Taking it slowly, but doing it well.

pinkypig

Hope you're feeling better. When do you start your new job? Xx

wishingthemortgaheaway

Thanks Michelle and Pinky. Feeling better than before, but still not right. A friend says it sounds like the same illness she had a couple of weeks ago and the stomach cramps lasted a week! Great!

The job starts tomorrow eeeeek eeeeek eeeek. I'm just hoping I can get enough sleep tonight, I've got a 3 hour drive to get to the office (thankfully I've only got to go there 4 times a year) I think I'm ready. We'll see.

Today we've been to the Childminder's to sort all the paperwork out. And... it's working out a lot cheaper than I thought it was going to. We are entitled to the tax free child care system and we only really pay for 46 weeks a year (taking 6 weeks holiday) so I've worked out the monthly cost based on 46 & 52 weeks and am going to do a monthly transfer into the tax free account somewhere in the middle to start with. This will build us up a bit of a buffer in case we need the odd extra day every now and then.

After nap time we did the food shop. We would have come in pretty much on the my supermarket estimate had I not bought a pair of work trousers (essential as I threw all my work clothes out when I went on Mat leave, as they were all too big) and £10 worth of Pickle's oaty bars. They were at the key £2 per box price. Yes, it's still expensive, but I've not found a suitable cheaper or homemade alternative as yet.
However I've only spent £80 on 2 week's worth of food shopping and I'm really budgeting £50 a week, so I'm currently winning this battle.

I'm hoping tomorrow will be a nsd. I've packed some snacks and a pack up for either lunch or tea (I think lunch is being provided, but not sure yet)

Right, attempting to go to sleep.

1 sleep till the new job. (arghhhhhh)

Update on day 7

MSE NOVEMBER GOALS

1)MOP pot total of £276.10
Target 1: interest accrued £63.64/£73.99
Target 2: next 1% paid 0/£2.11
Target 3: £400 capital reduction 0/£100
Target 4: £500 capital reduction 0/£100

2) new sling fund £40/£110

3) surveys, cashback etc £0.09/£30
£0.09 Qm33

4) Nsds 4/13

muddywhitechicken

Good luck!

DrSpendLittle

Good luck today!

Silence101

I hope your first day is going well, and the driving isn't too bad!

michelle09

Hope your first day was ok?

wishingthemortgaheaway

thank you everyone for your good wishes. My first day went really well. Travel down was fine 3 hours via the toll road, all sorted. Coming back was 4 hours (not via the toll, but that's not where the hold ups were) need to have a go at using the train next time.

The hr bloke was off sick so they had to muddle through with some things, but I'll do a Skype call with him next week to go over the things missed by my admin boss. (I have an admin boss and a strategic boss)

It was completely different to the first day of a teaching job, much more slower paced and relaxed, I like that.

The organisation I work for don't have any other home workers, so there are things I've been given that I don't really need (a swipe card for the entire building - I'm only there 4 times a year) and things I've not got, but I do need, a photo id for when I'm out on visits. - they are going to sort that though and should post it out to me in a few days.

I've got my laptop, but not my phone. I was asked if I had a preference for a phone (I don't but do want a semi- smart check my emails phone) so that will also be sent on shortly.

We've agreed that my annual schedule of work will begin in January, but I will work 8 days between now and the end of the year (it's only an average of 1 day a week job anyway) to set up the systems and get my head around everything. I need to meet up with the person who's been caretaking the role for a hand over from him, but he's only about an hour away, so I'm hoping to arrange that for next week.

In mse news (after all, that's why we're here)
Toll charge is expensable so a nsd!!

0 sleeps till the new job. - successful day woop woop

Update on day 8

MSE NOVEMBER GOALS

1)MOP pot total of £276.10
Target 1: interest accrued £63.64/£73.99
Target 2: next 1% paid 0/£2.11
Target 3: £400 capital reduction 0/£100
Target 4: £500 capital reduction 0/£100

2) new sling fund £40/£110

3) surveys, cashback etc £0.09/£30
£0.09 Qm33

4) Nsds 5/13

Silence101

Great news, I'm glad it went well, although a 7 hour commute is quite something!

wishingthemortgaheaway

Silence101 wrote: »

Great news, I'm glad it went well, although a 7 hour commute is quite something!

I hadn't thought of it like that, but next week's commute is a 10 second walk up the stairs, so it will even out.

wishingthemortgaheaway

Morning all,

I was exhausted yesterday so no post from me, I crawled into bed super early. Pickle has slept through for the first time in about a week tonight, I. Am just hear him starting to stir now, so hopefully he'll be in a good mood when he wakes up.

Yesterday was the start of a few days where I will spend money.
I went to the danger shop with a friend (wool, fabric, all things crafty) I did stick to my list - fabric and other bits to make Pickle a draw string bag for the Childminder's. (Need to crack on with this, he starts on Tuesday) and buttons for a jumper my mum knitted me, and I need to finish off. £1 each for the buttons (I needed 14!) was a bit steep, but I needed large ones.

Today I'm hoping to do a trampolining or soft play trip with Pickle and one of his little friends. Depends on how well little friend has slept. The other option today is mum's gathering at the coffee shop, all options work out about the same price.

Heading towards the middle of the month so very dull on the money front, easy, start of the month wins for the mop pot have happened and end of the month underspends not there yet. Which is annoying as I'm very close on the 'interest accrued ' mop pot target. I really need to persevere with some surveys, but I'm finding them very dull and repetitive at the moment. I think I may have been black listed from PA, I haven't had anything in about 5or 6 weeks.
I'm quite close on vo - only £2 ish to go before I can cash out the voucher I want to order Pickle's totally extravagant advent calendar. That should motivate me.

Cleaner is coming today, as I wasn't well on Monday, so need to do a quick cleaner proofing this morning, but it's actually not too bad all round. I'll do the washing and hang it up in the bathroom after she's been.

I also want to make a sponge cake today. I need to test the new oven out for baking. I made a crumble yesterday - 12 minutes which was amazing. So want to try a sponge cake before I do the Christmas cake. (Fruit already soaking for this)

Right, I'm off, I'm waffling. Might try some surveys before before Pickle gets up.

Update on day 9

MSE NOVEMBER GOALS

1)MOP pot total of £276.10
Target 1: interest accrued £63.64/£73.99
Target 2: next 1% paid 0/£2.11
Target 3: £400 capital reduction 0/£100
Target 4: £500 capital reduction 0/£100

2) new sling fund £40/£110

3) surveys, cashback etc £0.09/£30
£0.09 Qm33

4) Nsds 5/13