Pay Off Before Lay Off!

Habibiboo

:wave:


Ooh, mixed messages there, will need to ask for a steward's enquiry as to whether cash-neutral is the same as a NSD! :rotfl:

Thanks SleepyGirl and A*M for support from the NSD corner and thanks too to GG for wise words about spendy ways to help keep me on the straight and narrow.

In my defence though, I do kinda need veg seeds to help my garden grow and to cut food bills in the summer, but yes, you're right, asparagus was a want more than need! But everything I bought was edible, not pretty bedding plants. Crikey, what's a girl to do with all this MFW malarky. I know, I didn't buy socks and I really need them, so can I swap socks for an asparagus plant (though not as footwear, obviously)?

Habibiboo

:wave:

Very busy couple of days - hope everyone else has had the fabulous weather we've had here, such a difference to the world when the sun is shining!

So, the weekend round-up:

Had to work lots (at least 5 hours each day) but getting plenty done whilst it's sunny outside too!

MFW actions: Cash neutral fix up to garden. OH made me another raised bed from planks and bits from around the place so now have lovely new bed into which I have lovingly planted my (look away GG, look away now) asparagus crowns. Still room in the bed for some lettuces too! Sowed my first row of lettuces into my other bed and we prepared two more for sowing too. NSD across whole of weekend, which was necessary as have mother's birthday things to pay for next week!

Grey clouds: Have injured my foot wearing spiteful old boots with all the walking I've been trying to do. Have open blister about 3 ins across on stupid part of my foot (kind of arch / sole area). Hurts but am being brave (GG do you think this is some kind of MSE cosmic karma for buying asparagus plants at bargainous £2.99 for 2 as a want rather than socks from £land as a need)?

Silver lining: Sunshine and time in the garden with OH for most of yesterday. Also enjoyed scrubbing down henhouse with the sun on my back today and loved that it all dried quickly so I could get them cosied up again quickly. Even though they're running about all day, they get fretful if they can't access the coop (even if they don't want to lay).

Daily Declutter: Shelf unit in workroom decluttered. Pile of old magazines passed on to neighbour, old tubular nursery thing also passed on to neighbour (even without its plastic). Three wooden crates being unused in mancave are now on their ends and acting as pigeon holes on shelf unit, so 2 items passed on and 3 usefully employed instead of sitting around = total of 62 / 365.

Simple pleasures:

* Blue tits moving into nesting box farthest from bedroom window.
* Sparrows moving into nesting box closest to bedroom window. Box in between is still vacant.
* Washing actually drying on line over weekend.
* Urge to sort out wardrobe and rake out summer clothes ~ too soon d'ya think?

Hope everyone's well and has had a good one! X

Habibiboo

:wave:

Hope you're all OK. Lovely sunny day here but deceiving, bally cold when the wind blows, not a day to be without a vest, that's for sure!

Today's MFW actions: Small Tilly Tidy, NSD and joiner mate of company C man came round (complete with his dad) to look at front door. Seem really amiable and certainly know their stuff. Looks like it might cost about £700- 800 with them so could be a contender. Just not sure, don't want to go cheap though, want quality and warmth for the money!

Today's grey cloud: Mr Hbbb feeling under the weather (not like him). He's just had hot toddy to ward things off and to toast his dad who would have been 102 today!

Today's silver lining: Have devised a new schedule for my days to try to incorporate new uni work alongside current work. So far is working very well, have been a lot more productive last few days (although of course uni project hasn't officially started yet and I've been working 5 hours a day at weekends and until 9pm evenings, hmmm)! At least I'm not feeling overwhelmed, which is in itself a good thing!

Daily declutter: Couldn't take dogs out at lunchtime cos of weepy nasty foot but needed screen break from laptop so broke up old fence panel up garden instead (as you do)! It's all now in kindling basket so total = 63 / 365.

Simple pleasures: Silly dogs, who knock on the door when you're in the lav they're that keen to let you know you're missed; daffodils; parcels you're not expecting; door men who turn up on the dot; smiling postman wearing shorts (don't mean that in a pervy way, I mean just a sign of the changing seasons )!

Tuesday already tomorrow!

apple_muncher

Morning Hbbb!

Big boos and hisses to nasty boots! I hope they have gone to boot graveyard. And that your foot mends quickly - it does sound painful. And how is Mr Hbbb now? Did the hot toddy do its stuff?

Many congrats on the uni work - let's hope it slots into your day and doesn't create a lotof unnecessary stress and extra work. I'm sure the dogs will let you know if they are feeling neglected!

I know what you mean about the postmen in shorts! They are out in such a mix of weathers.

Well done with the decluttering. I've taken to opening the kitchen cupboard doors to make dh see what I've done in there. Once he's made a suitable appreciative comment then I'm happy and shut them, with a smug feeling of satisfaction inside me. I won't be leaving any of them open, as the kitchen is so small they then block the light! And of course, I wouldn't want anyone to be daft and walk into an open door.... (hope it didn't hurt too much...)

Well, it's after 7, just. The bin and recyc men are doing their stuff outside. Time to move! Have a good day.

Prothet_of_Doom

Habibiboo wrote: »

:wave:
we think that within the next 5 years, someone will be calling him into an office!

* Mortgage currently costs £1,100 per month and is due to end October 2024.

