Cancer, cash and carrying on

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Thanks Dakota

So, my sneaking suspicion that it’s the kids that derail our budget has been proven right today…

• DD2 had her bag stolen last night, she was so upset. Phone, purse, keys all gone. We’ve also changed our locks today (£120) as her provisional licence was in her purse.
  She knows my mobile number off by heart, so she called me and I picked her up. Bless her, she’s still sad today.
  We’ve got a spare phone she’s using for now, but will need to replace 💰
• DD2 has work experience coming up this week… train fares were £200. I bought her a 16-17 rail card, so that price is 50% off full fare. Rude!
• DS3 is doing his DofE. We had most of the kit, but a few bits he needed came to £60

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Actually it caught us out a bit as we’ve always told her to take emergency cash, in case she loses her card. Guess where she kept it? In her phone case 🤪

Spendless

Eeek. Been there with the young adult offspring having item(s) stolen and having to step in to replace.

Train fares, oh my goodnesss, it really shouldnt be costing you £200 to get a teen to work experience! Who set that up? If she found it herself and its an industry that will be beneficial to her future - annoying but ok. If its her school/college Id be complaining about the cost.

ohdearhowdidthathappen

She organised it with school input and it is a sector she’s really interested in.
It’s just the other side of London, I’m actually going to drive her the first morning and it’s an hour away. So I find £400 (if she didn’t have a railcard) mad, how do people afford to commute? 😮

School did say they had a fund, but when I enquired it was means tested, so I didn’t bother 😂

Sun_Addict

Sorry to hear about DD2 having her bag stolen 😞 I hope she’s ok, there are some awful people out there 😡

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Thanks Sun_Addict

It was a nasty shock for her, thankfully she’s never been on the receiving end of a crime and I think it’s really shaken her 😔

She also hates that some random has been through her stuff.

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Quiet day today, Wednesday’s chemo has caught up to me this weekend. Headachy and tired, but generally ok if I don’t overdo it.

Checked our account, we have £450 to last us until 23rd, so about £150 per week. Should be doable as not many budgeted spends left. Not bad considering the unexpected expenses!

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Ugh, another unexpected child related cost. The secondary school my youngest is going to is running a summer school to give them a gentle introduction with none of the older kids there.
I thought it was free - hadn’t noticed the small print that says it’s means tested. Doh. I still think it’s a good thing for him to do, but I’m now £100 poorer for that week 😔

EssexHebridean

They should really be making that information really upfront shouldn't they - there wil be plenty of households where there will be financial embarrassment over that, as even though they may not pass any means testing for it to be covered, they also don't have the ready cash spare to just find from nowhere!

I hope DD2 is getting over the shock of the bag theft now - it's a horrible thing to have happen.

Spendless

£100 for a summer school to help introduce to Secondary school life. What does that cover? I mean taster days/sessions used to be free.