Giving every £ a job

Sarahwithlove

Blackcats said:

thank you @savingholmes.

did a quick tidy up of the bathroom cabinets this morning and was delighted to find a nice handcream, small body butter (small tub rather than body butter for small bodies), 2 x No7 moisturisers.  Had forgotten about all of these things so was very nice to be able to bring them into service.
I had catch up calls with 2 former colleagues last week.  Jeepers!  Nothing has changed since I left.  In fact the "leadership" team are still grappling with the same fairly small issue.  No-one seems to want to make a decision so talking, word-smithing and then backtracking helps avoid decision making and implementation..  So glad I'm not there anymore and can enjoy every day free from the nonsense I was immersed in for so long!

I always love hearing all the drama in my old role it makes me so glad I jumped ship when I did. I generally find that leadership can never make a decision and when they finally do its always one that the people actually doing the job don't like. 

savingholmes

Glad you are enjoying your freedom 

Blackcats

Hello @Makingabobor2 - thank you for dropping by.  It's a long and fairly boring diary so I can summarise it as follows -
was very spendy and had years of debt on whatever combination of overdraft, credit card and loans that I could conjure up.
spent money I didn't have on holidays, handbags, eating out, things for the house, things for me and the rest I just wasted 🤣🤣
decided I wanted to be able to retire from a job that I didn't hate but I disliked the travel and pointless politics so decided I needed to sort my finances out.  Starting reading diaries and threads on here and was inspired.
I gave up work last Autumn and am managing pretty well on my pensions.  OH is eligible for his state pension but I'm not yet.
I thoroughly enjoy every day of not working and do not miss anything about work.  

That's about it other than to say that between us OH and I have LOTS of fabulous grandchildren.

@Sarahwithlove - looking at work from the outside and from a distance is fascinating isn't it?  I can't even begin to estimate how many hours are wasted at my old organisation talking about stuff and then talking about the same stuff again and then drawing up options and then talking about the options and then refining the options and then starting all over again 🤷‍♀️ Glad you are happy where you are now.

Nice catch up with my daughter and my toddler grandson today.  We walked to my local park where there is a sweet playground for him to enjoy.  He's a fussy eater and so I made up a little box of fruit to try to tempt him.  He picked up a blueberry, licked it and gave it to his mum and then did the same for me.  We both ate enthusiastically with lots of yum yum noises but that was as far as we got with blueberries.  He then ate half a grape and kindly spat out the skin.  He prodded a piece of melon and swiftly gave up on that and finally ate some apple.  We can but try!   

Sarahwithlove

I bet it's nice knowing you never have to go back to work! It's lovely you got to spend time with your grandson

Makingabobor2

My grandkids are the same, don't really like fruit much, although DD does make smoothies for the little one. 

PennysIntoPounds

Always good to keep giving kids the options of healthy things so they don't get it in their heads they don't like it or it's intimidating. Taste palates develop and change so often when you're a little 'un that something will become acceptable at some stage as long as there's not a big deal made of it. 
I read recently that broccoli tastes super sour to approx three-four year olds which I found interesting as it wouldn't have been one of the things I'd have instinctively thought of

Makingabobor2

Love Broccoli. DH always moans when we have it...lol

Blackcats

Interesting about broccoli.  My children didn't like it until they were about 6 and then it could be added to their huge veggie repertoire of peas and corn 🤣.  Although the corn would only be eaten as part of tuna pasta bake!

I've finalised month end budgets and completed forecasting for September (talking like the finance team reminds me of being back at work 😳).  Had £10 underspend from groceries which has gone to Christmas savings along with money from Chase round up account and Chase Rewards.  Will cash out on prolific when I get another 50p to take my total to £20.  Not a brilliant month for surveys but I haven't really focussed much.  The odds and ends total about £100 each month which makes Christmas feel that it's "free" money.

Sarahwithlove

Fruit and veg is funny thing for kids. I ate virtually everything as a kid as my grandad owned a fruit and veg shop when i was young yet my older brother only eats sweetcorn. 

Blackcats

I wasn't great with fruit and veg as a child but was expected to eat the traditional choices my mum served up - mostly  peas, carrots and cabbage.  Fruit was usually banana, apples and oranges.  Pears and plums in the Autumn from my Great Aunt's garden,  Loved Christmas time when satsumas became available.

September is a busy month of fun things for us.  7 night holiday, 3 day mini break which was a gift for my big birthday, 2 concerts and 1 family celebratory meal,  holidays are paid for but spending money is still needing a top up.  I use my cashback credit card for holiday spends so I can see exactly what we are spending.  That will mean that credit card won't need to be paid off until end of October without incurring interest.

I've adjusted our September grocery budget down to take account of not needing to cook at home for 11 days.

the Scarlet Pimpernel gardener arrived back this morning so the final phase of work is underway.  There will be more things to be done to the garden room and the garden but we will be doing these ourselves so although there are costs these will be much, much less than the costs to date.