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

EssexHebridean

See, you managed to get sorted in the end though didn't you! All places expect some teething problems when people are new I'd say.

Spendless

Thank you. Tomorrow I'm WFH again. Our summer house has been re-arranged to accommodate that. I had a 'dummy run' of setting up today so fingers crossed it will work fine this time! Hope so because next week I work from home for 2 days.

I can see an amount pending for wages in my bank account. It's not correct though so hopefully tomorrow I can log into my wage slip and see where the issue is. I suspect it's my tax code. My last place sent me a P45 only at my request when I got this job, but it's encrypted and they didn't send the password! So, I used the P45 from the time before, so I'm guessing HMRC think I'm working 2 jobs and have taxed accordingly.

DD met a lad on a night out last month and has gone to stay in London  with him for a couple of nights. He's just finished his degree and moves North for teacher training this Autumn  just as she moves South for drama school, so they've already said it can't be anything long term but this is the biggest step she's taken with anyone since her and the ex ended last autumn.

Looking forward to having wages again. So much has had to go on hold these last few months just at the point DD finished her course and we should have had more money. Had a quote for trimming the well overgrown  hedges front and back that's £200! The broken window in comparison (yep still not done) was so reasonable I regret not getting it priced up earlier!

I do need to do a big grocery shop. Putting it off is daft considering the ever rising costs. Tonight I was able to use up all the veg I had in a Spanish chicken tonight sauce, just needed to add the meat - that looked dear too, even if I had gone to the co-op for convenience. Thankfully found some chicken strips reasonably priced.

savingholmes

It will be great once your pay is sorted. Can you chase the encryption password or have you tried that and it just hasn't worked?

Spendless

savingholmes said:

It will be great once your pay is sorted. Can you chase the encryption password or have you tried that and it just hasn't worked?

I've chased it now. I also looked to see if I could report a change myself to HMRC online - I couldn't and the tel lines said they were closed, so I'll have to try again Monday. It's def what I thought, I need a different tax code applying.

Spendless

Not a great deal to report on the debt side of things. Bills continue to come in! Today I tried ringing HMRC about my tax code to discover I need to have worked in my job for 5 weeks before they are able to look at it. I've sent another email to the previous agency requesting I'm told what the password is so I can open my last P45 and give the new place the details, otherwise I'm going to have to wait a f ew weeks.

I know I'll get it back but right now could use the cash. DS started being liable for council tax the day after he ceased to be a student. We told him to make a claim for UC, with the idea that once he moved away/got another job he could cancel or swap it over. It turns out he didn't understand and didn't apply, instead he applied for the £150 rebate, which he isn't eligible for because he wasn't paying the bill on April 1st this year because he was still a student. Arrggghhh. He was due to start a 'just for now' job today and has tested positive for covid! He's done a handful of shifts in a fast food place and hasn't been paid for all of them. The bloke now hasn't opened the place up for the last few days so I suspect it's on the brink of going bust. 

We attended DS graduation last week and really enjoyed it. We called at their digs on the way back - and found a CT letter that gave a week to pay otherwise further action plus  £65 added, so we had no alternative really other than to pay the £270 asked. Had the idea that we would ask DS to at least contribute something of it once he started earning but at minute don't know if the job will be held for him. 

We also booked DD's student accommodation. Though her drama school is connected to a Uni (not all are)  it does have halls, but just one. Rent is  almost £6.5K  over £2k more than her loan, which is why I would have liked my overpaid tax back!  

savingholmes

Kids can certainly bring a lot of challenges.

Spendless

Last agency has at long last sent over my P45 complete with password to unlock it. I have sent it on to current place. We will see if the next couple of paydays sort the tax code out and if not then I will have been there long enough to speak to HMRC myself.

DS degree certificate turned up. Unfortunately the dog got to the post before I did and it's got a couple of teeth mark holes in it. Gutted and haven't dared tell DS yet. We will have to look to pay for a replacement for him. Sigh!  We have now bought a letterbox cover so the dog can't get to the post. We'd intended doing this but were waiting for payday - both of us got paid yesterday. Would have been cheaper in the long run to have just bought it! DH has been paid a bonus and we are going to move a chunk of it to pay for DD's student accommodation that we booked this week. I'm determined that we now pay for things out of wages instead of constantly dipping into savings.

DD did spend her wages on practical things this week.  When I say 'practical' I mean to her because I'm not sure I would consider spending £50 on replacing my underwear by buying 8-10 pairs of knickers from Victoria's Secret, but still better than her blowing it on another bottle of perfume off of her wish list. She also got some a couple of black clothes for drama school. She has stuff she can take with her from her last course but said she found when they used to go out for a drink straight from class she found herself needing things that were a little more 'dressy' but could also be worn in the classroom. Last time it didn't matter because she lived next door to her college so could nip back and change.

DS tested positive for covid at beg of this week. We think he probably got it at his graduation ceremony. It meant he hasn't been able to start a job, though it's been held open for him. His fiancee who has been working for the past few weeks also in a 'just for now' job hasn't been able to go to work either as she's felt so ill but tested negative. It's meant the paid of them have missed out on a few hundred pounds of wages unfortunately. He also hadn't been paid for a few shifts he'd done at a fast food place and the owner now seems to have sold the business so fingers crossed he'll get it.  

savingholmes

Sorry the dog and certificate things is almost funny - but not given what it was. Frustrating I imagine. 

I think with your DD - you need to be strict re budget funding available - and make it clear she needs to bring in the rest and stick to it. I can't remember where you are up to with work currently. Are you in a job again? Be kind to you too. You seem to be very kind to your children but perhaps miss your own needs. (I feel there's a mirror looking back at me there).

EssexHebridean

Oh dear - that's a variation on "the dog ate my homework" isn't it!  Sorry to hear DS has had covid too - and right at the wrong time for his job too - typical! It's great that they're holding it open for him though - that's one good thing at least! Also good that DD is dipping a toe back into the world of relationships - good for her! 

Spendless

My tax refund has come through woohoo. I only rang Thursday of last week, the change of tax code notification came through the following day and backpay plus wages I received yesterday - which has finally sorted my bank account out. I'd had problems since losing my previous  job back in March which is why debt busting had to go on the back burner. My next step is to see if my current job is extended past next month.

We are also receiving the £99 deposit back from DD's Scottish digs and that will go towards her next lot of digs. DH is helping DS and gf clear out their student accommodation this weekend as their tenancy is up at the end of the month. Both of them now have jobs, not graduate ones, and not paid a great deal but enough for them to start saving for their future..