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

Spendless

Payday for Mr S. Awful April seems to have caught up with us. His wages are £30 down, I can only think this is due to a tax code change probably connected to his car.

CT has increased but only by a few £s, however the water bill has gone up a staggering £30 a month (paid over 8 months).

Not great on top of the loss of my earnings.
Daughters student rent  - I have tomorrow's already put away from my last wages plus next weeks.

I recalculated what we needed from DHs wages to pay this bill until the end of the tenancy and by yesterday had added £110 to the initial amount Id taken.  That gave 3 weeks rent. This morning I have added another 3 weeks rent into the savings pot. This pays the rent up to 19th June (inclusive) 

Crazycatlady2

I changed my.council tax and water to 12 monthly payments 

Well done to daughter on her play 

Spendless

Thanks crazycat lady. CT is already over 12 months, think it always has been. Water bill seems very high so I think we need to look into going onto a meter now, but we do have a leaky tap we need to sort out first.

I did my first full grocery shop since end of March, came in slightly under £100. This was mostly for fresh/fridge/freezer items. 

My Isa provider had an offer put £100 in a new investment acc by end of April and get £25 cash or gift voucher end of May. Thought Id give it a go. I chose a savings investment account and what fund I wanted to put it in not having a clue and its lost 63p already - lol. I showed it to son and he had a different suggestion for investment so once my £25 pays out, I will change the investment fund its in and he can be in charge of the following months. 

Think we're treating ourselves to a day out at a food and drink festival today. Enjoy the bank hol. 

Spendless

Food festival food on the expensive side. £10 for a pork & stuffing sandwich at one stall. 😲 
Im not a beer drinker and the ciders were ok but nothing spectacular and it was too cold for what I was wearing. I dressed for the weather and it becoming slightly cooler at the point we went out, not for temps plummeting. It was all outside with open sided tents. Music wasnt to my taste either - the previous day had been more mixed. Enjoyed the company though. 

This coming week, I think I need to tackle one area at a time, an area/room/task per day.

Tomorrow dog is at the groomers. This is for his summer cut. If it remains cooler next week and he sulks about it, he'll just have to put his jumper on like I do - lol. 

Spendless

Was really smug this morning thinking I'd had a NSD yesterday and then remembered the £35 I'd spent at the dog groomers!. I really need to do what was suggested to me on here ages ago and put the money away separately. In my numerous spare purses I have one with pics of dogs on so very easily identifiable.  Dog has had his summer cut so is next booked in for Aug, £12 each payday between now and then would cover it. 

A friend has recently stopped working (undue job pressure for months has had her quit - this is a tactic I've heard of before) it does mean we've been doing additional free walks.

Am taking a leaf out of my (late) MIL's book. She could always conjure up a meal but only ever used what she had in. If she only had eggs and bread, egg sandwiches it was.  I did my grocery shop at the weekend plus then added some freezer bits using the co-ops deal of 5 items for £6 which was fish,fish fingers, peas, chips, ice lollies. It's changed today to this one but for us it's not as good as I don't need 2 lots of ice creams, or mixed veg since I just got peas. Would suit some households though. 
https://www.coop.co.uk/products/deals/freezer-fillers

So meal planning from my cupboards meant on Monday we had pork steaks, pepper sauce (brought back from the continent  as struggle to find ready to pour pepper sauce here), chips (from co op deal) and green beans (was on Aldi super 6) and was yummy. Yesterdays lunch was tuna, seafood sticks and various bits of salad and  potato salad from my shopping. Tea last night was one of the pork steaks cut up stir fried with mushrooms and peppers, the end of a stir fry sauce and egg noodles. I couldn't finish it! There is 1 pork steak left because pork is the only food where I can tell it's previously been frozen and it then tastes 'off' to me so I have to use up when fresh. As I'm eating at my parent's tonight, it needs to be eaten at lunch. I'm thinking pork and stuffing sandwich.  

Today I have some 'inside' jobs to do - tidy up, make a phone call about a temp job I've seen advertised and 'outside' ones - take a bundle of clothing to recycling bank at Dunelm (best one I've found, regularly emptied and separate recycling for crafty bits), pay some money into my bank acc and buying  a newspaper as I've seen a NT offer in it for a free day out.   

in_need_of_direction

add some apple sauce to the sandwich and it's heaven

Spendless

ooooh yes that sounds nice, I'll do that next time.

I went for an impromptu coffee at a friend's house. Her water bill is higher than mine but she says with 3 adult sons plus girlfriends staying and her and her husband working from home and constant drop ins due to nature of husband's work  she doesn't think it would be any cheaper to be metered. She did say that years ago unless you were on a limited income, bills weren't  the issue that they are today with gas and electric being high for some years and water now joining them. I suppose house prices, mortgage rates and rents also come under this. Very fortunate we have paid our mortgage off.

