The Mental Debt Struggle...

AntoMac

What a shame you couldn’t get to your sister’s Keedie. Make sure you rebook something as soon as you are able.
A difficult lesson for your lad but also an important one. We can’t have every holiday we would like and sometimes we have to go without. He’s still got other great stuff to look forward to and it’s really good that he understands and has accepted it with maturity.
Mrs Mac was up in London for a few days yesterday and her ligament went in her left knee. She was practically immobilised. She said so many passers by and strangers were really helpful. She’s holed up in her Hotel now. The Hotel staff have been brilliant too. Maybe that dispels somewhat a bit of a myth that Londoners are unfriendly. I’ve learned in life that most people will step in when you need help.
Anyway, have a great day. Whilst we all like a bit of IKEA the advice from @WelshmansDaughter is good. If you can find equally good for a bit less save yourself a few quid.

Keedie

Oh I hope Mrs Mac's knees get better really quickly @AntoMac, and it's good that she's being taken of. Us Londoners are usually too busy to be seen as friendly, but we really do love helping people and each other. We tend to bond over shared interests or trauma. Random, but it can be very comforting.

Thanks for the shopping tip @WelshmansDaughter, I'll have to check out Amazon.

I accidentally ruined my son's coat from Uniqlo as I washed it and all the air in the puffer jacket seems to have disappeared. He wasn't very happy and kept looking at his flat coat with sad eyes. Then I remembered that he brought it with the money that he got for his inheritance from my dad, and I felt even more guilty for trying to help him get on top of his laundry and for ruining the coat. I need to replace it, but I know it won't be the same. He keeps holding it and I feel awful. I know he's trying to be mature about it, but he's heartbroken, as he loved that coat and the fact that he has something from my dad. I can't seem to find it on the Uniqlo website, but the closest I can see is £129 in sale... I keep making costly mistakes as I've already spent £65 on a parking fine and £79 fixing my Macbook this month. Oh well 😬.

LittleMissDetermined

If you followed the washing instructions on the label, couldn't you contact the brand directly and make a complaint?  Coats should be washable after all, and if the instructions were followed then there could be something they can do. 
LMD x

beanielou

Try the coat in the tumble drier with a tennis ball!

Keedie

Nah I messed up @LittleMissDetermined. I read the instructions after Coat Gate occurred and realised that it was meant to be handwashed and not squashed in with other clothes... 😬. But I'll try the tumble dryer @beanielou thank you. I'll take it to my mum's as she has a dryer and might have a tennis ball too.

I excitedly mentioned the hope for restoring the coat to my son, and he's not very optimistic but he humoured my excitement 😂.

I got my £301 cost of living payment today, and I'll be doing a very big food shop on Thursday afternoon! I need one of those big bags of rice that last ages and I'm still looking into a slow cooker to be able to save money by bulk cooking. I think I need to go on the Old Style boards for some inspiration with that as well. I've noticed that toilet paper is getting extra pricey, and my son absolutely wastes it all. I had to tell him off, as he used the toilet paper to mop up a spilled drink in the kitchen instead of using the cloth staring him in the face. And he was waaaay too generous with the wad of paper he used as well! 🤦🏾‍♀️
 
I've put some of the money towards my budget for next month, as I'll be driving a lot to get my son to and from his exams, so the petrol is going to be a lot higher.

Depending on how much is left after I do a bulk shop, and stock up on household items, I might also be able to put some towards my Octopus fund so that I can start building credit for the winter as that energy support scheme is over and the rates are going up again in July I believe. I'd turned my heating off, but the UK weather humbled me and it went right back on lol. I should hopefully be able to just have the boiler set to hot water from May 2023, but this April has not been impressive temperature wise.

I managed a neat little £0.70 to the penny challenge so that was quite nice 🤗.

badmemory

If he uses a lot in the bathroom have you tried squashing the toilet roll.

Keedie

I think I need to invest in a toilet roll holder in general anyway. As I've been meaning to redecorate my bathroom but nothing has happened for the longest time and our toilet and bathroom are rather sad looking. He wastes toilet paper as he keeps using it for everything. He's bypassed the kitchen towels on occasion and used toilet paper as napkins. I don't understand it. I think I need to make him buy some toilet paper with his own money so that he can see how expensive and annoying it is! 🙄

I had an anxiety dream and woke up at like 05:30 and felt really scared. I've been freaking out over my son's GCSEs, as he got an offer for a college yesterday, for a Level 3 BTEC Business course which is good. But the reality is that he's not on that level and needs to do a Level 2 course realistically, but I'm worried he won't get any passable GCSEs. I'm starting to feel stressed as he only has a few weeks and he's not really understanding how fast that time passes. But at the same time, I'm so tired, and the thought of trying so hard with him is difficult and draining. I feel really burnt out. And if I'm being honest, a bit resentful, that things are so hard. I know that others have it worse, and once this time is over, I'll feel a lot better, but I'm just so tired of all this exam stress and I'm not even sitting exams!

AntoMac

I guess, and I’m no expert, a big part of your anxiety dreams are because so much of what you want to go right is out of your control. You can only do your best, which is what you are doing.
You are correct in that there is always someone worse off, but that doesn’t make your difficulties any less valid. No wonder you are exhausted with all you have going on. Bad times do pass and happier days do come. It often doesn’t feel that way during the low points. 

LittleMissDetermined

I can only echo @Antomac in that you can only control so much and do your best. Worrying about things you can't can make you poorly; (said from experience here). 
If you're a 'list' person. Keep a little list on you with can and can't control worries. When you find yourself worrying check the list. If it's not on there add it to the right column. I find it grounds me and takes it out of my head if it's on paper.

Makingabobor2

 I agree. I know its hard, but worrying about things outside your control will not help. Also the list idea is great. I once read that if you wake up in the night worrying, write it all down and you then have it off your mind and will sleep better.