That sort of made me laugh, because I NOW work freelance, and have 4 months left of current contract...but when I was permanent, I was at risk of redundancy in 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2008, and was actually made redundant in 2001 and 2009....hence my saying "there's no such thing as a permanent job"

I find age is not important in the type of work I do, as much as the ability to pick up new things quickly.

I'd look at building a 6 month buffer of savings, where if you add in the redundancy pay, you can survive for a year or more, and having done that, then overpay as much as you can.

It was a great relief to pay off our mortgage in 2013, and we have a decent buffer, and yet my wife still panics when I'm coming to the end of a contract. I suggested taking 6 weeks off at the end of this one, and she was horrified.

Habibiboo

apple_muncher wrote: »

Morning Hbbb!

Big boos and hisses to nasty boots! I hope they have gone to boot graveyard. And that your foot mends quickly - it does sound painful. And how is Mr Hbbb now? Did the hot toddy do its stuff?

No A*M, has gone to bed with man flu this evening
Many congrats on the uni work - let's hope it slots into your day and doesn't create a lotof unnecessary stress and extra work. I'm sure the dogs will let you know if they are feeling neglected!

Ta muchly, still need confirmation and contract etc before I can start so trying to clear my desk of other work as much as possible to try to balance it all. Dogs sadly already feel neglected as I haven't been able to walk them due to sore foot, am hoping to make it up to them tomorrow!

I know what you mean about the postmen in shorts! They are out in such a mix of weathers.

He was back into long trews today so I think there's more weather brewing!

Well done with the decluttering. I've taken to opening the kitchen cupboard doors to make dh see what I've done in there. Once he's made a suitable appreciative comment then I'm happy and shut them, with a smug feeling of satisfaction inside me. I won't be leaving any of them open, as the kitchen is so small they then block the light! And of course, I wouldn't want anyone to be daft and walk into an open door.... (hope it didn't hurt too much...)

:rotfl: BTW, am impressed that you can elicit a suitable appreciative comment. Now, if it were a sarky comment, I have just the man ...!

Well, it's after 7, just. The bin and recyc men are doing their stuff outside. Time to move! Have a good day.
How weird, pretty sure we live at very distant ends of the country yet it's our bin / recycling day too! (Unless of course that's my back garden you're secretly living in?)

:wave:

Ta for stopping by there A*M, signature's looking mighty fine by the way!

Habibiboo

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

That sort of made me laugh, because I NOW work freelance, and have 4 months left of current contract...but when I was permanent, I was at risk of redundancy in 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2008, and was actually made redundant in 2001 and 2009....hence my saying "there's no such thing as a permanent job"

I find age is not important in the type of work I do, as much as the ability to pick up new things quickly.

I'd look at building a 6 month buffer of savings, where if you add in the redundancy pay, you can survive for a year or more, and having done that, then overpay as much as you can.

It was a great relief to pay off our mortgage in 2013, and we have a decent buffer, and yet my wife still panics when I'm coming to the end of a contract. I suggested taking 6 weeks off at the end of this one, and she was horrified.

:wave:

Hi Prophet, thanks for the visit and comments.

We don't have any savings account which will pay more than the interest we have to pay out on the mortgage so that's what we're throwing the money at. It does have the advantage of being a reducing loan one though, so if poop did hit fan, we'd be able to draw back some of the extra we've put in to live on. You're right about having a better kind of buffer though so that's what my 52 week challenge pot is for at the mo (I'm doing it in reverse so it's looking quite healthy so far).

I totally agree that no job is really secure. OH is very affable and able to roll with the punches, he's also excellent with learning the new things and has embraced some recently introduced technology so well he's been asked to demonstrate what he's doing with it to other colleagues next week, so that's all good. We don't really feel there's an immediate danger, more that it's wise to be proactive!

I'm full of the joys of freelance too, hard work but once it starts to fall into place, it's all good. I know what you mean about wanting to take time out though ... I'm looking at June or July to try and grab some time for my own projects.

Congrats on becoming mortgage free too, sure it must have been hard work but glad to know it's worth it! :T

Habibiboo

:wave:

Another busy one ...

Today's MF action: NSD (no, not even on cash-neutral veg) although rest of week's looking spendy with rest of birthday things to buy! Got very cold pm so put on big jumper and lit fencing fire instead of putting heating on.

Today's grey cloud: Mr. Hbbb is still suffering with his lurgy and has gone to bed early with a hot lemon toddy. Not like him to be ill.

Didn't get to walk dogs today cos of poorly sore foot, but hoping it'll stop bleeding long enough tomorrow for me to give it a go!

Today's silver lining: Got lots of work done, polished living room and made several birthday organisational phone calls.

Daily declutter: started parcelling up Fleabay sales from weekend but won't count them out until they hit the post office, so nothing to add today. Total = 63 / 365

Today's simple pleasures: I think hen who has been freeloading may have started laying again - after several days of goo and softies, today there was a pale and interesting egg (very different from the other two whose eggs are quite distinctive). Fingers crossed!

Hope everyone's OK.

Alchemilla

Karma doesnt do blisters!
You need blister plasters. X

Habibiboo

Alchemilla wrote: »

Karma doesnt do blisters!
You need blister plasters. X

:wave:

Thanks Alchemilla, good to know that karma's smiling down on my veg purchasing!
I think I'm on the better side of it now, thanks to lots of aloe-vera vaseline and trying to keep weight off (foot and self in general really)!

Hope you're good!