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

cbsexec

To be fair I think a lot of women were offered the chance to pay a reduced amount and took it because they then got a little bit extra in their pay packet.  Sometimes people don’t look at the long term only the short term gain.  It’s the same with auto enrolment with pensions.  However much you explain the benefits it too far ahead for some.  

Spendless

cbsexec said:

To be fair I think a lot of women were offered the chance to pay a reduced amount and took it because they then got a little bit extra in their pay packet.  Sometimes people don’t look at the long term only the short term gain.  It’s the same with auto enrolment with pensions.  However much you explain the benefits it too far ahead for some.  

Yes, I can understand that. In a similar manner I once moved a  workplace pension because I was offerred a financial incentive to do so and needed a car. Nowadays Id be more cautious about any negative implications to the pension. . 

 In my Mum's case that didnt apply because she was earning under the limit to pay any NI at all. So Ive no idea why it would have been seen as a 'benefit' to her. That's why I believe whats happened is a box was ticked and shes signed not reading/understanding, which of course is on Mum.  

badmemory

I agree that many were given the choice & chose more take home pay.  But I know women who were just told now you are married.

Spendless - it may not have been a benefit to her but she would have had no entitlement to sick pay, maternity pay.

Spendless

badmemory said:

I agree that many were given the choice & chose more take home pay.  But I know women who were just told now you are married.

Spendless - it may not have been a benefit to her but she would have had no entitlement to sick pay, maternity pay.

That's my point. There was Zero reason to do this. It took away her entitlement to sick pay, unemployment benefit, maternity pay (not that she ever claimed them), pension and wasn't in return for her having a 'little bit more' in her wages because she earned under the lower earnings level and didn't pay any NI at all anyway. I know parents are correct when they say what Mum's wages were back then because 2 years later they needed Mum's meagre salary to be taken into account for a mortgage when they bought a larger property (they still live there so they probably still have the paperwork too -lol) . They;ve been telling me that same story about the mortgage and Mums wages needing to be taken into account for decades, so I know they've got the correct figures from that time.

This week both me and Mr S get paid - hurrah! Our bedroom is back together with the wardrobe and bed frame up. A new mattress needs ordering before we're able to sleep in it, but thank goodess we're almos there. I have an appt with the local beauty college for some treatments inc waxing which is free until the end of the year.    Today I paid in £20 worh of £1 coins into the bank. Assortment from when we cleared out the WM filter and oddment left lying around. I also had a tax rebate at the beg of the month but *think* I forgot about it, so both those will go on Friday towards paying into my alternative universe account.   

Spendless

Tuesday so paid DD's London student rent. I hadn't enough to pay from my leftover wages as I only earn enough to cover 3x weekly rents so this weeks has come from the shortfall I save from DH's wages. Thank goodness I had the hindsight to do this and also set up a spreadsheet detailing it all. I have 2 scenarios, 1 if  I continue working past my initial contract, which is dependant on several things including if the long term sick person I'm covering for returns. The other scenario covers if I don't. Obviously the first scenario is more manageable finance wise, but the second is acheivable if not. 

Spendless

Well since I'm sat in my PJs with wet hair after having a bath, I'm clearly not going anywhere other than to bed so I have just transferred what is left of my wages - all £40 into alternative savings with the extra £10 that was sat in there. I then transferred the pot that was in there of £2450 into my ISA, which is the only input it's had this tax year. Yes I know it's nowhere near the amounts being bandied about to do with reductions  on what can be paid in in tomorrow's budget, but no-one knows what will be said, and it's ultimate aim for this money was to pay back additional costs that should never have happened so the ISA was it's ultimate destination anyway.

That leaves just £170 to be paid back into Jabberwocky, hopefully by the end of the year. If not then not long after.  

Spendless

Payday for me - yay. Have to be careful because there's not much left over once Ive allocated 3 weeks of student rent from my wages. I am going to get some treatments done at the beauty college this afternoon. Waxing which is free and a basic treatment thats easily rectified if it goes wrong. First time there so will see how comfortable I feel and then book.another treatment.

