Mooloo's little tapestry of life, 2016

dktreesea

With social housing in England, there's right to acquire and right to buy; they aren't quite the same thing. If you are a council tenant and the council have sold your home to a housing association while you've been living in it, then your right to buy is preserved.
https://www.gov.uk/right-to-buy-buying-your-council-home/overview

Savvy_sewing

dktreesea wrote: »

With social housing in England, there's right to acquire and right to buy; they aren't quite the same thing. If you are a council tenant and the council have sold your home to a housing association while you've been living in it, then your right to buy is preserved.
https://www.gov.uk/right-to-buy-buying-your-council-home/overview

Alas it was changed before I got here. I have only been here 5 years, and nearly a month!

dktreesea

Mooloo wrote: »

Alas it was changed before I got here. I have only been here 5 years, and nearly a month!

Then it comes under right to acquire, instead of right to buy.

dktreesea

I know renting means the property belongs to someone else, but renting social homes is a bit different. the tenancy is secure so it is worth doing bits and pieces (not replacing the bathroom or kitchen - up here that happens in the normal course of things, every 20 years) that would make your life easier/better. Being able to park directly on your property will make a huge difference to your peace of mind and convenience - worth every penny if you plan to stay there long term.

Savvy_sewing

I have no reason to move really. The house is in a good town, school is only 10 minutes away, doctors currently across the road. I could walk to the shops and work if I wasn't always carrying stuff back and forth. I have a huge garden, but I hate the layout, the bathroom is off the kitchen, and there is no facilities upstairs.
But I am grateful that I have the house, and I know they are hard to get.
I'd just like a bathroom upstairs!!
I'm prepared to dig deep to finish having the pavement lowered as in the few months the hard standing has been here it has given me easier access outside, less people park outside my house so I can more often get outside.
So I don't always go over the curb onto the area, as I know it's against the rules until the pavement has been dropped, but if I'm expecting visitors, or the car is loaded up etc, or I want to clean it, then I do. ( or if it's partially blocked by a car then I will go up on the area out of the way).
However some cars deliberately block me in and have a go at me as I'm not legal yet. I have permission just waiting for the recommended company to get around to doing it!
I have squeezed the budget within a nth of its life to be able to do this properly, and may have to load the credit card if it's higher then expected.
Next door are a housing Association (ex council), who have added an extension, knocked down walls, built garages and I see just put in a new bathroom. So I suppose they will grant permission but I don't have that kind of money - yet.
The shop needs to preform better first!
Ticking over is one thing, but making me a living and a decent profit seems a long way off.
I have to go in today to catch up on work I didn't get to do yesterday. Before I go to Mum. Back to the school for a meeting at 1pm and back again for the school run at 3.15
So a bitty day ahead of me.
Will I ever get on track???

dktreesea

I no longer chase a "decent profit". I had a taste of that over Christmas this year and I tell you now, there is no way I ever want three or four days back to back like that again. One of them was a 20 hour day, the last quarter of which I worked like a zombie.


If settling for profits equivalent to the FT NMW means having a life, being able to travel to Ireland and Portugal occasionally, maybe even renting, rather than buying, your house in the near future, is that such a bad thing?


Is there any way to hurry the recommended company along to fix your kerb? It will just be amazing being able to come home every night, knowing you will be able to park at home and not having to fluff around searching for a park, let alone having to hike half a block or more to get through your front door. I like our place because it's inner city and up a few floors, so no noise from traffic at night, but the parking, even with permit zones, is a nightmare.

Savvy_sewing

They told me they were so busy they couldn't get to me till March, to even give me the quote. As far as I could see they were the only ones on the list this side of the county.

I managed my hectic schedule yesterday. DGD actually chose to get out of the car and go in to school without me having to take her around. So I was in work before 9am just. I managed to do the curtains that I needed to do by 11am (just), and then had to add a visit to biggest of Mooloo before Mum's. So a very quick 25 minutes with her and the baby, then on to Mum. Changed her bed, vacuumed the whole house, managed half a cup of tea, but couldn't see why the sewing machine was not accepting designs.
Was 5 minutes late for the social meeting with the school. That took an hour. Home in time to eat a salad, move my washing on and then back to school for DGD. Found her crying in the classroom as one little girl came up to me in the playground and told me she was crying. DGD couldn't tell me what was wrong and after a cuddle we went home. Then soon after she was complaining of an earache. So paracetamol, and ear drops. She didn't eat her dinner, and took ages to settle.
I haven't been in to See her yet, but I fear we will not be wanting to go to school, and we may be having the doctors on speed dis from 8am
I will have to drag her to work if that is the case, as I don't have anyone to sew, and nobody in to open up. Staff ( who doesn't sew) is due in at 11.30

We left sliced apples in the dehydrator, so wonder how they have turned out.
I got the washing nearly upto date, then as I came to bed I realised I'd not unpacked my case!! Derrrr
I did more bank things last night, getting First Direct switching date, which is now the 28th.
So I will then have a current account and a savings account with them.
I have moved all my small savings etc into one account ready to switch and surprised myself with shuffling money, that I was able to gather £900.22 into one account.
Then I opened an ISA with the Halifax and arranged for my Co-op ISA to go across. There is only £660 there. But once those swaps etc have gone through I can tidy up and loose the Co-Op completely.
I also arranged for my Post Office Credit Card to be added to my Balance Transfer on the Halifax card, so all my debt is in one place on a 0% transfer for 23 months. This means if I only pay £147 a month I will clear the debt in time. ( as long as I don't add to it or use the other cards again!- must make sure they are cancelled when the swaps have gone through!)

Now it's time to face the day and DGD and her earache.

Savvy_sewing

Ps.
I would rather chase a wage out of the shop. Taking £30 a week for myself now. But that may not be any good st the end of this month as so far we have only covered the staff wages and the ongoing DDs. There is the rest of the months wages and the rent not available, unless I get the work done and through fast!

Savvy_sewing

Good evening!
Don't know where the time is going as usual. I had to take DGD to the doctors at 3pm so I collected her early from school. She has a sore throat but not tonsilitus, and a lot of wax in her ear that's hurting, so will need to treat with bicarbonate for the ear and paracetamol for the throat etc.
I managed to work through quite a few jobs before I had to stop, and see the doctors.
The forced early day home means that we got to make some fairy cakes.
So fun in the kitchen kept my little monkey buoyant and gave us pudding for tonight and pack up tomorrow.
I did a shop at Mr T. £40.32 the high bill was because I bought kitchen roll, Laundry pod things, tissues, shampoo, shower gel, and hair dye. I've been meaning to get my roots done. I also got bananas, flat bread, dairy lea Dunkers, Muller corners, Schloer, and Oreo biscuits, oh and teabags.
First time in a while I've spent so much, but the items were ( except Oreo ) needed and wanted and all on at special offers.

Savvy_sewing

Had a long post earlier but lost it. Page wouldn't load.
Had a good day, and managed to sew quite a few jobs that we had been waiting for the Zips to arrive.
Had our tea in the local pub with my friend and her children.