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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think all Mumsnetters are on top of life admin

310 replies

Southern · 15/02/2021 14:32

Just that really, it's been a bit hectic lately and I feel like I have fallen behind on stuff. I read some threads for tips on here and most MN'ers responses were quite scathing towards those who weren't on top of life admin which to be honest, made me feel like a bit of a failure. Is everyone on here on top of everything and always goes on comparison sites to check all their quotes etc? The amount of form filling just fills me with dread and sends me on a procrastination loop (which is why I am here typing this probably)...... for those who are on top of it, when do you do it?

OP posts:
CoRhona · 15/02/2021 15:13

I don't think people are scathing, I think there are some really helpful tips from this site!

AuntieMarys · 15/02/2021 15:21

I like being organised and doing admin/ banking. It doesn't take long! Literally 5 mins to check banking/move money around.
I know exactly when things like insurance are up and start looking around before. It really doesn't take much time at all!

walkwalk · 15/02/2021 15:27

Ahhhhhh ha ha oh noooo i am more on top of my roof than I am my life admin. It's a shambles and causes me a reasonable amount of misery, if that provides any reassurance. Very happy for any tips. I guess I missed the previous thread(s)(?) on it....

ilovesooty · 15/02/2021 15:28

I think life admin is a pretentious term for just doing every day organisational stuff.

BakewellGin1 · 15/02/2021 15:38

Agree with @ilovesooty 'life admin' has got to be a made up term for everyday organisation.

Especially when people say it takes a lot of time. Most of it is things which can be done in 10/15 minutes so doesn't need to build up.

I always wonder how people have so much 'life admin' to do

peak2021 · 15/02/2021 15:39

I think those not on top of organisational stuff just don't talk about it.

LucasLeesEyebrows · 15/02/2021 15:41

Seriously, what are you doing that takes copious amounts of time and requires form filling in?
Online banking - check bank account daily.
Direct debits or standing orders set up for everything.
What else in there??

LucasLeesEyebrows · 15/02/2021 15:41

*Is there

AgentProvocateur · 15/02/2021 15:42

I’m on top of life admin, but it’s the only thing I’m on top of Grin

SchrodingersImmigrant · 15/02/2021 15:43

Yup @ilovesooty

How many times dors one have to go on comparison sites? Few times a year. I do my insurances 3 weeks before they finish.
Bills are dd. Once a week check the account if it's all ok.

I always wonder how people have so much 'life admin' to do
I don't have kids but from what I understand from here each comes with approx 1 hours of "life admin" and 30 page forms a day? I don't know.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 15/02/2021 15:43

"Life admin" is such a bullshit term Grin

I do think these days, with direct debits and internet banking, there's very little "life admin" to do, to be quite honest. All my bills are on direct debit so I just ignore those until it comes to renewal time (when I get an e-mail to say x policy runs out in a month) and then I spend half an hour in front of the TV looking for the best option.

I check my bank regularly as I'm self employed and have payments going in in dribs and drabs so I need to keep on top of it, but it only takes a couple of minutes at a time.

I don't have DC so I have no school admin, though.

Pinkclarko · 15/02/2021 15:44

This

AIBU to think all Mumsnetters are on top of life admin
wendz86 · 15/02/2021 15:44

I love ‘admin’ type stuff but am prob not as on top of other stuff . If you do things as they come it doesn’t take long .

Lyricallie · 15/02/2021 15:44

I don't even know what comes under that? Sometimes I need to go to the post office and pick up a parcel I've missed (unlikely nowadays as I'm always in).

I check my insurance renewals as they come in, that's literally once a year and I do travel and house fiance does car.

What do you feel like you're not doing?

Onedropbeat · 15/02/2021 15:45

I’m on top of the things that occur yearly like insurances.
I set reminders to check and compare the month before and then just organise it when it needs to be done

Anything that’s not a regular occurrence goes on a joint to do list that both DH and I have on our phone and we each tick things off when we have a chance

Some things stay on the list months if neither of us have the time or can be bothered though

The admin bits I struggle with are child’s appointments and I think that’s because a mix of Covid and feeling anxious about going to hospitals at this time but also because it’s a bit new to me

I’ve only been a parent for 3 years and having a child with a blood disorder and other issues means there’s always something I have to remember to attend and sometimes I forget

sunflowersandbuttercups · 15/02/2021 15:46

I always wonder how people have so much 'life admin' to do

I'm convinced it's a made-up term that exists so people can pretend they're much busier than they actually are Grin

Crunchymum · 15/02/2021 15:48

Meh, I am never on top of "life admin"

This week alone I need to call GP for an appointment (for a referral for my disabled child to yet another team!), I need to book kitten into vets (I did his insurance this morning though) and book some parking permits for workmen who are coming to do our windows.

