From debt to freedom...

Cherryfudge

Free cookery books are always fun! Lucky you.

Sorry everything else is costing so much though.

Honeysucklelou2

I think I'm going to have to make a chart for all these medications I'm currently taking. I have to leave an hour between the first iron tablet and a regular medication I take because they can't be taken together, then I forget what I have or haven't taken.

Most of today has been spent at home, mainly doing tasks for work. I did break off to drive DD1 and bf to the train station, then to collect DS2 from his friends. I'll be glad when the busyness eases a little and I can get outside a bit more. I must admit I did take a break to sit in the garden and we have visitors! A pair of swifts have nested just under our roof. We have an old alarm box on the exterior wall, which is obsolete -the birds have built their nest on a ledge made from the alarm box and the gable at the front

Honeysucklelou2

I've had a pressured few days at work which has impacted on my sleep a lot:(. Last night I was feeling utterly exhausted havingbhad only 6 hours sleep over the previous 2 nights, but last night I was in bed for 10.30 and slept until the alarm . I feel so much better for decent sleep.

Made a payment to a debt of £64 today. It's creeping down slowly.

Cherryfudge

Sleep makes a huge difference, doesn't it?

Well done for the debt payment - won't be long till there's a thousand gone!

I hope work eases up.

crazy_cat_lady

Sleep deprivation makes everything else about a billion times worse doesn't it? Hope that you're feeling a bit better today. I'm similarly busy - the Year 11 go then I get given a hundred other tasks to do (on top of teaching and exam marking)

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Cherryfudge and CCL.

It certainly is a crazy time of year CCL. Do you have transition to deal with as soon as the Y11s go?

Yesterday was spent driving to DD1's student house. We took a little detour to visit a tiny hamlet where my great great grandfather ( and preceding generations) came from. It was good to be able to see the place after seeing the name in print on family records for years.

Today's task is to help DD1 pack up and head home. Looks easy writing it down but it was :eek::eek: looking at how much is still unpacked. It will be a full day today I think.

DS1 has found himself a job. He started yesterday but has been told he will be working on a self employed basis which I'm a bit dubious about. I know someone locally who was effectively employed but working on a self employed basis who got questioned by HMRC because all his income came from one source effectively meaning he was employed. I've explained to DS1 that he must keep clear records so that he can complete a tax return.

Moneywise I've spent more this weekend as I've needed diesel and paid for accommodation overnight. We avoided the dinner offered to us at the travelodge and had fish and chips in DD1's garden owing to her kitchen stuff being packed up.

Cherryfudge

Packing up students is a memorable time, as is trying to fit in all their stuff back home!

Well done to your DS1 for getting the job. I can well believe employers prefer to have 'self employed' people working for them - it must save a massive bill in terms of employer's contributions, but a job is a job.

Honeysucklelou2

We are now back home and trying to fit everything in:rotfl:. Fortunately DD1 has joined a couple of friends in hiring a small storage unit, so kitchen things have been put in there, which saved valuable space in the car. We really wouldn't have been able to fit everything in, had she not got that storage space.;)

DD1 starts work tomorrow at her summer job and DS1 begins his first full week after completing his first day on Friday. I did smile, on our return yesterday, DD1 was the first to help me with menu plans and trying to curb spending wherever possible. Student life is teaching her lots:cool:.

Today has been a bit of a mad day, trying to catch up on work tasks for the new week. We've had tuna plait and salad for tea, followed by goooseberry crumble and custard. DD3 and I went to the allotment and spent half an hour hacking through the 6' nettles to reach the gooseberry bushes. We picked a few, which turned out to be 2lb! At home, I mixed a few spoonfuls of elderflower cordial in with the gooseberries which was delicious. Will have to try that again .

Honeysucklelou2

Got through another busy week at work . Yesterday was a strange day, I seemed to spend a lot of it in the car going to and from the nearest town, but did get lots of small necessary jobs done. The weather was beautiful yesterday so 3 loads of washing were put out and dried . Very welcome after all the rain we've had.

I have reluctantly concluded that I'll have to dip into the EF to get a wedding present for a couple, whose wedding we are attending soon. Not ideal to dip into the EF but I simply can't stretch the budget anymore. 2 children have had field trips I've had to pay for that were unbudgeted and my diesel spends are still quite high with the amount of driving around I'm doing at the moment. DD4 came home yesterday with a letter about a history field trip in the Autumn. It sounds like an amazing opportunity but it's another £280 on top of the £1300 I've already spent on trips this year .

I am also conscious that I need to get some quotes in for the cost of replacing the boiler . Last year I asked if it could be serviced but the engineer was shocked at how old it was and although he tried to get it going it wouldn't work. We managed last winter with the wood burner and some plug in oil fired radiators which were ok as a temporary measure but its one of those jobs that needs to be sorted out.

Lots of reports to do this weekend so best get busy!

Cherryfudge

Well, the EF is for emergencies so I think it will be doing its job.

How are the camellia cuttings that you mentioned on my thread? Camellias are so beautiful: I have memories of them around the hotel in in the Blue Mountains in our 'holiday of a lifetime'. It was strange having those and daffodils in September, but two spring times in a year is a bonus.

You used to sell plants as a fund raiser, didn't you? Do you continue to do that? I think you'd have to set up in business to cover the cost of all the school trips but each little bit helps. Those school trips!! They are so expensive, aren't they?