Spend Nowt, Buy Nowt, Owe Nowt

Suffolk_lass

Just popped in to wish you luck with that interview. You would not have it if your evidence were not there. Think about your evidence and be prepared to be tested on the outcomes (ie "so what?!") - maybe have two examples for each competency - one from your application and another in case someone says, "Do you have another example of where you..." - that second example would only be asked about once - so if you have a really good project you could think about it in relation to all the competencies. When I was interviewing as Chairman I sometimes used to ask about whether the candidate made any sort of corporate contribution (eg help to coach, train or mentor others) so this is worth thinking about too - even could be helping with something your child does outside like taking him and other children to matches, when you can (as you work away so much) - this would show your willingness to fit in with work demands and still support your community (and it does not have to be much - it will just sound better than no) - big corporates like this and often have charities they support so that is another area...

Anyway, keep your head - nerves under control are a good thing.

If all is going to pot, stop, take a breath, stretch your hands and say, "can I start that answer again" - you will get more credit for realising (and in a project that is a good thing!)

apple_muncher

And breathe....


Well done on paying off all the things that need paying off!

XSpender

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

Just popped in to wish you luck with that interview. You would not have it if your evidence were not there. Think about your evidence and be prepared to be tested on the outcomes (ie "so what?!") - maybe have two examples for each competency - one from your application and another in case someone says, "Do you have another example of where you..." - that second example would only be asked about once - so if you have a really good project you could think about it in relation to all the competencies. When I was interviewing as Chairman I sometimes used to ask about whether the candidate made any sort of corporate contribution (eg help to coach, train or mentor others) so this is worth thinking about too - even could be helping with something your child does outside like taking him and other children to matches, when you can (as you work away so much) - this would show your willingness to fit in with work demands and still support your community (and it does not have to be much - it will just sound better than no) - big corporates like this and often have charities they support so that is another area...

Anyway, keep your head - nerves under control are a good thing.

If all is going to pot, stop, take a breath, stretch your hands and say, "can I start that answer again" - you will get more credit for realising (and in a project that is a good thing!)

Thank you for this. I googled some questions related to the job role yesterday and feel a bit more confident as I could answer them competently with examples from my experience. Will prep those and the usual 'why do you want to work here', 'what are your weaknesses' etc.

I am not formally trained in my field, I've learnt it all on the job, so if they start asking me to explain Kotters 7 steps of change I'm knackered :eek:

XSpender

Last night's stir fry was a great success, especially as I made it up as I went along. I have never been a fan of stir fry, I don't know why as I always enjoy it the odd time I have made it.

I have changed the meal plan for tonight and will make a curry using the dark meat left over from Sunday's chicken with a jar of sauce. I am not so keen on the dark meat, I'm not a big meat eater and only eat chicken and pork, so I am hoping the sauce will disguise the stronger meat taste.

We will have got 8 human meals, 1 dog meal and a pot of stock (I've frozen the carcass to make this later) from a £4.72 Aldi FR chicken. DH is very impressed and will do this again when we return from our hols. We don't need another chicken this weekend as I have already planned next week's meals and we go away on the Friday.

Our mortgage payment has gone out and I calculated yesterday that around £1200 is coming off the capital every month Yes, my mortgage payment is massive :eek: but only taken over 18 years.

No debt payments have come out so far this month but I have allocated the small amount of CA interest received to go towards a CC.

I can't see us being any less squeaky on the budget next month as it is DS birthday and we will have his small party and gifts to pay for. He hasn't had many parties and this is more taking a few friends out to gaming place and McDonalds than a party party. We never spend a lot on gifts for birthdays. We also need to start putting money away for our August holiday spending money and the house insurance is due in June. If it isn't one thing it's another. Having the categories in YNAB is good but it only work if I put money in them and leave it there!

I have spoken to the tax office about my strange tax code and it is my massive co car BIK that has caused it. Because we have had to accept expensive cars as our co cars for the last 6 months it basically means I have a minus tax free allowance!

