First Steps to Solvency

ladyholly

One thing did occur to me about your holiday budget. What do you do with your dog? If he goes to kennels or you take him with you there will be a cost involved in either kennel costs or pet passport, rabies vaccination etc and the timing of these is important so you would need to deal with these and find out the ins and outs now we are out of the EU.

alt80

Happy Friday all.

 

Busy day on the work front bit quieter for me next week on purpose for first time this year. Still planning to have a drink this evening don’t know what the !!!!!! is wrong with me I’m def feeling mixed about it spoke to the counsellor FML conclusion was basically drink not the problem panicking about it leading to something it won’t given the circumstances ha.

 

@getmore4less I’ve still got some work to do on the Greece trip mate - getting there is a big part of the cost – fly to Athens the flight/ ferry is not cheap or fly to Santorini and fewer options for flights looking like Heathrow at the moment. Nothing from EMA to Athens though either cheapest there was Luton which isn’t so bad. Do want to take my son to Athens but maybe year after. Got the wife on it today she’s getting a list of all the options keeps her off IG lol.

 

Agreed re it not mattering where the allocations come from just not letting it get out of control and it actually being budgeted for.

 

Yeah I’m not exactly looking forward to being away from home for 2 weeks. In-laws are on the centre parcs week before state schools finish for summer but my son has finished want to take us away to the Bedfordshire one for 3 nights idk not relishing the idea of sitting round a campfire with FIL. They’ve taken wife and son before always managed to get away with that one but just know I’ll be expected to go esp with her coming to Greece.

 

I have had some good holidays tbf just recent years def not been enjoyable. Tbh don’t really want to spend money just see it contributing towards the balances sounds mad given my history but I’m done with it. Genuinely wish I wanted to do nothing and buy nothing ha but need to work on getting some kind of balance as I am realising the lockdown isn’t going to last forever.

 

Ha I didn’t have you down as god botherer mate but def sounds like you got a good deal on that cruise and actually probably quite an experience religious or not. I’ve never considered liking a deal in other aspects of my life before but always have so far as property is concerned and done well out of it. Lot of people tell me there’s more to life than work idk I’m trying with the weekends etc don’t fully switch off from it and know where you’re coming from re no work contact whilst away. Has happened before – had 10 days no contact everything was fine I wasn’t even away just on a total mental not sure whether I can keep away like that when sane though ha.

 

@ladyholly re dog he goes to my in-laws so nothing to do there and nothing to pay either win win.

 

Know what you mean re wife she loves IG too much and tbh it’s a social outlet for her too – that’s apparently why she’s back on it more so than not being able to find other stuff to do. Idk hopefully won’t be on it too much this weekend.

 

Ha you made me laugh re richer/ poorer the irony is I’ll actually be richer sticking with this.

 

@enthusiasticsaver Hotel is in a rural area nothing to do any too small to have any shop win win and nice to get away from town. Lot more work to cost Greece hol but will get there. Likewise I question summer and can’t find out if you can get a refund for the flights / ferries etc.

 

My parents will love seeing all their grandchildren together can’t let them down on this now.

 

Haha if you’ve found Balmain stuff for £50 hit me up I’ll buy her 10 just to shut her up for a bit. She’s obsessed with the 6 button blazer jackets. They are decent tbf but £1k decent not so sure these days ha.

 

You’re right re social media though. She always cracks me up when she does her ‘outfits to look like a ‘girl boss’’ videos. Everyone on her IG knows she’s never really had much in the way of a career but she does these features regularly for other girls who are the same lol.

 

@RelievedSheff 100 re hol sort of looking forward to it now tbh just not sure about the 2 weeks away.

stymied

alt80 said:

Wife is really upset re budget/ lack of lifestyle. She’s been really upset this evening - can’t live like this apparently doesn’t want to leave but feels she’ll have to if this carries on.

She doesn’t have to live “like this” or leave - you’ve helped her gain the skills to earn via nails and / or personal training. I do think you should allow her to keep the majority of her earnings for her personal spends & Christmas.

Is it worth getting her to compare the value of this 1 jacket that she already has 3 of to other stuff? How does it compare to 10 family trips out, buying son presents for birthday & Christmas or 2 spa hotel nights? I’m hoping all of those win hands down.

alt80

@stymied yeah I wish she'd pursue some kind of work for more than 5 mins tbt - the nails have come up again recently as that's all opening up again soon long conversation short she is anxious about the whole thing and the real issue seems to be she doesn't want them telling her they're not coming back so she's going to quit with them instead idk 100% don't understand that. Didn't handle it particularly well tbh so don't really want to bring it up again ha.

