So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

Cheery_Daff

Gosh, that does seem like quite a bit of uncertainty at Mr MV's work - no wonder it's affecting you too xx

badmemory

Redundancy very often seems to be just an excuse for people having to do jobs that are well above their paygrade.  Been there done that got the t-shirt.  Glad I will never have to get it again.

themadvix

badmemory said:

Redundancy very often seems to be just an excuse for people having to do jobs that are well above their paygrade.  Been there done that got the t-shirt.  Glad I will never have to get it again.

Unfortunately this was already the case for Mr MV - he's effectively been doing two people's jobs for a while now, through a refusal to recruit. Hate to think what it's going to be like now. 

try_harder

How awful that 250 people have been made redundant and what a worry for you .

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks Cheery and TH. It is a bit of a worry, but it's been lurking in the back of my mind. Mr MV had already identified a relatively new management hire as a 'hatchet man', so it's not entirely surprising - just the scale and the suddenness. And while Mr MV's boss was pretty useless his role was kind of a key one in the business and the type of business it is.... it'll be difficult to see how that role continues to be 'redundant'. For now, anyway, we keep our fingers crossed, his CV up to date and see what happens.

I have achieved my goal of tipping into the next thousand bracket in my savings! A £1.67 TT from my Cambridge pay and £5 withdrawal from a bookie (technically that hasn't hit my account yet to transfer, but I know it's on its way). This despite the fact that I've failed miserably at selling anything (most of it has been listed, just no interest). Hugely helped of course by the £100 underspend from the car insurance pot.

Anyway, Cambridge pay has settled two CCs, and technically I don't need to pay the other one off as I've paid something off already which was more than the statemented balance. Obviously I'd rather also pay off the rest of it - but I think SE funds may be tight this month (very glad of the cat sitting money!). It'll all work out though and I think there'll be some for the savings, but not the £600 target - fortunately £500 has been achieved this month already though through various things. Next month should be much better as I'm getting into a busy period, although I'm likely to have less Cambridge work as I'll be taking a month's break at some point (I'll really miss the opportunity for weekly money shuffles!).

Tiny Olio collection last night - only 24 items, so we only kept some potatoes and another chicken and mushroom pie. We'll have pie (probably veg sausages for me, unless I want to spend money) and neeps and tatties tonight (I still have our Christmas veg box swede as neither of us are fans). Lunch will probably be an unclaimed Olio baton with PB&J. 

Today will be more of the same - Cambridge and a big job for my main client, and a visit to the cats. A load of washing is on and I need to run the d/w, so hoping the sun comes out (looks up and sees rain through the window....argh! - Was meant to be sunny today!).

MS things:
* Got a book on Poland out of the library yesterday; BIL, who visited Poland last year, said not to bother getting cash - he paid on card for everything, so that's an expense and faff saved (we'll take a Starling card for cash withdrawals just in case). Everything looks very walkable from our central hotel and the public transport is very cheap.
* Topped up on milk and onions in T's while getting cat-sitting cat food
* Clicks and HW done - small wins
* PA surveys - nearly at £20 for the month now and until this week I'd not been making much of an effort
* 1P surveys
* I've set a phone reminder to check for others' Olio collections - otherwise I completely forget!
* Signed up to do bonus CD and UM RM surveys for 6 weeks

Gratitudes:
* Polite and appreciative Olioers
* Mr MV picked me up from town on his way home yesterday, saving me a long, cold, wet walk in the rain
* Used the IP to make shakshuka last night and it worked. Since I got my spun iron frying pans I've been reluctant to make shakshuka, which we really enjoy, because you have to reseason the pans afterwards as the tomato eats the seasoning - which a) uses a lot of energy as it goes in the oven and b) is a pita both because you have to go through the seasoning process and because it takes a while after that before the pan properly gets back to being non-stick. Wasn't convinced that it would work in the IP (as they don't like tomato - it often results in a 'burn notice' where it stops working because the sauce has burnt to the bottom), but followed someone's instructions online and it was perfect! Shakshuka is back on the menu!

