Diary of a reformed shopaholic (I hope)

GeorgianaCavendish

Any joy with the car yet? Really great that your dad’s friend can do the report for you but it’s awful that you’ve been put in this position with a car that is unsafe. 

shoppingobsessed2020

A few minor issues but some safety concerns.  I have a 3 page report detailing every minor and major fault the car has including cosmetic issues like a spot on the interior that hasn’t been valeted out.  The majors are only a couple of lines thankfully but I made the right call not driving it.

its gone back to the garage I’ve bought it from and my parents friend is dealing with them now as he saw the patronising email I had got from the sales rep and went mental.  He says it’s generally a decent car bar the major issues it’s in good shape and mileage so once they fix those under warranty and he rechecks it, I should be good to go.  He’s made me promise that next time I want a new car I come to him and he will sort me out so this doesn’t happen again.  Hopefully I’ll be on a position to buy new again next time but I’ll be driving a lot of cars to find the one that I can live with rather than just going for the car I’ve always gone for.  I do love the car I’ve always gone for so that could be an issue lol.

I also had an email finally from his lordship re my rings.  Nope not to sell under any circumstances, he wants to do the next course whilst he’s used to working and just get it out the way so that next time he’s home we can properly chill and have family time and see if we can swing the budget for a family holiday.  Generally we do weekends away in the UK as i like exploring where we live Plus I’m a horrible flyer, London is our go to but this time he wants abroad.  Will see but I think we can swing it only if I ask my parents if we can go to one of their places.  Shouldn’t be an issue but I hate asking.  

shoppingobsessed2020

I am so cross.  Last Christmas I got given £300 of vouchers for a sports shop.  lockdown happened, got poorly, couldn’t spend them online etc etc etc.   went shopping tonight and they have expired so no money.  Total mortification at the till as I was kitting out my gym kit.  I wouldn’t normally pay those prices but hey free money or so I thought,  I was good though, despite the mortification of being told nope I didn’t reach for my credit card to pay the balance I left and had an uncomfortable conversation with monkey boy about why I didn’t use another card.

i explained it that I only was in that shop to spend my Christmas present from last year and as the voucher didn’t work I didn’t want to spend my money on some clothes that I was only buying to spend the card.  He didn’t fully understand and thought I should just use my credit card.  Too much american utube as he calls all bank cards credit cards which really annoys me more than I thought possible.  

Quiet weekend this week, just having a potter round the house as Covid is on the rise in the area, a couple of staff have it and they have been careful so want to be extra careful, my last test was inconclusive so cancelled my beauty appointment that I had tomorrow, yay to saving but my nails are desperate. Probably nothing but better safe than sorry.  

Did pop to the butchers on the way home And have to go to the post office in the morning but other than that we are battening down the hatches.  Going to batch cook some lasagne and a couple of other meals For monkey boy as I’m starting to have issues eating again so going to try nipping it in the bud and going back on to protein shakes and clear liquid for a week and seeing if that settles my tummy.  I’m going to do a Huge vat of bone broth as well as can freeze that in ice cubes and have a couple without wasting loads and it will keep so I’ve always got some on hand.

Sarahwithlove

I would contact the company directly and see if they can offer an extension on it I think they should really. 

shoppingobsessed2020

Been a few days and some new developments.  I got offered a job today.  35k a year plus bonuses but I have to go offshore occasionally and they will pay for all my recertification Medical’s and certificates to go offshore.  Didn’t even interview for it as it’s my besties husbands company.

I’m going to have to turn it down once I’ve got the full details.  I can work from home so no childcare issue on day to day basis and if I have to go to the office then it’s literally a 5 min drive but do I want to mix business and friendship?  I don’t think I do.  She’s said if I need to go offshore then she will have monkey boy but I think that makes it messy.  How do you go from being friends to being an employee but still maintaining a very close friendship with the bosses wife?  I need to have a full frank chat with her about it and then gracefully turn it down without it affecting our friendship.  She knows our financial situation so I’ve a strong feeling it’s a pity offer as it’s never come up before and we’ve all had some lengthy chats especially when he was starting out and both his lordship and I put him in touch with our contacts as we worked in different offshore industries to him and made those introductions as in this industry it really is who you know.

In other news the voucher company said no to extending my gift cards so I’ve put In a formal complaint.  If I get anything great if not we’ll lesson learnt and no more vouchers for me.

