The Best Is Yet To Come

slm6002

I have been thinking about money this morning since waking up.  I am unlikely to get anything from XH for the foreseeable future (even though fb shows them spending lots of money on a day out even though he is supposed to be on bed rest!), and come the end of August I will no longer get UC for DD1.  The bills will be paid (which I am very grateful for) but money into the pots for future payments will be reduced.  We are being careful with food and trying not to spend on unnecessary things.  DD1 may possibly have a job come Sept so she may pay some rent, but as she is likely to be on an apprenticeship, I doubt her money will go far.

I was looking at the holiday money pot, as there isn't a huge amount in there.  Although we don't spend much, we do like to have the odd meal out (at a point where we all have adult meals rather than cheaper children meals) and maybe the freedom to visit places if we fancy.  By the time we get to Aug we will have £289 in the holiday pot.  I currently have £63 in the solar account from sale of power, and hopefully the sun will continue to shine before we go on holiday so maybe we can increase it a little.  I will add the solar money to the holiday pot.  We only sell it for a few pence per KW so never going to make millions.  If we could get the pot to £400 by the time school finishes, that would feel like enough for food, petrol, treats.

Of course this holiday pot money covers the entire 6 weeks (11 weeks for DD1 & DS) school holiday rather than just our week away, so any left over would go towards anything else that we do in these 6 weeks.  I think we are going back to the days where we can only do free things.  Easier when they were small children as parks and a picnic don't interest them as much anymore.  When we were in the library yesterday the lady who knows DD2 well, and knows she does the holiday activities that they provide, mentioned that there will be 4 weeks of activities this year.  She mentioned a few and DD2 is keen to be signed up.  I will need to get in quick as spaces do go very quickly.  Hopefully we will also sign up for outdoor cooking, which will help the food budget too as we will bring home a food parcel for the week. So that along with the volunteering and a few days meeting up with friends should cover DD2 for the holiday.  As for the other 2, I may need to encourage them to go outside and see people, plus their holidays start by the end of this week - yay only a week to go!

Right must go wake them up as DS has his job to go to today and we must feed friends cat

LadyWithAPlan

I think teenage girls can be weirdly awfully cliquey - have seen this with my niece her friends just turned  - hopefully your dd will find some new nicer friends 

well done on the holiday pot And avoiding XMIL - why would she would expect a response if she not Been in touch ??  

debtfreewannabe321

Do you do surveys still slm? I am on one site that is tedious and slow going and the payout is not fantastic for the time spent on the surveys BUT there always seems to be surveys available and if you allow yourself an hour or so in the evening whilst watching tv to answer them you can cash out a fiver every day or so on vouchers for restaurants (which might help bolster the holiday pot.) My holiday pot stands at nil I never started one and opted to try and move house instead so I am also trying to boost funds a little with survey payouts. (The site is called lifepoints)

slm6002

Thank you to the both of you for dropping by.  No one has heard from XMIL since my message, well only DD1 who had one saying 'it is clear your mum does not want me to contact her and think she has blocked me' lol, yes and yes.  At least we can all get on with our lives / their exams in peace (only 3 more to go it total!).

I do surveys still and have some follow up ones on the go at the moment which are for fairly decent money.  I also cashed out a £30 Pizza Hut voucher yesterday from scanning the shopping.  I almost have enough for the trip there.  I did think about reading my very early diaries to see what we used to do as a reminder.  We will be taking the bingo sheets and basic games for the evenings, with a bag of chew sweets as prizes.  I might make some more scratch cards too for prizes.

We drew the euro 2024 tickets out last night for our family competition.  The winner will get a bar of chocolate.  It isn't much but keeps us going until the end of term.  I am also running the sweepstake at work again, but that is for a prize pot of £24 (big money).  Right speaking of work, I best go and make my lunch.

slm6002

DD1 has finished all of her exams and DS only has 1 more left - we are so nearly there.  Long day at work especially as it was quiet compared to last week when I had so little time on my hands and stayed late most days.  Not sure which I prefer, but sure it will get busy very soon as the end of term is coming up.