Also need to do some xmas shopping, going whilst BF deals are on. 

Have booked some theatre tickets for Xmas period, book adaption play rather than a panto.

Mr S has ordered our new mattress and found the receipt for the old one. Back in 2017 we paid £1200 for our old mattress. We were both astonished, especially since we also had new kids beds too. Back then we both worked full time but we have since too - the difference it was before either child went to Uni! New mattress is cheaper than last but we have got it on.a BF deal. 

Spendless

Just lost a reply I was part way thru - grrrrr! 

Yesterday I went and did some Xmas shopping, to family from us, to one of kids from my parents. I was considering going to a larger shopping centre in another city but I've been able to shop online with free delivery so no point paying for a train fare and battling crowds! Was about to check out of online shop when I saw that they accept the CC Mr S has just signed up for. We need to spend £x within y time to unlock a load of freebies from the card so this might as well go towards the required amount - it will be paid in full once bill comes in.

Moneysaving tip - try out your local beauty college. I had regular beauty treatments when I was in my early/mid 20s then I had a house and mortgage on my own, followed by marrying, having kids and needing a larger house/mortgage, then as kids grew I had either time but no money or money but no time. Now I have a job with midweek time off and a little surplus income. I wasn't expecting too much despite a friend's recoomendation but waxing is currently free so booked an underarm. I remember the plaster type ripping off of yesteryear so was bracing myself but it wasn't like that, it was surprisingly soothing. Then I had a manicure, which I paid for , liked the finish of the nails, the handscrub, the hand massage, the hot glove treatment all lovely relaxing and a real feeling of well being whilst having it done but the nail polish wasn't brill. Not the student's fault, she warned me that it wasn't a product that lasted and unfortunately it smudged as I was leaving. I think if she'd waited a little longer for it to dry it might have been ok, but I had been in there for best part of 2 hours so it'll have been their finish time. I've booked in again for their last session before they close for Xmas break with more waxing, I did want another treatment too but they aren't taking bookings until next year, so I just get the freebie stuff - whoohoo. I had 2 different people for my treatments and though I wasn't expecting it both were mature students. 1 was doing it as a career change and intends setting up a salon next year with her sister which isn't located too far from me, so once I've exhausted what I want via the college I will probably go there instead. The other previously  had her own business but had to leave due to a war in her country. She described having to leave everything behind, in order to flee. She's married to a british citizen so I said had that made the process easier for her to  settle here and she said not really and she's just starting to pick the pieces up. 

It's definately worth the money to try, though I'd recommend trying a simple, cheap treatment first to see how you feel. Biggest downside I found was that you are in a large open room with all the beds though there are curtains to pull round you for any personal care, so my wax was like that but my manicure was 'in the open', so you don't get the smaller, more personal space that a regualar salon gives    

Then it was back to reality as Mum rang as I left to say Nan's SW has been in touch and asked my parents to attend a meeting later today. Unfortunately I am at work otherwise I'd accompany them. I only hope they speak up for themselves because they don't always and say that their own lives and health has been compromised due to becoming Nan's default carers and at their ages it is impossible to continue. My gut feeling is that Nan will be sent back home with a care package in place - which has  been done twice before and then has broken down with carers stopping coming within a few visits. Will find out later!

lucielle

Hope your parents stay strong and fight their corner. 

L

Spendless

lucielle said:

Hope your parents stay strong and fight their corner. 

L

Thanks. Just spoke to Mum before setting off. Points Ive raised is they cancelled their hol because Nan was being sent home despite being told parents were abroad. They lost their money (insurance didnt cover this scenario so close to departure). Theyve been unable to book another. Ive taken Mum away twice overnight all year having to leave Dad at home. As a couple theyve been out 
once, that was with us and only because we set off earlier than planned did we get to go because they returned to 2 calls on answer machine from Nan asking where they were.
Add in their ages (76 & 80) and  their own health issues and this isnt on.
Will see if anyone has listened later.