NSK July: Back to Basic’s.

cottage_retreatist

hello everyone!

no illegal spends from us so far! yay! although there is a tub of haaagen daz managed to make its way into our freezer after a trip to sainsbobs! whoops! (it was 1/3 off!!)

wondered if i could ask you lovely guys and gals a question - we're moving hopefully to the south-west in a few months and I found a job there paying more than I get at the moment, I don't want to leave my job cause I love it but would you apply for this new job just in case?

(I don't know if my boss would let me do flexitime if we moved and there's no way I could commute into work every day in London from there!)

We only live once - am I being too cautious?!! I am hesitating cause we want to have a baby in the next year and what if the new job doesn't like that or pay good maternity?!!

can i ask your advice-what would you do?
xx

liltdiddylilt

cottage_retreatist wrote: »

hello everyone!
wondered if i could ask you lovely guys and gals a question - we're moving hopefully to the south-west in a few months and I found a job there paying more than I get at the moment, I don't want to leave my job cause I love it but would you apply for this new job just in case?

(I don't know if my boss would let me do flexitime if we moved and there's no way I could commute into work every day in London from there!)

We only live once - am I being too cautious?!! I am hesitating cause we want to have a baby in the next year and what if the new job doesn't like that or pay good maternity?!!
xx

There is no harm in applying! Even if you get offered the job you can always say no if you have by then discussed flexitime and found boss is happy. You can ask about holidays, sick pay and maternity pay at interview and have your answer by seeming organised rather than hoping for the best and waiting for the contract to confirm.

Maternity pay - What is your current maternity pay like? I got 6 weeks at 90% of my wages and then stat maternity pay at £137 per week, so if yours is better than that you're luckier than most! Why not have a play around with the HMRC tax calculators etc. Worth knowing that if you're on maternity leave, they don't 'count' £100 per week of your wages/maternity pay for 39 weeks. So effectively take £3000 off your maternity (and the rest of the year) earnings when you do the calculators. They follow the tax year, so work out April to April or something with 9 months off. Maybe tax credits would make up any shortfall if you come into the categories.

I wouldn't recommend that sort of commute daily or even more than once a week to be honest. Especially not with a baby eventually!! HTH! PM me if you want to chat further Lilt x

cottage_retreatist

hi liltdiddylilt thanks for the response!

yeah - maternity is 100% for 6 months! but have been talking to the OH about the outlays of commuting etc and we think I should go for it! Might not get the job but life is for taking risks! and I've kinda become stuck where I am so no chance of upping my pay where I am to cover commute so we'd be down before even starting!

gosh! scary times! take any baby as it comes as they say!

cheers! xx

TiptoesDB

ooo, cottageretreatist, that sounds like interesting times! I say go for it, you never know what the future holds, and even applying doesn't mean you have to take it if you decide not too..

Well, I am back from a lovely spa weekend courtesy of a very generous friend. It was pretty perfect and made up for the fact she could only go on the Tour de France weekend and the tour came right past our village, which I did want to see. Never mind, I had a great time catching up, sunning ourselves on the terrace with a bottle of wine, great food and swimming and spa treatments. As she had paid for the whole thing, I felt I had to pay for the 'extras' which was a bottle of wine, her lunch (I had taken a sandwich from home for mine!) and some soft drinks she wanted (again, I had a bottle of tap water from home!) I think that came to £40, which was double what I had budgeted, but I couldn't say no. I will try and squeeze the money back from somewhere else.

Today is a NSD day tho, and I can add a swim to the exercise and am hoping to get for a run in a bit after a little nap.

I am going to try rosewater after reading the tips on here, and I have used castor oil as a cleanser before and that was good. I might start that again. I think I have some in the bathroom cabinet still.

Sorry, long one today! scores so far:

• 2/15 SFDs
• £16.12/£160 food
• 3/20 Exercise

apple_muncher

c-r, presumably, you are moving to the SW to 'escape' London. (that's what I would do!) In which case, I'd say 'GO FOR IT!' Both as regards the job, and the baby. Your current employer offers a darn good maternity pay, but do you have to commit to returning to work for them afterwards? So, you'd be tied to them for x amount of time.

