Saturday good stuffs!



Bamburgh Castle 

Busy busy! We headed out to look for princesses at Bamburgh Castle then hit the beach for a picnic, a plodge and sandcastles! Despite wearing her fairy princess dress the weeny girl was mad keen on a sword!!! She looked ace prancing about as a warrior type princess. Got a bit scared in the dungeon - it has dummy people being tortured - I said they were wicked witches and trolls so she got over it and swung her sword in defiance!!!  She also lusted after a princess figurine. I asked if she wanted  a prince to go with it but she plumbed for a dragon! That's my girl - own sword and no need for a prince! I indulged despite my frugal leanings this month! The beach was a bit windy but we got changed and wrapped up  and so armed with picnic blanket, bucket and rake (couldn't find the spade) and picnic off we trotted or rather climbed up and over sand dunes playing ''We're going on a bear hunt!''. We munched then indulged in sand drawing, sandcastles and race the waves! She was brill on the way back over the sand dunes carrying the bag with the  bucket and rake in! Popped up to the village ( Bamburgh)  to check out the Grace Darling Museum - local heroine who made a daring sea rescue back in 1838 in only a rowing boat. Popped to St Aidens church - which is set on the spot where St Aiden died and is very old and lit a candle for the dearly departed and said prayers! She was very respectful in the church and I was most pleased. Also indulged in ice cream- tut tut tut

Waiting on Biggles return from getting new tyres for his bike  before starting  the barbecue- that's if the neighbours take their sodding washing in soon- been out since this morning before we left.  I even washed the car and found my glasses!!! SO have spent more than I planned as well as charcoal as I was out . The bag should do for summer however. Burgers, sausages, salad and buns for tea!

We are off to visit Mother Biggles next weekend. this interrupts weeny girls visit with her other family but hey ho such is life she would only be sent out into the concreted garden to play at her gruesome grannies house. Easter my family return from overseas so that's out to. Next time will be  the weekend of the Royal wedding. Biggles is working that weekend so I really do not care if she goes or not. I start full time work again from Tuesday so time I have with her is precious. The SD is not that bothered re access so I shall not be either.

Will post pics when I have facebooked them lol.

Cragside House tomorrow and the Alnwick Museum then messy church to make Easter bonnets.  Oh and yes fuel costs - but its free weekend and it would have cost £8.50 for the castle and £6.00 for Grace Darling or there about and Cragside is about the same. She loves it and is worth it!!! And also very tired.....  great!

Biggles bringing Beer!!!!! yay Biggles!!!

 

Sand Drawings!!

Waiting for pay day!!!

When is pay day!!!  Ahhhh Ok need to get serious now! Have paid two big bills - the overpayment from DWP when I was made redundant and a shortfall in child tax credits has mean't I have had to fork out £200 for child care! Seeminly they have overpaid me this year and the last payment was £200 short of the child care bill.

I am awaiting the nasty mechanics bill for the mot, service and work to get the car through its MOT. I am hoping about £350 tops. Then I have tax to pay - £120. SO the best part of a further £500 quid from the savings. I will be frugalling the shopping till the money starts comming in again. The extra spends - trips to Carlisle and such  have all added up. My mobile bill was also over budget by £20. I have beenusing the phone  to make necessary phone calls and have gone over my limit by £17!!!!!!! I never use all my minutes. I have a contract so am a bit tied. My goal is £25.

I have managed to stay within my budget for BT- intrenet has pushed payments up a few times going over my down load limit.   Working full time I should save money on heating and phone calls and such but will be paying more on fuel and using the car more.

Meagre shopping and being creative with the freezer stock should help.


Positive note  its free weekend tomorrow and we wil be taking a picnic and not indulging in souveneir shops.

Ho hum a frugaling I come!!!

Food crops a sown!!

We got messy yesterday and have planted ( in pots due to the cat poo issues)  carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, kale, spinach, radishes. I hope to add tomatoes and potatoes and a few others to this if I can get my skates on and recycle the bags for life I have collected and acquire more compost. My garden is a cat toilet so everything is in bags/pots. We also popped in some sunflowers and some cheap pansy flower type things and heather. Hoping the red currant tree will be bountiful as well. I have rhubarb but its in the grown and very close to the car turd central so will give that a miss this year ( every year so far) Shame as its looks fab. I hack it to bits on a regular basis as it grows so so well.

Car had to have some work and then was serviced. I have paid the over payment from DWP. Only the loan to go and then the proper frugal plan can begin!!!  Save for christmas ( not that I spend a great deal anyway), pay off credit card, save for car expenses on going, save in general and  repay in small amounts the loan from la famille. 

Decorating house  but thats dead cheap as I only do magnolia and white. I have most of that in the house anyway. I do need some red step paint, wood stuff for the fence, outdoor white paint for wooden bits as well. Though I could just paint the white shed bits green lol might look a bit rank but it saves money.

Second last day at work today!!! New job Tuesday. Still a bit down about not doing PGCE but I kind of knew that it wouldn't be possible without selling the house and no sign of any interest let alone a potential sale.  Car needs a good clean and I have some recycling to do. I feel this may be a job for Monday! Recycle bottles and trip to the car wash. I do not have a hose or outside water source that I could use to wash the car which is a real pain. Its a pain watering plants outside filling up the watering can and trailing back and forth.I do put out buckets and containers to catch rain water - not that I am on  a meter but lazy and why not recycle water!!! 

I love spring and am glad I have planted. I stopped composting last year thinking that I would have sold the house by now. Sods Law!!! I really should do stuff to tempt fate more often. Maybe I need to get rid of all the baby things in the house..... lol  To plant a garden is to plan for tomorrow.

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 !