The 'I'm less money-idiot more money-savvy' Diary

judi24

haha bestycat - anytime! Could have a side line in washing machine fixing! The problem seemed t be that one of the filters was clogged so preventing drainage - but found a guide on the web showing how to drain and remove filter and clean it - it was full of Doodle hair, hair pins and the lost garage key!!!! No wonder it wasn't working! also the soap drawer was clogged - working beautifully now!!! as is the dishwasher! In the past I might have had a full on meltdown and phoned for an repair man!!! (very pleased with myself!):D


Not technically a NSD today - had to pay for car parking at the hospital where our meeting was (£5!!!!) but I can claim it back - so not really a spend! Building up a nice pot of travel expenses - now at around £100 so going to claim it tomorrow and use it for 2 new tyres. Next lot will be put towards service an MOT due in June - should have enough to cover it by then as I have a few meetings off site over the next few months!


Been planning DD3's birthday - she wants to go to the zoo - she's got a thing about tigers and local zoo has new tiger cubs, Family ticket is £54!!!! But done a little digging and I can get a carers ticket free for DS and I also have a student card so managed to get it down to £36. So going for breakfast with my mum (got 2x £5 off vouchers at local family pub so shouldn't be more than £20 for the 5 of us) then the zoo - will take drinks and snacks for through the day but won't need much if we have a good breakfast. Whole day should be less than £50 which I am quite happy with - I had budgeted £100 for her birthday!:)


So so far this week I have saved £30 on the cake for friends birthday (£20 instead of £50 - might even be less as cake friend is giving me icing so really only need the cake ingredients and have most of those in stores already!) and £50 on the DD2's birthday day out, plus the repair of the washing machine and dishwasher.


and its only Wednesday!!!! :T

ampersand

:j:TF-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-Q-U-E!!!

Nothing to add, is there?
#
'Found key' might even be my [odd] fave., if only 'cos & went through a 'months of no carboot open' for same reason not so long back

There was a 'tink' of metal on trowel in garden: DUG UP KEYS:T
Will have dropped when laden & returned c.0300h after 22hr Spitalfields day.

Any luck on ds's bag either from bus or school lost property cheapies?

Busy_Mee

Just catching up with your diary Judy -awesome ! Not only do you have a valuable profession, and you bring your kids up on your own, whilst doing your Master's, it now turns out you can repair washing machines too !

Been pondering the lost PE kit and wondering whether it would be worth thinking about some strategies for DS to help him be less forgetful in the future ( not sure if forgetfulness/disorganisation is part of his condition ?) Anyway would a bigger school bag help so that he can get everything in the one bag, rather than leaving his extra PE bag on the bus ? Do they have a locker system at school so he can leave his KIT there and only bring it home when it is absolutely minging for a wash... And failing anything else the cheapest KIT you can lay your hands on - second hand from school/eBay/asda

judi24

Thanks Ampersand - your key find made me giggle - I can just imagine finding it in potato patch!!! - my garage key want missing last summer and everyone got the blame for it! 'someone must have it!!!! come on!' and no one would own up at all!!! must have been in MY pocket!!!!:eek:


I haven't tried yet to ring about kit -as I left early and was in late today - a job to do for tomorrow! (amongst many others - although I have managed to do an energy switch before the offer runs out!:D)


Thanks Busyme - but it turns out that 'according to manufacturers recommendations' I should have been cleaning filters every 3 months and I think I have had the thing 3 years and not done it once so can't rebrand myself as a washing machine guru yet!!! :rotfl:
and Yes Busyme some of his inability to organise and find things is part of his condition so I try to help him stay organised but it is an on going issue. I have actually shrunk his school bag so he can keep it on his back at all times (one of those little soft shoe bags) as he was constantly dumping is bag in a bag bin in one area of the school and forgetting where he put it - so loosing his actual bag and homework etc has improved a little. He has a locker but again he won't use it!
He was getting off the bus at the barber to get a hair cut (he couldn't wait until I was with him because he 'needed' it cut before cadets that night apparently!) and was obviously distracted as it was not his normal routine or stop.


