The Edcawber Principle

edinburgher

@LadyGnome - I'm big enough and ugly enough to take people expressing their honest opinions! Thank you for doing so

I think there is a very good chance that you are right, which is why the next part of the plan seems good as it doesn't commit us to anything for 2+ years (is basically "save a pile of cash". There's a good chance that the pile of cash won't go towards an extension when we get there. Mrs E and I are very different in that I visualise changes all too easily and she can't visualise them for the life of her (whether it's the upheaval of moving house, or specific extension plans). If we're looking at substantially different circumstances in 2 years time and we can walk into a larger "base" house that still offers good schooling and all that jazz, I suspect my optimism and vision might win out over "stay put as it's familiar".

Today's financial news is that I've written our budget until August (the end of the mortgage holiday) and it's looking good. I also received a £101 refund from a cancelled birthday day out for DD. Current account is looking much healthier now, roughly -£400 allowing for future expenses that I should budget for.

LadyGnome

A pile of cash is always a good starting point. 
All your planning and organising will pay off. If you have a pile of cash then you have the power to choose what you do with it and that is one of life’s true luxuries. 

edinburgher

DD is 5 tomorrow

I had to wait for an hour in a queue to collect her bike from H@lford's, but it's shiny, purple and about a tenth of the weight of my first bike. I know that material things aren't the be-all and end-all in life, but they're important to children and she's going to love it!

Cue confused dad struggling with the most basic modifications, like fitting the stabilisers...

Grocery shopping seems to be getting out of hand, but we've got enough food until the end of next week and I was also able to pick up another 12 bags of bark chippings from L1dl (bark chippings and cardboard are my secret weapons in the war to make our garden look like I give a **** about gardens).

The first £100 has gone into our regular saver and while our budget is sitting at -£350 until the 28th (the best I could do with re-jigging), it feels like we have savings for the first time in a long time

beanielou

So cute.
A wee purple bike.
(My mobility scooter is purple!!)
A big girl who is 5
Where does the time go!!

rtandon27

5??? Ack when did that happen!?!

She's going to love her purple bike! What a great memory for a 5th birthday

Paspatur

Lovely I actually remember my 5th birthday no bike for me but it was the day I joined the library cos back in 19 oatcake you had to be 5 to join! I was allowed 1 book which I read outside the library and then tried to get another one and was told I couldn't do that until the next day, so the next day I got a bigger book! And so started a love of books which remains to this day and despite moving various times and distances over the next 55 years I now live round the corner from that same library. Happy birthday to your wee one xx

beanielou

Paspatur said:

Lovely I actually remember my 5th birthday no bike for me but it was the day I joined the library cos back in 19 oatcake you had to be 5 to join! I was allowed 1 book which I read outside the library and then tried to get another one and was told I couldn't do that until the next day, so the next day I got a bigger book! And so started a love of books which remains to this day and despite moving various times and distances over the next 55 years I now live round the corner from that same library. Happy birthday to your wee one xx

What a lovely library story 

[Deleted User]

Paspatur said:

Lovely I actually remember my 5th birthday no bike for me but it was the day I joined the library cos back in 19 oatcake you had to be 5 to join! I was allowed 1 book which I read outside the library and then tried to get another one and was told I couldn't do that until the next day, so the next day I got a bigger book! And so started a love of books which remains to this day and despite moving various times and distances over the next 55 years I now live round the corner from that same library. Happy birthday to your wee one xx

Living round the corner from a good library would be my dream location.  I'm green with envy.

Suffolk_lass

beanielou said:

Paspatur said:

Lovely I actually remember my 5th birthday no bike for me but it was the day I joined the library cos back in 19 oatcake you had to be 5 to join! I was allowed 1 book which I read outside the library and then tried to get another one and was told I couldn't do that until the next day, so the next day I got a bigger book! And so started a love of books which remains to this day and despite moving various times and distances over the next 55 years I now live round the corner from that same library. Happy birthday to your wee one xx

What a lovely library story 

I agree. Lovely.

Happy Birthday to Miss E. My parents could not afford the stabilisers to go with my first bike - so I had to learn to ride it straight away - it didn't take long - we learn so fast when we are young.

Loving the cardboard and bark chippings. I will not try to convert you. A nice big pot somewhere?

edinburgher

Gosh - I had forgotten how tiring it is when your child expects you to play with every single birthday present in the order they are unwrapped! The first shot on the bike was a bit of a disaster (not very confident), although trip two was great and trip three was also a disaster (fell off while accompanied by Mrs E) By "trip" I should explain that I mean driving round the corner to the empty gym car park...

Child benefit money received today and duly added to the budget. DD received a belated £30 birthday cheque and I've paid this into Vanguard already.

Budget now sitting at -£260, roll on Mrs E pay day in just over a week.

Pleased to see Nicola Sturgeon seeming cautiously optimistic today.