Preparing for the biggest move of our life

bellevie

Busy but enjoyable week.


Yearly review was good, it felt good to get such good feedback on my work.


Wednesday I helped out on a school trip to a museum, 6 hours with 30 8 year olds and I was truly ready to sleep the second I walked through the front door. I genuinely do not know how teachers do it!


Back to work and the last two days where insanely busy.


Monday I haven't got many appointments, its generally a visiting day but my cases are up to date. I may have a few things come in over the weekend but if not I will start the steps on a project I have been mulling over.


Tomorrow DD has swimming then a birthday party to attend. Sunday is Ice Skating....she still asks what we will be doing in between things! I'm quite happy to chill out, catch up with things around the house but she would be out every minute of every day if she had the chance.


No spends planned things are tight, but only 8 days til payday!

bellevie

I was pleasantly surprised to check my senses account (givaudan) and see I had 8000 points! Redeemed £5 amazon voucher boosting my total to £16.98, forgot I even had anything in both my amazon & senses account.


S&S I had 25000 points so I requested £20 argos vouchers, amazon was out of stock. I will put them towards the Christmas/birthday collection.


Weekend has gone well, DD enjoyed her clubs & the party, Little trip to the park today enjoying the gentle sunshine.


Next weekend will be the first in a few that we haven't had anything to do in addition to swimming & ice skating, I'm secretly looking forward to it. I say that, when DD is asking me for the 80th time what we are doing in between her clubs I will probably wish we did have something else planned!


Payday in 6 days, seriously looking forward to that....not that it will be availably for unplanned spends, every penny is allocated. This month will be the last payment towards our summer break (UK based again) and a huge chunk will go towards summer holiday childcare. So it will go out as fast as it comes in, but at least for around a week I feel relatively wealthy!


I need to get back into Ynab again. I lost the download when I had to carry out a factory reset on PC. Im sure I will have the original license number in my email somewhere, I may start that tonight.

bellevie

3 money saving things today today.

1)Cancelled my 4 weekly bin cleans, price was going up by £2 I was looking for anyway to cut back and this is something I could really do myself even if its not quite as good a job.
2)Called up and requested a water meter earlier than planned. Expecting to save a minimum of £10 per month hopefully more, my bill when DD was a baby was something like £12 a month! Its currently £33!
3)Purchased my lunch & snack for the whole week - 30p! Small loaf of bread, pate and a pack of choc bars - pate on toast is my usual lunch at the minute, chocolate for my 3pm dip. £2.50 of nectar vouchers helped granted!!!

Its pay day on Friday and it cannot come soon enough.

Tinkerbelle2000

Hi Bellevie, Your DD makes me laugh so much wanting to do so much during the day. My DD used to be like that but now she is older she is a proper home bird.

I'm glad to hear that you are still saving towards your moving fund, our moving has been mostly for the best. Unfortunately we have had to rehome Mr D which broke my heart but I know is being looked after better than we ever could. The dogs just didn't get along at all when we moved in. Heartbroken.

We have prom to look forward to next month and DD is hopefully in line for an apprenticeship but also has a place at college if it doesn't happen.

I am the same with a few tight months until August, but with the new job came a good pay rise as I have gone full time so after August I should only have two debts left.

The ice skating sounds really good, we are quite a way from the nearest local ice rink. We did have a birthday party for DD about four years ago though and it was quite reasonable. Taking a mini bus full of teenage girls and skating with them was hilarious. Luckily my friend has a bf at the time who had a mini bus so they came along too. I then took them all home and did nuggets and fries and they loved it. Could be an idea for a future birthday.

I'm hopefully going to be sticking around now as I really need help to get though these next few months.

Take care.

Tink xx

bellevie

Hi Tink,


Its great to hear from you!
I am sorry to hear about Mr D, I truly am. I'm glad that you found a good home for him though.
DD has been talking about a skating party for her birthday, and it would be quite nice in December. The prices seem reasonable, so I will consider it though I really need to see how the next few months go.
Fantastic news on your DD's apprenticeship & college opportunity, never a bad thing to have options.
Congratulations on your new job, you will have your deposit saved in no time at all.
I will catch up on your thread today, hope you are enjoying the weekend!


xx

bellevie

Busy week at work. I done so well with my cheap lunches (peanut butter on toast) Friday however I just couldn't take anymore toast, I needed caffeine but was too hot for tea so I opted for a Sainsbury's lunch deal. I hate getting these when I compare the prices of my weekly toast, but I think my body was short on all the bad stuff I needed to get through the day!


Just a week since payday, all bills out leaving just enough for food & petrol in account.
I did transfer my childcare savings right away, put a higher amount in my help to buy isa.


