YNAB robber needs help to execute the plan

Wanna_Bee_Free

A lovely day yesterday and MSE except I bought us both Dim Sum for lunch £19. A more enjoyable way to spend a train fare to family!

I left my phone home to charge and went to the bank for more cash, then the Post Office to pay it in but it was declined. Spent the walk home wildly guessing as to the problem. Checked on all the cash FAQs, not over the limit etc. It turned out I'd frozen my card a few weeks ago to avoid card clash etc as my account was empty and then promptly forgot. Back to the PO and all paid in. I felt quite relieved afterwards. A lot of this went back to Feb/March when little sis was in hospital and I was booking my father's taxis the days I didn't take him. I paid all the spare money to next months cc bill early. I spend more carefully when I know I'm skint. CC balance is now down to £353.20 and Holiday savings £240.30 so my little part of oir household is £112.90 in debt. Bigger picture OH is looking forward to his payday once the client has paid his invoice. An HMRC rebate might come first. He has some 0% credit card balances with the interest free period ending soon so it will be great when he pays those off. No house viewings or news though

Then I had a lovely walk near Watford and OH suggested meeting for lunch as it ended near where he works. A productive afternoon changing the sheets, tidying up. and then a bath. In the evening I caught up with the endless ironing whilst watching iplayer. Packing will be easier if everything is clean. Detectorists and Series 1 of only Connect. Plus finished Alice Roberts Our Hospital through Time about Barts on 5 on demand. Found it a really interesting series and Ruth Goodman appeared in the last two.

We used some more sauteed red onion up with chard. I occasionally get hooked into odd/new stuff by the In Season section. The chard was a success, I though it was a bit like unwrinkly kale or cabbage.

I printed a packing list. I'm glad we waited for the rain rather than watering the last two days. It finally hit North London last night. The garden had a good amount I think.

Today I am starting a 12 week course to help me in finding a job. I qualified by being over 50 and have been out of work over 12 weeks. I've not worked since Jan 2023, a few months after my Mum died.

This afternoon I need to start packing and update our online supermarket order. It will be a small/easy one as we are off on Saturday. An elderly neighbour died recently so I plan to check neighbours have the funeral info. I can't go as we are in Edinburgh. I heard from her son as I sent a card to her in the care home after her fall and as he lives out in Essex it's a practical thing I can do to help him out. I remember it being a tough gig dealing with your Mum dying.

Oh and I need to clean out a few kitchen drawers. No progess on that yet.

Wanna_Bee_Free

Three kitchen drawers cleaned, sorted and packed away again.

Wanna_Bee_Free

Estate agent call to say market subdued. No excitement there.

My father was well enough to be very grumpy yesterday. He is getting a little mobility back. Little sis called 999 Tue night and went to hospital by ambulance 9am the next morning. They found nothing medical so discharged her at tea time Wed. I drove her to the supermarket yesterday but her hospital appointment had been postponed and she didn't tell me. At least that meant I saw my father more yesterday. Terrible traffic back, probably related to the tube strike. I am really looking forward to being free of them for two weeks.

All the kitchen drawers are cleaned out and most of the kitchen is done. I had a lovely time at the MC Escher exhibition this morning at Somerset House. No art pass saving available so I haven't renewed my expired one yet. I finished the Bullet that Missed, the third thursday murder club book by Richard Osman. Enjoyable, easy read. I have done a bit more cleaning and packing. OH about to finish work and then we're on hols together until 20/6. I miss him now he's in the office 4 days a week.

Wanna_Bee_Free

We are enjoying our holiday staying at our friends place in Edinburgh. We were evacuated when we visited the castle so they are refunding our £47 tickets. :-) Lots of daily spending going on between us but we have kept it lowish with treat food in and not much eating out so far. The cat is very used to us by now and is a soppy old thing. She loves her food and pesters a lot but it's easier to stay strong when it's someone else's cat. She is pestering less as we hold out

Little Sis called yesterday from a different number as I'd blocked hers. I reiterated that I didn't want to hear even if my father dies while I was away and I would see them both on father's day. It brought back my snakes in my stomach and undid a lot of my unwinding so far. Very frustrating. I also had a text message from her neighbour expressing concerns so I told them about the fruitless two GP and one hospital visits I have done recently. Scary stuff, not really sure what they think I can do even if I were at home in London.

