Single Mum: Freedom in Narnia

jak

Woooo! I won a line! I got 3 big multi-packs of yogurts. Creative boy will be thrilled. I have also filled my dresser with a variety of my 'best' (charity shop) Denby and it looks very nice. 
I now have more space in my kitchen cupboards which is good because I've got rather a lot of stuff. Tomorrow I'm going to re-organise the kitchen so it all fits and is accessible. When I moved, I just kind of chucked stuff wherever it would fit so I need to get it looking better now. I was just getting over covid, so it's a bit of a muddle. 

Other jobs to do include: 
1. Ordering Creative boy some navy, velvet/chenille curtains- I got him a new throw this week and it's gorgeous.
2. Sort out the washing!- 1 load is in the machine and another is ready to go.
3. Actually put the paintings up properly in the dining room- currently blue-tacked to see if I like them there. I do.
4. Change sheets/beds.
5. Order/buy new lampshade for Creative boy's room.
6. Take the bin out.
7. Pick up As£a orders.

Creative boy is at his Dad's until Tuesday now so that gives me plenty of time to get organised. The great sofa swap is happening Thursday so I need to have the office organised by then too. I'm also still waiting on my gas and electric bills. They are taking ages to be generated and I really would like to know if our efforts have been worth it or not!

xx 

jak

Flipping SSE! I finally have my first bill for electric. They have increased my DD to £105 pcm, kept £88 of my money in credit AND used an estimated bill. I gave them the meter reading twice and got a text message to say thank you. Now m readings are wrong on my bill- the will be slightly higher actually- I just checked. Oh, and they are shut on a Saturday so I can't even call them to sort it out. It's very annoying. I know that £105 pcm is probably way less than most people spend but it seems a huge amount to me! We use the over rarely- use slow cooker and convection microwave mainly, virtually never watch TV. We do have devices on so maybe it's that? I go to bed super early and read my book on my phone so no lights on past 9pm. I don't get it! 

Shell energy STILL haven't done my bill. It should be accessible on the 7th of the month. I'm still waiting. Ergh. I just want to know what my bills are so I can budget for them!

Creative boy is doing his Duke of Ed silver this year and he forgot to give me the expedition letter until yesterday! It so happens that the practice on is middle of March and his assessed one is 2 days after we get back from the U.S. Poor little guy is going to be knackered, It's a two nighter as well! I'll need to do a shop to to his bits and pieces soon. Maybe during half term. I've got his stuff from last time but he'll need more gross camping food etc. I'm hoping it doesn't cost too much. Last time it cost over £150 for stuff, mind you we should have most of it now. Just need to check. It's all in a bag under his bed so that's easy enough.

JAK
x
 

jak

Finally got my gas bill! £105 for the month. A darn sight better than last months £205 but still seems excessive to me. We have had the heating on for a max of half an hour a day. We've been relying on hot water bottles and blankets. I'll have to check the thermostat again. Maybe it's been coming no while we sleep. Rubbish heating system. Anyway, at least I know what the damage is now. 

JAK
x 

VintageHistorian

Some of that cost may be the daily charge, which isn't based on any usage and can't be lowered as a result.

If you take a look at your contract online it should state both the unit cost and the daily charge cost so you can then just times it by the days in the month and see how much of the bill is just that aspect.

jak

Thank you, I've have a look. Robbers, aren't they! Gah!
Holiday pot is now at £495! £5 to go til the first pot is filled! Great excitement in camp JAK
x

jak

Drum roll please!!! I've done it! I've got my first £500 aim for holiday money. £1.16 from Qmee yesterday plus a £4 clubcard voucher came today that tipped me over the edge. I have never been so excited to see a voucher lol. My holiday fund now stands at £500 spending money.

My next aim is £300 for taxis. So far I have £2.61 but I'm owed £4 from swag$ in Am vouchers. Hopefully that will come through soon. The best part about my holiday money is that most of it has come from free £££. It's a combination of cash back and survey sites vouchers and tilly tidies. Just under 7 weeks to go! Wooo!
I'll need to get our ESTAs done soonish. I bought insurance when I got the flights so that's all done. I can't wait!
Signing off a very happy,
JAK
x

jak

You won't believe this... I've run out of one of my meds so was searching for any spares when I came across my old medicine box. No meds but I found £220 in cash! I must've put it there for something a couple of years ago and forgotten all about it. What a result! Half is going for holiday and half is going for a tv cabinet for the office. 
Holiday pot TAXIS: £130.82/£300
SPENDS: £500/£500 
£169.18 to go!

