I am offered a place... the ego is satisfied!!!

Yes I have been offered a place on a PGCE|. I have decided to turn it down.  Financially it would mean disaster - descent into the mire of insolvency. After yesterdays mortgage hell I feel I need to work on the debt and finances first . I will reapply in September with the hope that the house will have sold/be selling/I have paid off more debt. I have much on at the moment. My mum is coming back from OS  to live in  a care home due to Alzheimer's. she has had this for a while and was cared for by older sister - or rather in her large house OS with paid carers.  I am glad I made it though very glad - EGO is satisfied. On with the frugalling!!!!

I figure I will need an extra  £1500 to pay the shortfall on the rent/mortgage while I am at uni. Its really not feasible.

Oh well plans plans - its not long till I reapply in September! Thanks Dave!!!  I take on board your messages - move to where the work is, retrain. Ok will do that and move from my home, lower my price so that I will just be breaking even and no joy..... What is your answer Dave you appear to know it all, Can you tell me what to do next?? How do I pay a pension, plan for my future, be independent, bring up my child in a working household with the right values. I don't drink or smoke, don't so silly debt (frivalous debt - store cards, holidays, furniture etc etc) Any answers Dave??? A post card will do????


Thanks for listening Dave I know that cheesey smile mean't I could count on you!!!  Err who is this Clegg person anyway??


Oh I have to laugh....... lol


Fingers crossed.

Last tuesday at home......

Ok car booked in for MOT etc tomorrow - have banking to do etc etc Also payments to make. Had horrible time with mortgage company who I cannot speak about without getting angry - basically it was a miss communication and a stroppy twenty something on the other end of the phone. Anyway sorted now. I am not sure whether or not I should write a formal complaint  or not maybe if it will stop them treating other people like poo.

We will also be procuring compost tomorrow for planting. We prepped and cut grass today-  Pots are awaiting for their seeds!  May buy a few flowers to chuck about as well - you never know. I will miss the blooms in the summer. Biggles here later for tea. Other than that a no spend day!!! Tomorrow I hit it big time. Booooooo

One down two to go!!

One day at work down!! Start new job next week on Tuesday! More than I thought but not quite 20k year. Am on 23.5k but pro rata for part time three days. I cannot wait!  Will have to do some tax credit wrangling and council tax and re calculate budget but ho hum such is life.  Lots to do tomorrow - regards the paying of bills. Tonight I have the joys of beef salad with chilli sauce ( sweet chilli dipping sauce) The weeny girl will go for tuna probably which we will recycle for lunch tomorrow. The European ironing mountain also beckons as does some planting of seeds. DO I invest in compost... probably yes. Only 2.25 a bag and I will spread it about a bit. Any tips on anti slug treatment much appreciated. I think you can use coffee grounds and remnants from a cafetierre not that I drink proper coffee.

Need to work on the budget tomorrow. Tax credits have decided that I am not entitled to the full amount for child care this month only £185 leaving a deficit of 200 to pay. Grrrrrr I will discuss my position with them tomorrow. Sneaky gov cuts!!! Will only pay a max of  70% of all child care which is pants. Basically I get nowt from any  WTC or CCT as it all goes towards child care. Am hoping that the new bill will be covered.  Up to £540 a month from next week. Eeek may have to eeek out some more!!!

Mothers Day, tales from 1900ft and a bit of Brisket!!!

As Weeny girl is visiting other family I have the weekend to myself - I doooooooooo miss her however. I had my mothers day yesterday morning when Biggles nad wee one produced a card and a monkey with Wonderful mum on it ( The toy will end up in her collection lol) I got to stay in bed for a bit which was fab.   Then off we trotted on Biggles bike to the Hartside top Cafe in the Penines ( 900 ft or there abouts above sea level) near Alston, Cumbria. Great views shame my phone was nearly dead and would not take pics.  Could see Hellvelyn, Blencathra, Skiddaw , other hills and all the way to Dumfries and across the Solway Firth.  Nice slice of coffee cake and a numb bum. Biggles off doing a ride of respect today for Help for Heroes charity then home for Brisket - I pushed the boat out an snaffled a nice piece of brisket for mothers day celebrations for £5.20!!!!!   Eeek !!!! but I did only spend £35 on shopping and households this week!  We had carbonara cooked ala Biggles last night and a trip to the local drinking pub - no music, just 147 malt whiskeys, proper ales and conversation. Only two drinks as neither of us are big drinkers - leffe blonde Belgian stuff pour homme and hoegarten white beer pour la femme.

So not a very frugal weekend but a lovely one. Weeny girl back in time for brisket.  I am hoping she has had a lovely one. Sometimes she doesn't want to go or start the initial journey but then is all happy when she sees her BD ( bio dad) and half sister.


Ok Coffee calls ---- happy mothers day !

