Evasive action! Stop the trench becoming a hole.

KeepOnKnitting

To do list was completed, as well as some admin finished for work. Holiday starts properly today. Long drive south today, but hopefully we'll get some sunshine in the end. Just enjoying the morning peace before my friend is up and we get ready to go.

KeepOnKnitting

Well, I'm back from holiday. It was completely fabulous, so I'm really glad I have had a day to regroup before I go back to work tomorrow.

Unfortunately, there was stuff happening while I was away. Lodger V3.0 turned out to not be a success, so I am going to have to do auditions again. It has been a bit of a stressor, but I'm telling myself it will be OK.

I did spend more money than I had expected. It isn't the end of the world, but I am still waiting to see how the shared costs shake out with my travel buddy. 

That means that frugal September continues with a vengeance. I went to the supermarket to get some fruit and bread, managed to score some yellow sticker bargains, and completed a challenge that gave me a pile of bonus loyalty card points for buying veg. Hooray for 75p raspberries and 15p organic banana hands. Total spend of £4.58

I do need to get some catfood. As usual the cat sitter has given her a complete feast and the food stash is dangerously low. I'm going to wait a couple of days just to see how bad the situation is with my finances before I order it.

I've taken the plunge and applied for a staff bank job. Hopefully it will mean some overtime availability, and then I will feel like my finances are a bit more in my control and not in the hands of flaky lodgers. Just have to warn my boss what I am up to so she doesn't stress. No news as yet on the contract as far as I can tell. Sandwich is already made and in the fridge for tomorrow.

Right, cup of tea and bed for me. Too many late nights on holiday. 

dawnybabes

Aww that’s a shame about the lodger, maybe with a few bank shifts will take the immediate pressure off finding one so you can get the right one. 

KeepOnKnitting

Thanks @dawnybabes, although it will take ages to get on with the bank as they will need to do DBS checks and references etc. If I can do a few shifts before Christmas that would be good 🤣

Furryface is being demanding this morning. She is always needy after I've been on holiday, and I had to sit down for her lap-nap for hours yesterday. 

KeepOnKnitting

Work was fairly busy today. As is so often the case with two of my colleagues, we had someone off sick. It is just so frustrating as there is no way they will be back this week. They never are. Why go to the office and work when you can just call in sick and still be paid because you fancy another week off? Let your colleagues pick up all the slack and sort out all of your client meetings, and absolutely do not under any circumstances return to the office until you have had a minimum of a week off. Ugh, just quit and make our lives easier. OK, rant over.

I've let one of my managers know that I have applied for a bank job on weekends, so not to panic if they are asked for a reference for me.

I took my lunch with me as planned, and then made omelette for dinner this evening. I need to make as much from the cupboard as I can over the rest of the month to see how far the money can stretch. Still no info from my friend about total holiday costs to find out if I owe them money or if they owe me some. Hopefully soon so I can work out how bad the finances are. I think it will be money coming my way, but I am not 100% certain. I may rough out the money for the rest of the month based on not getting anything back just so I can feel like I have a plan. 

I don't think I am going to be able to make one tank of petrol last the rest of the month. I will have to drive to work at least four days, plus out for adventures this weekend. I have a leaving present at work to contribute to, and a friend has a birthday at the end of the month. 

Tomorrow is my long day at work. I think I have probably got enough hours built up to take another day off now, so I might take that when I visit family in November. Need to plan travel. Might look at megabus, often mega miserable, but sometimes mega cheap.

KeepOnKnitting

Long day, tired now.

Some crappy bits at work. First customer was really unpleasant. One of my last was lovely, as they usually are and we had a nice chat.

Got petrol when I left work, and then did a small supermarket shop as I needed coffee. Have ingredients for baking and making chilli, so I think that is tomorrow night's plan. 

Had scrambled egg on toast for dinner, and I'm about to go to bed. 

KeepOnKnitting

Hooray for Friday! Looking forward to a nice weekend.

Plans for petrol and food have gone exactly as intended this week, but then my car needed a new tyre, so that was £48 I could have done without. Just glad it wasn't worse.

Aimingforthegoodlife

Boo to lodger, but well done on getting rid, hopefully karma will come round for him. Good luck finding another one, though, as you said if bank works out could be all you need which would be much easier! Glad you had a lovely holiday, well deserved!

WinterWarrior

Happy Friday. I’m glad you had a lovely holiday. 

I hope you get the bank work before Christmas as planned ☀️

KeepOnKnitting

I have been a bit AWOL. With not knowing how the holiday finances would settle, I wasn't able to plan. It is all agreed this weekend though, so I've been able to evaluate how September ended. Answer: very tight.

I've got an interview next month for the bank job. Fingers crossed.

There has also been an advert put out for a similar job to mine in a town slightly closer to home. I'd not previously thought about other similar posts that have popped up in the last year as I wanted to remain loyal to my current workplace after they invested in training me. However, I am going to at least apply. The money is much better, and it would make my life easier in a lot of ways, although I am not certain it will be the right job for me. Being more financially stable would reduce my stress a lot though. Loyalty has to go both ways.

Managed to take lunch to work every day this month, and I have done a fair bit of batch cooking, so I have got my food shop down to just under £200. Aiming to do this again in October. 

Taking a leaf out of @debtfreewannabe321's book and reminding myself today of all the things I am grateful for in my life. It can be so easy to focus on the stress and wanting more, without appreciating all the good things that are already here. Not sure if I am ready for a vision board that includes a change of job, but a change of salary, more travel to warm places and completing some of my DIY projects may be on the to-do list.