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

Spendless

I was wrong! Credit has been applied to savings accounts today! I wouldn't have shifted some  money over to other accounts yesterday if I'd realised that. Never mind something to watch in future.

Message from DD querying if DH had booked her last night's hotel on purpose. Convinced she was complaining similarly to what she did about her Spanish accommodation last week I asked what was wrong with it, only to find she was actually in awe because she'd been upgraded to a suite, with a bath, large walk in shower and sectioned off area as a sitting room with a sofa and large TV. She later gave DH a guided video tour who was also impressed. Not bad for a loyalty point freebie. She then ordered a pizza and when she opened the box there was a piece of fruit in it, cue much fun as pics were then sent off to family and friends to see if they could come up with an answer as to why. Eventually she rang the pizza place back and they explained it was a free gift - lol, not something any of us had thought of.

Unfortunately I missed an interview yesterday. I have a current  problem with my phone not showing me my emails so hadn't seen one had been set up! It was only discovered when I received a call about non -attendance. Fingers crossed it can either be re-set up or something else turns up.

Spendless

I enjoyed my reunion but when the bar staff told me that a double house vodka  worked out cheaper than a branded single vodka I felt very obliged to take their money saving advice -lol, with the consequence we set off Sun AM across to where DD's pageant took place with me with a very fuzzy head.

We were able to pay to extend D's room till late afternoon, though I wasn't impressed that twice cleaning staff knocked on our door to say we had to vacate, once I understood the extension hadn't long been paid for so the message might have not gone through the 2nd time though, we were knocked and told we'd only paid our extension for an hour earlier than what we actually had (untrue!). DH called from the bed where he was napping that they'd got it wrong and we wouldn't be leaving the room as we were still using it. DD had come back at that point and was collecting some things. That wasn't the only thing wrong with the place, it was a very large hotel with many floors but only 3 lifts one of which broke with people in them, the toilets were down a floor from where the bar/restaurant was???? Won't be rushing to get back (French chain) so different to where DD had stayed on DH's points Saturday night, but wasn't practical for her to remain there unfortunately.

There were last minute expenses including having to buy some more shoes as the ones previously bought proved too uncomfortable for  long standing. I did however hit on a brain wave to fix DD's original pair, the strap had broken that threads through the back. I went to a charity shop bought a pair in the same style for £4 then took some sharp scissors to them and threaded the strap back through. These ended up being what DD wore but she'd already had to wear the others as we couldn't' take the risk that these straps (from a smaller size shoe) would actually work.  

We were prepared for eating out as me going to my reunion and DH taking DS and Dil2b for their wedding rehearsal meant not much time to take drinks/snacks with us. However we weren't prepared for the whacking £45 EACH to watch the final! Jeez I've paid less to watch a West End Show! DH decided instead he would just sit in the bar with a coke then go  and  move his car having accidentally parked it in a car park that closed rather than the 24 hr one and put it on free street parking instead. By then it was the interval and and as it had been mentioned twice that 'we could go and get food' during this time I thought oh that's why the tickets were so expensive they included something to eat, wish DD had said cos I'd have not eaten beforehand. Out of curiosity I had a look and discovered nope I was wrong the food wasn't included at all you had to pay for it, which made me very glad we had eaten there beforehand  cos we got more for our money doing it that way. Afterwards cos everyone was mingling I was able to sneak DH back shhhhhhh! and we both watched DD go down to the final few though she wasn't crowned. She says she's enjoyed the experience but she's now retiring from the pageantry world and I think that is the right decision, all her (and our) resources including financial need to be focused on her degree.

The way our bank account works all transactions show at the end of the following working day, so this means anything we bought from Friday onwards. I'm hoping we can spend some time going through and identifying what money needs moving over from where. Hoping to be able to minimise a grocery spend too. 

Spendless

Worked out the bank account and was nowhere near as bad as I'd thought once we went through various outgoings that should have come from different accounts. The refund onto the CB CC had confused me, maths not being my strongest skill! Anyway the main account is back in credit and so long as we're careful will hopefully remain so until the end of the month. A deposit paid last year to DD's drama school that has been queried and said refunded doesn't match up so that's going to be questioned as to why. 

Unfortunately I took a phone call saying my interview last week hadn't been successful so I haven't got that job. There's 2 others currently in the pipeline, both am waiting to see if I get called for interview on. 