The law of sod and research!

Well it had to happen - a pine headboard on freecycle - I have emailed for it just to see what happens.... I had to-  I need to test my theory regarding the law of sod. I drove an 80 mile round trip for the headboard I purchased from Ebay. I live in the sticks so I am not adverse to travelling to save money - taking overall costs into account of course. Two days later up pops the precise item I have been trying to snafffle on freecycle for ages always being beaten to the post- also beaten on the divan or bed frame post too. and in a village only a few miles down the road!!! I do need a bed and hope the new divan base comes soon - one day my frame will give out while I am sleeping or Roo is bouncing on it and we will prob go through the ceiling!!!

Have emailed other institutions regarding PGCE's for next year - School centred training. Good to find out. I really cannot afford to get into more debt before I have sold the house.  And what is wrong with 40 for a career change!!!! 40 years young!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Gammon, pineapple , baked potato, peas and sweetcorn for tea - cheap gammon. I need to remember to split the pack before freezing . There are only two rounds (for a pound) in the pack and one is enough for Weeny Roo girl and I.  Oh with mayo dollop and mustard dollop- mustard kept away from pineapple which was left over from the sweet and sour pork on Tuesday. We will eat the rest at pudding tomorrow.

At work today I introduced a client to the benefits of free cycle and other frugaling sites. He mentioned that he found it hard to feed himself on benefits and we discussed food- I said what about soup but he refuses to eat vegetables preferring to go for the cheap and nasty burgers and sausages and other frozen food (despite not having a freezer hence free cycle) from Heron and Farm foods for approx 50p a pack. He even went as far as to say that for two days a fortnight he has been unable to buy food. He had best make chums with the cheap veg then!
My meal tonight if I don't count stupidly defrosting the extra gammon round was probably around  £1 - 1.20 - one largish potato, one portion of peas and sweetcorn from large cheap frozen bag of peas and of sweetcorn, one slice of pineapple ( this was by no means essential and was a left over and could be left out easily) one gammon steak at 50p and a few dollops of condiments! (you could even pinch sachets- as I used to  when on the dole may moons ago -from the condiment boxes in restaurants-  tuts at self and shakes head)

Tourism and truth!

Interesting BBC3 doc on Thailand tourism and truth looking at the lives of employees and communities in Thailand. Full moon parties look rank. Minimum wage is barely livable. Rescue volunteers on the beach in Ko Pang Yang to  pick up pissed westerners.  Eurgh am ashamed! Very ashamed.

Need to get some sleep. Also pondering health and social care pgce - more part time options available and I feel there may be more opportunities available given the popularity of the subject at colleges.

I may begin emailing again. I really don't want to add to my debt and feel part time may be the way forward!

Never thought my ancient degree would be eligible nor was I interested until I read the syllabus - most of its covered and the rest has been relevant to me in one way or another. Can train in a school  rather than a uni which given my experience in schools may be advantageous. I shall research and email!!!

Uni interview, Carlisle and t'other tales.... To debt or not to debt...

Well uni interview went OK I think. If I am offered a place do I student loan it or not! Given I have additional debts to repay la famile after the credit card debt I have a big decision to make. If I am offered this place I will be able to do something I have wanted to do for a very long time but it will involve more debt and I will have to rent out the house ( no sign of a sale - no one even viewing the damn thing) and will have to add to the rent  to cover the mortgage meaning I need to borrow more/trounce savings. My initially thoughts are maybe try next year............ but the course may be scrapped by next year - I need more information on this point.

Alternatively I could apply for a part time course for next year 2012 start which would take approx two years to complete if the course is still running. I need more information. I also need to find out if I am offered a place. Regardless of whether I go or not I would like to be offered a place for purposes of ego!

I have financial things to sort out first and a new job to start as well as a current job to complete - I have a ridiculous amount of admin to do for this thing. Grrrr stupid IT that relies on your home internet connection.

Don't think they allow people to defer.... would be good if they did then may have a chance to sell the house and be in a better financial position. Ho hum 

Weeny girl had a fun time and really enjoyed her 121 time with Biggles. She adores him but is a natural child around him- comfortable enough to be naughty lol She went to soft play and scored for a rainbow coloured alice band for her hair which she will wear with pride to nursery tomorrow. 

I get paid tomorrow and will start the frugalling plan anew. With silly interviews and such I have over spent this month. I have also thrown away a receipt for work expenses and it was approx £9!!!  This  silly behaviour annoys me big time - I deserve a slap for wasting money!

I am now on the hunt for a dust ruffle - valance sheet for a king size bed. Plain - cream, beige, ecru, brown - all shades ( BORING but goes with the rest of the plain stuff till I get busy with the paint brush.. not sure when this will be as I have plenty projects and things I need to do before its a priority!!!)

Paper work is a calling - personal admin as well as work - booooo