Cherry takes the reins

HairyHandofDartmoor

How much money would it save you per month if you had no mortgage payments or overpayments to make? You know your financial situation best so I'm sure you'll make the right decision for you. I hope it doesn't come to that anyway, or that DH can find alternative work.

Well done on resisting the trousers .

Cherryfudge

Thanks OBL and HH. DH is so much better. DFiL is improving too: he's walking again, though still requiring assistance for other things.

Unfortunately DH is unlikely to get redundancy: he's effectively being manoeuvred out of this post though with a few days to think it through he is coming up with the beginnings of an approach to his situation. Ironically, he had been trying to find a way out for some time, but it's different if you're being pushed. It's a large employer and quite possibly he may find another post though at a lower salary. If he goes outside the company - which may be what happens - he has transferable skills but would lose long-service benefits and being in his fifties I think it may be harder for him to find work. He's only in the post because of a restructure and we've known all the time that it would be likely to be an uphill struggle for various reasons. His previous job was a better match for him by a long way but that's no longer in existence.

Re the mortgage, it's a small compulsory payment and I pay about double that in over-payments. As my wage is on the low side you can see it's a dream mortgage in most people's eyes! Overpayments vary depending on extra costs or overtime but in general it would increase my available money by about a third if I didn't have the mortgage. We're still clearing Mum's old property of course: it's taking a very long time but should be done in the next few months and then we can put it on the market. Once that's sold my share will pay off the rest of the mortgage and then we'll have to see what DH's situation is before making further decisions about the remainder.

Today's spending has been the car boot items above then a trip to the supermarket. I gave DH the receipt as it turned out we had bought the wrong beer to take to A's birthday so he went to change it and doesn't know where the receipt went. The original bill was just over £24 of which £5.65 was 'entertaining' (drinks) but as far as I know the beer we swapped was £3.65 and we bought some at £5 instead so the entertaining bill is then £7 and the housekeeping is £18.35.

Spending:
Housekeeping £18.35
Entertaining £7.00
Household £2.00
Hobbies £0.40
Garden £2.00
MS:
No takeaway and a main meal from A and H.
10th coin 2p
Decluttering:
Found a large vase is cracked so it's gone in the recycling.

Today I'm thankful for A's birthday and a good relationship with them so we can send time together.

Honeysucklelou2

Sounds a tricky situation...hope your DH is able to find a workable solution. Is he in a union? Would a chat through with a union rep help?

Happy Easter:easter:

Cherryfudge

Honeysucklelou2 wrote: »

Sounds a tricky situation...hope your DH is able to find a workable solution. Is he in a union? Would a chat through with a union rep help?

Happy Easter:easter:

Sadly neither of us is in a union (I used to be but my local branch in those days was slow to respond and it put me off). DH has been researching his position though and it's looking as though proper procedure hasn't been followed. Meanwhile he has spent quite a bit of time doing the decorating at home and the lounge is looking good (though incomplete as we need more paint).

I am disorientated as I had a lovely Easter then worked last night and the early shift today, then came home to DH being in as if it were Saturday and a feeling that I had spent money yesterday even though it was Easter Day. I solved the last one by remembering I downloaded a novel yesterday (£3.99). I also bought groceries today. I'll have to sort out the details tomorrow.

On a positive note instead of using a day of Annual Leave today I was on time and a half and on our new pay rate to boot. I've also picked up another shift that they were struggling to cover.

I think I need sleep now...

Onebrokelady

Oops I quoted the wrong post when I replied the other day :rotfl:

I hope you DH manages to come up with a solution to the job problem,i used to be in a union but I'm not at the moment because my membership lapsed,I really need to rejoin at some point

LondonLiz

Hi Cherry, I was a bit concerned about your comment that Dh is being 'manouvered out' of his job without aredundancy payment. Has he been there more than 2 years? Does he feel fully aware of his rights regarding consultation and the definition of redundancy? If not, I would suggest a call to ACAS - though they can't offer a lot of individualised advice it is a start.



Also do feel free to PM me as well - I have a fair bit of experience in this area and might be able to make some suggestions? It can be a difficult time and I dislike the idea the process might not be being followed correctly unless the employer is offering appropriate compensation i.e. a settlement agreeement. Take care, LL

Cherryfudge

Thanks LondonLiz, he's only been in his current post a year or so - not sure exactly how long but I can find out. He has been with the organisation a lot longer. His previous post vanished in a restructure.

Thank you for the offer to pm, I will make a note! There is quite a lot of information available for employees of which he's availing himself: this is where he got the information that this move should have a written trail leading up to it, which there isn't. She also okayed his annual appraisal not so long ago, which shouldn't have happened if she didn't think he was fit for the job. Nothing in his job has changed since, so there are no new grounds for discontent. Basically she thinks he isn't dealing with some staff in a sufficiently forceful manner, but she is never happy with the work of anyone she manages and DH himself feels he isn't a good fit for that area of the job. There was a possibility of a similar post to his becoming available in the near future and it's possible the manager is trying to block him from this (ironically this possible other post is the successor to the one that ceased a year or so ago and in which he could demonstrate success). I get the impression the manager is looking for a member of staff she is unlikely to find given the demography of the area.

Cherryfudge

So here I am with a list of things to do, not getting much done. The house is a mess and I need to tidy up as a couple of friends are coming for coffee this evening. I've done a bit in the garden, I need to sort out tea and either make or buy biscuits.

I got my summer clothes from the loft the other day - I have far too much, especially as I've gained weight so I don't fit a lot of favourites. There may be a couple of bits to get rid of but I'm not in a decluttering mood today: clean and tidy is a better focus. I do feel I ought to be doing financial stuff too but maybe tomorrow... All I can show for today so far is finishing a novel, a line full of laundry and doing some weeding in the garden. I'm going to try to wrest the lawnmower from the shed and do the grass: it will make out of doors look a lot better. Then I have no idea what to get for tea...

LondonLiz

Hi Cherry,

The 2 years of service for redundancy entitlement relates to the company not the role, so good he is past that milestone. (Also relevant for right to make a unfair dismissal claim to tribunal if things get really messy.) It's not clear if this is a redundancy consultation or being blurred with performance management - these should be quite separate. As I said, happy to help (either by taking it over to the employment forums where it might be more appropriate) or offline.

Hope you got your tidying up done before your visitors arrived; I started de-cluttering this afternoon and have just made more of a mess!

Cherryfudge

Thanks LondonLiz, I hadn't thought to look/ask on the employment boards so I'll pop over there in a bit.

Another day off over here and a few errands to be done. I got the place vaguely straight before my friends arrived (phew) and most of my jobs done. Today so far I've run the washing machine and sorted through my purse to put things back in the right sections. I have some things to get/do in town (waiting till it's warmer), a big heap of ironing, a fish tank to clean and some banana bread to make.

The garden looks better with the grass mown and some weeding accomplished but it would be good to get out there and do some more today.

List of financial stuff to do:
Check all balances
Pay CC
do meter readings
Update mortgage OPs.

Spending for the last few days:
Sunday 21/4/19
Ebook £3.99
Monday 22/4/19
Housekeeping £4.37
Tuesday 23/4/19
Housekeeping £5.63
Ebook £0.99
MS:
Two sleep-ins and a bank holiday shift at work = extra pennies
Creative use of left over chicken (1 batch still to use).
10th coins saved 45p
Decluttering:
None
And the things I'm thankful for include mown lawns - sight and smell!, extra work and not getting woken too much on sleep ins, planning ahead with friends.