No money spent today as I had already purchased SIL's bday bits - did get some cake from her though which was yummy.  Remembered to put the bin out ready for tomorrow before I sat down (go me lol) and have dinner in the oven almost ready to eat - later than normal as we went to celebrate first.

Tonight the plan is to eat, shower, look at my bank account, and money spreadsheet, hopefully do some surveys and then bed.  I need to see what is on the meal plan for tomorrow and see if anything needs to come out of the freezer.

Ok time for dinner

slm6002

Yay exams are over.  DS is happily undressed from his school uniform and planted right in front of his xbox.  And apparently that is where he will be staying for the remainder of summer. DD1 was told that she would hear about the apprenticeship by today, but the office is now closed so unlikely to hear before Monday - we've waited a whole week already and we are not very patient.  I am trying to encourage her to look for others just in case and get some applications completed.

I cant relax quite yet as there is some other worrying news going on that I wont go into quite yet, but it kept me up last night.  I just wanted to relax after the exams had finished, but I guess that isn't going to happen

slm6002

Right trying to have a relaxed day, no studying required (yay).  I would like to go around the charity shops in town to see if we can find a suit for DS for prom.  We have 2 and a half weeks to find something for him to wear.  Originally he was just going to wear a smart shirt and his trousers, but recently said he wanted a suit.  Since he has been busy revising I haven't made him come round the shops as he hates that too.

I need to do a food shop as well.  Might do that tomorrow after seeing my dad.  As the sun is out tonight we planned to have beef and ale stew with dumplings and mash lol.  Typical the sun is shining at the moment, although it has done this a few days recently and then an hour later it was hailing.

My brother came to help yesterday by climbing up to the roof.  The birds had wiggled free a piece of wood and concrete from the end of the roof and it was at right angles and about to fall.  He has removed it and we will wait for the birds to go before trying to mend it.  We may need to ask to go into next doors garden with the ladder.  Bless the new neighbour, he saw us putting the ladder up and asked if we needed any help.  He is young and it is clear that he has been raised really well.

OK I best get on

slm6002

The sun is back out after a morning of torrential rain.  I think it will turn again before long so happy there will be stew waiting for me in the slow cooker.

We had a very successful and quick trip to the charity shops.  In the first one we found the jacket needed for DS.  We then went to buy just bread and some broccoli to go with the stew.  DS was very happy as was expecting to have to go round a lot of shops which is his worst nightmare.

We have spent our afternoon watching some films snuggled up under the blankets

slm6002

More mixed weather today and 2 power cuts that only lasted a minute or so, but unusual for this time of year.

Tonight for dinner is roast chicken with all the veg that go with it.  It was a huge chicken that was delivered, so I am hoping that there is enough for a curry and maybe sandwiches for me on Tuesday.  We have several other planned meals including meatballs.  I was about to order some and then remembered the burgers in the freezer that they all decided they no longer like!  I will pull them apart and roll into meatballs, making them money saving and using up freezer items no longer wanted.

This morning DD1 & DS went to work, while DD2 and visited my Dad.  My sister and partner also joined us and cooked us all a lovely brunch.  It was nice to catch up with everyone.  It has been a relaxing weekend, but I cant hide for much longer before tackling a job I do not want to do.  Oh well not today.  Instead I have been looking at villages and towns nearby our holiday destination to see if there is anything that catches my eye.  Nothing so far and the children are very unenthusiastic with everything I have mentioned so far.  We will have fun one way or the other.

slm6002

Back to work after what seems like a decent weekend.  I seems ages since I was at work.  Anyway today is a half day and then DD1 has music lesson then band.  Other than that nothing else is planned for today.  Will start tackling my horrid job I guess even though it makes me anxious and sick.  Not thinking about it quite yet though,

Super market shopping arrived yesterday - all items arrived and the children are happy there is food in the house.  How long for, who knows.  Other than that I don't think I spent anything yesterday.  I will need some more fuel tomorrow probably as DS has a hearing test at the hospital Wed afternoon, so that will use quite a bit.

If everyone could keep their fingers crossed the DD1 hears some good news from the apprentice people today that would be great.  She is refusing to apply for anything else until she hears.

Right I best get ready and check DD2 is getting dressed