Hello Readers
Not much to report I am afraid as I have been down and out the last 2 days with a chest infection. Had a pretty good day on Wednesday on the yellow stickers, I managed to bag the following.....
2 Pretty pot plants 10p
4 Chocolate ring donuts 5p
2 Loaves of bread 10p
24 bottles of actimel 10p
Small tub of extra thick double cream 5p
12 cheese and bacon chicken kievs 15p
3 Mince beef hotpots 15p
A large brisket of beef originally £9.67 cost me £2.25
500g of stewing steak 85p
1 Punnet of peaches 9p
2 boxes of blueberries 18p
Total cost £4.07
I received a notice seeking possession of my home yesterday for rent arrears which is just what you need when you feel like death warmed up. I could not understand why because I always pay my rent. I rang my landlord in a panic to find out what the hell was going on. It turns out I was one week late with my payment and the letter was issued the morning before I made my payment so that payment had not been deducted from the arrears. After my payment had been deducted it turned out I was £58 in arrears and this was for a repair to my kitchen light where I was charged £58 for someone to put my own light bulb back in and replace the starter (£3) in Wilkinson's. I decided to contest the charge as I felt it was way to much. I was willing to pay for the cost of the starter but not the call out charge as the guy was already here anyway doing a job that the landlord was responsible for, not myself. It seems mighty strange to me that I receive this notice at the same time as I put in a complaint about being over charged for a repair. Their threat had the desired effect, I was so scared about losing our home that I have agreed to call back on Monday and pay the £58 just to get the notice seeking possession dropped.
Yesterday I noticed a slight rash on youngest son's ears but thought nothing of it thinking it was probably just the shower gel I used on him and made a note not to use that one on him again. This morning my poor little man was absolutely caked in a angry bumpy rash but only on certain areas of his body, his ears, cheeks, nose, hands, and feet. Despite feeling very unwell myself I took him to the doctor's this afternoon to try and find out what it is. He is showing no signs of illness he just has this itchy rash on certain parts of his body. The doctor said it was very odd and could be one of 2 things, either a viral infection or an allergic reaction but that it was very odd that the rash was confined to certain areas of his body only. She has given him antihistamines and antibiotics and told me to keep an eye on him over the weekend and if anything changes to call 111 and seek advice. Bless him he is so itchy with it, I am hoping the antihistamines hurry up and kick in and at least stop the itching for him.
Other than panicking I would lose our home and rushing youngest son to the doctor's today I have done my best to rest and keep warm to try and get rid of this chest infection. Tomorrow I have a few bits being delivered for free from my best friend and her husband. She is lending me her Windows 7 installation disk to try and fix middle son's computer as he has somehow wiped the operating system off of his computer. He has saved up enough money to buy his new computer that he wants but I thought if I could mend his for him then he could sell it and buy himself a new computer desk and chair with the proceeds. Bestie is also giving me a small foldable dinning table and chair that she was getting rid of which will be perfect for when youngest son starts his home tutoring next week as well as using it as a computer desk. I mentioned to Bestie that I was considering buying middle son's old computer from him if I am successful in fixing it so that youngest son can have his own computer. Bestie informed me that she has a base unit that has Windows 7 already installed on it that she no longer uses but no monitor, keyboard, or mouse to go with it but that if I wanted it I was welcome to have it. As luck would have it I have a spare monitor and keyboard from middle son's old computer 3 years ago that I hung on to as spares. So all I need is a mouse and a mouse pad, the mouse will cost me £3 from Morrison's and the mouse pad will cost me £1 from Poundland. So for £4 youngest son will have his own working computer that he can use. I did offer to pay for the items that Bestie is giving me but she said no stating that I do lots for them also, and babysit whenever I am needed and as sister's (not by blood but by heart) helping each other is what we do.
For tea tonight we had Mince beef hot pot and for pudding Peaches and cream (all yellow stickers)
Total cost 25p so approx 8p each
Anyway must dash youngest son is laying next to me scratching like mad so I am going to smother him in calamine lotion in the hope he can get back to sleep bless his little heart.
Until Next Time
Much Love
Maria xxx
Friday 27 January 2017
Tuesday 24 January 2017
MIA = Missing in action
Hello Readers
Sorry I have been MIA for the past few weeks. I don't know about you but when there is to much s**t hitting the fan and I am feeling overwhelmed I like to retreat into my cave (home) and hide away from everyone and everything. Well that is what it has been like here for the last few weeks, I put out one fire turn around and there is a fresh one blazing. I won't go into details but a LOT has been happening with family both here and in London recently but I am pleased to say things are finally starting to calm down.
Youngest son has finally been permanently excluded from school due to the fact they can not cope with his ADHD. I could appeal the decision based on the fact he has been expelled due to a disability and therefore is a victim of prejudice but I am choosing to see this as a good thing. I told the school before youngest son started there in June that this was not the right setting for him, that they would not be able to meet his needs, and that he should be in a specialist setting NOT a mainstream school. My hope is that now the local education authority will have no choice but to find a specialist setting for youngest son. The school STILL have not submitted an application for an EHCP although I have a meeting to sign a proposed draft on Friday. For the next 5 months whilst we go through the EHCP process youngest son will receive home tutoring from the LEA and I will be topping his education up with some home studies until he is back in school.
