Tales from the Avenue

TalesfromtheAvenue

I'm really not feeling well today. I've had this cough/cold virus thing for over 3 weeks now and I'm so fed up with it. I hardly slept at all again last night, for around the 5th or 6th night on the bounce, so I went back to bed at 9.30am this morning when DS went off with his Dad and woke up at 1.15pm. Still feel icky and now my tummy isn't great either. Feeling sorry for myself today!

I was supposed to be going out today, but had to cancel. obviously. In a way, I'm quite pleased as it meant I won't be spending any money I don't have and, tbh, I couldn't face crowds or busy shops today.
I have to pop out and pick up a couple of bits later, but plan on popping to the local home bargains when I feel up to it as the bits I need will be much cheaper there and I can just run around it and get home.

As money has been playing on my mind a lot these past few days, I have been doing some thinking about the week's break I have booked for the very last week of the school summer holidays. I have paid a deposit of £150, but still need to find £350 by beginning of July which, I don't see how it will be doable now, so I'm thinking I need to cancel it. It wasn't an issue when I booked it months ago, but renovations on this house cost a lot more than first anticipated, so the money I had put aside was swallowed up.
Unfortunately, I know I won't get any of the deposit back, and only half (£50) of the ferry payment I've made too, so I will lose £200, but it does mean I won't have to find another £350 + £100 ish spending money for park entry fees etc. What does everyone think?

I'm really disappointed, but, after the last week of being away and travelling with children, I think it's also a lot easier and more fun staying closer to home than spending hours travelling and a week holed up together. (Some of the children's behaviour who are going is less than tolerable!).

I don't know what to do about it, but I am straying towards the cancellation presently.

On another note, I've just done another survey for another £1 in the pot. I'm really pleased with how these are slowly building up, even though they are a bore to complete.

Bobarella

So sorry you have been unwell so long. Is it a holiday with just you and your child or are you going in a group? Wasn't sure from your message. Personally I think I'd be inclined to try and push through and find the money. I think holidays are important, and if you have already booked it then it is something to look forward to.

We haven't had a holiday in a very long time. And it's something I feel bad about for my family. I think if I'd actually booked something and committed to making it work in my mind, I'd want to see it through. But only you know how practical it truly is and I know the worry only too well when you have to find money you don't have. So my advice isn't very clear cut is it.

Hope tommorow is a better day.

Bob

TalesfromtheAvenue

Advice much appreciated Bob, always nice to get another perspective on it.
Still undecided on it, but guess there's no rush to make a decision. I'll sleep on it for a while I think (and hope the money miraculously comes my way!).

TalesfromtheAvenue

I've chased up the new water bill today for the lower cost option they promised, should hear within 7-10 days and will be backdated from the date they came out which is good news.
Not so good news, gas & electric is to go up by £10 a month next month as they say I'm using more than estimated - may challenge it as obviously the heating has been on over the past few months and we've just come out of the winter, so usage will obviously go down over the summer. A classic example of as soon as money comes in it goes out with the two issues above!

It's payday tomorrow (thank goodness) and I have a very small amount of money left in the main account that I can transfer back to the car & house pot tonight. Probably about £20 or so, but it all helps.

Today I've ordered some seeds online as part of an offer as I want to get back into growing some fruit and veg as I used to. I was going to buy plants later on, but it is much chepaer to grow from seed and I already have the pots and compost. I've bought Runner beans, chard (bright lights - bit excited about these!), some golden beetroot and small pot tomatoes for £6.41 delivered. Most of them have enough seeds in the packets to be able to grow in several crops or to save for next year too. All I will need to buy is a grow bag or two for the runner beans and some canes to train them up. Can't wait to get started. :j

DS's dinner money cheque has gone off to school with him today, £50.60 up until half term now. :eek: If only he actually ate that amount in food eh? I have a picky eater...

I didn't go shopping yesterday after all, I was too tired and feeling poorly, so will either go tonight or stick it out til tomorrow. I think we can make do with what we have in the cupboards tonight and there's the added bonus of having £10 left in the grocery pot out of April's allowance that I can throw back into the car & house pot if I wait til tomorrow's new budget month. Small victories and all that.

TalesfromtheAvenue

Fed up this afternoon, think it's just a combination of tiredness after not much sleep for weeks and back to work blues. Work dragged and was pretty miserable, it really gets me down, but it pays the bills, so needs must.
This afternoon I've made a near-out-of-date panettone into a bread and butter pudding style baked dish with some raisins, oats, some too-sour-to-eat apples and a bit of honey, milk and eggs. I've portioned it up, ready for the freezer. I've also taken some pastry and sausage meat out of the freezer to make some sausage rolls tomorrow afternoon after work.

We didn't bother going shopping, again, but just walked to the corner shop to get some milk. £1 spent there out of my purse. I'll take a look at the budget tonight and transfer anything that is left over before being paid. Then I think a bath and bed is my only other plan for the night.

Bobarella

You will definitely be feeling less cheerful from the lack of sleep. I have not had half as many bad night's as you, just the last two, and I feel flat and skittish. I hope you feel happier soon.

On the heating increase. Can't you swap provider?

Pink_Giraffe

Bread and butter pudding sounds really good, sounds like a couple of kitchen victories there! Hope you've had a bit more sleep and feeling a bit less blue today

TalesfromtheAvenue

Hope you got more sleep Bob!

Unfortunately provider is a new one I switched to when I moved to this house. I guess I didn't 'guestimate' enough as this is an old house, whereas the last one was a new build.

TalesfromtheAvenue

Pink_Giraffe wrote: »

Bread and butter pudding sounds really good, sounds like a couple of kitchen victories there! Hope you've had a bit more sleep and feeling a bit less blue today

Thanks Pink_Giraffe. Had a much better night, first night in weeks of not coughing! :T
Think the blueness is down to getting back to the routine of work/childcare/coming home to an empty house/evening alone but nevermind, I need to start counting the positives and looking on the bright side a bit more. OH is popping over tonight so that will make me feel better.

TalesfromtheAvenue

So, it's payday :j:beer::T:D

I've transferred monies to their individual pots and updated YNAB, although I need to do a little more work on it tonight.

I also phoned Child Tax Credits today as they stopped paying me in February but never told me why. It was a small amount, but it would have been polite of them to have informed me. :mad:
Anyway, good news is I should receive a payment of £60.96 tomorrow and then £58.68 every four weeks after that. I wasn't expecting anything, so I will be pushing that STRAIGHT into the emergency savings pot until it's built up to a good level and then that will be used towards overpayments too. :T:j
Definitely have to go shopping today after the school pick up, the fridge is starting to resemble mother hubbard's. I only have a small list though, so shouldn't be too costly.