Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

117pauline wrote: »

you pinched 5p from the guinea pig - I mean, how could you? He might be saving for his own escape plan and now he will have to start all over again.

:rotfl: I now have a picture in my mind of the guinea pig with a bundle on his shoulder, seeking his fortune and glancing back over his shoulder to be sure I'm not following. :rotfl:

Is your work able to supply you with encrypted USB sticks so that you can save work, only you can access, then files can be worked on at home and at your place of work?

That would be helpful and I don't think they've even thought of it, but in this case I'm transcribing from hard copies that I can't take out of the building. The organisation has decided to standardise records across the board so there's a lot of old stuff to read, then new forms to fill in. However, the good news is that I've completed another one today, as well as giving some advice on pay claims to a colleague who I suspect has lost income because no one told her she was supposed to claim for this, that and the other. It's a good feeling to pass on knowledge that could help someone. Not such a good feeling is the knowledge that the system fails its employees because there isn't a systematic way of passing on the intricacies of knowledge for non-standard jobs.

Anyway, I haven't spent anything today which is nice. I probably will tomorrow as it's my day off and there's a piano lesson for which I haven't practised.

Cherryfudge

A quick post as it's late and I've an early shift tomorrow.

I've decided to go back to recording my spending on daily posts: I was losing details with having to go back to the beginning of the week.

13th Spends:
Housekeeping £19.09
Piano lesson £10.00
MS stuff:
Nothing out of the ordinary
Confession time:
Used shop-bought yogurt when I still have lots of home made, just because I like the shop stuff better.

Cherryfudge

Another NSD and a little bit of money saving... our gas boiler went off and it turned out the pressure dial was showing low pressure. I thought I knew what to do but the little blue lever mentioned in the instructions and familiar from the new boiler at the other house just wasn't there. Bless him, the man who installed the system talked me through it by text and we now have a working boiler again! And he hasn't mentioned a charge either - perhaps an evening at home is too precious and he's hoping I can pass the knowledge on to the family?

I was thinking about skills of the hands: my education and a lot of society values intellect but I really think my hands are intelligent too! I love to learn skills, especially ones that have passed down the generations. They give me a sense of standing alongside past generations who would have had to fend for themselves in many areas where we now expect to call in a specialist. It's often a money saver too. Our ancestors knew a lot that we don't...

Spends:
NSD
MS stuff:
Too tired to go anywhere near shops
Got the pressure back on the boiler, saving call-out fee.
Got a few 'must do' jobs done at work, making me that much nearer to getting my increment at the beginning of the next financial year.

Cherryfudge

The dentist fitted me in on a cancellation: it turns out I have indeed chipped a tooth so that's £85 for a filling but hopefully will save the tooth and a whole lot of pain (I let one wait for my appointment once and lost the tooth, then had to pay vast amounts to replace it with a crown). Anyway I'm now at the peculiarly numb stage.

Today is a day off trying to use up my annual leave before the financial year runs out. I can tell I'm in a very procrastinating mood today (and it's grey, cold and damp, which doesn't help) so I need a list to motivate me.

1. pay dental charges off credit card - done by 4.30 update
2. find password for bank account - done by 4.30
3. clean out fridge
4. clean out guinea pig - done this evening
5. sort one box of Mum's books
6. tidy kitchen - done in time for tea
7. do piano practice
8. complete one of my refresher courses online
9. check/reconcile last week's spending

Spends:
Dentist/medical £85.00
Housekeeping £8.78
Toiletries £1.75
MS stuff:
Veggies on offer
Realised I can use chickpeas rather than buy a separate protein ingredient for tonight's tea.
Confession time:
I could probably have bought the baby oil more cheaply: I just didn't feel like trawling round the shops.

WannabeFree

Just catching up .. I missed your Birthday Sorry x

Cherryfudge

Don't worry W... I will do cake and coffee just for you. (Well... me too ).

:coffee::bdaycake::coffee:

Cherryfudge

Sometimes doing money saving things leads to spending more... I went to put a button on DH's winter coat and on closer inspection found it really needs to be replaced. So does mine! So the button is back and a pocket is repaired but new coats are definitely needed... going to have a look online.

Cherryfudge

Dh agrees with me about the need for new coats so we may go shopping tomorrow.

I tried looking on line last night and found a really nice one but it's £69, whereas there are quite nice ones for about £25 elsewhere. I need something presentable for really cold weather, but I would rather go around in a jumper even if other people have coats, scarves, gloves, hat, skis... so do I spend more on something I really like but won't wear everyday and hope it doesn't take too much valuable storage space, or do I get something I'm not as keen on (which will still take storage)? I'm not used to spending much on clothing (most of my life I've had mostly 2nd hand and sales) so cost is getting in the way of my thinking, though at the moment I could afford it. Decisions...

NoOneAround

Hi Cheery, I thought I would wait to catch up with diaries before posting but have decided it will take too long - Just skimmed last few posts - Happy Belated Birthday! Any cake left for me?:D

Go for the nice coat. I have been looking for one for about 4 years and keep putting it off. I have a very nice italian one in cream, bought in Rome, which I have worn about 5 times in 30 years, hasn't seen light of day for last 10, you can't wear it in wet weather as you get splatters on it:eek: and its dry clean only. Very glam and warm and posh, only looks good with heels and silk stockings:rotfl: not very:money: at all.
NOA
x

Cherryfudge

Of course there's cake, NOA - :bdaycake::coffee: - how much can you manage?

You can tell I'm tempted by that coat, can't you?! I have emailed a link to DD for her opinion. I do sometimes fall for an item of clothing that does me no favours (it's a padded coat and I'm not very tall so will it make me look like the famous Michelin Men?)

Your cream coat sounds gorgeous: I would be just the same as you and hold on to it for special occasions. In fact I have a posh-for-me mac that cost quite a lot before I bought it in a sale in 1988! I don't wear it as there is a button detail that I can't take off without spoiling it but which catches my hair. It travels between my wardrobe and my loft but I have never quite persuaded myself to get rid of it. In fact my 'best' coat is one I bought through a friend a few months ago and cost me a fiver but it's pale pink wool so I won't be wearing it for everyday either.

The one that's got too tatty has been worn and worn and in the light of day you can certainly tell. Why is that the most expensive clothes get the least wear and show their age relatively quickly? I can wear a tee shirt many, many times so cost per wear ends up as a few pence, but a formal outfit ends up costing pounds per wear.