Middle son has been pinpointed as someone who should "seriously consider going to university after finishing secondary education". Whilst this was lovely to hear it certainly wasn't news to me. Middle son has always been classed as "gifted and talented" since primary school. We have discussed the issue of university many times in the past and looked at the most frugal way of doing so. So far I have £3000 saved for him for university, my Nan has £1000 for him, and he has a child trust fund currently worth £900 (this is invested in stocks and shares so the value can rise and fall depending on the market. However this was a £500 investment made by the government on his behalf 13 years ago and has almost doubled in 13 years). I will continue to save for him for the next 5 years to help with the cost of tuition fees but we will also look at any financial assistance he may be eligible for at the time via scholarships and that sort of thing. To keep costs to a minimum he will continue to live at home and attend Bath university negating the need to pay out for digs and all the bills incurred when you live away from home. He will also get himself a part time job to cover any costs such as trips, textbooks etc that he incurs whilst at university. My hope is that with a little help, some hard work on his part, and mummy's frugal brain he will be able to get a university education without incurring a ton of student debt.
Eldest son is still living with his dad but things are slowly moving in the right direction. The disability workers are meeting this month to finalize and sign the care package, Y, one of the other mum's thinks she has found a house for the 3 boy's to rent through her church, so all that is left is for the care agency to tell us the staff have finished training and are ready to go then I can finally get my boy back in the area where he belongs. I have been seeing eldest son every other weekend which has been good, we also talk on the phone and face time several times a week. It feels like we have grown closer since he has moved out and that he has grown up a lot so it was definitely the right move for all concerned.
As well as constantly putting out fires lol, I have been doing my usual thing of living as cheaply as possible and we are slowly getting used to the most recent cutback we had to make when eldest son moved out. I have already started on Xmas 2017 :) I didn't need cards as I still had lots left over, I bought gift tags / gift bags / and rolls of wrapping paper dirt cheap in the January sales, I have bought 5 Xmas presents in the January sales (total £10), and I have increased my usual £30 a month Xmas savings to £60 a month and made my first months saving of this. I have been doing my usual yellow sticker shops and have refilled the freezer after eating up what was in there over the last few weeks. I intend to start writing a post on the 1st of every month with how much electric I have used, how much water I have used, and how much I have spent on food / toiletries / cleaning products / and pet products to try and help me see where my money is going a little better each month.
Tea tonight was Cheese and bacon chicken kiev with homemade chips and some mini chocolate mocha donuts for pudding. Total cost 20p so approx 7p each (I bloody love my yellow stickers lol).
Until Next Time
Much Love
Maria xxx
Sorry I have been MIA for the past few weeks. I don't know about you but when there is to much s**t hitting the fan and I am feeling overwhelmed I like to retreat into my cave (home) and hide away from everyone and everything. Well that is what it has been like here for the last few weeks, I put out one fire turn around and there is a fresh one blazing. I won't go into details but a LOT has been happening with family both here and in London recently but I am pleased to say things are finally starting to calm down.
Youngest son has finally been permanently excluded from school due to the fact they can not cope with his ADHD. I could appeal the decision based on the fact he has been expelled due to a disability and therefore is a victim of prejudice but I am choosing to see this as a good thing. I told the school before youngest son started there in June that this was not the right setting for him, that they would not be able to meet his needs, and that he should be in a specialist setting NOT a mainstream school. My hope is that now the local education authority will have no choice but to find a specialist setting for youngest son. The school STILL have not submitted an application for an EHCP although I have a meeting to sign a proposed draft on Friday. For the next 5 months whilst we go through the EHCP process youngest son will receive home tutoring from the LEA and I will be topping his education up with some home studies until he is back in school.
Middle son has been pinpointed as someone who should "seriously consider going to university after finishing secondary education". Whilst this was lovely to hear it certainly wasn't news to me. Middle son has always been classed as "gifted and talented" since primary school. We have discussed the issue of university many times in the past and looked at the most frugal way of doing so. So far I have £3000 saved for him for university, my Nan has £1000 for him, and he has a child trust fund currently worth £900 (this is invested in stocks and shares so the value can rise and fall depending on the market. However this was a £500 investment made by the government on his behalf 13 years ago and has almost doubled in 13 years). I will continue to save for him for the next 5 years to help with the cost of tuition fees but we will also look at any financial assistance he may be eligible for at the time via scholarships and that sort of thing. To keep costs to a minimum he will continue to live at home and attend Bath university negating the need to pay out for digs and all the bills incurred when you live away from home. He will also get himself a part time job to cover any costs such as trips, textbooks etc that he incurs whilst at university. My hope is that with a little help, some hard work on his part, and mummy's frugal brain he will be able to get a university education without incurring a ton of student debt.
Eldest son is still living with his dad but things are slowly moving in the right direction. The disability workers are meeting this month to finalize and sign the care package, Y, one of the other mum's thinks she has found a house for the 3 boy's to rent through her church, so all that is left is for the care agency to tell us the staff have finished training and are ready to go then I can finally get my boy back in the area where he belongs. I have been seeing eldest son every other weekend which has been good, we also talk on the phone and face time several times a week. It feels like we have grown closer since he has moved out and that he has grown up a lot so it was definitely the right move for all concerned.
As well as constantly putting out fires lol, I have been doing my usual thing of living as cheaply as possible and we are slowly getting used to the most recent cutback we had to make when eldest son moved out. I have already started on Xmas 2017 :) I didn't need cards as I still had lots left over, I bought gift tags / gift bags / and rolls of wrapping paper dirt cheap in the January sales, I have bought 5 Xmas presents in the January sales (total £10), and I have increased my usual £30 a month Xmas savings to £60 a month and made my first months saving of this. I have been doing my usual yellow sticker shops and have refilled the freezer after eating up what was in there over the last few weeks. I intend to start writing a post on the 1st of every month with how much electric I have used, how much water I have used, and how much I have spent on food / toiletries / cleaning products / and pet products to try and help me see where my money is going a little better each month.
Tea tonight was Cheese and bacon chicken kiev with homemade chips and some mini chocolate mocha donuts for pudding. Total cost 20p so approx 7p each (I bloody love my yellow stickers lol).
Until Next Time
Much Love
Maria xxx
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