A new chapter, An empty nest, Drama school & Last year of Uni

Spendless

We never ate the meatballs on Fri as we received a phone call to say FIL (who is in a care home) had fallen and they were waiting for an ambulance to take him to hospital. I decided to make a quicker meal that could be eaten both hot or cold and was also transportable so into the oven went a cheese and tomato pizza which I added pepperoni, mushrooms and peppers too. I'd bought the pizza on offer a few weeks back on a cop op deal where you got 2 pizzas and a tub of ice cream for £5.

After we'd eaten we received another call to say the paramedics had given FIL a thorough check over and said he didn't need to go to hospital, so we went to look at TVs at an electrical store. I chose one I liked, DH downloaded the vouchers (£200 worth) but they weren't immediately available. Yesterday I worked in the morning, then visited a friend at hers for coffee and a catch up and when I returned home discovered that DH had mowed the back lawn and tidied the garden and gone and got the TV and installed it. Am a lot happier now I have a TV that I understand how to work. Visited parents this morning and Dad said he'd like a TV like mine but he will wait 'until theirs breaks' Mum said 'or until we have some money' (ie when Nan's house sale goes through) I intend backing Mum on this one I really don't see the point at their age (late 70s/early 80s) of waiting for things to break until replacing rather than making their life as comfortable as possible.

When I got home late afternoon yesterday it was very warm and I didn't have the inclination to make much to eat, so we just had hotdogs in the Italian sub rolls I bought, the meatballs are on the menu for tonight instead.

Mr S gets paid on Thursday so my mission between now and then is to spend as little as possible. I would really like to have a 3 figure surplus left over this month.

Spendless

The day before DH's payday and I can see his wages pending in our joint account. £30 less than last month?? No idea why till I ask him to compare wage slips. Has there been budget changes that have kicked in?

Also pending in the account is the full refund of the excess I paid out after my car crash last year. I so very nearly missed out on this money. I wasn't aware that having your excess refunded if the other party was completely at fault was 'a thing' . I'd initially missed the email from my insurers telling me I could claim and only saw it after putting my old reg in the search bar of my emails to establish a date of the crash to tell the new insurers of my car. I sent a letter off about it and had heard nothing so assumed it was a No, or at least was a No until I sent a stroppy chase up letter about it, but before I could do that, I received an email telling me that the money was to be paid back into our account.

The refund will pay my new car's yearly insurance in full, but we had to pay it already. However due to paying it without the refund coming through, we then ended up having to take from savings for an aspect of the trip we recently did with my parents, so that is where the money is owed to.

I have money left over in my various monzo pots, so I was correct, we had just been spending with no thought to where the money was going. Could we have done better - almost certainly, but this was just a month to see where we were at rather than make lifestyle adjustments, that is the next thing to work on.

I am itching to move all the surplus money over but previous experience tells me not to, cos you can get a curveball thrown at you at the last minute, so I will reluctantly wait until this evening to update.

I paid DD's student rent yesterday though I forgot to do it until I came home from work. That and the next 2 weeks are out of my wages and then I will need to pull the following one from the surplus that was saved.

Hoping to do an update late on my monzo pots and what was left in them.

Spendless

A few hours till DH;s payday and the CC have been paid and I have moved the surplus of my monzo pots into savings. I ended up with £385.28 left over, which was made up of £133 leftover from the grocery budget (£400), 236.11 from general spends (this could be improved on but this month was just about looking where the money was going), and £13.51 from travel from my monthly budget of £100. This covers both public transport commuting, petrol and parking. It would have been less, but twice this month I ensured that I had a full tank of petrol (still have 3/4 left) cos I eherm received a tip off cos one of my kids knows someone who works in the oil industry abroad. The balance between these monies and what I ended up with came from y own bank account - which I think was around £2.66.

Don't think that was too bad, considering we went away, we weren't really 'careful'. What I did empty was the entertainment budget and that was down to me, Mr S went out once, but my social life is like buses and I hadn't had time to save a surplus when several invites came along at once.

Onto the next month's budget.

Spendless

It's Friday so my usual weekend round up but it's also the 1st of May and this month fetches endings.

In around 2 weeks me and Mr S will be travelling to the USA once again me accompanying him to what will be our last conference. The role that Mr S has had with the US organisation is coming to a natural end as you are only in the role for x years . It's always been difficult to explain what he does cos I don't think the same thing exists in the UK, but it has been a voluntary role for a not for profit organisation that is connected to his actual job in the UK. He's been with this organisation for over a decade and usually it would have finished some time ago, but various things like the pandemic and becoming the chair extended his time. He may stay on in a support online role till the end of 2026 with the possibility that he can attend another mini break (planning meeting) but I wouldn't be able to accompany him due to having no more AL to use, so we have to see this forthcoming trip as our last. It's a bitter sweet time, Mr S has enjoyed his time but feels ready for it to end. I was not able to attend for the first few years as the logistics with the kids made it not possible, but that changed when they became adults. I attended the first one in Miami with DD then aged 19 with us (she wasn't impressed she couldn't drink there -lol), which happened during the course of this diary. I've met some really lovely people, seen places I never would have otherwise, experienced fantastic hotels and corporate entertainment and enjoyed the experience but it's time to move on to the next chapter.

