Settling in for the long haul

Dakota_Rose

Today will not be a NSD. I’m taking Mum out for her birthday shopping trip and have promised her lunch out. We usually just get a meal deal to eat in the car between shops (which we all secretly enjoy very much) but I will offer her a cafe stop if she’d prefer a proper treat. Her main gift from us was a gift card to spend in each of her three favourite shops. That was greatly appreciated and she’s very much looking forward to her shopping day today.

I have a list of things the boys need topping up in their wardrobes to see them through autumn/winter but it’s coming from everyone’s individual pots. I’d like a new pair of (cheap) fleecy lounge bottoms for the house this winter. Should get them cheaply if they have my size in stock. I’m still on the lookout for the elusive perfect lunch bag too. If I come back with one of those, I’ll be delighted. I have my own personal spends mostly intact so can treat myself to some small treats.

Blackcats

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82157953#Comment_82157953

one of my real life friends won £50k on the lottery about 25 years ago so the £50k was an even more significant amount of money. My friend was going through a divorce and held onto the ticket until the finances were finalised before cashing it in. Her ex had been very financially controlling so it didn't feel wrong for her to delay receipt of her good fortune. She did check everyday that the ticket was safe.

Dakota_Rose

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82158018#Comment_82158018

Now that is a good news story! It has karma written all over it 😊

Dakota_Rose

Today was busy but nice. We all enjoyed it. We got most of what was on our list and eldest is now kitted out for the next few months of work/college.

We’ve enjoyed a roast dinner and the leftover chicken will be used for a risotto tomorrow. That’s always delicious!

The week ahead looks to be very busy so I’m going to enjoy an hour this evening just reading with a hot drink before bed. I’m really enjoying the Aldi chamomile, apple and passionflower tea at the moment for my bedtime drink.

If I’m going to finish my handmade gifts before Christmas, I will need to start keeping some empty weekend days in my diary. Life has felt too busy for my liking lately!

Sending everyone positive vibes for the working week ahead. Mine is set to be non-stop as usual.

ohdearhowdidthathappen

What kind of handmade gifts do you make?

We’ve been keeping one free weekend day every week recently and it’s a really nice weekly reset. Otherwise everything feels like it rolls into one with no break 🥴

Dakota_Rose

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82158821#Comment_82158821

I like lots of different crafts but this year I am embroidering felt corner bookmarks to match the colour/theme of the book chosen 😊.

I sew, crochet (simple level) and paint so my gifts are along those lines if the notion takes me.

Dakota_Rose

I had a long day at work today but it was productive too so that’s something.

A small sale of £5 on fb marketplace which has gone into my purse as it was paid in cash. I need to drop into a post office something soon so will save it to pay in unless we need it for something else first.

Eldest has gone for his first rehearsal tonight and that will be paid so that’s fab for him. Mr D’s taxi service has begun 🙈. We chatted over dinner last night and agreed that 10% of his pay should go towards fuel (it’s a 20 mile round trip each shift not including an extra 8 miles each way when he’s at college), 50% into his savings (ideally his trust fund account) and 40% to spend how he chooses. He will be earning £80 a shift (£60 for the rehearsal evenings) and will be working up to 20 shifts so I think that’s reasonable.

I’m off to celebrate surviving another Monday with a hot bubble bath and a few pages of my book. Wishing everyone else a pleasant evening too.

Dakota_Rose

Another busy day at work, which saw quite a few people emotionally offloading on me. It’s part of the job and I genuinely don’t mind it but do find it hard to shake off the negative vibes afterwards at times. I’d hoped for an earlier finish but it didn’t work out that way.

With Mr D’s moaning, I have put an email of concern through to 🐙. My EV charger is regularly not charging my small hybrid battery even when plugged in for over 12 hours overnight. If I force the charge, I now get charged full rate despite it being off peak and it being my way around it in the past. They’ve changed the rules and I just feel that the charges keep rising and the service gets worse. I don’t think they’ll ’fix’ it but I needed to share my frustration.

Anyway, I’m home and enjoying the smells of a lovely chicken and leek risotto cooking. The kids are all home, safe and relaxing. I’ve got my cosies on and have nothing to do other than relax for the next hour. Life could definitely be worse!

Dakota_Rose

Dinner last night was delicious and I had leftovers in my microwaveable cup for a late lunch at work, so a simple French toast tea was all I fancied/needed when I got home.

It has been much colder and damper here today but the sun made an appearance eventually. My heated blanket has been brought back out - worth it if it keeps the heating off a bit longer.

Eldest is back out at a rehearsal tonight. Mr D reports that he was feeling stressed out today so I imagine the reality of juggling college and work is starting to sink in. I’ve done all his admin and organising, Mr D has prepared him a packed tea and chauffeured him there and will collect him again tonight, so all he needs to focus on is putting on a good show when he’s there. Fingers crossed it’s gone well for him tonight. I’ll make the effort to stay up and see him when he gets home to hear how it’s been. My bedtime is so important to me so it’s with some reluctance lol! I wasn’t much older than eldest when I’d work a full Saturday in a hairdressers shampooing and sweeping, then be back out working till the early hours of Sunday morning at the local nightclub collecting glasses or on the cloakroom. The Friday night had most likely been spent at said nightclub having a good night out too. A nice fry up the next morning, and I’d be reset for the week ahead. It’s a wonder I passed any A levels or made it to age 21 to be fair 😂.

Dakota_Rose

… the heating may now be on! We gave in to help get the very damp washing dry and it’s so nice. My feet are still like ice though.

Today was a tough day at work and full of those things that I would deem the least desirable parts of my job. Feeling a bit anxious tonight as a result. Roll on this time tomorrow when hopefully a few issues will be closer to resolution and I will have a more relaxed weekend ahead of me.

I’m considering trying a stall at a craft fair this Christmas. It’s something I’ve been tempted to do many times in the past but always seem to have left too late to make happen. If anyone has any experience of one, I’d love to hear about it.

Eldest enjoyed his rehearsal last night and got his rota. He’s on for every night the event is open so with his 2 rehearsal evenings, he’ll be earning over £1600! If he manages it all okay, he’ll be feeling rich. Half will go straight into savings and his dad will need some diesel money handing over. The rest will be his to decide what to do with. Today he came home from college delighted with himself: he’d picked up two chocolate oranges for £2. Apparently they were £2.50 each or 2 for £2 with a clubcard. I’ve made him relinquish one to start the Christmas cupboard off. He’s agreed but only if his name is written on it. So if anyone else likes a choc orange at Christmas, run don’t walk to Tesco 😂.