If there is no joy from the bus company I will ring school and see if they do a second hand sale - but kit has got to be school kit so can't get it anywhere else unfortunately - the school has changed its kit in the last year to make it slightly cheaper though. (still will cost around £60 plus rugby boots and trainers to replace!!!! ):eek: I guess this I what the small amount of DLA I get for him is for but I just hate wasting money these days!!! :A and he does accept that if I have to pay out for a new kit he will loose out in other areas - so has no issue with second hand if I have to replace it.

Busy_Mee

Eek £60 ! Fingers crossed it turns up in the bus companies lost property x

judi24

I know - its criminal!!! I don't even buy the 'extra' stuff like hoodies and tack pants - he just has the basics!!! Not looking forward to this years uniform bill in the summer as DS needs full new uniform and DD3 will need full new uniform for starting secondary school!!! Its and expensive business having kids!!!!

ampersand

judi - as I listen to Nick Drake's Riverman[again, since Dan Pearson chose it on DID last week] and we all know you have LOADS of spare time:-)))), I'm going to plant Celia Lashlie's name in your mind.

http://www.celialashlie.co.nz/

Came across her by chance, last year, on rental car radio in NZ.
Riveted and riveting and not easy to deal with, but laugh out loud, too. Remarkable stuff -
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10669480

This book is a cracker and a wise, wise joy. Have bought it several times to pass on.

# He'll Be Ok - Growing Gorgeous Boys into Good Men
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hell-Be-Ok-Growing-Gorgeous/dp/0732284503
#
Historical accuracy nerdpoint:
-keys somehow dropped into strawberries, then overgrown, over-run by...umm... runners[what else?] It was a thick mat, only discovered when I stuck trowel in the lucky spot, to quickly heel in sth else.

You at least have les enfants to accuse wildly.....:-)
Keep this grovel secret to yourself. I declare it 'avoidance' as opposed to 'evasion' in beloved[NOT!] gumment parlance, therefore permitted.

judi24

That book looks great Ampersand I will definitely put it on my Easter, birthday, Christmas list! (see I'm learning!;)) I have a real fear about my son - he is a wild thing and has little ability to think through a situation and appreciate danger (whether that is due to his ADHD or just boys I have no idea!) but I do know he will challenge every boundary and try everything that comes his way with no fear and no sense! -so this book might really help me to cope over the next few years. He did go and stay with his dad for a few months last year and at one point I actually did think maybe that was for the best as I thought maybe having a man around might be better for him than a house full of girls (even the dog and cat are female:D) - but his dad is not a great role model either so I know that's not right - but how I will cope over the next few years I have no idea!!!! (there's no utube instruction video for kids!!!)


On a different not - PE kit recovered - and bless him DS even phoned the bus company himself (so did I!) I was very impressed that he had done that so he has taken on board that I can't afford to throw money away and realised he could do something about it - this is major triumph!!!:T


Tonight DD3 and I went to cake baking friend to pick up a few bits - but what we actually got was a lesson in making letters resulting in all the letters for friends cake made perfectly along with the superman logo made (he is a big Marvel fan!!!) - borrowed all the equipment needed to do the rest and she even gave me a new board and box. DD3 got to make lots of moulded flowers which we will use to decorate cupcakes for DD2's birthday! We nipped into As*a on the way home and got ingredients for the cake and all the icing - it came to £15.45 - and that is for the main cake and the cupcakes - which is so much better than the £50 quoted for the cake!!! :j


Fog seems to be clearing a little with the dissertation idea - just waiting to hear from my tutor to see what she thinks! So productive day today!

vasseur

Ahhh bless your DS for finding his PE kit!!

Good news on the cake too. :T

[Deleted User]

So pleased your son recovered his PE kits, you must be relieved not having to fork out all that cash again.

Enjoying reading about your journey, we are on ours, although not helped by a husband who keeps asking for things even though he gets pocket money!!