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

HairyHandofDartmoor

The weekend seemed to whizz by. Yesterday felt busy as I'd been given a new schedule of activities to get my head round, but now I've done them once it will be easier next time. I spent an hour trudging around in the rain 🌧 at lunchtime though and felt cold because I wore my raincoat instead of my winter coat and forgot my gloves 🧤. We had a Mr T delivery while I was at school.

This morning I was in the difficult class, but they were reasonably calm (for them). Mind you it helps that one of the naughtiest children is self-isolating at home 😁. I feel like I did well supporting the boy that has learning and behavioural difficuties and I got him to do all of his work 🙂. I think it helps that we're getting to know each other and can build a relationship. It was dry with sunny ☀️ spells at lunchtime too which is always pleasanter. I had my winter coat on but forgot my gloves 🧤 again. I nipped to Mr M on the way home and got a few bits that weren't on the Mr T delivery. I can't believe how much we're spending on food at the moment 😠. I don't think we're eating more so food must have got more expensive and we're also keeping our stock levels higher than we used to.

It sounds like it could be very good news about this new covid-19 vaccine so I really hope that it passes the final tests and is rolled out. I know it will take time to vaccinate everybody, but it gives me hope that one day we can get back to our normal lives 🙂.

I haven't checked my credit score for about two years, so I checked it last night via the MSE Credit Club and my score has improved a lot 🙂. My credit score was Fair (instead of Very Poor last time I checked 😱) and I scored 868 out of 999 which I know is a lot higher than before (I'm sure I scored about 200 last time 😱). I still have four defaults showing on my file but they should drop off gradually from next February onwards, which should improve my score. It doesn't really matter in the sense that I don't want any credit, but it's still nice to have a good score as it will make me feel better about myself.

Well that was a boring post 🤔. I hope everyone is having a good Tuesday.

Sunshine_girl2

It wasn't boring in the least, I enjoy hearing about your time at school. Please remember your gloves tomorrow put  them in your pocket when you read this 😂. 

I seem to be spending more on food at the minute as well mine has been restocking things like tins , coffee and tea though as I had let it run down quite a lot. 

I think it's good to check your credit report, as I am manic about fraud, I think it goes back to my banking days. 

I dislike November as it's my brothers anniversary in a week or so, I remember events leading up to the day . I have felt a bit down this week and I think it's the memories and the trauma that come back. 

Have a good evening HH. 

elizabethhull

I'm also a member of the 'spending more on food at the moment' club ! I actually said to the delivery guy this morning that it looked like a lot of food for just 2 people (but he didn't comment !).I think for me it's a reaction to all the things about life at present that I hate and can't control - but I CAN control what we eat. At least that's my excuse for having started on the mince pies already !!!

As my lovely Aunt was in care up till ~18mths ago, I'm so glad she never had to experience what a lot of residents are finding so hard ie no visits. DH, DB and I all went separately once a month, and a variety of other family members less frequently, plus the occasional friend, so she had lots of visitors in total. She would have found it all very distressing as we would have on her behalf, so, much as I miss her, I feel she was 'saved' from all this.

doingitanyway

Another one not bored in the least. You have also prompted me to check my credit report too.
I have noticed food prices are increasing too, partly fewer and less favourable special offers. 
I hope tomorrow goes well at school.

beanielou

Great news on the defaults coming off HHD & higher credit score.
Sorry to read that Sunshine Girl  Remember to be kind to yourself  xx

Willowtree222

I agree on the food prices. It seems a lot of food has gone up a little bit and that turns into pounds when shopping. 
Sometimes just one student can make sure a difference. I hope that it continues to stay settled. x

foxgloves

I enjoy hearing about your work at school, HHoD - I worked with children & young people before I took VR & was entertained by them on almost a daily basis!
My Mum (who was the same age as yours, as would have been 84 next month) would also have been delighted with the election result.
F x

HairyHandofDartmoor

Thanks for being interesting in my blatherings 🙂 .

Yesterday went well with the tricky boy in that I got him to do all his work again. He did spread glue all over his desk so that everything was sticking to it 🤣 but he did that when I was outside working with a different child so I don't feel responsible for that 🤣.  I remembered my gloves and managed to dodge the rain at lunchtime.

I'm absolutely cream crackered today though 😩. I arrived at 8.30am as usual (I don't get paid until 8.55am) and I normally have twenty five minutes to discuss with the teacher the morning's schedule, open the classroom windows, etc, drink coffee and get my head in the right place. But this morning the tricky boy came in ten minutes early as he'd fallen over on the way to school and grazed his face, so I had to start looking after him before I was even getting paid. By the time I'd sorted him out in first aid the other children had all flooded into the classroom, so not the best start to the day 🙄. The tricky boy did half his maths and then he'd had enough so he threw all his cubes on the floor. I knew I'd lost him at that point so I took him back into the classroom. The rest of the day was also a bit chaotic. For example I was about to do something, then the teacher asked me to fetch an ice pack for a girl, when I got back with the ice pack the girl had vanished and it turned out a different teacher had taken her to the library, so off I went to the the library, then back to the classroom to try and remember what I was about to do, then the tricky boy started kicking off again so I had to distract him with an activity... and so the day went on. The tricky boy has new hearing aids but he keeps taking them off and chewing them or throwing them on the floor and today he managed to snap one of them 😱😱😱.

To add to my exhausting day I was on morning playground duty and there was a zoom meeting after school 😭. So I was at school from 8.30am until 4.30pm with only a fifteen minute break. I feel as though an employment law must be being broken there, but I can't complain as I'm grateful for the work. I am so tired now though that I want to sit here and not get up again until tomorrow 😩. Thank goodness DH is cooking tonight and it's nearly the weekend. I'm so glad today is over. Luckily I'm in the nice normal class tomorrow and I won't be on playground duty. Phew. 

I hope everyone else has had a less hectic Thursday than me 🙂.

jwil

What a hectic day!  Hope you manage to get some rest tonight and have a calmer day tomorrow x

beanielou

Wow that’s some Thursday. 

Hope tomorrow is quieter.