We are holding tight to our purse strings as we have finally seen a sofa we would like for the living room! It is much cheaper (£899 x 2 at DFS) than we were expecting to pay but it will have to wait. Once we bought it we would be itching to do the rest of the living room (plaster, decorate,replace sound proofing, soft furnishings, built in cupboards and shelves in alcoves, remove 2 fireplaces, new carpet not to mention the wood burner DH has always wanted!) and because it is joined to the dining room this room would have to be done too and we haven't got the funds for any of it. The sofa colour would fit in with what we already have but it would just start a chain reaction off.

We moved a small side board from the living room into the dining room before Christmas as we were gifted an armchair for the living room and there wasn't space for both. The top of the sideboard is a bit of a mess from when we had one of those globe fish tanks on it a few years ago. I am going to paint it the same colour as our dining furniture which is a painted style. That's 2 pieces of furniture I now want to up-cycle, gawd knows when I will get around to it!

XSpender

DH has been accepted for the S@ntander fee free BT card and I have requested to BT the remaining balance on the MBNA. This new card allows you to BT fee free at anytime until the end of the promo so I can leave his V1rgin until it is almost ready to expire in September. I could do it now and I would only have 2 cards showing on YNAB but I quite like seeing a smaller balance come down and it will motivate me to pay little bits off.

We went for this one instead of the Sains as the repayment is 1% of the balance where as Sains is 2.25% and would be a extra £100 repayment each month which is a bit high.

Last night's chicken curry was a success and we will definitely be doing rubber chicken again:D Can't decide on omelette and salad or leek and bacon risotto for tonight.

DS missed TK last night so I missed my run and as we have snow this morning :eek: and it's freezing I can't see me going out for one today.

Bought un-fragranced bleach for DH bleach bath (eczema flare up) and a naughty packet of crisps to share. Yesterday was not a clean eating day

I bought a dress last week (from sains) but have decided to return it. It's very nice but that £25 of my personal spends could go towards the 2 nights out I have already booked in this month or towards some much needed casual summer clothes. DH and I are at a concert in another city in July and I am saving up my personal spends, and trying to get back to a comfortable instead of a can-barely-do-the-buttons-up size 10, so I can spend the afternoon before/day after shopping. This is how I tend to shop. I don't buy anything for months then buy a few bits all in one go. The problem is I tend to do this in winter so have plenty of jumpers and boots but desperate for smart casual spring and summer clothes.

I asked DH how much spending money he thought we would need for our summer holiday and he said £200 less than I was budgeting for so I will save what I planned but tell him we only have what he suggested :rotfl:

I have been looking at a Monz0 account to use for our holiday spending. This way I don't need to change hundreds of £s into Euros and then lose a fortune if I need to change it back. DH also wants one of these accounts for his personal spending. He has suggested that any money he spends on food a work or if he fancies a couple of beers during the week he can then use this card as it will come out of his own personal spending money.

Nothing much else to report, £25 payment made to V1rgin card and payment to friend for event tickets as planned. Also have to cash flow 2 extra concert tickets DH bought for one of my favourite teenage bands this month!

Suffolk_lass

XSpender wrote: »

Thank you for this. I googled some questions related to the job role yesterday and feel a bit more confident as I could answer them competently with examples from my experience. Will prep those and the usual 'why do you want to work here', 'what are your weaknesses' etc.

I am not formally trained in my field, I've learnt it all on the job, so if they start asking me to explain Kotters 7 steps of change I'm knackered :eek:

Shows how out of date I am! I thought there were 8 steps :eek:

XSpender

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

Shows how out of date I am! I thought there were 8 steps :eek:

There probably are! That's how much I know!!:rotfl:

XSpender

Nipping on here for a break as the presentation I am writing is doing me 'ed in.

Budget is looking good. Helped by the payment to my CC being a % of last month's balance excluding the BT'd amount and the old CC being a % of the reduced amount. This has freed up some funds to buy DS some new school trousers and school shoes for next term. DPIL have bought him 3 tops, a pair of joggers and a pair of pyjamas so he is all set for next weeks hol.

