Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

HairyHandofDartmoor

Scrimpess wrote: »

I've dipped in and out of your diary many times, HHOD, but although I've lurked on MSE for years have never joined the forums until last week:o. I hope you don't mind me joining in and posting on your diary as you've had such an interesting 'journey' to where you are now and, I'm sure, will continue to have lots of developments that resonate with many people.

Sadly, my parents took barely any photos:(. What I had to distribute between my siblings after my Mum died wouldn't have filled a child's shoebox:(. The amount you have inherited must seem overwhelming at the moment but also the source of lots of wonderful memories when you sort through them.


I suppose it must be very difficult when two older people remarry as they'll have duplicates of everything to fit into one home. I'm thinking furniture and general possessions, not photos. Is your Stepdad moving into his future wife's home or are they selling both and buying something new to them both? Always the best plan IMO to start afresh. I can understand why he feels he has to downsize his belongings in the circumstances and it's lovely that he's letting you have what you'd like.


Good luck for tomorrow. The First Aid course won't be anything to worry about. You'll probably find it fun.

Thank you Scrimpess. Of course I don't mind you joining in, I'm always pleased to hear from new readers .

Stepdad is moving into his future wife's house, so he does need to get rid of a lot of things. I'm pleased that he's letting me have furniture and things rather than selling them, that is nice of him I know and I'll treasure anything that belonged to my Mum. It is emotionally draining though.

Thanks for your reassurance about the first aid course, I don't know why I'm worried about it .

HairyHandofDartmoor

teafor2 wrote: »

Hi HHD It's been a tough few weeks physically and emotionally for you so maybe a change of scene and a different atmosphere for a few hours every day might be a blessing. I'm sure you'll be back in the swing of things at school before you know it.

I've hardly seen DD since she finished her first year what with her moving straight into the house and then finding herself a job so I know how you feel about DS going back Mind you, I've hardly seen DS either and he's still at home :rotfl: xx

Thank you TF2 . I hope when I get back to school that the change of scene will give me a different more positive mindset. I don't know why I'm reluctant to go .It has been a difficult few weeks emotionally and there are a combination of things going on.

If only our children enjoyed our company as much as we enjoy theirs!

HairyHandofDartmoor

Sun_Addict wrote: »

Tea for 2 I hardly see my DD who still lives at home, not necessarily a bad thing

HH you’ll be fine once you get back into the swing of it. Give it a couple of days and it’ll be like you’ve never been away. I’ve got my mums photos and diaries in a box. I look at them from time to time, 19 years ago yesterday since I lost her, still think of her every day, but it does get easier.

Have a good week xx

Thank you SA . I'm sure I will be fine once I get there, six weeks is a long time to be off so I've forgotten what I enjoy about school .

Photos are particularly emotional I think. I glad you look at photos and things of your Mum from time to time, I'm sure she would be glad to be remembered fondly. I know our Mum's wouldn't want us to be sad but it's hard not to be sometimes. I'm glad it gets easier over time.

Seasidegal58

Echoing the others in that once you get back to work after a few hours you'll feel you've been there forever! I always feel like this when I go back after a holiday or a few days off!:rotfl:

It's natural you'll miss DS3 when he goes back to uni - but hopefully your other two will keep you on your toes! Do you ever think about doing more with your OH - I mean just the two of you? I know money is still tight at the moment but perhaps go out for a day and stay somewhere overnight? At a reasonable cost of course - sometimes the national newspapers like The Sun have some very good offers. A change of scene for just the two of you.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Seasidegal58 wrote: »

Echoing the others in that once you get back to work after a few hours you'll feel you've been there forever! I always feel like this when I go back after a holiday or a few days off!:rotfl:

It's natural you'll miss DS3 when he goes back to uni - but hopefully your other two will keep you on your toes! Do you ever think about doing more with your OH - I mean just the two of you? I know money is still tight at the moment but perhaps go out for a day and stay somewhere overnight? At a reasonable cost of course - sometimes the national newspapers like The Sun have some very good offers. A change of scene for just the two of you.

Thanks SSG . DH and I are planning on staying in a hotel overnight when we take DS3 back to uni, if we can find one cheap enough. Not really a holiday, but at least we'd be doing something together.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I survived my first aid course! On the letter we were given last term it said arrive at 9am for a 9.30am start. Well it started at 9am sharp so it's lucky I got there early :eek:. It was 9am until 3.15pm and very intensive and I had brain ache by the end, but I learnt a lot and hopefully I'll remember it all in a real life situation. We only had thirty minutes for lunch so I'm glad I took a packed lunch and my own hot drinks with me. We had a test at the end so I hope I've passed and get my competency certificate. I guess I'll find out later this week.

While I was in school I asked the head teacher to sign my Level 3 permission form, which she did, so I can go and enrol on the Level 3 course any time I want now :T. I may do that tomorrow as I have a day off.

I feel completely exhausted now so I'm really glad I have a day off tomorrow!

HairyHandofDartmoor

In good news, DS3's housemates said whoever has the box room in the house doesn't have to pay rent, so DS3 volunteered to have it. He'll still have to pay bills but he'll save £500 a month :T so we advised him to save the money. Because he doesn't need to bag a good room he's happy to go up later too, so we should have him home for another week or two which I'm really pleased about .

teafor2

Hi HHD Glad the first aid course went well and you're able to enrol for your Level 3.

That's excellent news about the room. A saving of £500 a month isn't to be sniffed at. I'm convinced DD would have done the same thing.

Have a lovely evening. xx

HairyHandofDartmoor

teafor2 wrote: »

Hi HHD Glad the first aid course went well and you're able to enrol for your Level 3.

That's excellent news about the room. A saving of £500 a month isn't to be sniffed at. I'm convinced DD would have done the same thing.

Have a lovely evening. xx

Thank you TF2 . DS3 is very canny with money. I've no idea where he gets it from, clearly not from DH or me :rotfl:. Or perhaps he's learning from our awful example to be the opposite of us :eek:.

[Deleted User]

A very successful day all round for you HHOD:). The First Aid course over and done with (and I'm sure you'll have 'passed'), nothing in the way of your enrolling for your Level 3 NVQ, and DS being able to stay at home a bit longer. I bet you're feeling altogether relieved this evening so I hope you can relax and enjoy it:beer:


Lucky DS not having to pay ANY rent. Even though he's having the box room he is still living there after all and presumably using the same facilities that the other housemates are like the kitchen and bathroom. I think the others are being very generous. He's a lucky young man:j