A Ditherer's Diary (again)

GeorgianaCavendish

Agreed on the dining room chair being a pain in the butt! We bought some ergonomic cushions on Amazon, sort of wedge shaped to encourage good posture but still no disguising the fact that these chairs weren’t designed for 8-9 hours a day usage!

EssexHebridean

Same again with the chairs! Both MrEH and I are finding the same thing - me less as I am at least varying between sitting down work and moving about work which helps. The other thing MrEH discovered is that having his arm constantly leaning on the desk where he's using the mouse has meant he's developed a patch of dermatitis on his right forearm - guessing the desk surface isn't intended for all day use with it being a home-desk rather than an office one. Still that's easily fixed with a piece of cotton fabric between arm and desk. 

Good news on the TfL money coming back - we're also taking the bonus of reduced commuting costs both in terms of himself's tube travel (roughly £100 a month on PAYG Oyster) and combined diesel spending (Usually around £200 a month) - still doesn't come close to covering what we're losing on his 3 day a week working mind you, but that can't be helped! 

EssexHebridean

For seeds - you could try here>> https://www.thompson-morgan.com/ 

Naomim

GeorgianaCavendish said:

Agreed on the dining room chair being a pain in the butt! We bought some ergonomic cushions on Amazon, sort of wedge shaped to encourage good posture but still no disguising the fact that these chairs weren’t designed for 8-9 hours a day usage!

Think I'm going to have to look for these. One of my work colleagues bought a ring cushion like the sort used for piles EssexHebridean said:

Same again with the chairs! Both MrEH and I are finding the same thing - me less as I am at least varying between sitting down work and moving about work which helps. The other thing MrEH discovered is that having his arm constantly leaning on the desk where he's using the mouse has meant he's developed a patch of dermatitis on his right forearm - guessing the desk surface isn't intended for all day use with it being a home-desk rather than an office one. Still that's easily fixed with a piece of cotton fabric between arm and desk. 

Good news on the TfL money coming back - we're also taking the bonus of reduced commuting costs both in terms of himself's tube travel (roughly £100 a month on PAYG Oyster) and combined diesel spending (Usually around £200 a month) - still doesn't come close to covering what we're losing on his 3 day a week working mind you, but that can't be helped! 

We would have my travelcard to cancel too but it's through work via Commuter Club and a nightmare to cancel. My HR Department said they were trying to work out how to do it. It's only got one month left I think.  And yes, we are also saving on petrol not having to drop 10yo off every morning and MrM not running off to football matches all over the place every weekend. 

EssexHebridean said:

For seeds - you could try here>> https://www.thompson-morgan.com/ 

I will have a look. We are by no way gardeners. Our back garden has artificial grass. Last year I bought some big pots but just didn't have the money to put stuff in them!   But the front garden is just a mess of weeds and weird grass patches. Last year MrM the Elder dug the whole thing over. We went to Cornwall for a week and came home to a mass of weeds.  The 14yo did try and get out there with the strimmer yesterday but he said he couldn't get it to work properly. I might have a go at the weekend. I'd love to have a nice garden but just don't have the time with working full time. I really need low maintenance - hence the rear artificial grass. 

After doing the massive shop at MrT's, I realised I hadn't bought anything for Sunday lunch so I went to our local butchers today and bought a half leg of lamb.  Can't wait

EssexHebridean

My absolute favourite roast, lamb! I have lamb envy! 🤣🐑

Naomim

Lamb was lovely! And I have loads left over. I'm going to use half for a curry and freeze half for another roast. I even made my own yorkies yesterday. 🙂

We didnt get round to planting any seeds. I was hoping today but it's a bit windy.  I did get the front garden strimmed & cut at the weekend so at least that looks a little better. Now to try and keep on top of it. It looks patchy, dry, lumpy & bumpy but I'm hoping it will improve.
I probably need to order some soil for the pots.

Not much MSE to report on. Middle of the month slump.😕

Naomim 

Naomim

So another mammoth MrT's shop completed this morning.  I was very good and wrote my list in aisle order but considering I got there for just gone 8am and there was no queue, it still took me about 2 hours

I have just revisited my budget sheet I've upped the food budget as everything seems more expensive at the moment and with a family of four to feed food is flying out of my fridge and cupboards at a rate of knots! However, The 14's monthly payments out, gym membership £20 and his school trip £20 is now going as over-payments on the Barclaycard and on payday there will be an extra £200 in MrM's salary which would normally be paid out on his monthly travelcard so that is being thrown at the snowball too.  I am also picking up Prolific surveys I'm doing one on working from home for two weeks which should give me an extra £30.

One of my MBNA cards will start interest charging from May but at the moment I have no wriggle room or offers.  I was hoping the Tesco card which has a large credit limit but low balance - £650 might have had some balance transfer offers but there has been nothing.   I need to have a think about what is best to do.  

Naomim

GeorgianaCavendish

It might be worth asking MBNA if they can extend your 0% period, I know they are offering payment holidays at the moment (up to 3 months) so it might be worth asking them to be flexible in this regard too?

Naomim

GeorgianaCavendish said:

It might be worth asking MBNA if they can extend your 0% period, I know they are offering payment holidays at the moment (up to 3 months) so it might be worth asking them to be flexible in this regard too?

possibly but luckily we aren't in financial hardship as both MrM and I are working from home and I wouldn't be able to justify it if they asked.

I was thinking about using the £200 travel money to pay on the Tesco card.  The interest rate is 15.75% so it's lower than the B'card but I wonder if making overpayments might induce them to give me a BT offer?

GeorgianaCavendish

I'm not sure if they would be as strict about financial hardship as they usually be. Yesterday I clicked on the Payment Holiday link in my MBNA account just out of curiosity and there was a short form but nothing about financial hardship or having to do an income & expenditure form. Might be worth phrasing it "with the uncertainty caused by Coronavirus it would help to have the 0% extended" and see what they say ... I'm not sure why I haven't tried to do this with my HSBC account actually!