My work shoes have gone to be re heeled (£6) and I have had 2 suits, a dress and 2 pairs of DH trousers dry cleaned for £42.

I have been to A5da this morning instead of alddee as I needed some products like GF oats and rooibos tea that Alddee don't sell. £39.81 spent which included £4 on PG T1ps and £5 on beer. We didn't need any veg or meat as still lots left over form last week that needs to be used before we go on holiday next Friday.

:j:j:j 7 sleeps! :j:j:j

We can use our theatre tickets for free public transport tomorrow so will park the car for free and take the train into the city.

DH CC letter has not arrived as yet so I do not know what his limit is and if we can BT his other balance or if they have given him enough to action the BT requested. It will feel very tidy having 2 CCs on long term 0% and 2 0% finance agreements one of which I am planning to settle early by the end of the year if it all goes through.

I have crunched some numbers and if I pay an extra £100 off the debt from September this year (£548 in total) and then an extra £52 when the carpets are paid off early in December (using the OP pot built up) I would be debt free just before my 52nd birthday which would be fabulous.

However, a new job will mean a bigger salary but would also likely mean purchasing a car which would increase the debt. I would also have to budget for fuel, insurance, roadside assistance and maintenance. I wouldn't be paying co car tax though which would probably cover all of the above :eek:

DH have been discussing our big birthdays next year and the special holiday we want to take to celebrate. We are considering using the money we are saving for this, and what we would spend on gifts for each other (I can't think of anything I would want), to buy a 2nd hand VW T5 camper conversion. This has been a dream of mine for a long time. We prefer holidays in Europe and the UK, love walking and being outdoors and don't really enjoy more than a week once every year or 2 at a resort. DS loves getting on a plane and spending the whole week in the pool so we would still do this occasionally.

This would be the gift/holiday that keeps on giving as could be used for weekends throughout the year and 2 weeks somewhere long haul would be forgotten quite quickly I think. The holiday memories that are strongest are those from our UK breaks. Something to research and ponder and at least a year to make a decision/save up.

Plans for this weekend:

Clean my minging house
Finish the washing (on with that now)
DH to do the ironing
Theatre trip and happy hour pizza
Buy wedding acceptance card (none in Asda????) and post
Buy lightbulbs (down to 2 out of 7 in the living room!)
Buy car charger for DS Sw1tch
Renew library books and select more for holidays (enrol DH?)
Start holiday packing/put stuff in a pile as I think of it
Pick up dry cleaning
Use up stuff in the fridge - make a list of what is in there
Make double batch of chilli
Rugby training with DS
Prepare for super early flight on Monday morning for work

Right, back to this presentation as I need it for Monday!

brizzlegirl

Hope you get a break this weekend of luck with interviews and everything. you’ll be great I am sure.

On the Monzo card for personal spends yes we have switched to that as a consequence of the Barefoot Budget and Oh and I each have separate cards on a joint account into which we move 10% of our income every month. This is separate to our joint main current account ..my card has Splurge written on it (Sharpies are the best :rotfl:) so that I know to use that for fun stuff like a beer or a cheeky sandwich out.

It’s a neat trick. And if you use the flash colourful ones like Monzo you probably don’t need the Sharpie identifier

XSpender

I had the interview yesterday, went OK but not brilliantly. Feeling 50/50 about it as I enjoy my work and am not desperate for something else but it would be an interesting position. It would be weird being based in an office full time again. Will hear before the Easter weekend.

DH BT card has a lower limit than we need to clear the MBNA balance so will BT the rest to his V1rg1n card for a smallish fee. I will then look for another fee free card late summer when the small balance on this card deal expires.

I have bitten the bullet and bought some clothes. Nothing extravagant but 2 pairs chinos, 2 tops, a pair of jeans and a bra from M&S/Next should keep me going for a while. I would have brought another bra but only 1 in my size in my preferred style. DH also got a new jumper. DPIL have bought DS more tops and joggers and a pair of shorts so he has a whole wardrobe of new clothes for his holidays.

We go on holiday early tomorrow morning. We are so excited you would think we were going somewhere exotic not for a week in a caravan.:rotfl: