Treasures.............. very pricey treasures!!!

My my those charity shops know a find and how to price one!!! Everything I looked at today was priced accordingly  from handbags to a fabulous pink maxi dress - lots of sparkle and polyester- very 70's. I wouldn't have bought it as no where to wear it but..... and  for £24.99...... not my price range!  Anything of age is priced accordingly. Lots of shirts  too but all size 18 including polyester pussy bows  also made in England and a great handbag  - patent brown with snap lock circa 1970 which was £9.99

I really don't think they will sell particularly well in the area but ho hum. I checked out Relate in Ashington and then done the usual circuit in Alnwick. It was lunch time and post interview I figured I deserved some relax time!!! Interview went well I feel. How well time will tell. I would like the job but the money is truely pants and the college is being taken over by another college so can only offer a fixed contract till end of July. The  likelihood of being kept on and given  a perm contract is good. If offered I will probably take it on  4 days a week and look for other stuff just in case. I could really get my teeth into it and would enjoy it so.... travel could be worse. On four days I will do 120 miles. On Mondays I do over 80miles so some savings to be made in petrol me thinks. ( 60 miles on Thursday and 40 on Fridays  meaning a bit of a difference) Better than dreading work and hating most of the time spent there and bringing work home due to the dire state of the ICT available working remotely. You also don't really  get to see your colleagues which is half the fun of working- well ok a perk.  I see people but only once a week.  Have another to draft and also prep for the uni interview next week.

Busy day tomorrow - up early  to take Roo to a friends for the day as its typically a non nursery day then to  Alnwick. Will be doing approx 100 miles tomorrow!!! 

Roo wants feeding - tut tut how dare she!!!  Then  we are off to an early bed!! Its pretty chilly now after a glorious day so warmest place is bed!

Sad about frugal queen her frugal examples and tips were great.

Maybe she is still reading blogs just not writing. Sending small hand wave if so

Have a picture of the very pink dress which I will  post at some point. its fabulous darrrrrrrrhlings! High necked sleeveless, Flash of sequins and beads around the middle....... garish!!!

I have dided the facebook thang! Here is the dress - 22/3/11

 Doesn't do it justice really - Anyway it says it was a size 14 - more like 12 so too small for me!!! A saving thus of 25 quid!!!

The charity shop price book!!!! and Nasty Northumberland County Council

I thought it existed!!!  It does - I have it on good authority from a client who does voluntary work in Oxfam!!

They have a guide price book!!!  It is up to the shops discretion however as to what to actually price items but they use the book as a guide!!! How I would love to get hold of a copy of that book!!!!  For eg I was told of a Versace dress ( never went to look as its not my thing Versace - anyway prob from Turkey) in the window at a reduced price ( thanks to the managers discretion )of £25. Should have been £39.99 but Manager felt that no one in Blyth was going to pay that price for a dress!!!!! 

Also saw some fabulous items in Charity Shops today - gorgeous pink glass art decco dressing table set complete with  candle stick, ring holder, glass tray and numerous square type pots with lids. ( £20).......... My mum had a clear glass set with perfume bottle that puffed - Don't know what happened to it - such a shame.............. Great jewelery - the  bue flower brooch is still there but I cannot justify shopping I am just looking!!!! Boooooooo   (OK I caved -I bought an umberella - its oldish with a shaped clear plastic handle, brown colour with little twee leafy flower patterns on it - loved it for £1.25 and I need a brolly!!!! a ni ce one not a boring black one) Some fab homeware type things available as well .............pity. My plans for a welsh dresser for bits and pieces was shelved last year.......  Portmerion cups and saucers..... sigh, bigger sigh... and  lots of lovely treasures  - coloured glass things - One gorgeous blue one.Clothes were sparse, shoes rubbish.


Scandal!!! Happened upon this  story on in the local Gazette - The local council is now selling the contents of the textile recycling bins!!! Donors who believed they were giving to charity via the council are being ripped off. The council are now selling the clothes to a recycling company and keeping the profits!!! Enviroclothes do this for the inidivdual - I have made a few quid this way. Depending on what I want to get rid of sometimes its the charity shop other times not and given that most of mine come from a charity shop sometimes enviroclothes is the better option lol Seemingly the council have been doing this for a while. Naughty - people should be able to make the choice regarding whos pockets they want to line - greedy council who pay for ridiculous consultants, and chief exec on 175k per year!!!! or a charity!

Disgusting verging on fraudulent!!!! Ok if the charity shop has stock they cannot sell then yes sell it to a recycling company in the name of charity not fat council big wigs!!!!!!!!!!!!

Working on alternative debt plan - there must be another alternative considering I have money in the bank - not a great deal but..... I need a tide over till this house sells/I get a better job. One must happen at some point.... shouldn't it????   Few things I was not happy with with the CAP budget and that they immediately felt I should move to poor mans bankruptcy while owning a house.  I am sure I will not be eligible!!! I shall ring them tomorrow and take them to task - ok ask a few assertive questions!