Spendless

Yesterday I worked in the office and took 3 phone calls from different agencies, all of whom I'd already been talking to about various jobs.

Agency 1 - This was the place that I interviewed for temp agency work for 6 months maternity cover and didn't get. They rang to say they had another vacancy at same place but only 3 months work was I interested, I said yes in order to grab something after I finish at my  current place

Agency 2 - this was the mix up last week, I had a teams interview this morning. I liked the sound of the job. I will hear tomorrow if I've been put through for a f2f interview next week.

Agency 3- Only rang me the other day, I interviewed at the place they put me forward for mid morning today. In the last hour I've learnt I've got it! It starts as soon as my current one ends. I've accepted verbally.  

This is the FIRST time since my DD was born over 20 years ago that I haven't had a temp agency or zero hours work. 

Am highly relieved! 

Fortune_Smiles

That's amazing news Spendless - well done!

Fortune x

Spendless

Well I never heard any more from the teams interview I had as to whether I was being put forward for a f2f interview so am assuming I haven't been successful.

However I did get an email inviting me to another interview - for the same organisation I currently am working at (different role) so I clearly have learnt how to fill in their application forms now! My workmate showed me how to do it. I then filled it in and my boss then looked it over and tweaked it slightly, added a sentence, re-phrased another and alerted me to a couple of typos. He then predicted I'd get an interview and I didn't believe him! 

I'm going to attend it and see what happens. It's scheduled for before the job offer I have is due to start. 

Spendless

Today is my Dil2b's hen party. It is a meal (already paid for) plus drinks in a different city, sort of half way between where we live and the bride's family live. Due to the rail strikes DH has offered to take us (me, DD, her friend). in both directions. I could get there by train which is only 20ish mins away but not back 

I've checked my bank balance and I have enough for today's outing plus will have enough from my wages until I leave (so long as I'm careful)  to pay 3 x monthly living costs to DD. My accrued holiday pay that I will take in money as I leave my current place  will go towards the top up of the student accommodation. I can't remember the schedule of rent payments so unsure if the hol money plus the student loan will pay the 1st terms  rent in full. 

As the place I am going to isn't overly generous with AL and some is needed to be saved for their long Christmas close down  I think I will end my contract a week where I am a week early and submit it as hol, so I get a week's break first. The only thing that may change this is any offers from other places I've applied to if they have later start dates/more generous AL. I won't be in a position to tell my manager that I may be leaving a week early until next week when I find out the outcome of the f2f meeting. I'm not going to say I have a job offer already due to the interview I've just got at the same organisation. 

Honeysucklelou2

Congratulations on the new post. 

Hope you have a great time at the hen do.

Spendless

Thanks for the best wishes about my job offer. I am admittedly getting nervous, but I didn't lie about my skill-set and when the agency said about how surprised I sounded told me that places are increasingly taking the view that they will look for personality and who will fit in well as they can teach them tasks. I have to admit DD helped me with interview Q & A. She's good at them and won a title for them in one of her pageant finals  

Speaking of DD, she must have taken notice when I said in future I dislike all her dates until they prove me wrong and went out on one recently with someone I'm struggling to find an objection to, a Uni student going into his final year doing an academic degree at a good Uni, works p-time, lives in the next village and was in the year above her at school. That she was prepared to go is huge, she normally steers away from any local connection people or places due to the bad experience she had for her last 18 months of school. It also tells me she's looking for genuine people not believing the latest charmer's nonsense. No idea if she'll go on another date with him this summer till they both return to their places of study to live, but it doesn't matter, she'd now done that first step.

Enjoyed the hen party though I think my Di2b family who are very much from sleepy towns in James Herriot territory  were surprised at how busy and loud pubs in a busy city can be.  My drinks bill was reasonable especially since I treated the party to a cocktail fountain (we were in a cheap chain so not too horrendously priced) and it did mean that by the time we headed for the meal I was happy to drink tap water. 

Next on the social calendar is me and DD going to see a musical next weekend. It's DS stag night the same day and another rail strike so hoping that this doesn't cause us issues. I have to admit all the rail strikes are now putting me off booking events in advance. 

EssexHebridean

Glad the hen party went well - and congratulations on all the job activity! Great to have something lined up, as that gives you the backup in case the other options prove to not be for you, doesn't it!