The Edcawber Principle

edinburgher

I am very frustrated with myself. During Lockdown 1 my boss was not particularly understanding about our circumstances and the fact that home schooling meant that I couldn't work full-time. This was perhaps understandable - it is a public sector job and I was being paid full wages. During subsequent lockdowns I have tried to keep my hours up to close to full-time as 1) I wanted to smooth things over with my boss (who is a decent guy in most respects) and 2) I don't want my peers to feel put upon because of my personal circumstances. Because of this, I went out this morning when I probably shouldn't have.

The owner of the other car has since come to my door and seemed like a very reasonable chap. He seemed keen to potentially not get insurers involved, but as we re collectively looking at replacing 3-4 panels between us, I couldn't see any way in which this would be cheaper than our excesses (if we have to pay these)? Do people do this to protect their no claims discounts? I couldn't see the point in going down this route - I'm obliged to contact my insurer anyway, so I'll already pay when it comes to the next premium. On that front, I'm now allowing for up to £900 next year. Am giving serious thought to giving up driving, or going back to a supermini.

I have requested a quote from the garage who fixed the car after my only proper "crash" (dark road in the Borders in mid-December). They have said that because the bumper is mangled, the car is no longer considered to be roadworthy and they will collect it and drop off a courtesy car tomorrow. They are very good and will also pay the excess, which means I don't have to find £350. The insurer tried to get me to use one of their approved network, but the only real benefit was a guarantee for the work for the life of the warranty (which is already gone).

I was able to pay the increased budgeted amount for insurance for this month from spare monies and have jiggled all accounts so that holiday is now 81% paid for. I literally have no more money until one of us is paid again, but I feel the outcome of this has been much less bad than last time. If you'd told me a year ago we could survive a car crash and a dead tumble dryer within a few days of each other I'd have laughed. Onwards and upwards, go go resilience.

Greying_Pilgrim

Thank goodness it was only metal and plastic that was 'injured', ed, and that your financial wizardry has yielded stability in times of accident and incident.  

Onwards & upwards indeed! 😊

Greying X

beanielou

Glad that you are ok.
My car is like a sledge in the snow

Suffolk_lass

I'm glad to hear there was no damage to humans. That sounds flippant. I will explain.

DH's two car accidents killed three cars but he was OK. His blood pressure and heart rate raced after he flipped the old car into a tree and ditch (he was monitored in the ambulance they called because he was obviously going to be hurt - but he was miraculously not) - with the second he woke up just before hitting the car in front and was fortunate not to cause it to hit cars in front of it (that had stopped) but he wrote theirs off too. That second one is just dropping off his and my record (it was my car and policy) - but it is only money and nothing when compared to people. Think knackered teacher, Friday night, busy trunk road, dozed off.

Re White Goods, I look at where they are made now. And I check Which? and other reviews. I am not going to jinx my washing machine or tumble dryer by saying more. 

I stuck to soup for lunch and sausage bake with steamed greens followed by Greek-style yogurt last night so hopefully my stuck weight will have moved down a bit more today (if not it is because I have been indoors since Tuesday!!).

Hopefully your "diet wine" is working. My neighbour wants to borrow the book after hearing that is what I am doing. She is diabetic. My Mum told me about my diet last night having read it in the paper. You've got to love the store she sets by reading the paper (and it's The Torygraph) - I have been telling her for three years at least!! - Apparently it's really good now!

edinburgher

@Suffolk_lass - I take it as a sign of MFW Stockholm syndrome when I'm actually quite excited about my new TD arriving on Sunday. It has made me think we probably wash laundry too often. For example, DD pyjamas changed every night. I get that in summer, but she barely sweats bar her feet and she's 5! Need to have a think about that.

Today was pretty good, although I was a little frazzled communicating with the garage and trying to home school DD (she missed yesterday's work as her grandparents aren't really set up technologically to work through it with her). The mechanic who collected it was gently ribbing me about the number of times we have made use of their services but luckily instant karma struck and he was hit with a mini avalanche from the solar panels!   Still, 'twas all in good fun...