I also found a present I bought my Dad that I'd forgotten about. It''s a really cool antique measuring tape in leather. That's going to be great for his birthday this year and saves me buying much else except some licorices, which he loves.  I also found a stocking filler for Creative boy to add to the growing pile!

My sister is up to her old tricks again. 2 weeks out of rehab and she needs another detox so she's taken herself off to yet another rehab...This is her fourth different rehab, one of which she went to 4 times and another she went to twice. 8 stints plus maybe 20 at home detoxes. I honestly despair. Is she ever going to be well? It's so sad and it's destroying our family. Creative boy just sighed when I told him. Addiction is so insidious. It creeps up on people. Some people make it and some people don't. I just don't think she is going to make it. Her body will eventually give up. Her mind is half way there already.  Time will tell, I suppose. I wonder what she will do when her flat sale money runs out. She must have spent a fair bit of it already. So sad. Alcohol has taken virtually everything from her. Don't drink kids! It's bad! 

On to nicer subjects now: The house looks lovely and Creative boy told me that the new dresser makes the house feel like home. That was lovely to hear! I got him a card (from stores) and some maltesers (reduced) for Valentine's day. I like to get him a little something. He is the love of my life after all!

Off to search the rest of my house now in case the absent minded me left any £££ lying around!

JAK
x

jak

Another £24 to the holiday pot today. Had an Am gift card credit. £144.18 to go... I've started a Toluna study worth 100,000 points plus I'm due another £10 Tes£o in 15,000 points. Hoping to get that today or tomorrow. 
Creative boy and I went to Tes£o yesterday and spent just under £30. I confess it was mainly on snacks for half term.... Very unlike me but it's good to have Some treats. Creative boy was thrilled- that's how rare it is! Back to the ever stretching mince for the next few days. Spag bol for tea tonight. CB has the dentist, then we have to go with Mum to find her a smart phone so she can track my step-Dad. He keeps running off- dementia sucks. She only has a big button old type phone so we need to find her a simple smart phone that is very easy to use. I think she's quite excited about it! At least she'll get a break from my step-Dad for a couple of hours!
JAK
x

jak

I've bitten the bullet and ordered our $. They should arrive tomorrow morning. We will have $720- £500 is mine and £100 is Creative boy's. Well, obviously I'll be using the £500 for both of us anyway. I went through top£back and got free delivery plus £3.20 so that's OK.

Now I'm anxiously waiting to see if my naughty older sister can get out of rehab in time to look after the animals. I'm totally stuffed if she can't! The cats would be fine to just be visited but my two little dogs need someone living in. The can't go to a kennels because they can't have the kennel cough vaccine. The littlest dog in the world has got meningitis and encephalitis- she's on the mend but still having chemo so is immuno-depressant- hence the inability to give either dog the kennel cough vaccine as it's live. The vets said it could make her really ill. And to go into kennels you need the vaccine. 
If she can just get herself together enough, it would really help because my Mum is round the corner and could keep an eye of her and the animals. Make sure they are safe. Mum can't do it herself as she can't leave my step-Dad, and he can't come because his dementia is too bad now. 

I'm not sure what my options are if she can't do it. Two weeks is too much to ask a friend really. Can you get pet sitters who live in? How much does that cost and where do you find them??

On to happier things now! I've smashed my Feb target of make £10 a day! I'm on £403.09! Amazing! I'm hoping for £500 by the end of Feb but we'll see. I almost want to put anything from now on into my March target lol.

I'm still plugging away at the Mort OP pot: just over £4,000 now! 

JAK
x 

jak

The new sofa is here. They wouldn't take it out of the box. By the time I did, they had gone. It is the wrong sofa. I called. They are swapping it with the right sofa on 2 March... And they didn't process my refund. They put it on an expired gift card I no longer have. Hopefully all sorted now. Will get refund of £86 in 5 working days and £39 on new gift card. I am Never, Ever buying Any furniture from Argos Ever Again. They SUCK!
ARGH!