Back to basics with pavlovs_dog: the £6k sprint

pavlovs_dog

I doubt most other jobs in our pay bracket require the 12-14 hours days I am currently pulling just to keep afloat

I've done my worst 3 days of the year (3 days of back to back speaking exams) and am a very proud mummy. My charges did very well and have produced the best set of results I've ever had for this module of work. I'll lose today to marking the tapes, but it is a big millstone from round my neck when they are gone.

I've got my engagement ring and am getting used to wearing it a lot quicker than I had anticipated. The ring I fell for was in the sale so we feel like we've got a bargain. The money saved will more than cover the cost of my wedding ring so everybody's happy.

The car went into the garage on Monday, and they say that we don't need any of the repairs that the quik fit who did our emergency repair told us we require. I don't understand why QF would say we needed extra work if we don't as they knew we were not local and they would not get the sale. The car is going in for an MOT at a 3rd different garage again tomorrow so we'll see what comes from that!

Plodding along at work. In four weeks all of the coursework and most of the exams will be gone and my workload will hopefully be more manageable.

Pearla*Merle

Congrats on the engagement - and bargainous ring! :T

Love reading about your extra cash finds you're doing brilliantly

pavlovs_dog

pavlovs_dog wrote: »

The car is going in for an MOT at a 3rd different garage again tomorrow so we'll see what comes from that!

They've damaged our rear light and have refused to accept responsibility. The manager has fed all sorts of stories, from "we never worked on that part of he car" (well the invoice and MOT papers you gave me say differently :mad: ) to "it was like that when you brought it in" :mad::mad:

Unfortunately we have no way of proving that it wasn't like that when we took it in and seem to have little option but swallow the cost and never use them again. It is a shame because they have done other work for us and we've never had a problem before.

smallholdingsister

Small claims? Shame them on social media?

pavlovs_dog

unfortunately as we have very little means of proving that they are accountable I think we're just going to have to suck it up. They don't have any official social media accounts (being attached to a Ford car salesroom they never want for business).

The past 2 weeks at work have been truly hellish. This coming week will also be awful (5 different classes doing exams and a set of coursework to mark to mark and post off). Study leave starts on Friday for 11 & 12 so hopefully things will improve slightly after that.

Today has mostly consisted of marking. Tomorrow will be more of the same, bar a few hours out to attend the christening of a friend's little girl. Roll on half term!!

I'm going to sort out my OPs, update here, have tea then it is time for a bath and an early night. I'm too tired to continue wielding the red pen and I'll get more done in less time tomorrow morning after a solid night of sleep.

pavlovs_dog

1% Challenge - the little things make a difference

January Total = £178
£10 Gumtree, £66 P!necone,£50 Swagbucks + £2 Christmas scratchcard win, £50 account tidy

February Total = £157
£25 SB,£132 council tax free month

March Total = £282.49
£132 council tax free month,£15 Swagbucks, £75.49 - credit from closing BG account, £60 account tidy

April Total = £200.00
£98.07 credit from closing BG account #2, £4.64 credit from BT account, £25 SBs, £20 Tilly Tidy, £40.24 from Quidco, £12.05 account tidy

May total = £85
£60 TT
£25 Swagbucks

A slow start this month. I'm hoping to pay our car insurance premium from the slush fund in our current account. I hope to make an extra OP at the end of the month


Cumulative total = £902.49/£1050 (86%)

This money feeds into

MFW 2016 OP
January £610.03
February £567.03
March £659.52
April £ 610.03
May £495.03

Cumulative total = £2974.64 / £6000 (49%)

pavlovs_dog

in other news...

* OH and I have developed a slight obsession with Gogglebox. It is a real guilty pleasure.
* my wonderful colleagues gifted us a bottle of Taittinger champagne as an engagement gift
* I am on book 4/7 of the Harry Potter series ready for a visit to the warner bros studios in June
* I have bought a light fitting from John Lewis for the dining room. It was expensive but we love it and I couldn't find a cheaper equivalent.

smallholdingsister

Good investment. I have an expensive light from there. It has been in two of my houses and one of my parents'.

We swap it back and forth depending on who has a high enough ceiling!

You still do study leave??

pavlovs_dog

smallholdingsister wrote: »

You still do study leave??[/COLOR]

School tried to abolish it because of how it affects our attendance statistics. However parents and students were up in arms, and parent power has a lot of sway in my school. So as a compromise, pupils may study at home from Monday 16th (which is the date of the first exam involving all pupils) if they have written permission from a parent. Otherwise they are to be in school and in lessons when not sitting exams. We are expected to teach those who are in our lessons until the date of our exam.

Most seem to have elected for study leave. A number have already begun voting with their feet this week, and I expect it will get worse next week.

My exam is just before half term, so from June onwards I will have 7 hours of guaranteed gained time, which will raise to 9 once Year 13 have done their exam. Year 12 go for about a month and then return for 2-3 weeks before disappearing again for work experience, baccalaureate nonsense etc, which will bring an extra 3 hours.

smallholdingsister

Precious time!