Blackcats

it's not fair on you to have so much responsibility for your sister.

For now enjoy Edinburgh and relax with DH and your friend's cat.

Wanna_Bee_Free

Thanks for your supportive reply Blackcats. A generally relaxing week. My sister got her neighbour to call me for help on Saturday evening. Funnily enough I'd really relaxed until that point. I explained (again, already told that neighbout this) that I was away, returning father's day. I then got a text saying an ambulance had come and she was off to hospital again.

Trying to ignore it but the stomach snakes were back straight away. The next day was better.

Spending wise a lot of tourist spending happening but all well-considered and enjoyable so far.

Wanna_Bee_Free

Back from Edinburgh on Friday. I was sad to say goodbye to our temporary feline overlord. And of course to such a lovely city. Being a tourist there was great.

Saturday was unpacking and getting things sorted. Sunday a tough family day. Little Sis has deteriorated and has lost more weight. Not enough to be detained by A&E at the hospital. She apparently sent her mental health people away on Friday. This week I am going to go on Wednesday assuming the trains are running ok in the heatwave. Then we'll go again on Sunday. They are starting to make plans for my father to return home with carers. I hope it's not too soon and I am worried about how he and Little Sis will cope.

House news too - very exciting. I had to get the place viewing ready for this morning. They are already talking about a second visit later in the week. And another first viewing Wednesday morning so lots of cleaning and tidying for me this week.

After the calls and how low I was feeling on holiday I requested help from talking therapies and had a phone assessment this morning. I'm carrying a lot and realised that I need some professional help myself. I hope they can do something. It will be a real blow to reach out for help and then nothing. They said they come back within two weeks.

Money wise I have been tracking every transaction in YNAB but trying not to think about it. All my YNAB categories are red and everything has gone on my CC. I will not quite get back to zero when OH gives me some of his salary at the start of the month. Now we're back I need to close the purse strings again and stem the flood. My holiday spending was £525.66 so far but two of the bus charges haven't cleared so it will be a tiny bit more than that. I had £250 saved in my holiday spending. It seems like a lot but probably good value for two weeks having fun and a much needed change of scene and pace. The single train fare up there for two of us was @3319 and we enjoyed zero accommodation costs. Our friends who stayed in our place enjoyed themselves and left us a thank you bottle of bubbly so that all worked out well. The laundry mountain is the only surprise, as with our sheets, towels, their sheets and towels and our holiday clothes it was a big pile. I have already made great progress and a large pile of ironing last night.

Blackcats

So pleased you were able to enjoy most of your holiday. Your spending seems very reasonable for a big city trip and sometimes the value is far greater than the spend.

I hope your house viewings go well and also fingers crossed you get a call back from talking therapies soon.

Wanna_Bee_Free

A tough day yesterday. Spent £119.79 including petrol. Errgh. Bought a sandwich for breakfast, a Tesco meal deal for lunch and a takeaway as OH hadn't had a chance to buy anything like he promised to. Bought a USB plug for £9.99 Annoying as we have loads at home.

I was up early to get house viewing ready. The fox had dug another large hole. It's not a great look to cover yourself in soil first thing but hey ho. Visited Little Sis house. Got clean clothes for my father. Couldn't find a USB plug. Went to rehab centre. My father was delighted to see me. Useful sessions with his doctor and social worker. He is refusing a care home so will be returning home with care visits even if Little Sis not there. Went to 3 shops to get USB plug. Visited Little Sis in hospital, quick visit, delivered the plug.Then long hot drive home. Walked in to call from mental health person who sectioned my sister last time. They've decided my father is no longer her responsible adult due to his health changes and difficulties getting hold of him it is me now.

They are likely to section her this morning.

Money-saving activities:

YNAB updated

Talked OH out of a second main course and more rice, it was plenty of food

Screened out of 2 surveys this morning, earned 20p

Updated online shopping so we will have food in the fridge.

Blackcats

I think that covering yourself in soil first thing in the morning was probably the easiest part of your day!

Gosh you have so much going on. My dad also refuses to consider a care home but doesn't factor in that it's likely to be a better option for him, nor does he consider the burden of responsibility and worry he gives to me by stubbornly saying NO without even considering it.

I'm sorry that your little sis is in crisis and hope that your additional responsibilities can be discharged with plenty of support from the professional who are looking after her.