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

HairyHandofDartmoor · 7 October 2020 at 9:42AM

teafor2 said:

Hi HHD I'm sure your sister is very appreciative of the time you spent with her and it's lovely she knows you're there to talk to. It's really hard when family don't live near you though isn't it. Crikey, that sounds a bit scary at the surgery doesn't it. Hope DH's review was OK.

Have you considered joining an agency while you look for long term work. I'm not sure how many hours you work though so maybe that's too big a gamble giving up the hours you definitely have. DS already has some agency teachers in to cover staff that have had to self isolate so it might be something that's really needed at the moment - not wishing covid on self isolation on anybody obviously. I've no idea if you have to pay to be on their books but I can remember we had a couple of teachers who were with us for months covering long term staff sickness and we also had TA's but from memory I they were more on a daily basis. xx

Thanks TF2

. I feel so sorry for my sister and I know she would do the same for me if I was in a similar position.

I think joining an agency would be a gamble as I'm guaranteed £200 a month from my MTA job plus I'm doing two and a half days of TA cover at the moment. My school never uses an agency for covering TAs, it just manages without them by sharing existing staff around (or using me) as they seem very short of money. It's only teachers that come from agencies. They're only paying me for the cover as one TA is taking unpaid leave so they're paying me her money, iyswim. There seems to be no spare money at the moment.

HairyHandofDartmoor · 7 October 2020 at 9:52AM

elizabethhull said:

Your Sunday phone call sounds like a very valuable use of your time. You were there for your sister, and if it takes 3 hours to give her the support she needs, it's lovely to be able to provide it.

My nephew, back on cannabis, jobless, homeless and much more, phoned me the other week and for the hour he spoke about how his (long-suffering) parents didn't understand or support him (they've spent thousands on multiple bail-outs), all I could think was that while he was talking to me he was at least safe. He's taken to supplying drugs to fund himself.

Wow, that was unusual for a doctor's visit, I'd more expect it at a pharmacy than a surgery.

Your Primani purchases are amazing. I've only been once and found that their sizes seemed way smaller than, say M&S, so nothing fitted ! On the other hand, I did find a leopard-print plush dressing gown for DD1 for £5. You couldn't buy things at a charity shop for those prices.

Thanks Elizabeth

. I do want to be available to support my sister as she's having a tough time and I know she would do the same for me if I was in a similar situation, so I was willing to stay on the phone for as long as she needed me. Unfortunately the restrictions are tighter in Scotland and she's not allowed to visit anyone indoors now (apart from her daughter who's in her bubble) and it's a bit cold for outdoor socialising, so she only talks to people at work now. Thank goodness she has her job and she works in a school like me so her workplace is not likely to close.

It must be such a worry for your family about the situation with your nephew. All you can do is be there for him and provide emotional support and hope that he finds his way out of the situation he's in. I imagine financial support would be spent on drugs but it must be so hard for his parents. Does he have mental health issues? Most people in that situation do I think.

Primani is astonishingly cheap. I agree about the sizings being smaller than M&S. I need to try on the vest tops and see if they fit me as I know their sizings are for skinny teenagers. Mind you DH bought some jersey track suit trousers (lounge trousers?) for wearing around the house there for a fiver a year ago (they're still going strong) and he is far from skinny!!!

teafor2 · 7 October 2020 at 3:01PM

Hi HHD

No I definitely wouldn't gamble £200 plus 2.5 days TA work a week either. Although the MTA job impacts on you not being able to work full days elsewhere the positive is you're in school and on hand so they can always ask you to step in to cover staff. I think the way to go is what you've said and that's to look for a full time job. Hope you've had a good day. xx

HairyHandofDartmoor · 7 October 2020 at 5:07PM

teafor2 said:

Hi HHD No I definitely wouldn't gamble £200 plus 2.5 days TA work a week either. Although the MTA job impacts on you not being able to work full days elsewhere the positive is you're in school and on hand so they can always ask you to step in to cover staff. I think the way to go is what you've said and that's to look for a full time job. Hope you've had a good day. xx

Thanks TF2

. I think so too.

milann · 7 October 2020 at 5:07PM

Good luck applying for a full time job. I’d drop it into conversation at work - might make them rethink how they use you if they think they might loose you.
My school aren’t coving TAs or LSAs at the moment either - just sharing the workload around. I’m not quite sure how they get away with it as some children are allocated hours- but they do.......
I’ve had jumpers from Primani that have lasted years and some that have washed terribly- luck of the draw. I haven’t been for ages as they’ve rearranged the shop and I don’t like it. Once I get a bit more energy I might have to remedy that 👍

HairyHandofDartmoor · 7 October 2020 at 5:17PM

School was fine today and they asked me to cover first aid 🤕🤒 which made a change. I had a steady stream of minor inuries to attend to and lots of form filling, but it was more restful than what I normally do 🙂.

I managed to get a flu jab in Sup3rdrug this afternoon 😁😁😁🎉🎉🎉. I didn't think I would get a private one very easily as my local chemist are not taking bookings until they get a new delivery and they said sign up to the waiting list online but the link was missing 🙄. Mr T aren't taking private bookings atm, and Mr M said they already had 200 people on their waiting list so wouldn't put me on it 😳. Anyway I'd rung Sup3rdrug yesterday and they said ring back today and they rang me this morning to say they'd had a delivery, so I said I'd nip round this afternoon and have a jab. I'm very relieved 🙂 as children are super spreaders of flu, I'm 56 and I have asthma, so I feel I'm at high risk.

I also collected my winter coat from the dry cleaners and bought some more food whilst there. It feels like an expensive day but worth it. It's felt a bit warmer the past couple of days but I'm sure my winter coat will come in useful very soon. Now I'm resting before I have to cook dinner.

I hope everyone is having a good Wednesday 🙂.

HairyHandofDartmoor · 7 October 2020 at 5:22PM

milann said:

Good luck applying for a full time job. I’d drop it into conversation at work - might make them rethink how they use you if they think they might loose you.
My school aren’t coving TAs or LSAs at the moment either - just sharing the workload around. I’m not quite sure how they get away with it as some children are allocated hours- but they do.......
I’ve had jumpers from Primani that have lasted years and some that have washed terribly- luck of the draw. I haven’t been for ages as they’ve rearranged the shop and I don’t like it. Once I get a bit more energy I might have to remedy that 👍

Thanks Milann

. The HT does know that I want a full time job and that if I lose my TA cover I'll look elsewhere, so I know that any work that's available is likely to be offered to me.

My Primani gloves seem okay at the moment, but I'll be interested to see how long they last. I haven't managed to try on the vest tops yet.

foxgloves · 7 October 2020 at 6:35PM

So glad you got your flu jab, HHoD. It was a big weight off my mind when we were phoned recently to say it was our turn from the list. You & me.... we're a funny age (I can say that cos we're exactly the same age!) & I think we probably just need to start being a bit more careful. I know you've been hit hard by flu in the past, as I have, so I consider my £12 jab to be well worth the money.
F x