Today, I have already put in the repeat prescriptions, emailed DC consultant re: test results and emailed all the info the nursery require for DD to start in September - along with aforementioned kittens insurance.

Next week it will be a whole host of new things to tackle, it is never ending.

Dannydevitoiloveyourart · 15/02/2021 15:48

@LucasLeesEyebrows

Seriously, what are you doing that takes copious amounts of time and requires form filling in? Online banking - check bank account daily. Direct debits or standing orders set up for everything. What else in there??
It only takes a small amount of time if you’re already organised so haven’t allowed things to build. Organisation begets organisation and likewise disorganisation leads to time consuming evenings spent trying to sort out the late payment fines, and trying to find old paperwork.

For some people a 5 minute form involves an hour
search for their passport and national insurance number.

NoWordForFluffy · 15/02/2021 15:49

@ilovesooty

I think life admin is a pretentious term for just doing every day organisational stuff.
Me too.

I don't have many forms to complete generally, OP. What kind of things do you struggle with?

Morituritesalutant · 15/02/2021 15:50

I don’t really understand what people do that takes so much time for life admin!

All our bills are on DD, if I get a new bank card I change any subscriptions (Spotify and Netflix etc) that are linked to my card, I meal plan / shop but do that on a Sunday and don’t really see it as admin.

We have 3 kids and DH and I just send each other messages on WhatsApp with important dates then star it so
We can quickly find it.

If work or repairs need doing then one of us calls someone and arranges it and pays the invoice when it arrives! Adhoc jobs like posting things, getting birthday cards and stuff just gets done as and when needed.

I think I must be missing a whole range of admin tasks ... I see women saying they spend x Hours a week on life admin but I can’t work out how

TheMoth · 15/02/2021 16:18

What counts as life admin?
Bills- set up years ago. Direct debit sorts it.
Mot- once a year
Insurance- same
Shopping- online once a week
Pocket money- Direct debit

What am I missing?

Scarlettpixie · 15/02/2021 16:39

I think some of you are doing more than you think. You say insurance is once a year, but there is car ins (sometimes more than one) and home ins and for some of us pet or travel too. There is mobile phone contracts (again sometimes more than one), broadband and utilities deals to check etc. For the car then there is at least the mot and service, gas boiler service and general maintenance as it crops up. If you have medical apps for you/kids/parents then there is that and reading and dealing with emails from school, putting dinner money on, buying stationary etc. Then if you are like me there is other stuff that is subscribed to that needs some level of monitoring, cancelling, renewing, swopping. Eg game pass, streaming services (Netflix,Spotify, now Tv, etc) and audible, meal plan or diet services. Then there is meal planning, shopping, buying everyone’s clothes (all online).

I am sure that isn’t everything!

Phew!

OP in answer to your question I am mostly on top of things though a few might pass me by as in occasionally don’t cancel something or check prices on something so it auto renews so it might cost me money. I also don’t always meal plan and we wing it :) I tend to be good with the school stuff as that would affect DS id I mess up, not just my pocket.

passtheorange · 15/02/2021 16:41

Oh yes, I'm on top of all life admin etc etc and everything is totally organised here.

Wibble.

LucasLeesEyebrows · 15/02/2021 16:45

@Scarlettpixie

I think some of you are doing more than you think. You say insurance is once a year, but there is car ins (sometimes more than one) and home ins and for some of us pet or travel too. There is mobile phone contracts (again sometimes more than one), broadband and utilities deals to check etc. For the car then there is at least the mot and service, gas boiler service and general maintenance as it crops up. If you have medical apps for you/kids/parents then there is that and reading and dealing with emails from school, putting dinner money on, buying stationary etc. Then if you are like me there is other stuff that is subscribed to that needs some level of monitoring, cancelling, renewing, swopping. Eg game pass, streaming services (Netflix,Spotify, now Tv, etc) and audible, meal plan or diet services. Then there is meal planning, shopping, buying everyone’s clothes (all online).

I am sure that isn’t everything!

Phew!

OP in answer to your question I am mostly on top of things though a few might pass me by as in occasionally don’t cancel something or check prices on something so it auto renews so it might cost me money. I also don’t always meal plan and we wing it :) I tend to be good with the school stuff as that would affect DS id I mess up, not just my pocket.

These are all two minute jobs! Not even once a month for most of them. I do wonder if the women waving their hands in the air about so much ‘life admin’ are SAHMs trying to justify their existence.
Love51 · 15/02/2021 16:47

This is Mumsnet, people use life admin to justify working fewer hours (there is no need to justify this, you do you, etc).
I spent 20 minutes looking for cheaper car insurance one evening last week. That doesn't factor into into my decisions about my working hours.
Meal planning is just a grand and more concise way of saying "we need to decide what to buy from the supermarket".
I don't think of buying clothes as life admin. Just clothes shopping.