Old Style Diary Archive - AUG 05

squeaky

Old Style new style...

I'm *still* putting my system back together after a major registry catastrophe. It's going to take days to get close to the lovely setup I once had, and even longer to track down all the magic little hints and tips that I collected so many years ago

Which reminds me, oddly enough, that I need to defrost some chicken bits (last time I buy bits has come and gone - once these are done I'll be buying whole chickens and chopping them up to make my own bits) and use up a nice sachet of barbecue mix I got via the freebies board in the slow cooker. I don't actually have a barbecue but I might just get the barbecue flavour

summerday

I've been to town and bought a couple of pairs of trousers from a charity shop (£5.98 altogether), bought 5 huge baking potatoes, 5 nectarines, 4 apples and 7 bananas for £3.60. Lunch was jacket potatoes, yummy. Picked up a reserved library book that I can't wait to start.

This afternoon I have to drive to Derbyshire for my franchise training, am staying in a hotel (but got a good discount for booking through the company, and I'll make good use of the swimming pool and sauna). I'm planning on taking some snacks for dinner as last time at the hotel I noticed the food there was horrendously expensive- £15 for breakfast :eek:

Tomorrow I will be at the training all day so not much chance for OS really. Still at least there's a free breakfast and lunch!

Have a great weekend everyone.

sarah

calleyw

squeaky wrote:

Old Style new style...

I'm *still* putting my system back together after a major registry catastrophe. It's going to take days to get close to the lovely setup I once had, and even longer to track down all the magic little hints and tips that I collected so many years ago

Know the feeling my Laptop hard drive died the other week. Need to go and get a new one. Gutted as I had not done a complete back up so have lost a few things.

Don't you just love computers

Yours

Calley

squeaky

It's turning into a right pain. Even my spell checker has loaded without it's dictionary! Aargh!

And of course, with firefox, lovely as it is, you have to track down all the extensions you have installed...

..and my seriously nice tweaks

Which, now that I've sorted the spool chucker, has all been done

Now for the rest of my computer...

Zziggi

Penny-Pincher!! wrote:

Morning All

Anyway...the cleaners I interviewed. I had 8 lined up for the past 2 days and only 3 turned up. No calls to let me know..nothing :mad: I think I have found a one, she is older about 50'ish, my list didnt faze her (its not that bad..lol). I have a reference I have to call, which is a cleaning company and have to speak to one of either 2 people. She has also posted me written refs as she forgot them. She has bought 3 properties in the past and has done them up and on for a profit-so she is used to cleaning and hardwork. A Non smoker, no kids to worry about for childcare, close with her daughter-she bought them up by herself, will accept cheques as payment and can do friday mornings 10-1. Is there anything else you think would be important to know? Another lady came and she was awful and the lady who came yesterday was OK but didnt seem very keen.

Penny-Pincher!!
xxx

Is she self-employed then? if she is not self-employed then you are the employer - which means you'll have to sort out her tax/N.I as well as holiday/sick pay and above all your own insurance.

Double check whether she has registered her self as self-employed, if not the council will be checking up on this when they review your direct payments. To simply pay her a cheque is not enough, you need to checker her self-employed/employed status.

Penny-Pincher!!

Hi

Zziggi

When the direct payment co-ordinator came out I asked her this. In my advert I stated Self-Employed cleaner and have a receipt of this and of cost etc to send in with my statements. The co-ordinator said that anyone can claim they are self employed but as long as they are aware of this(position is on a SE basis)-I will not be held liable. Also, the council will not have any information on the cleaner as if its a self employed position they only want to see proof of payment (via cheque stubs and bank statements). I am also asking the lady to sign a small receipt book each week (will be dated and say something like "3 hours domestic cleaning £****".

Is this not correct? I have some paper work somewhere but this is mainly for PAYE. I am worried now..lol. Lady said she was going to go to Tax office anyway and ask/register as SE.

Thanks

Penny-Pincher!!
xxx

tootles_2

As the lady is over retirement age she no longer is liaible for NI contributions, you stop paying at 60 for women and 65 for men, as a SEP she has to so her own tax return, you are not liable for this either.

BWZN93

Hello!

Sorry ive been MIA for a few days!! Our internet access has now been cut off because ex flatmate didnt pay the bill - doh! Oh well, we move out in a week or so anyway so ill have to make do with sporadic and expensive visits to the internet cafe, ive been racking my brains to figure out if there is anywhere free, and aside driving to bristol to uni and using theirs, I cant think of any!

Ive done a bit of batch cooking recently, and generally chilling out, although I am so exceptionally bored - I never realised how much I was dependant on this site for people to talk to!! Alls I have now is the boyf at home, and that is become tedious in the extreme. Am still waiting to start work too, so there is no respite at all!! AAARGGGHHH!!!! :mad: Anyway, I suppose Id better go, I was going to have a quick browse but I dont really have time, another 3 mins and ill get charged another £1.

I hope you are all ok anyway, and I promise ill be back soon. I need you guys to talk to!

Take care!

Jo xx

henhog

Afternoon all!

Went swimming this morning after a months break - my arms ached for the first 15 mins but I soon got back into it! Then we went to see Charlie and the Chocolate factory - not the best film I've ever seen but not bad either. (Bet Jonathon Ross wishes he could do film reviews like that one LOL!) Got a BOGOF voucher for next cinema visit which is good.
PennyPincher - the cleaning lady sounds great. I had a cleaning lady once (when I worked full time and was richer) she was rubbish but the amount of amusement we got from the strange things she did was worth her wages! I used to pay her cash in hand, BTW, so don't know anything about tax etc.

Have agood evening everyone.

chickadee

jw1096 wrote:

Our internet access has now been cut off because ex flatmate didnt pay the bill - doh! Oh well, we move out in a week or so anyway so ill have to make do with sporadic and expensive visits to the internet cafe, ive been racking my brains to figure out if there is anywhere free, and aside driving to bristol to uni and using theirs, I cant think of any!

Hi everyone,

Jo, what about your local library, not the Uni one, just the county council one? They usually have free internet access, although you have to book it in advance, but this is just a phone call. Worth a try?

I am having a pretty OS day. I have just tried to adapt a Delia recipe for malt loaf to do in my breadmaker. I am trying to get it like the sorreen ones as they disappear very quickly in our house! It has just come out so I will have to wait a few minutes before I slice it. The smell is driving me crazy, it smells delicious.

OH is putting plywood on our bathroom floor to level it up for when the carpet people come to fit the lino. We also need to finish painting the woodwork on the stairs and landing as new carpet is going down there as well. Both were bought using a 15% discout voucher and fitting is cheaper when they do both at the same time. Old stair carpet had been down 16 years and was threadbare on the edges of the steps so I guess we had our money's worth!

It is gloriously sunny here in Lancashire still so I have had three loads of washing on the line, all of which are now dry. I have also cleaned out the guinea pigs, scrubbed their hutch with disinfectant and repainted it with wood preservative whilst they are having an afternoon on the grass.

Have a nice evening everyone!