Cheery's country living adventure

missymoo81

Love a bit of money shuffling cheery. You’ve made me want a bath! Will have one when I get home I think! 

Karmacat

Good for you on the moneyshuffling - my brain seems to freeze up when I try!

Cheery_Daff

I must confess I've not actually managed any money shuffling yet! Felt really tired this morning, so I curled up with my knitting and watched some talks from a little conference thing (not work related) that I would have gone to usually, but it's all online this year, so that was nice. Then I pottered in the garden for a bit, did a bit of weeding and created an autumnal kind of flower arrangement thing for the living room. And then I've just had what was meant to be a video crafting session with a friend, but neither of us actually ended up getting much crafting done I did do a bit more knitting though! 

Just going to have another cuppa I think, then get back outside for a bit

Cheery_Daff

Well I confess we ended up sneaking off to the cafe again, oh dear! So that was another £9 spent. Honestly, that cafe does pretty well out of us - we only usually have a drink, occasionally toast or a scone, so we usually just spent £5-10, but we do end up in there sometimes four (or even five!!)times a week  

Well worth it as far as I'm concerned for sanity purposes, certainly at the minute. And it's a lovely little small business which I'm very happy to support. I suppose it's good to know that if things ever got desperate we've got something we could give up (although our joint treats budget, which covers our tea and scone habit, will be the last thing to go I reckon!)

Never got round to bank shuffling, and I probably won't today now, never mind. I did have an email from a bloke I asked to quote for our tree planting - he wants to come out and see where they're going. Fine (although I'm not sure why - the national park geezer has already approved the site, maybe he's just checking access or whatever). 

Anyway, the national park are funding all this (and I am SO thankful!), but we do have to shell out for the contractor and claim back, so it'll be interesting to see how much it turns out to be. 

Nothing else financial to report, oh, except a letter from the LPG people saying our gas is going up by 3p per litre. I never did get round to doing a fix with them, and now it may be too late. Will prioritize that this week (they're only open when I'm at work, and I've just been so busy these last few weeks I've not had time for life admin during work hours!)

Could do with another few days of weekend I think...

Cheery_Daff

Evening chums

Another long and busy day at work But it ended well with a nice session with some enthusiastic students which was great  

Had a couple of people get back to me about tree quotes, one is coming to visit at the weekend, the other is emailing a quote (in fact he may have already done so).

Had a letter to say LPG is going up 3p a liter, and a text to say they're delivering tomorrow, so I've missed my chance to get a cheaper deal for this tank full. I was annoyed at myself briefly, but I've just been SO very busy with no time to be messing about during work hours, that I'm going to forgive myself. Over the amount we need delivered it works out about an extra probably £30, and that'll likely last us til after Christmas, so I'm count it as Idiot Tax (or in this case Sanity Tax...).

Not sure there's anything else to report. Just remembered I've still not had an invoice from the garage for the MOT! I picked it up and nobody charged me, I rang as soon as I realised and they said they'd send an invoice, but it's been a week now and no sign. Hey ho, haven't got time to chase them, I'm going back with the same car next week so I imagine they can collect it then.

That's it I think! Need to check mortgage balance for the Mortgage Challenge but not tonight. I was asleep by 9.30 last night and I imagine it won't be far off that tonight either...

Karmacat

You're very busy!  I'm familiar with the Idiot Tax, but don't have the reasons that you do

rtandon27

Cheery - I've never heard either term before but am loving both Idiot Tax & Sanity Tax

Sometimes paying a bit extra helps with balance in other aspects of our lives!  Earlier this summer our neighbour was horrified that I'd paid 20 more than he did for a tank of heating oil, but I reminded him that the time it took him to find that deal was time I'd been working and earning 3 times that!

We were pleasantly surprised last week when our car insurance renewal actually went down! - only 7GBP but still it's more in my pocket and less in theirs!

Cheery_Daff

Ha, yes I confess I do sometimes draw a line under price comparing (for some reason car insurance makes me the most annoyed...)

I think I just invented sanity tax well, I' sure someone else will have used it, but don't think I've heard it before anyway. Love Idiot Tax though - you may remember we paid £288 of it recently when we had to get someone to come out and cut a new key for the car - only to find the (only) previous one hanging on a clothes rail near the bed...

Managed to finish work at 6 today! Pretty early by recent standards! Mind you, I've done several hours of teaching today which have required an awful lot of ME talking so I was quite hoarse by then. Hoping I don't have to talk much tomorrow!

missymoo81

Ah cheery! You’re working so hard, make sure you take some Time for a nice bath and a chill. I know the feeling of the hoarse voice by the end of the day, I have to shout when I coach and when it’s 6 back to back hours, my voice is pretty much gone!

loving the idiot tax, think we’ve all paid it in one way or another! Hope you have a good day. I’m taking the littlies to a cafe later for tea and cake, I shall think of you and your many cafe visits, and send you a virtual cuppa and a scone over. 

Cheery_Daff

Thanks Missy, I did indeed have a bath and an early night last night! Don't feel remotely rested though, had all kinds of distressing dreams and was wide awake and uncomfortable by 6.30

Hey ho. I had a meeting at 10 and lots to do but nothing else *scheduled*, which means after a flurry of teaching prep (which I hope to finish before this meeting) I can get on with my longer term stuff. I'm going to switch my emails off altogether I think! 

And this is the only day this week I'll have a gap long enough to go to the cafe, so we're going to take advantage and nip over there about half 3. Will take the laptop of course. But maybe I'll be able to stop work by the time they boot us out at 5??