Tightening the belts for unpaid leave

Blackcats

Hi Rebecca - sounds promising on the flat sale.  It's so stressy isn't it - we end up trying not to build up our hopes but it's such a big deal that it's impossible not to.  I'm never sure where the balance of power lies between the buyer and seller and solicitors can be very annoying too.  However, the signs look good for you - so fingers crossed.  

Glad you had your nachos - or at least the first serving of nachos.  

I've noticed that my petrol spends are really low at the moment - I'm not complaining but it feels strange only buying petrol once a month.  It does reduce the little extras from the petrol station - mostly chocolate and sweets! 

[Deleted User]

Thanks Blackcats.  It really is quite stressy!  On the one hand, we don't think we actually NEED the money from the sale to buy our place here BUT we may need it if we do up the budget because we can't find anything we like for the budget we have.  I think at the moment, I have the upper hand because they will be saving almost 11k in stamp duty and (unless the SD holiday is extended) don't have the time to secure another property.  That said, there is a "value" to them taking the property with the tenant insitu, meaning I don't have to deal with any items left behind/refurbishing and the costs/stress involved with that.  So, will just have to see what happens.

Weekend was ok.  Friday night we had our burgers and chips from stores.  Saturday we went for a lovely walk by the sea and was great to get out of the house with the kids.  We stopped at a small shop as we needed olive oil, bread, wine and soured cream.  DH was tasked with going in and somehow managed to spend £50 (even though he forgot the olive oil!!!!!) on lots of things I haven't really seen like crisps and stuff.  I haven't seen it on credit card yet so don't know the full damage!  So we had some more nachos on Sat afternoon.  Then DH made pizzas (including dough) from scratch which were lovely.

Yesterday we went for a drive and we needed to do a B00ts run, which I did so was £20.64 (divided by 2).  Had yet ANOTHER set of nachos yesterday but have now run out of cheese!  We emailed the delivery chap to add to todays order but they've not even delivered milk today (they do appear to be rather unreliable).  I have to go out for a medical appointment later so am going to pick up milk and cheese from a garage close by.

Have end of year review with work today so a bit nervous about that.  Depending on how that goes, am going to put in a request to change my working pattern when I return later this year.  If they don't let me do that then I'm really not sure how we are going to afford nursery so I may have to think about going back to what I was doing pre-kids (at same organisation so wouldn't be an issue re repayment of maternity pay) as we would just struggle.

Dinner is salmon with hoi sin sauce and a packet rice from stores.  We should be good (bar cheese) until Friday but think I will need to do a big shop then so have just started making a list.

Made a red velvet cake yesterday so planning on having a big slice of that mid-morning!

We are also going to have a look at our pensions in next couple weeks as they are dire.  DH been paying in for years but he had quite low paying jobs for a long time and it's only now (he's now 37) that he has quite a good job/pay.  I only started my pension aged 38 as I never had a job which offered one pre that and had always viewed the london property as my pension.  However, as we are now selling that (and potentially using some or all of it to buy here - depending on what we find), we need to think about building it up another way.  If we don't end up using all of that then great as will be a good part of the pension pot, but if we do, then we really need to look at another way.  We just won't be able to make much or anything by way of AVC's until DC1 (at least, maybe both), in school.  DC1 starts school 2023 and DC2 in 2025.

[Deleted User]

Chat with work went well.  Got a 3% pay rise and it would have been a 6% bonus but was more like 3% as they only grant it for the time in the office and obvs I've been on mat leave for a little while.  I won't really see much of it until september but every little helps.

Woke up this morning to no heating/hot water but thankfully the gas engineer called us and we seem to have fixed it over the phone.  I have bundled the kids up in lots of clothes and blankets so they have been fine but so glad it is now working again.  One bonus of renting: any cost is not down to us!

Got the credit card receipt for DH's shop the other day - £51.95!!!  So have hoofed over half to the savings account which serves the credit card and paid DH £29 for our monthly storage bill.  Paid the water bill but that went on credit card for points then money straight out the bills account into the credit card serving savings account so all budgeted for.

Today should be a NSD as not planning on leaving the house!!

Blackcats

I'm glad your work conversation went well - great to get a bonus and a payrise.  Amazing how heating always breaks on the coldest day of the year ⛄️.  

[Deleted User]

Today won't be a NSD as had to order my SIL a birthday card so that was £3.65.  Milk, cheese and yoghurt delivered too.  Other than that, should be nothing else as again, unlikely to leave the house even though my kids are driving me insane!!  Thinking of re-watching the whole of Greys Anatomy but wondering whether that is a waste of time and whether I should be doing something more productive!  Just have zero motivation for anything at present tbh.

rugbymadfamily

I hear you on the motivation front, so allow yourself sometime not to worry about being productive all the time....I say that as I am currently re-watching ER 😆 

[Deleted User]

@rugbymadfamily - I've never seen ER - is it worth watching?! (I guess it must be if you are re-watching).

[Deleted User]

Yesterday wasn't a NSD as we had nothing really in stores we could make a meal of so I went out.  Ashamed as shop was £202.33 but I did buy enough probably for almost 2 weeks and stocked up on things like dishwasher tablets, washing gels, toddler snacks etc which were all on offer.  Not quite sure how it all added up to so much but we should have (hopefully, as they didn't have some things so had to ad lib under pressure) enough for next 2 weeks bar top ups.  Last night we had a ready meal post-shop (only bought 2 of those but they added up to about £20) as DH had a horridly busy day work-wise yesterday and so I had zero help with the littles and we were both shattered so just wanted a shove in the oven job.  Tonight we are getting a delivery from a local wine and cheese place which is wine, cheese, meats, bread and salad so that was relatively expensive too but is our valentine's treat.  Lunch today is tinned soup and bread from (replenished) stores.

We have to record a video today for sister in law's birthday so may have to get us all dressed and put a bit of make up on!  MIL is dropping off some facemasks later but leaving them in storage box outside as DC1 will find it too distressing to see her from the window and not be able to go to her.

Life is just so dull at present and I've no motivation to do anything at all.  Really want to start running again but always seem to have an excuse as to why I can't!  DH has another full on day work-wise today so I am going to have a full-on day with both DC, and it really is full on.  I don't think I got 5 minutes to myself yesterday and then had to haul myself round supermarket which took an hour in total.  Not fun.

[Deleted User]

I have decided I am officially useless!  Friends husband messaged to say holding a virtual babyshower for my friend.  So decided I need to get gift(s).  Went onto White Company site and, as I was having to pay for delivery for her stuff anyway, decided to buy my 2 DC some things so got them matching xmas pyjamas (for xmas 2021 obvs) and another matching top and so total incl delivery came to £98!!!!  I literally never buy anything for myself, apart from food, it is always stuff for my DC.  I just want them to have nice things.  Think I may well end up having spent all this month's budget by time I get paid next week.  Which in theory is fine as it's "in budget" but I know I stop getting paid end Feb and I am being very very silly.  Am I doing the whole "keeping up" thing again with buying my DC nice stuff from WC?!  To be fair, they were in the sale but they were all around £15 each - that said, DC2 will get use out DC1's just bought stuff later on and I can always sell on DC1's stuff when he's finished with it.

rugbymadfamily

I love ER! Its pretty cheesy now some of it (in the way some of these older shows are!). But I love the drama and the personal relationships in it!

With the running, I've started since Jan and found that when I set specific days and times that I am going to do it and put it in my calendar its much easier to do it. Whereas if I say "I'll run twice this week" it just doesn't happen lol.