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

Spendless

Received a £30 bonus due to a bank referral Mr S did. Have used the money for student rent which is going up slightly next academic year but will include having a cleaner for communal areas. 

Moved tomorrow's £5 early into the accounts as full of cold, struggled with sleep last night and feeling unmotivated. Other than rent which will keep being topped up, lost, stolen and jabberwocky all now have £5 in them. I got a huge psychological boost from 'event' being gone. I dont think I ever got that whilst paying the debt off due to the way we did it paying the min off a 0% CC whilst putting the rest into a high interest savings account and borrowing from our own savings. That way very much taught us discipline and financial organisation though, which was a lesson I think we needed. 

Im glad its nearly the weekend. I need to press the restart button. 

Spendless

Im really happy with the functions on my 2 savings accounts. The isa shows how much interest Ive accrued daily as a cumulative amount and says the date this will be paid out. It wont always be as much as Im currently getting because theres money in there already earmarked to be spent on different things like replacing my car when the time comes.

The other account, I love the labelled pots. So easy to see what you are saving/budgeting for, or in my case paying back. That leads me to some thoughts re the alternative universe costs. The bulk of these costs relate to education but not all of it. Sept 1st next year should mark the first academic year without a student offspring. I think I may try and make it a mission to have paid back all but the educational costs by 31st Aug 2026. Whether I'll acheive it I dont know. Obviously it would be far easier if I found work but nothing has turned up so far. Next year I have an 0 birthday. Should I not be working by that date Im not sure I will continue to hunt. Its been difficult enough  job wise for various reasons  this decade without putting myself through the emotional cost in the next. If I didn't return to employment I can start taking from my small private pension, or we can leave it alone and see if we can manage. The jobs that have built up in the house are the only things that concern me because they need doing soon-ish.
Assuming I did acheive paying back all but the education costs, I would then be looking at as much as possible being paid back of the remainder before Mr S retires. 

The jobs I had as potentials in the pipeline all disappeared in a cloud of smoke late last week. Really annoyed about one of them as Id been communicating with the agency about it since early June! So, I wasnt really expecting a 'we never heard anymore' from them! Theres some others Ive seen but Ive spent most of this week ill and not really up to doing anything. 

cbsexec

Sadly I think the jobs market is very depressing at the moment.  So many people applying for too few jobs.  I also find that there is no feedback from companies so you just have to assume that you were not suitable after waiting for ages!   

Spendless

Yes exactly that @cbsexec I only actually heard back with a rejection from the hospital job yesterday, I'd just already assummed it was a no due to not hearing. 

Today, I have just moved £5 into my different savings pots. Lost and stolen both have £7 each, whereas jabberwocky has £6. 

Have a good weekend everyone. 

Spendless

Soooo frustrated with myself. With illness finally gone and the house returned to calm, decided to apply for the jobs Id seen whilst I was not fit enough to apply. Either in my mind fog I had read the closing date incorrectly or some have been closed early due to number of applicants and the one still open - I dont hold the qualification that's on the essential list of the job spec!  Back to square one!

Better success on the making money stretch/ rebuilding savings and have to thank my childhood love of reading old books and  remembering old fashioned remedies. Our bedroom I could tell needed airing, changed the bedding, opened the window, but the duvet itself needed a freshen up. Its too big to go in the WM and didnt feel up to a laundrette trip, so literally hung it over the washing line and a few hours later it smelled as fresh as a daisy- solution for free.

We have also cancelled Sky - they never came back with a lower offer so we have let it go. A water meter was fitted a few days ago. We are watching our energy consumption more carefully and its capped but I think it will take until next summer before we see any real reduction. The other bill that's too high is household insurance. That will be looked at at renewal time.

We are away overnight towards the end of the week. The same date as DHs payday, so trying to get through the rest of the week with minimal spending. Just had the last sausage in the last bread roll for breakfast. I added an egg to make it more filling. DH is working away, so theres just me and the dog. I have household chores, the dog to walk, a visit to a friends for coffee, look for jobs, all on my list of things to do that wont involve me spending. 
 

Spendless

I just transferred my weekly £5 into my alternative universe account. Id had some interest paid out.  Not a huge amt less than £1, but it adds up. Ive put the 'loose change' oddments into rent in order  to keep the other categories rounded up. There's now £8 in both lost and stolen and £9 in jabberwocky. Next Friday I intend using the £5 to make all these categories be at £10.

Mr S was meant to get a bonus this week. Unfortunately an admin area has delayed it. Slightly frustrating as we have some educational costs to pay out but we can pull from elsewhere and pay back later. 

Spendless

Friday and £5 moved, so each of the following pots now have £10 each in: lost, stolen and jabberwocky. I had hoped these would have been higher amounts but the admin error bonus is being paid at the end of the month (our household choice as all the additional bills will be in by then). I need to add £87 to rent before the end of the month and that will carry us thru until October. 

I have an appt this morning with an organisation which helps with finding work. I've been to them before but didnt find they did much other than suggest websites to look on. Hopefully Ill get further this time. If I don't find anything, I am considering looking for a Xmas temp job just to tide me over but am unsure what time of years places advertise for staff. 

Spendless

Its been a very stressful rollercoaster of a week full of red tape so pleased the weekend is coming up. Youngest is now living abroad as an exchange student. I saw the help find work organisation and that gave me some clarity over what I can do to finer detail some applications. 

We've finally got a date for when I can accompany Mr S abroad next  and thankfully it doesnt clash with a wedding invite Id already accepted. Id already turned down buying a spare ticket  to a musical due to potential clash, so glad I havent this situation anymore. 

 We can also now getting moving with other things that have been "clogged up in the pipework' whilst we had to concentrate on other things. 

On the money front today interest has been.applied to everyday savings though its not much nowadays but I added it to the usual Friday £5 alternative universe savings. There is now £13 in both lost and stolen and £12 in jabberwocky. Mr S has discovered his tax code has been wrong for a few years (in his favour). He spoke to HMRC it took till the 3rd person for them to understand, unfortunately hes now received a letter thats been generated by the first 2, saying he needs to self assess, no he doesn't! Thankfully he kept the letter saying he no longer needed to and didnt shred it - think.he must have learnt his lesson there. Hopefully hell get chance to contact them.today.

We need to sit down and do the montjly cc bills. The cc are smoking as we fought our way thru red tape delays. We have the money, its just pulling it in from various accounts. 

Need to go out now. Enjoy the weekend and sunshine. 
 

Loanranger21

Hi Spendless A lurker here. Good news about HMRC owing your DH money! Did your DD get to Edinburgh to put on her show? Or have I mixed that up in my mind? 

Stay cool and carry on enjoying the weekend and the sunshine. All too hot for me and longing for just a small drop in temps. 

Spendless

Loanranger21 said:

Hi Spendless A lurker here. Good news about HMRC owing your DH money! Did your DD get to Edinburgh to put on her show? Or have I mixed that up in my mind? 

Stay cool and carry on enjoying the weekend and the sunshine. All too hot for me and longing for just a small drop in temps. 

Hi, you are correct in that she put on a fringe show. It wasnt in Edinburgh though. That would be the dream, but its too expensive for her to take there. Instead she did it at a more local to her fringe. We went and watched and enjoyed it.

DH tried ringing HMRC, after their online chat told him they were unable to help. Unfortunately their tel lines seem temperamental and when he had an incoming call come in that he rejected, a few mins later the call to the taxman then cut out before he was connected to someone to speak to. It was too close to end of business to try again, he'll have to try next week. Its frustrating as the money back would be handy.