Also ending this month is DD's degree. Again this happened during the course of this diary, which opened with her just having moved away at 18 to access a short drama course in a different part of the UK. Somewhere she'd never visited and when we were not long out of lockdowns. Neither the course she did that year or the one the year after still exist in the same locations, she did them at the right time. She has the lead role in her final show, something she hadn't anticipated due to having a lead role at the beginning of the year and we go and watch her perform the day before we fly to the US. In the meantime she is sorting out paid employment, receiving self tape auditions from her agent for acting jobs and continuing to build her SM platform. She missed out on being in a music video this week, the artist came across her online reached out to his casting team, who found her agent who contacted her, ultimately it didn't go anywhere because casting team then had to run it past artist's management and some stumbling block kicked in and prevented it happening but never mind at least she was noticed.

DD's last day of degree is also our last full day in the US. The Chair before DH who is also outgoing (he remained in role for 1 extra year) and the conference by coincidence is in his home town. The final meal is not taking place in a restaurant like usual, but at his house with personal chefs and caterers. Haven't ever experienced anything like this before and doubt I ever will again, sounds a fab way to bow out.

And onto the usual stuff. It's Friday and money has been sent over, my usual Friday fiver savings and money towards the Xtra rent. I've decided I also want this to end this month. I had £155. There's 5 Fridays in May inc this one I have upped my weekly contribution to £7 (balance now at £162) to get the amount to £190 by the end of the month, the odd amount it is over this will come from interest. From June onwards I'm only going to be putting my Friday fiver savings away weekly - the payback for the alternative universe savings (now all educational related) will be on a monthly basis. Again adding amounts weekly was right for the time, but now it's time to move forward with the way I do repayments.

Today I have a day of housework beckoning me. We have a doggy houseguest as a relative is away so don't want to go out anyway. I have one 4 hr shift at work tomorrow and then that is it till Thursday. On BH Monday I am off and going to London to visit DD and watch a musical, staying overnight.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Smudgeismydog

What a fabulous update ❤️

You can now see the finishing line for DD rent, that must feel amazing, very well done x

Spendless

Thank you smudgeismydog - Yes onto the next chapter.

I'm getting ready to visit DD in London and what have I completely overlooked- there's a rail replacement bus to her particular borough of London. Ooops, I never thought I just checked there was no strikes! The RRB takes a looooong time to get there. I can get into London and then we will go elsewhere and either do an ordinary bus or an uber to get back to her student house.

I saw Grandcat yesterday. DH had taken DS grocery shopping whilst I bought last minute items for my trip, then we all met up at home for rotisserie chicken, salad bar from one of the supermarkets and crusty bread. A meal reminiscent of when kids were little and my Nan still alive and we'd often eat together. DS put some of his groceries in our fridge and forgotten to take them, so I nipped them up to him later. Grandcat was in the living room, just happily enjoying himself, content to be stroked, DS had been playing with him prior to me turning up. I can't believe that this cat only a few weeks ago was hiding himself away scared to come out,. He is strikingly beautiful, I don't know if I said but he's an exotic breed, a Ragdoll. Can't believe he wasn't wanted and just longed for a caring home.

weenancyinAmerica

Good to hear the cat is coming out of its shell. Just needed the right people.

Spendless

What a busy week. It'll be Sunday before I have nothing on (except select clothes to go away and start packing!).

I went to DD's o/night on Monday and enjoyed it. We watched The Devil Wears Prada musical. She also got a dress to wear for her graduation. We ate a combo of Nandos, picnic and fast food and enjoyed 2 for 1 cocktails on happy hour.

Wish Id realised in advance about the engineering works as it cost £60 in Ubers (3). Being bank hol lots of demand so price surged. Will check that in future. Train journey there I didnt enjoy due to fellow passengers, Im not fond of having a table when Im travelling alone - just more people to potentially irritate you! Train home was delayed back into station which meant DH wasnt able to pick me up and I needed to get another train to my village.

Yesterday was spent at a medical appt. Today I am working then tonight Mum is cutting and colouring my hair.

Tomorrow Im going to see Grandcat whilst DS is at work followed by meeting up with friends.

Saturday is another work shift and go from work to a school reunion.

Phew! Best start by finishing getting ready for work.

Spendless

Friday and the 'fivers' have gone out. £5 into personal savings and for May the £5 has been upped to £7 to finish extra rent this month, that is now at £169.33.

DH at long last had a message from HMRC saying they would send a cheque for the overpaid tax (from his tax code being incorrect). Itll be around £1100. Think it will be put into the pot for home improvements.

I think Dad is struggling, at least twice a week he is going to Nan's house to cut her grass (she didnt have that big a garden!) , yet hasnt wanted to go to the Estate agents to see how far along the house sale is or gone into the accountants that the EA mentioned to sort out paying CGT once the house sale goes through (parents already owned house Nan lived in - long story - hence the CGT). Im trying to put off saying something about it till we get back from our trip.

Spendless

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81987021#Comment_81987021

Thank you. Yes I think so too. Its 2 years old and I felt so sorry for puss that he was being sold on by the first owner (obviously I don't know the circs) and was bought by people DS knows who decided the cat wasn't the right fit for their household within a week or so. Im glad Grandcat now lives with DS. It's good for both of them.

We have had the itinerary through for DHs conference. 3 planned evening meals/entertainment (so far). The first is a 'dress glam' occasion. I'm not due to pick it up until Tuesday but I have got my wedding dress out of the attic and have taken it to a dressmakers and they are shortening it into a day dress. Obviously Ive not seen the result yet, but as long as it doesnt look too 'bridal' and Im hoping it wont with coloured accessories on, then I will wear it to this meal. They've only charged me £65 to alter it so worth the risk. The train on it went years ago to make DD a Christening outfit so wouldnt be wearable anyway for me to pass on to someone. I know the dressmakers work as they altered DD's pageant dress a few years ago.