Tbh iswym re her keeping the money for whatever she wants to spend it on plan was for her to cover her beauty spends. She had a fleeting want to get to the stage of it covering her beauty and son's school but that lasted all of a couple of weeks. I've no trust she'll do anything for long enough to make a real go of it to rely on it.

Don't know re comparison of value for the jacket last time we had that sort of conversation just ended in a I need to do better and sort my income out conversation. Don't fail to see the irony in her telling me I need to earn better lol.

katsu

Hopefully as you and your wife keep growing, she'll find a place that is more healthy. You and she have your son so hopefully you'll be able to establish hobbies and spending that helps you both.  Keep the faith and enjoy the time you and she spend on simple pleasures. 

stymied

Ah, the worried they're going to tell her they're not coming back is fear of rejection. She so needs to speak to a professional 😢

alt80

So much for weekend starting early on Fridays then haha probably not leaving office until 7.30pm this evening will have earned that meal and wine 100% ha. 

@katsu yeah lot changed for me tbh done a lot of growing up and reflecting on things that need to change going forwards. Needed to happen I couldn't carry on as I was, honestly think I was killing myself looking back too much coke and too much spending on stupid stuff - wasn't much good in my life really. Next weekend marks a year since lockdown 1 can't believe what's happened has need the !!!!!! therapy to come to terms with Corona nevermind the rest haha.

@stymied I don't think you're wrong tbh pair of us destructive in our own ways def realised that from facing my own issues. My son stands no !!!!!! chance in life with me and his mum FML.

alt80

The sainthood is over ha don’t think I’ve ever savoured a couple of glasses of wine as much as tonight haha. Slightly disappointed no day 52 but was going to come to an end at some point. Dinner was delicious but my wife had a bit of an accident with a dinner plate so will have to buy a replacement - £16 + delivery.  

She’s kept herself busy on the Greece deals today not really managed to find anything better flights wise and neither of us sure whether we’ll get our money back if booked and later cancelled due to covid???? Sister booked hers, thought she might know but all it did was got her asking if things are really that bad FML lol. 

Wife’s told me what she wants for her birthday that’s not ridiculous - one of those bedside table organisers for her tech/ watch etc. Think that’s reasonable tbf so will have a look out for something nice. Still wants the G-Wagen ha but knows she can forget it - wanted the G-Wagen and gets a C-Class with current plans haha FML my mate’s right nothing big time about me.

Absolutely whacked and ready to laze about again this weekend tbt. Put a long day in again today, I was meant to be cooking but realised no chance so wife did it. Nice to come back to but still can’t switch off she went to sleep half an hour ago I’m awake trying to source a better deal for the hol 100% blame you @getmore4less for this mate - this time a year ago I wouldn’t have even thought twice just found a flight and booked at some stupid rate probably. Now no !!!!!! chance I’m being ripped off for a trip on a sky bus. 

getmore4less

Glad to be of help,  I ended up in bed at 9pm,  got to re watch the last program  fell asleep.

£18 for a dinner plate,  get a full set for that.

Let me guess,
https://www.johnlewis.com/sophie-conran-for-portmeirion-country-kitchen-dinner-plate-28cm/grey/p5253648

On travel it can get very easy to overthink sometimes once price sensible just book, 
bit of logistics for yours as its not a single hop.

we have friends that do it better than me when booking ahead
They go for the refundable on things like hotel and monitor the price and deal down till  sure they will even have multiple choices lined up.

Any bookings at the moment are a bit risky as they probably not covered by insurance with there being a travel ban, but reputable suppliers should be refunding if you can't go because the ban is still in place.
If you can be a bit flexible on dates/times  seeing BA  Oct <£150pp LON->ATH.
For searches I found https://www.momondo.co.uk/  was pretty good at finding deals across date windows and there is always skyscanner that can do multi city/country each end for a whole month

RelievedSheff

Glad you managed to enjoy a drink with the wife. 🙂

£18 for one plate though. That's expensive. Don't think our whole set cost that 🤣🤣🤣

Try not to over analyse the Greece holiday too much. Yes find the best prices you can but don't obsess over it. Its supposed to be a relaxing family holiday. Time away from the stress. Something to look forward too.

Hope you have a great weekend with the family.