work in a minute, then will finish off my shopping list when I get home and go food shopping. Its a PITA that I have to come home before going out shopping again, but I have to pick up my son from school.

Have a great day everyone! Be back later!

JoJoC

Congratulations on starting your shopping list! Hopefully this is the start of the new, non-shopping-list-avoiding, you!

What a shame about your son's ankle- hopefully the hospital can spot something that they can work on to make it stronger.

You're right about the £150- try to keep to that but at least you know you've got a bit extra there as a back up.

With my coins, i have an old Quality Streets tub (pretty big one) that we put anything under 50p in. Then all the spare £1 and £2 coins that we can afford to spare are put into one of those tins that you can't open without a tin opener. I bought it in a pound shop, i'm sure. We did used to have a Terramundi pot for £1 coins but they're really expensive to buy everytime you smash it. We had it for well over a year though and i'm sure we got almost £500 out of it! That was when we were young, had no bills as we lived at home and lived a financially carefree life!

We used it to buy stuff for our flat when we moved in together.

If the tin that I have ever gets to being full, it'll probably hold about £400-500 too. Exciting!

The opportunity at work is a good one, but it is a lot more stress, more hours and a lot more responsibility. But i need to remember that it is only three months and it's a good taster of what the role would be like.

Hope work isn't too bad.

Tattycathy- I'm glad you're taking it easy and hope you're feeling a bit better today.

tattycath

JoJoC wrote: »

Congratulations on starting your shopping list! Hopefully this is the start of the new, non-shopping-list-avoiding, you!

What a shame about your son's ankle- hopefully the hospital can spot something that they can work on to make it stronger.

You're right about the £150- try to keep to that but at least you know you've got a bit extra there as a back up.

With my coins, i have an old Quality Streets tub (pretty big one) that we put anything under 50p in. Then all the spare £1 and £2 coins that we can afford to spare are put into one of those tins that you can't open without a tin opener. I bought it in a pound shop, i'm sure. We did used to have a Terramundi pot for £1 coins but they're really expensive to buy everytime you smash it. We had it for well over a year though and i'm sure we got almost £500 out of it! That was when we were young, had no bills as we lived at home and lived a financially carefree life!

We used it to buy stuff for our flat when we moved in together.

If the tin that I have ever gets to being full, it'll probably hold about £400-500 too. Exciting!

The opportunity at work is a good one, but it is a lot more stress, more hours and a lot more responsibility. But i need to remember that it is only three months and it's a good taster of what the role would be like.

Hope work isn't too bad.

Tattycathy- I'm glad you're taking it easy and hope you're feeling a bit better today.

I'm not too bad thanks. I might try to really rest today. Yesterday I ended up doing a marathon baking session and didn't get to bed until 1am
But we now have: hobnobs, mini choc chip muffins, banana bread x 4, cheese scones, orange lime and lemon curd and 4 small loaves of bread!

Hantsman

I hope you don't mind me jumping in but JoJoC give the manager job a go, what's the worst that could happen? Like you say, it's 3 months and if you do well (which you seem more the capable of) then it could open the door to more opportunities in future.

I had a similar situation, I was offered a completely new role overseas on two weeks’ notice, I decided though that at worst I would not enjoy it and learn a lesson rather than regret it in the future.

Hantsman

and by the way I love what i'm doing now and cannot imagine how depressed I would be to have missed out on it