I paid DD's rent on Thursday that is the last rent to come from my last paypacket. I still have some left though lower than what I would have ideally liked. In the pot already is the next 6 weeks rent from DH's wages. So glad I was pro-active straight away in 'isolating' this money. It's the biggest bill we have. I applied for JSA and had my interview this week, got to wait now for my letter telling me whether I'm eligible or not. JC did tell me of places I could search for jobs that I wasn't aware of so really pleased with that info. 

DD has just got the initial letter through about  studying abroad. I was really starting to worry about not hearing. She now needs the official letter of confirmation to come through for her to apply for her student visa. Next we're looking at flights and accommodation. Thankfully I already had some money ringfenced for all this. We have already tentatively talked about going out to see her whilst she's a student abroad, we need to ensure there's no clash with dates with DH's work abroad but we are considering going for DH's 60th. DD will miss Nan's 100th and there's no way round that so I think if possible we should try and get out for the 60th so it's not 2 milestone birthdays she's missing. 

Spendless

I've had a job seekers payment into my bank acc today, so I'm guessing that means I'm eligible despite no letter so far (was told it would take 7-14 days). It has lifted my spirits tbh, yesterday I was quite low not helped I think that I had had  my reoccurring dream reliving me losing my last job.

So far, I have applied for a few jobs but not heard back, I have another few to apply for today plus a course I wish to sign up for which may lead me into work. I have had one interview but wasn't successful, my usual nemesis of competence based interviews. A friend helped me compose some answers for which I am very grateful as this definitely helped and this time it wasn't that my answers/words weren't the ones that I was looking for it was I didn't say enough of them! I feel like this is an exam I struggle to pass, each time I take it my score goes up but not enough for the acceptance rate! Maybe the course that I intend signing up to will help.

Being low yesterday did mean I distracted myself with some household tasks. Mum (far more of a cleaning Queen than myself) came to help and my white painted upstairs doors are now all clean. I tidied up the cupboard where I put all our holiday stuff. It's been a long time coming due to a self-imposed hiatus but the decluttering is done upstairs with the exception of DD's clothes/wardrobe which only she can identify as items to sell or donate. Downstairs decluttering doesn't have that many areas left but needs to be done when DH is home due to reachability of places. The categories left are 'reusable drinking vessels'  How do we have so many travel mugs and water bottles??  There's also books, alcohol  and the (forever continuous) paperwork. Mr S shredded some bills that came through as 'we didn't need them' Guess what? I did need one for my job seekers interview last week!  Thankfully I found an alternative. I've re-imposed the ban that he shreds nothing relating to  or that could affect me, what he does with his own personal stuff is up to him! After that there are larger areas to tackle like garden, shed and attic but I'm happy we're almost there in the main household.  

Also ran through the finances for DD's student rent. If my calculations are correct, we are now in the position to start putting away less money  towards this. Working on worst case scenario that I don't find work, we need to take £555 (3 weeks rent) from DH's pay-packet in May-July; this with what has already been saved means enough to cover rent till the end of this tenancy. Money has already  been put aside in a good interest account to pay for the term abroad. Then from Aug-Dec £500 needs putting away each month to build up a nest egg to help towards paying for rent when daughter returns for the final stretch of her degree. This would have been a real struggle and would have meant we were  dipping into savings (again!) if we hadn't become debt free! Yesterday a few £s interest got paid out on our everyday savings accounts, it wasn't much and went hours later towards replacing  a broken item! 

In anticipation  of requesting a water meter I've also been being mindful about my water consumption. Mr S believes he can buy a part off the net and him and a relative fix the leaking tap rather than call a plumber out which would be good. I  thought I much preferred a long soak in the bath compared to a shower, but our recent trips to the States where we've had  large showers and small baths in our accommodation had me realising this wasn't the case, I'm happy to mostly shower and will save the long baths for occasional use. It's also made me be more on top of what I've always found the most time consuming household chores and call 'the washing and the washing up'. Stupidly when our kitchen was remodelled some years ago I decided I wasn't bothered about a dish washer and have regretted that decision ever since. Consequently I have a tendency to leave plates to pile up before tackling (not for days on end but not always tackling straight after 1 meal in anticipation of the next). Washing especially when I'm working can also tend to pile up and have a mammoth session on a weekend. I'm trying to keep more on top of it now with smaller more regular chunks. 

I also approached somewhere about renovating our leather sofas, the pigment has come away in patches from on the footrests (recliners). The person I approached was very knowledgeable and explained the science behind what had likely happened, what needed to be done and possible price of repair. Sadly he's not in a position to help as we're a little out of the area he usually covers plus he is awaiting a major op and not working at all until then. Talked it over with Mr S and we've decided that because in a few years time we'll probably be replacing the sofas with less heavy to move ones, it probably isn't worth it.  The room is in need of a refresh though. A more expensive refurb is needed long term but that will need to come further down the line, meanwhile new curtains and carpet should tide us through. 

