Turning Straw into Gold: Creating Long Term Security & A Solid Home

MillQueen

@Dakota_Rose, seems to be the nature of the job… 24/7 working. We have a lot of people off long term sick so the rest of us are picking up that work, but we already had a lot of our own. Increasingly it's all weekend just to stay afloat. I was actually meant to be off today, but I have loads to do and I am straight into another big workflow from Monday. It wouldn't be difficult if I wasn't always doing the work of several other people alongside mine where they have been absent for months. The absences really aren't being managed well - I don't mean in terms of stopping people going off, as they should absolutely take the time they need, but it's more about making it manageable so people feel ok to be here in the first place.

MillQueen

I just checked my accounts and did some pleasing round downs and round ups:

• Sent £10 to the mortgage so it's now below £220k
• Sent £5.65 to personal loan so it's now £9,500
• Sent £2.81 to emergency fund so it's now £2,560

I must be very frugal this month. The next things I need to save up for are my new glasses, a mattress for my bed, getting the gutters cleaned, and a dentist visit for an appointment and teeth cleaning.

I am not even in a position for saving this month though, just getting back to breaking even. I haven't the time or energy to do any self employed work to earn extra, as mostly I am just working and sleeping and just about functioning, so it's not the time to take on additional work in my limited free time.

Dakota_Rose

Will you be paid anything extra for the additional hours being put in @MillQueen?
Or can you see them easing any time soon?

The round downs are very pleasing! Well done on those 😊

MillQueen

@Dakota_Rose, we don't get anything extra for doing extra time, as it's a salaried role so I can be working all day every day and still get the same amount. Often that's what I am having to do, as when the work doesn't get done then things don't run and there are complaints and I don't want to have any made against me. So I just do whatever hours are required to get the work done. I wish I could say I could see it getting better, but it seems to be a rolling systemic issue, where people get burnt out and go off sick and then all the people who have been working hard to cover for those people in turn get burnt out and go off sick, and it goes around in a cycle of burning through staff. I'm not a going off sick kind of person and have always done intense jobs so I just keep going, but I would like to have some time to develop things outside of work, like going to the gym and maintaining my cooking and doing a bit of self employment.

FootyFanDan

I know from similar experience that it is a lot easier said than done but that sort of environment and current work you are putting in is not sustainable at all. The only way it changes is when things start failing, that is the only time management will step in and make changes. While everything is getting done they won't change. And you probably know this but if stuff doesn't run and there are complaints that isn't on you. I know it isn't easy cos it sounds like you take pride in your job but you need to find a way to break the cycle…before the cycle breaks you.

MillQueen

@FootyFanDan, reminds me of that meme… "stop being the one who makes all the effort… sit back and let the ship sink" 😂. I can only do it for a short while though, as it means going against my personality.

I have been doing similar jobs for about 20 years and the industry has never been any different - issues with workload and keeping staff. I work well partly because I do take pride in my job and partly it's also self preservation, as I have seen what not surviving in it does to people. I know what you mean about things not changing unless they're failing. I am not sure those above us have the ability themselves to change it even then, as I see they are in the same situation those of us on the bottom are. I survive in it by watching carefully, helping people where I can, and ensuring my own work is watertight.

I'm having a no spend day today, tucked up in my favourite place, home. I ought to cook something and I have the ingredients for the cheap meal I like most (vegetarian sausage and brown rice thing with chickpeas, peppers and edamame, so nice and easy to make). I think this morning I will take it easy, read a book and clean the kitchen, cook myself a nice lunch. Avoid tasks for a bit, maybe have a nap.

MillQueen

Had a nice no spend day having a snooze and reading a book and doing tasks in the kitchen, before doing work this evening. I have made my all time favourite cheap recipe. You just cook a pack of vegetarian sausages, boil some brown rice, and stir fry some veg from the freezer in spray oil (I used onions, sliced peppers and edamame) with whatever spices you like, e.g. fajita spice, paprika or tandoori. Then you slice up the cooked sausages and mix everything together with half a jar of chick peas and their liquid. Makes loads. I like it served with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, soy sauce and a drizzle of sesame or walnut oil. This was about £1.75 a portion, as I got enough for four (I just guess the amounts).

I got yellow sticker baking potatoes that were 4 for 55p the other day, so I am going to bake those tomorrow to take for work lunches, or a tin of soup and a pitta bread. That should last me the week.

MillQueen

Made an over payment of £28.58 to my energy account. I am only minus -£250 on there now, so that should be paid off and back to being neutral in a month or two. I am all geared up to have a frugal winter, so I'll be sat here in the dark wearing an indoor hat to ensure I don't go into debt again on that. I like it best when I just pay the balance of whatever I use each month, but I had to go onto a set payment plan as the smart meter wasn't sending the data accurately and I had ended up £1,000 in debt to them.

Looks like I am going to have to use the emergency fund to pay for the training at work, as they seem to not be going to fund that. It's either that or a credit card and I'd rather not have the debt. If I add the emergency fund to my investments, I have the exact right amount. It's like life always knows when I have managed to accumulate something and will send along a big bill to use up any surplus again 🙄

in_need_of_direction

can you ask your employer to pay up front then recover from your pay?

MillQueen

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82127279#Comment_82127279

That's a good idea, thanks, I will ask, though judging by how slow everything has been I doubt they would be able to get something in place in time even if they were willing. I think I can probably ask for installments. I considered being honest that paying for it will mean doing a lot of self-employed work and I can't do that when I'm always carrying the work of at least two or three other people. If they aren't going to invest in me, they at least need to stop overusing my time so I can use it to get together the money to invest in myself.