The best news is that his lordship is finally coming home this month.  Not got an exact date or flight details yet but he will be home in the next few days at the earliest or next weekend at the latest.  That means he will have done an 8 month trip which is the longest we’ve ever done.  He will be home till next feb/March and will be doing his captains exam and his regulatory courses so debt busting is on hold for the next few months.

ill still be blasting what I can but I don’t want to put more on a card given it’s going to cost a chunk over the next few months and I’d rather have the cash to hand.  Still regretting paying off a chunk of my next account and credit cars with the money a few weeks ago but if I can clear an additional £1500 by the end of the year I’ll be happy.  Will mean I won’t have set the debt clearing goals I wanted but I have to be flexible despite the fact I still would prefer him to wait to do this captains exam.  

Drawingaline

I understand the idea of a pity job offer, I thought that when I was offered one from a family member. Hubby didn't want me to take it, but I did and it became apparent that there was a definite need for the role, and having had issues recruiting for a different role, and the very part time nature of the job I was actually perfect for it. Unfortunately due to the nature of the business it is not weathering Corona well, I am still employed, but now I have guilt because I know it's because I am family.(currently furloughed until the end of the month) 

Anyway, it may not be a pity offer, it may be that they had a role and now your son is older they are thinking you would actually be ideal and although they wouldn't have offered it in the past, are offering it now as feel your family circumstances are a little easier? You stated previously that you held a much better role than your husband and took time off for your son, if you are not thinking if expanding your family, your friend may just be thinking that they could get a perfect candidate a little cheaper because you have been out of the business for a while?

Just wanted to out a possible different slant on it as I know we tend to be our own biggest critics!

shoppingobsessed2020

Thanks @Drawingaline.  I’ve declined the role.  I know it’s more money but my friendship with her is more important than a job.

i couldn’t do the role, short notice offshore travel but not uk based so she would potentially be having monkey boy from anything from a couple of days to a couple of weeks at a time depending if his lordship is home.  That’s the whole reason I stopped working in this industry so that I could be home for monkey boy.  The odd night here and there I could do but it would be going offshore every 6/8 weeks.

They haven’t yet advertised the vacancy as they were discussing expansion but I’ve said I’ll contract out on a day rate should they really need some help on evenings and weekends.

Drawingaline

Yes that would possibly strain the friendship a little! 

You have given them an option if they need it, and it may be they offered it in case you were thinking of dipping your toe back into working in the industry again.

shoppingobsessed2020

Been a few days.  Spending has gone boom.  His lordship is home!  

Great to have him back but the spending is out of control.  We are now £1250 into overdrafts.  £500 on joint account that was used for a flooring repair in the house (he dropped his bag and managed to crack a couple of tiles and new tyres x2 on his car, £750 on his account that was paid off his Credit card to give room to book his courses.  Short term as also raided all the savings pots and transferred it to his credit card as won’t be getting his bonus till November pay due to cut offs!

overdraft situation is joint account is interest free for first £500 then charged at 40% or something ridiculous, so we are something like £480 into that as I was very careful not to go over £500.

his overdraft is charged daily so I don’t know what the daily rate is but 10 days will cost £7.80 and he’s paid in a few days so won’t be in use for long.

im getting paid for a 5 week month instead of 4 due to cut offs at my end but don’t get paid till 2nd week in November.

childcare is covered for the next 3 weeks as I’ve already sorted that via the school app.

we are back to having zero money on any pot and it’s making me nervous yet prior to my flickering lightbulb moment this wouldn’t have given me any panic!

I’ve £30 in my purse and he’s £50 in his wallet and we both have full tanks of fuel and a full freezer and cupboards so that’s something but it’s half term so will end up with an activity or two but I’m hoping as he has chosen to self isolate it will mean we can swap paid for activities for in house ones and maybe a few country walks perhaps with a takeaway hot chocolate at the end.

he was rather naughty and bought my birthday present and Christmas presents  in duty free on the way home and I can’t even get him to return them.
 They will get used but it’s money that didn’t need to be spent on his credit card as I had asked him not to get me anything as I had already bought myself a few bits including my weight bar for body pump which is part of the reason I’ve had to have a shuffle round and pay some off his credit card to allow the courses to be booked today.

hes thankfully agreed to drive to his courses rather than hotel stay so he’s going to be leaving the house before us on a morning to make sure he gets there with plenty of time due to traffic and it’s free parking so woohoo.

monkey boy has switched to packed lunches so it’s no extra work to make his lunch on a morning When he’s on course as I’m going to be doing monkey boys anyway.

so it’s all go here at the moment.  The big expense is still to come but he’s doing that next month to spread the cost of his courses.

enthusiasticsaver

As you say lovely to have him back but juggling finances sounds stressful. On the plus side if he is doing a course he cannot be spending money.