I even managed to get out for a date, my second in 2 months get me!!! It went well, he wasn't my type - kind, relatively attractive but just no romantic spark for me. Still another not so scary date makes me a little less hesitant to accept other offers.


The babysitter is a lady who works at the after school club, she charges £5 per hour and both times I have been back within 2-3 hours. It has been nice to have me time, and to feel a little bit excited again.


I done a recent softener test for the survey company, today just received quite a large bottle of biological liquid to review. As well as the reward points it has saved me on both occasions adding those items to my shop (which were running low - super timing!)


I have an assignment to get on with for my course, I'm struggling to start myself off. I know once I start it will flow but the opening paragraph always seems to be the hardest. I might have to focus at other parts and work a little backwards otherwise I will end up running out of time. Its a biggy, but it covers multiple areas.


I will aim to make a start this week.

bellevie

DD woke with a rash, the suncream I picked up in a rush - amber soleil hypo allergenic - she has reacted to. Like prickly heat rash almost all over her face. Grr. I will pick up a mini handbag size tube at Mr T I think save wasting so much money.


Ice skating was good, I cannot believe how good DD is on ice now. We didn't stay long as her friend wasn't skating after lessons, I think she felt a little lonely.


Yesterday on a trip to the park, we bumped into DD's school friend who has just moved round the corner to us, it was a funny surprise, I don't know the mum other than to say hi to. I saw her frequently at the after school club & breakfast club, then I kept seeing her on my lunch break in a different town to the school & my home, then the other week at DD's friends party (the birthday child is not in DD's year so I knew no one else at the party).
It turned out they have the same dog as Mr T, though being a mixed breed their dog is very different, in size and a lot calmer! She did have over 2 years on Mr T though, I cannot wait until he is as calm as that!!!!


Anyway, I discovered she too is a single parent and has bought a house jointly with her mum locally. After congratulations this did lead to a mini rant from me about the shocking house prices at the minute, then I got back home and straight onto rightmove, ranted a little more in my head.


On the plus side, I did manage to put the maximum amount into my htb isa this month, I haven't managed that in a little while.


I'm not sure I will manage the same in June my mileage has been quite low this month, but hopefully I will be back on track for July.

bellevie

I jinxed myself.


I do this almost every year without fail, quietly congratulate myself on zero sick days then something happens.
This actually started the weekend, my back was unbelievably sore, bad each morning better by afternoon. This morning though was shocking. I struggled to get out of bed, I couldn't bend to get my shoes on. Let out a little internal cry with every step or movement I made (for fear of terrifying dd)


Luckily, Wednesday being my half day I wasn't overly worried thought I will take the max paracetamol, ibuprofen by midday I will be fine.
Was I heck.
I managed to get an apt at the doctor, acute lumbar spasms he diagnosed prescribed co-codamol, said keep as active as you can but nothing OTT. Oh this may make you drowsy.
I worked out my hours, I had left enough time since my early morning meds, so took one instead of the two recommended. I was a bit surprised that the had given the maximum strength but he insisted nothing lower would work.
£8.60 that prescription cost - I cannot remember the last prescription I had, I'm pretty sure it was around the £6 mark though.
Well I'm glad I disregarded his advise and took one. Within an our of taking it, I felt like I had the gas and air tube taped to my mouth, I felt dizzy, my brain was foggy, it reminded me of being drunk - its a long long time since I have been drunk (years) but I remember the feeling clearly.
I drank coffee and walked around impatiently hoping it would calm down before work - no chance.


So that's it, my first sick day (for myself) in almost 2 years I think and I call in not because of my actual illness, but because I feel as high as a kite....


I couldn't help but giggle telling my manager, I hope he knows me well enough to realise I was sincere.


Its starting to wear off a little, as it does I feel 'normal' but in pain
I have to collect DD from the holiday club in a bit - I don't know how I got her there this morning, she looked quite scared to find me pushing against the wall and blowing at it
I was actually thinking back to my 'deep breathing' during giving birth, the pain was on contraction scale, I figured it was worth a try, the alternative would have been to cry, collapse and not move an inch until the pain subsided.
Getting to the car was an issue, but once I had awkwardly got in sitting tightly in the seat was the most comfortable I had been for 9 hours, I didn't want to get out of the car again.
Oh and I had to pick up some shopping, aldi was right next to the pharmacy so whilst it was being sorted (so pre co-codamol) I thought I will do a quick shop, see me through til the weekend.
I don't know what shoppers thought of me, hanging onto my trolley for dear life.


I can see the funny side to today, but if I laugh the pain starts to shoot down my back, so I wont laugh today. Hopefully I will be laughing tomorrow.

RosaBernicia

oh poor you bellevie, back pain can be hideous. Hope you feel better soon

Rosa xx

bellevie

Thank you Rosa, miles better today