Our laptop webcam had stopped working entirely, but I managed to get it fixed with some fairly tedious trial and error and at least half a dozen restarts. I'd love a new laptop (I download oodles of free games from a popular website but our antiquated machine can't manage most of them), but it's not top of my list of priorities.

Behaved myself with my diet. Yesterday was bacon and eggs for breakfast, a tiny bit of smoked salmon and trout caviar for lunch and a gammon steak for dinner. Today was bacon for breakfast, chicken satay for lunch and dinner a bit more balanced with plenty of salad veg, a mug of delicious butternut squash soup made by Mrs E, a few slices of cured polish sausage and scrambled eggs. 908 cals so far.

Managed to scrounge up the princely sum of £2.39 to pay towards holiday fund. Not sure if I said, but E@syjet made small change to our Greece flights, so I could request a refund. They wouldn't refund the London flights, but it would be c. £700 back, plus £2,500 freed up if we cancel hotel. Still, really, really want a holiday, it's our 10th anniversary and it's not only my decision. Would definitely start off our renovation fund tho...

beanielou

Pj's every second night now for big girls at school.
I think a holiday sounds good ~~ maybe not this year though!

greent

Yep - PJs every other night here for the kids   

Suffolk_lass

Nightmare with your old laptop - if it fails (or even for when DD is going to her GrandP's) I recommend a Chromebook. We got mine to replace my old Windows 7 laptop that I used to take away for work, back in the day before I had a Surface Pro. It's great for online learning, zoom and sharing docs or sheets in google drive (eg showing work to teachers). As I mentioned, DS got one to tide him over last week after his i-Mac failed to load the new OS upgrade properly - it was £200. I realise that does not help the holiday or renovation plans but a bit less stress never hurt anybody. I probably told you my old laptop is now with the local High School and being upgraded to Windows 10 with a little memory upgrade it is going to a pupil. Who knew! It was at least ten years old.

Diet wise I had soup and then sausage salad (I know, who wants salad at this time of year!?) and a handful of bombay mix while on the 2 hours+ call with my pals - 15 of us last night! yet to weigh in but I suspect a gain or plateau as I am just not burning it off

edinburgher

@Suffolk_lass - I think a Chromebook might be in order when DD is a little older and starts to hog the computer - friends tell me I have 2-3 years! For now, I suspect we'll limp along with what we've got. People sometimes knock Dell, but I've been amazed by the longevity of this device (very bottom of what was the top end in 2010).

I love salad all year round, as does Mrs E. In her case, I blame her Dad. As a continental European it is in his DNA 

1.8lbs off today. As I'd had a midweek blip, it's only actually 1.4lbs, now 15st 9lbs  One of my first goals will be to get out of the obese BMI range - 10lbs to go and feels eminently achievable. I know from having a work risk assessment (we all got one) that if I can get to overweight I will sit in the lowest risk ranking for Covid-19 in the workplace, weight was the only factor that counted against me.

The rain has come like a blessing to drive away the snow. I can't help but wish it had come two days earlier, but c'est la vie! Having a coffee in bed, a lazy family morning and a family walk in the rain later on.

No finance news, but that's ok sometimes. Might take a look at a drawer of eB@y items later for any quick wins. Have a good Saturday all 🥳

Karmacat

Wow.  So you guys are basically doing a new version of Atkins?  Is that right?  Is there a new book that you're working from?  I think a short sharp shock to shake up my digestive system (when I've finished all the finance carp) might be a really good idea.  Protein ... nuts, seeds, eggs, goat cheese.  Does hummus count?  Oils and butter ... argh, tell me the name, I have to join in, even if for a week.  Just getting half a stone off would make things really different for me.
Yikes to the crash, Ed!  I'm glad you're all okay.