Joys !!!

Off to play with the jumping child - jumping and hopping are the preferred mode of travel at present!!!!

XXXEeek

Wardrobe shuffle!

Nothing like a good wardrobe re organisation to cheer me up!! I moved alot of stuff to the recycling pile. I also have a box of things  that I love but am not wearing at the moment IYKWIM - Eg really soft black leather pencil skirt, some dresses, lace top thing - one day just not right now!  I change my wardrobe according to the seasons - jumpers away or jumpers out.  summer tops in  or summer tops out. Very satisfying!  Also played stylist wiith a few items - took stock! Am now after a waistcoat - black fitted one - will know it when I see it!!! Shoes, skirts, jeans etc Also called in to the RSPCA shop. It has been maryised -  re decorated and repriced - no more sale rail of cut price items and lots of items now over priced if you ask me but such is the way of things..........

Would love to find some jumble sales - proper jumble sales with lots of jumble to rumble through but never see them advertised locally. Carboot maybe at the weekend.
Collected vouchers for the residents festival  - Cragside is a must not sure  for other days - some attractions are doing two for one which is still in the case of Alnwick Garden adn Castle £16 plus child price! tut tut
Uni Interview has been put back which is excellent - so have more time to prepare at a more sensible pace.
Debt - opened bank account today, need to transfer direct debits tomorrow, and also carry on with the care home search for the returning mother. We are on lots of lists and are waiting.........


Checked out Iceland today - needed milk and fruit, not bad for some items.


More debt sorting tomorrow and I may even dig out my camera software if there is time!!! I have lots of treasures to show!!! lol

A Quiet Thursday........

At the employment that lacks integrity today - not spending any money - no lunch required and straight home do not pass the charity shops do not pass go do not spend - You do not need anything and your money has other uses. (Well may be a small window shop)  Other than that shall be doing very little this evening - Telly and fish and chips- cheap fish portions from the freezer and home made chips!!! Chuck on a few peas. All good to go!

Shopping, court and other stories!

Monday comes around again all too quickly! I only work three days at present. I am applying for full time jobs. Not necessarily better paid jobs will consider those that are of a lesser hourly rate than what I am on now  ( and much lower than what I was on BD) however for five days more than three in totals - Am I making sense???? I don't think I could cope with full time doing this particular job - its vacuous.
I do my job because I have to - much of it bore me senseless - I like the people/agencies I work with but not the target driven crap I have to do. Today I was in court as a witness - only  magistrates but nonetheless not pleasant. I felt pity for the defendant - he clearly has mental health problems and I hope he gets the help he needs. I also felt really crap giving evidence against him - yes he was wrong but given his issues and mental health I felt guilty. Well tis done now - don't know what the outcome was. I just hope I never have to give evidence in those circumstances again.


Afterwards I treated my self and went for a look around the posh Oxfam in Jesmond aft- just looking as the prices are  high  ( jesmond for those not in the know is a very nice inner type trendy burb area of Newcastle) and I really do not need anything nor can I justify it. Quite a few designer names in Jesmond Oxfam. It was pretty much on my way to the office so was justified. Charity shop window shopping!!!  Its an indulgence just looking at the pretty sparkly things!!!
Didn't go over budget on the shopping either however did pay for parking £1, a cup of tea  £1.20and a 5litre bottle of oil so that came to  12.20 or just under. Sigh..... always something.

Shopping - Tried out home bargains  - a cheapie shop I do not get to inudulge in as its not local and  got cheap cat food - 99p per box (2) Sugar 69p, PG Tips tea bags 400 for 3.99 so 1p a cup!!! (I drink far too much tea and coffee to buy own brand - I need a small indulgence!!!!) High lights 99p, frying spray oil 99p and four choc bars for a £1.

Then off to Lidl - Forgot yeast for breadmaking and icing sugar but neither are essential this week. All in all  have stocked up and only spent  25.55 + 9.54 =    35.09  That's is for the week - ok maybe some yeast and milk but that should be it. I have more than enough food in the house to last and to make some rather scummy meals with. Need to start meal planning properly at some point but I think 1£60 per month is pretty good going all in for everything household you can think of.  - will maybe see if I can do £30 a week! £40 off the debt at the end of the month!! Or going towards the new second hand car........... First things first - I am monitoring spending on food and other such items all in my handy fugal notebook!

I also bought seeds! to grow ones own - out with the nancy flowers in with the vegetables!!!! I have pots to grow stuff in as I have a cat turd issue in the flower beds! Nuff said will keep the further adventures in gardening for the spring.

PS - have been in bed since before 8pm - house in darkness bar telly, PC and one lamp - only one night storage heater turned down to half way. Conserve tconserve conserve.