Right - time to go on with today's tasks. 

Spendless

I got my letter saying I'm eligible for 6 months job seekers. That's a relief and takes the pressure off even if it's a fraction of what my wages were. Mr S accidentally checked a savings acc and to his amazement when it let him in (cos he realised half way thru doing it that he believed he'd moved it) discovered a few hundred £s interest that had been paid out. We're putting it towards any additional expenditure we incur. I thought we were on a roll of having 3 unexpected cash, as a card came thru saying to leave a review of a laptop purchased recently (for DD's studies) and get £30 refunded. DH tried but he couldn't scan the code or log in, he's tried emailing but the product is no longer available to buy, so wonder if the company has folded.

We have requested a water meter,  it's about 8 weeks till they will come and fit. Plenty of time to fix the tap and also make new habits. Also had a look at our energy bills, we pay a lot despite a fix last year and wanted to know if we are currently in credit, which we are but only by £40-ish. Then had a look at the bills going back to the beginning of last year. To my shock we had 2 consecutive quarters where our combined energy bill was £1000 each quarter. I'm aware I wasn't working, DD had a long Xmas hols at home and the 23/24 winter was bitterly cold. Our gas fire doesn't work and has been broken for a couple of years, eventually I realised my perchant for daily long baths (we have a large tub) was very likely the culprit. I was already addressing this in favour of showers (so far, so good)  due to going onto a water meter, but this has made me more determined to get our bills down.  

I was really pleased with how I got last night's tea to stretch. I hadn't been grocery shopping over the weekend so yesterdayt I defrosted some chilli I'd made a few weeks back. There was a large portion for one, not really enough to split for 2. I looked thru my cupboard contemplating do I add another tin of baked or kidney beans (already some in) or tomatoes (too much affects DH's reflex) when I spotted a tin of 'taco beans in tomato sauce' thought that's perfect and added that, sure enough it stretched the chilli. There was a handful of frozen oven chips left (bought on the co op deal a few weeks ago) cooked them plus some rice, a couple of slices of garlic bread and grated the end of a block of cheese. Result a really filling meal that we couldn't even finish all made up from leftovers and scraps of items. Going to do the same today, have chicken that I'm going to add some use up veggies to it and make a curry.

In more upsetting news DD was spiked at the weekend in a club (one she's been to several times before) . The drink was bought for her by a woman! Her guard was down because of it, she says she only ever accepts from a male if she watches the drink being made. Long story but she'd become separated in the same venue from the people she was out with. I suspect she was targeted because this person thought she was on her own. Thankfully she wasn't and when she returned to her group of friends they realised something  was wrong and ensured her safety getting her away from the place and had her sleep at one of their accommodation so they could keep a check on her. I am so grateful they did, this story could have been far worse. 

Spendless

Today I'm at a job fayre with a friend. Can't remember if I've ever been to one before. We're also eating out  before attending as she has a discount voucher. 

Yesterday I  spent £30 on having  a tyre fixed, a new valve fitted. I keep my wheel locking nut in the same place in my car so I was quite confident when I handed the tyre fitter a metal cylinder object only for him to say 'that's not it' looked and somehow the cig lighter had  also been in the same place and that's what I'd grabbed. Lol, gave him the correct one. Later when the garage owner prepared my bill, he gave me a gift, a little drawstring bag that clearly says locking wheel nut - keep me safe on it. I've been going there for years and never been offered one, perhaps they're kept for 'special' customers - lol.

 In even funnier news do longer term readers on here remember Tex  writing a musical about his and DD's relationship and put it on at a London theatre (where it was panned in the theatrical press)?. DD signed up to a dating app and only went and matched with the actor who had played the part of Tex! She  told me in a message  with the comment 'karma is hilarious' hahahahaha. 

I'm still having recurrent dreams about being back at my last job and the way it ended, had another last night. I think I need to keep busy at home whilst looking for the right fit for me workwise. Coffee cups and water bottles have been decluttered and only the 'fan favourites' have been kept, such as the good quality and gifted personalised ones.  

 The alcohol has also  been moved and rearranged and we've invited friends over this BH weekend and are going to put out all the bottles with a small amount left in them in the hope they further declutter that way - lol. I am also trying to run the freezer down with a view to restocking sometime next week. Currently I have in
1 x mince
2 x chicken breasts
1 x pack of meatballs
1 x diced beef
1 x unopened pack of prawns

Our friends are pescatarian so will do them a prawn curry whilst we have a beef one.
Meatballs - have in a sauce, pasta, garlic bread 
chicken or Mince enchiladas since I also have an unopened packet of wraps which will leave me finding something to do with whichever meat I don't use.

In the freezer drawer it doesn't look much but since DH is out tonight for a meal and away tomorrow with work and then going away again o/n from Monday, this is all going to stretch a fair few days and I'll just need to do a small/top up shop this week.