Have a good day all!

badmemory

Interesting to learn that about tomato.  As virtually everything I cook seems to land up with tomato in it I think I'd better give them a miss.  I'm probably too stuck in my ways anyway. 

themadvix

@badmemory you just have to be careful - I cook plenty of things in it with passata/tomatoes, but the key is not to stir. So you put water/stock in first, then pour the tomato carefully on top. Stick the lid on and cook - you might think the flavours won't meld, but that's not the case - I guess it's the pressure. Just give it a stir at the end and it's fine. Also a bit tricksy with lentils, but same applies. It's better when you've sauted onions etc. in the bottom first as this gives it a natural layer between the two (and you'll need to deglaze the pan, so a small amount of water will need to be added anyway.

themadvix

Have just got back from cat visiting and it was well timed too - the heavens opened just after I got in.

Forgot to say that I've booked a haircut (£15 with SIL) and a trip to the college beauty salon for next week - fed up of feeling grey, wintry and dull. Was hoping for a mini facial (£5) but the students aren't ready for those yet, so have opted for full 60 minute one (an extortionate £12!) plus eyebrows and eyelash tint (total of £22). It's unnecessary, but I'm hoping it'll make me feel brighter and it's certainly very good value for money. Beauty salon trip will come from my birthday money, so no impact on budget (haircut budgeted separately).

badmemory

That sounds like excellent value for money.  I want someone to cut my toenails.  I mean how pathetic is that, I can do my left foot but not my right.  My DS has his issues with touching & whilst he will put cream on cutting toenails is a step to far for him & last time my friend did it he cut 2 of my toes, thankfully noticed before blood hit the carpet.  I do spend every 5 weeks on my hair cut & colour & also my eyebrows incl tint.  The lockdown convinced me that it was never going to be optional it is a necessity.  Going OMG when catching sight of oneself in a mirror is definitely not an option ever to be repeated.

themadvix

Morning all,

@badmemory - thanks, you've definitely made me feel better about spending on what is definitely a luxury. Tricky about your toenails though - I'm afraid I can't blame your son for not wanting to do it! Have you tried a chiropodist?

Feeling shocking this morning - headache and stomach cramps (I am about to switch pill in the hope that the headaches can be done away with), plus a terrible night's sleep. And, typically, a busy day! Have been attempting work this morning but it's slow going because my brain is like mush. Am heading out soon though - patch test at salon, cheque to pay in, cats to visit (no walking to them today), RM survey item to post etc.

Dinner last night didn't use the swede - we don't like them and I've decided life is too short to force us to eat them - I will Olio it. Lunch today will be leftover Olio baguette and for Mr MV some roast chicken slices from the freezer (Olio) and probably PB&J for me. Veggie chilli for dinner tonight as we've got open passata to use up. I keep thinking we're going to need to do a proper food shop (delivery/Aldi) soon and then come up with another 3 meals we can eat using stuff we've got in at home. Tonight's dinner will probably include enough to freeze too - and won't be a pauper's meal as it'll include some of the very nice but expensive Moving Mountains mince I bought ages ago (when on offer and I thought I was buying burgers!).

Unusually for us, we've already had a think about what we'd like to do this weekend - we're going to go for a walk in a local village (with a drink in the pub probably, but I may also take a flask of hot chocolate) and Mr MV wants to get on with some DIY jobs. I'll probably help him, and may head down to allotment, depending on the weather.

MS things:
* Ordered food for cat sitting clients - we'll run out before she's back. C&C order from P@H so no postage required (which would be unfair) - opted in for the £2 bonus from TCB and should get 5.95% cashback on that too. Annoyingly, I won't get reimbursed for this until the client is back at the beginning of March, but it's only £15 so I think I'll survive.
* PA surveys
* NV surveys (although I don't think I actually qualified)
* Comps entered
* HW and clicks - a few pence won
* Still eating from stores/Olio (I forgot to mention that the peppers in the shakshuka the other night were also from Olio)

Gratitudes:
* It's Friday
* I have use of the electric car (we need to have a proper discussion about my car)
* I don't have to work with other people aka I can sit quietly and be miserable! (And stroke cats for mood-boosting)

Have a good day all!