As lilt suggests, do some number crunching so you know where you stand.

Fmess

cottage_retreatist I agree with the comments so far. If you have a new baby and a lovely life away from London, would you really be prepared to return there everyday/several days a week? If this job seems appealing, put in an application, even if it is just for practise and to update your CV.


Declaring today as SFD number 2


I am quite impressed with my spending so far this month. Everything has come in under my estimated costs and I just have a diary and a leaving present to pay for (aside from any other spends that crop up).


I am struggling with the exercise due to the new puppy. I am still dog walking everyday and trying to keep above 11000 on the pedometer, but finding the time to go out for a run or get to an exercise class seems to have become really difficult. The older dogs seem to need less attention so are quite happy to snooze if I go out to the gym in the evening, but if I have been at work all day, I feel guilty for leaving the puppy for a second time in the evening. Does that make sense? I feel I am wittering!


If anyone sees when the next Ald! voucher is out, or when the next N3xt sale is on, please let me know. I am in desperate need of work trousers but determined to hold out until the sale.

cottage_retreatist

apple_muncher wrote: »

c-r, presumably, you are moving to the SW to 'escape' London. (that's what I would do!) In which case, I'd say 'GO FOR IT!' Both as regards the job, and the baby. Your current employer offers a darn good maternity pay, but do you have to commit to returning to work for them afterwards? So, you'd be tied to them for x amount of time.

As lilt suggests, do some number crunching so you know where you stand.

hi apple mucher! and everyone else! thank you for your responses! Yep - there is a commitment to return for a certain amount of time! I think I have become a bit too comfortable where I am and it's easy! Need to push myself a bit more and live a little!

got my CV open! Hasn't been updated in YEARS!!!! :eek::eek:
Might need a good few days work on it (good thing the house is moderately tidy!!)

And a good way to stop me watching tv this week as well!!!! :rotfl::rotfl:

xx

MagicCat

Hello everyone,

Sounds like good, frugal weekends are being had by all! Just got back from weekend away - lovely time with family, NSD yesterday but had to buy more petrol today and illegal spend on a magazine for OH's goddaughter.

Cottage_retreatist - I also agree with what others have been saying - definitely worth applying! As someone who moved south west out of London 4 years ago I can definitely recommend it! You get at least statutory maternity pay after 3 months employment in a lot of places, and if you don't qualify for maternity pay and have been employed for a certain number of weeks over the last year you would get maternity allowance, so if you were to need it sooner rather than later there would be something. And if as people say you have to go back to your current job to qualify for the maternity (I know at mine you have to pay back anything over statutory if you don't return for 80% of your former hours for at least 6 months), you might not end up any better off once you'd paid for commuting and childcare. Good luck with it all, exciting times!

SFD 2/15
Groceries 0.69/160
Petrol 71.35/120
Exercise 4/25
House 0/25
Birthdays 5.75/25
illegal spends 4.15/0 (charity raffle tickets/goddaughter magazine)

CEW

Hi All,

Another SFD here today and no TV. Still haven't switched it on at all this month. :j. OH has been working silly hours as a volunteer at a large sporting event so he hasn't been in to watch any of the tennis or football. This may change regarding the football next week as he has now finished but that will be the only time the TV will go on...at least if I have my way that is

FMESS how is the puppy. I'm so jealous...but don't tell my dogs or they won't speak to me for a week :rotfl: The Aldi voucher seems to come out in the Mirror towards the end of the month. I always look out for it and get a paper so I can do my main monthly shop with it as my nearest Aldi is almost 20 miles away so I only go once a month. I will try to post a reminder when I know it's due.

Nothing else to report except a very lazy day today. Dog sat for my elderly neighbours for an hour or so while their son took them for a drive. Apart from that I've spent most of the day relaxing and reading a book.

Chez x

Fmess

Thanks chez a reminder would be amazing!

The puppy is doing well although we had our first doggy argument for ages. He upset one of the bigger dogs who then got angry with the puppy and scared him.

NSK I think I've found how to put a picture in, thanks to the OH!