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

Sun_Addict

You’re not meant to work for more than 6 hours without a break of at least 20 minutes. As you did 8 hours by law you should’ve taken 30 minutes. Where I work they are super strict about this. Sometimes it’s not always possible though depending on what’s going off. 

Fingers crossed for a quiet day tomorrow.

Sunshine_girl2

Gosh that was a busy day for you. SA is correct about the break times , they really should let you take a longer break when you work so many hours. I hope you sleep well tonight and tomorrow is a little less hectic. 

milann

I used to always arrive early like you do then one day the traffic was awful and I arrived later - still 5 minutes before I was due. The teacher had a right go at me and I reminded her again of my start time. From then on I continued to arrive 5 minutes early and not the half hour I had been doing.....she wasn’t going to roll her eyes at me after I’d given her 10 extra hours a month.....funnily enough she became more appreciative and if it suited me I used to sometimes stay doing displays....which I enjoyed. This was at my last school, sometimes the more we give the more they expect.
I was thinking of you today when I visited a NT place near me. It’s the first time I’ve visited one since March. There are usually lots of deer. Today I didn’t see 1 - that’s the first time ever I haven’t seen any there.

HairyHandofDartmoor

jwil said:

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

beanielou said:

Wow that’s some Thursday. 

Hope tomorrow is quieter. 

Thanks both of you, I hope I don't have another day that tiring as it made me feel wiped out.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Sun_Addict said:

You’re not meant to work for more than 6 hours without a break of at least 20 minutes. As you did 8 hours by law you should’ve taken 30 minutes. Where I work they are super strict about this. Sometimes it’s not always possible though depending on what’s going off. 

Fingers crossed for a quiet day tomorrow.

Sunshine_girl2 said:

Gosh that was a busy day for you. SA is correct about the break times , they really should let you take a longer break when you work so many hours. I hope you sleep well tonight and tomorrow is a little less hectic. 

milann said:

I used to always arrive early like you do then one day the traffic was awful and I arrived later - still 5 minutes before I was due. The teacher had a right go at me and I reminded her again of my start time. From then on I continued to arrive 5 minutes early and not the half hour I had been doing.....she wasn’t going to roll her eyes at me after I’d given her 10 extra hours a month.....funnily enough she became more appreciative and if it suited me I used to sometimes stay doing displays....which I enjoyed. This was at my last school, sometimes the more we give the more they expect.
I was thinking of you today when I visited a NT place near me. It’s the first time I’ve visited one since March. There are usually lots of deer. Today I didn’t see 1 - that’s the first time ever I haven’t seen any there.

Thanks all of you 🙂. One of the teachers has warned me against doing too much for free and I know that you more you do the more they expect sometimes, but as I don't have a permanent TA position I feel like I have to go above and beyond 😕. I did feel a bit jaundiced on Thursday evening I must admit as I was so exhausted 😔. My fitbit said I'd done 13,000 steps just around school  .

What a cheek of your teacher to tell you off for not arriving early and working in your own time Milann 😡. Especially when we're barely above minimum wage.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Friday was much pleasanter as I was with the nice normal children and the more experienced teacher. I felt tired from the week though and had a sore throat all day 😦. The mood was a bit despondant in school because of changes to the management staff (one is leaving and the rest have to re-apply for their jobs) which will probably filter down to teaching and support staff eventually. I don't know whether the future changes could be an opportunity for me or whether I'll be out on my ear. Time will tell 🤔. Plus everyone is always tired on a Friday. The teachers had been writing reports for parents all week and hadn't had time to do their lesson planning, so they'll have to do it at the weekend which means they'll still be tired on Monday, although I know they all work weekends anway as they can't get all their work completed otherwise. I'd forgotten it was Children in Need day until the teacher handed out Pudsey Bear colouring sheets for the children to do in the late afternoon 🙂. When I got home DS1 said he'd had a really good day for various reasons which amused me as it was Friday 13th 😂.

In the evening my sore throat turned into a runny nose and sneezing so I didn't sleep very well 🤧. The weather is awful too, very windy, wet and gloomy outside 🌬🌧☔. I've decided I can't face going to Mr M today for a few bits we need, so I'll go tomorrow instead. Today I'm going to wash my school clothes so they have time to dry and just rest apart from that so I can get over my head cold.

Because my job feels even more insecure than usual I'm going to be very frugal and save as much of my wages as I can 🤔. We're very short of money anyway right now after paying out close to £1000 for the car tax, insurance and MOT/repairs last month. I earnt £700 last month and £600 of it got swallowed up by the car expenses. We also had to pay a £600 vat bill which swallowed up most of DH's earnings, so we've spent most of our EF on other bills now . I've been secretly saving £100 a month from my wages for five months now though, so I have a secret second EF of £500 which I'm determined not to spend as it helps me to sleep at night. Also DH may get some work in soon via his sister, so fingers crossed there.

I'm really enjoying sitting in my armchair wrapped in a blanket with a fancy latte ☕ next to me, browsing on here 😊. My school clothes are in the washing machine and I'll hang them up later. Apart from that I'm going to relax. I hope everyone has a good weekend 🙂.

beanielou

Have a relaxing weekend 😊

foxgloves

You defo deserve a restful weekend, HHoD. You've done very well to squirrel that extra money away while things are tight. A big 'well done' for that. I know you won't want to spend it, but you know it is there if you had to.
F x

Sun_Addict

I hope the school changes work out in your favour. Always a worry when things are being ‘restructured’.

tryingtodobetter

Hope you have a lovely relaxing weekend.