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

jwil

You are really proving your worth at school :T

I totally get your reasoning about not using the EF and it makes sense.

HairyHandofDartmoor

teafor2 wrote: »

Are you provided with coats HHD? The staff in reception were because the children could go in and out pretty much as they pleased and I know the lunchtime staff were. Although they were more waterproof than warm thinking about it.

Did you work all day volunteering or was it paid? Honestly, I really think you'd be top of the list if a vacancy ever came up because you're so adaptable.

Well done on remembering the coke and putting it in the fridge. Those 90p's will really start to add up and even if you forget the odd time it's better than buying one every day.

All this talk of rain has reminded me to ask if your DS g0t the roof leak sorted out? I hope he's not still sleeping on the sofa xx

Thanks TF2 . No we're not provided with anything other than a hi vis waistcoat that was miles too big so I bought my own :rotfl:. I just wear my own raincoat. I was volunteering all day today apart from lunchtime. I still worry that they'd give a job to the volunteer teacher if one came up, but you never know I suppose. I'm getting excellent experience anyway and my confidence is really growing.

They replaced a load of tiles on DS3's roof but it was still leaking, so now they think it may be a gap in the wall but the builder is busy :mad:. DH has been sleeping in his bed so far but hopefully he won't get too much heavy rain .

HairyHandofDartmoor

jwil wrote: »

You are really proving your worth at school :T

I totally get your reasoning about not using the EF and it makes sense.

Thanks Jwil .

HairyHandofDartmoor

I feel like I've had a bad day today . I started off feeling tired as I couldn't get to sleep for ages last night despite being tired at bedtime. It's because my mind was too full for me to unwind. Then I've had a difficult day today with two awkward children and a TA who was a bit rude to me and another MTA . It's funny how everything bad seems to happen on the same day. I know I'm just tired but I feel like I could possibly could have handled the awkward children better, although I know experienced TAs have had problems with those particular children so I should try not to beat myself up about it.

Then I got home to an email from NP0w3r saying they want to raise our payments by £4 a week . I don't know how we manage to use so much electricity and gas because I'm always turning lights off and we've only had the heating on twice for a few hours so far this autumn. I don't know what else I can possibly do to use less. It's because three of us are at home all the time using electricity :mad:.

Also we've had to use more money from DH's EF to pay the car tax which was £165 and the MOT and car insurance are going to expire very soon so that will be more EF money gone .

Anyway sorry for the whingy post. I feel like I had a really good day yesterday and a really bad one today to make up for it.

On the plus side I've booked myself a flu jab for two weeks time and remembered to post a new home card to my niece that's been in my bag for a few days.

teafor2

Hi HHD Some days are just like that especially when you're working with children. Even they have off days when they don't want to listen or do as they're told. I'd take comfort in the fact teachers struggle with them at times as well. She was probably grateful somebody else was dealing with them for a while.

The TA should definitely manage her manners better at work, but unless she makes a habit of being rude to you I'd write that off as her having a bad day as well.

I know you've recently said you don't want to ask your DS for more keep but if he's home all day I'm assuming he's using a fair bit of electricity. Maybe he could pay 1/3 of the £40 per month extra it's going to cost you. You'd only have to ask him for £3.50 per week to cover this. Your 1/3 is covered by taking cokes to work and you'll have to think of how your DH can cover his 1/3 :rotfl: xx

ETA - I thought I'd read £10 per week so even less for you all to find xx

HairyHandofDartmoor

teafor2 wrote: »

Hi HHD Some days are just like that especially when you're working with children. Even they have off days when they don't want to listen or do as they're told. I'd take comfort in the fact teachers struggle with them at times as well. She was probably grateful somebody else was dealing with them for a while.

The TA should definitely manage her manners better at work, but unless she makes a habit of being rude to you I'd write that off as her having a bad day as well.

I know you've recently said you don't want to ask your DS for more keep but if he's home all day I'm assuming he's using a fair bit of electricity. Maybe he could pay 1/3 of the £40 per month extra it's going to cost you. You'd only have to ask him for £3.50 per week to cover this. Your 1/3 is covered by taking cokes to work and you'll have to think of how your DH can cover his 1/3 :rotfl: xx

ETA - I thought I'd read £10 per week so even less for you all to find xx

Thanks TF2 . I hate feeling like I could have coped better, but it's probably just me being overly critical of myself.

The email from NP0w3r said our payment was going up £10 a week but then I checked the online statement and it said £4 a week. I think the statement is correct as the email didn't make sense :mad:. It's a still a lot but we need to try and use less. DS3 is at college too so we'll use even more when he gets home :eek:.

Andyjflet

Forgive me If I have missed something ? Shouldnt the emergency fund be for just that, your roof falling off or car breaking down ?

Surely Road Fund Licence and MOT are budgeted items which you know are going to come up at the same time every year ?

teafor2

£4 a week is a lot better than £10 ALL your cokes will cover that although I'd still be inclined to ask for a small contribution.

Oh don't remind me of the long Uni hols coming up, although I'm hoping with DD working in town and the festive parties, she'll decide to stay in her house as long as possible. The thought of long baths followed by long showers followed by hair drying followed by late night TV sessions and I can already see our supplier rubbing their hands together :rotfl: xx

HairyHandofDartmoor

Andyjflet wrote: »

Forgive me If I have missed something ? Shouldnt the emergency fund be for just that, your roof falling off or car breaking down ?

Surely Road Fund Licence and MOT are budgeted items which you know are going to come up at the same time every year ?

Well I don't know how much of my diary you've read Andy but it's very long so I suspect you've missed quite a lot .

Yes in an ideal world car expenses would be budgeted for, but that has not happened. Unfortunately our income is very low as well as erratic which makes budgeting very difficult.

HairyHandofDartmoor

teafor2 wrote: »

£4 a week is a lot better than £10 ALL your cokes will cover that although I'd still be inclined to ask for a small contribution.

Oh don't remind me of the long Uni hols coming up, although I'm hoping with DD working in town and the festive parties, she'll decide to stay in her house as long as possible. The thought of long baths followed by long showers followed by hair drying followed by late night TV sessions and I can already see our supplier rubbing their hands together :rotfl: xx

You're right TF2 my cokes will cover that . Hopefully they're overestimating how much fuel we'll use over the winter and and so hopefully it will go down again in time.

I love having DS3 home but he has his light on all day, his laptop on all day, an hour long shower every day :eek:. Well I'm glad it's not just me who has this problem :rotfl:.