An in-between phase

beanielou

I get it, I think! 

PennysIntoPounds

Happy Mondays all.

Todays doings:

Usual admin and household tasks

Got paid for a small job so put a share in tax pot

Got paid for Yougov surveys so put some in flat pot and rest in tax pot

Heard on the radio about billionaires paying less than half a percent in tax, while I'm sitting here technically homeless diligently putting away my 20% on any tiny job and online surveys *cue hysterical laughter followed by some rocking back and forth on the floor in a corner*

Did a couple of little bits of work

Walked to Aldo for bits, found 1p on the street

Sent the few leftover quid from dinner last night to the flat pot

Did a Coop receipt survey

Did some even wussier situps than 'usual' but at least an effort was made

Went to my local and had a couple of pints (of 'Pint', beer aficionados)

Received my order of some lovely vintage Christmas cards, the owner bless him refunded me 60p and sent them second class after I asked if there were in-person collection options, and chucked a few in for free which was so nice of him. So 25 good quality unique Christmas cards for just over £15. Very pleased with that

PennysIntoPounds

I forgot to say in my response to you @foxgloves that uber is even worse than that, if it was a random cabbie deciding they were only coming out for a certain price because it was so grim outside and they knew there'd be business with train lines down, I'd be cheesed off but at least a human would be getting the money for their effort.

Uber's system just sees there's an increase in demand so hikes fares up according to how much sudden demand. I doubt the drivers see a huge amount of the difference. Uber has put most local minicab companies out of business, left drivers with no choice but to work for them, and if you get ripped off it's not even a human to human decision.
It's like with driverless cars, one of the arguments is that (according to the businesses) accidents are less likely to happen, but unless that's 0% chance of anyone being killed I'd rather be killed by a human driver who at least would probably feel bad about it thanks. Rant over, sorry 😂

PennysIntoPounds

Lots of work today, hooray

Showered and washed hair, got to the end of a couple of toiletries bottles that had been well upside-downed and squeezed.
It's definitely getting on for stop-shaving-the-legs time of year, which'll save a few quid! Although that'll be counteracted by must-blowdry-hair time of year

Did a couple of surveys

Entered some competitions, today I'm mostly looking forward to winning a John Lewis voucher for £300

Got some steps in walking to meet Mr PIP for one of our Important Financial Planning Meetings (checking the lottery numbers) over a pint (Purity Gold, though there's a green hop on I'm going to have to try. It would be rude to autumn not to)

beanielou

I just let my hair dry on its own most of the time! 

PennysIntoPounds

Me too @beanielou but now it's getting so much colder I don't want a head of wet hair when going outside, I'm a chilly enough soul as it is!

vampirotoothus

Hi, it may be worth writing to a local MP about your planning application. I think you have nothing to lose except the cost of a stamp. Sometimes getting an MP involved gets things moving. Good luck V x

EssexHebridean

I consciously avoid washing my hair at a time when I will then need to go out with it wet at this time of year - I can't be doing with using a hairdryer and hate the feeling of having a cold wet bonce so that decides that one as a rule. Thankfully I am blessed with the sort of hair that will cheerfully wait and astonishingly long time for a wash if needed - and in fact it's getting even more like that as I get older, so that is a small win! 

We've had the conversation before about you using the PIP money for the purposes of actually benefitting your life haven't we? It's definitely not wasted if it saves you from ending up in severe pain the next day! 

PennysIntoPounds

Thanks @vampirotoothus we did recently contact the MP and the council responded with a self-aggrandising list of things they'd definitely done (they haven't) and things we hadn't done (we had) so not much use there sadly!

That's absolutely a getting older win @EssexHebridean! I tend to need to seize the moment I have energy and shoulder-ability to wash my hair so the dryer will have to be used where necessary, I did intend to get my hair cut short but it's too cold now 😁
And yes, we have had that conversation and yes I am looking sheepish writing this!
Accepting you need help in general is very different from accepting you need help when you're in the midst of a major grump about needing help 😂

PennysIntoPounds

A bit of an emotionally funny day today. Still no news about the build but I did hear back from the Housing Association that confirmed they were upholding declining succession of tenancy on my previous flat. I didn't expect differently but thought no harm in asking. But it has very much driven it home how much one is vulnerable to the whims of fate (and social bodies with power). And of course it has made me feel sad again about my family friend whose flat it was dying, which has in turn made me feel sad again about my Dad dying a couple of years ago. (Not that I'm not always sad about these things, but they're no longer at the forefront of my thoughts all the time as they are today.)
But I've been waiting months for them to get back to me so I guess it's a good sign that occasionally an organisation does give you an answer after blimmin ages! Roll on a 'yes or no' from the council... 🤞
The housing association also didn't say anything about occupancy charges which they had previously and which I was slightly sh!!!!ng myself they would enforce despite me not having been occupying the flat so hopefully that stands.
I'd decided to be even skinter than usual and save/put aside a couple of grand when I moved out to help cover that if it did occur so I will be very relieved to not have to find extra money for it, and to be able to put a grand straight into the flat pot. In terms of the other grand, presuming the housing association doesn't get in touch and say 'we forgot to mention, you're legally obliged to give us thousands of pounds lol', I'm tempted to use it for me and Mr PIP having a night or even two away, and bolstering my current account budget so I don't need to touch other savings for a bit longer for day to day expenses.

But I've done a lot of work today and have more to do this evening so I think for now I'll go for a stroll while there's still some daylight with Mr PIP and treat him (and me) to a pint or two and raise our glasses to those lost loved ones.