*sigh* this may take a while

EssexHebridean

Also the amount it teaches you about workplace etiquette too - there is such a drive these days from some quarters that children must be “allowed to express themselves” - and if that means speaking over adults, shouting to be heard and taking no time to listen to others then so be it - but when those children subsequently arrive in a work place and behave like that they are going to have a very rude surprise I suspect. Having part time jobs and even full time roles during holidays gives such a good grounding around expected behaviours, it’s always going to mean they are several years worth of experience ahead of peers who’ve not done that. 

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Thanks EH and Theoretica
I agree, lots of valuable life experience to be gained.  Fingers crossed she bothers to find something.... when she turns 18 in spring there'll be more options open to her work wise and I think the minimum wage increases, which might entice her more.

savingholmes

Hope you have a relaxing half term. You deserve a break I'm sure. Hope things with DD settle down. 

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Apparently there are only 62 days until Christmas!
Have decided to give myself some targets to reach by then:

Money

• Clear Next, CC and PP and use our bank account for everything so they don't build back up.
• I've booked and paid for several family days out between now and Christmas; a theme park, Christmas lights at a NT house, Pantomime, Harry Potter world and a west end show.  Very spendy!  Much as the trips have been paid for, they'll incur travel and food costs.  I'm going to work a budget out for these and stick to it to avoid ending up putting anything on CC.

Purchases

• Try not to buy any clothes or toiletries, I've checked everyones cupboards and noone needs anything that I can see.  I have loads of minis and spares as well.
• Stick to the budget we've set for Christmas, it's a generous budget, but we always go over.  Determined this year!

Health

• My weight is still the same as it was when I started this diary!  BMI is 23 and still want to lose the same 10lbs If i stick to the calories I know I should be, I could lose 8lb by Christmas.  Advantage of calorie counting is that I also drink less wine.
• 2 strength training sessions a week - I use an app for these and it's excellent, I'm just too sporadic with them currently.  Good for toning and maintaining muscle tone
• Aim for 10-15K steps a day, I average 5-10K at the moment (lower end on my working days as I'm sat on my bum for 10 hours straight)

Drawingaline

I should join you in your health and fitness goals!

Totally agree re working and experience. I made some brilliant friends working in a city centre after uni. Mixing with a huge variety of people, it really can shift you out of your bubble, and also show you that people from all walks of life are pretty much the same. And if it someone you really can't stand, it shows you how to get through a shift without killing them 😂

savingholmes

Some great goals there. Good luck with them - especially the gifts one. That's a real challenge for me too.

EssexHebridean

Nice goal-setting! I agree that things like Christmas approaching can be a great incentive to knuckle down a bit more to the MSE type stuff - although that feels counter-productive as so often it's such a spendy time as well! 

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Thanks DAL, SH and EH

Erm, so, considering I was supposed to start yesterday, I made a very dodgy start   I got last minute theatre tickets yesterday for a play DD2 has been wanting to see and we went for dinner first.  Oops.  It was all quite reasonably priced and I paid for it out of my personal spends so no impact on the budget.
However, same can't be said for my calorie counting at dinner I did hit 13K steps though, so one target met.

Have been better today, took them all to the cinema as planned and got sweets in advance and made them a bag up each.  £4 on sweets instead of £15-20 for Pick n Mix.  I had a whole load of change and swapped it for pound coins with my youngest son.  He loves 10p and 20p.... I did swap the correct amount, I didn't cheat him So I got rid of change and sweets bought without touching bank account    Probably only going to get to about 6k steps today though.

Lazy day tomorrow, seeing a friend for coffee/cake and we're going round to her house.  We're going to bake cakes in the morning to take over rather spending £5+ in Mr W.  Saying that, the amount of icing and sprinkles my kids put on cakes, it would probably be cheaper to buy cakes at Mr W They love baking though and it keeps them off their screens.

Drawingaline

Theatre trips are always fab, my list keeps getting longer, unfortunately the one we have booked in a few weeks I may not be able to attend now though. The girl can't get time off work, was booked two years ago pre covid and the seats were about £13 each so if we end up missing it I won't be too put out. 

savingholmes

Sounds like you are making memories and doing all the right things to keep costs within budget. Great money management... Sprinkles... yum... cake - share a piece?