What's your cautionary tale?

[BrightInMyNorthernSky]

Having just got through the most stressful week ever due to a nightmare situation of my own making, I thought I would share a previous and current cautionary tale.

1. Always remember to change the address on your V5 and not just your license. I didn't. DH got caught speeding twice on the same day on the same stretch of road (33 in a 30) in my car. Both fines went to old address. Didn't answer them, obvs. The whole sorry mess played out without me being aware and by the time it all caught up with me it was had been banned from driving for six months and fined £2k - five months earlier! So had been driving while banned for five months!!!

Check the expiry on all your giftcards regularly. Lost a painful amount on a John Lewis gift card that had fallen down the back of a unit.

Don't have a child on the promise he will marry you later. If he cared he would marry you first. You risk being left holding the baby with your ability to work pay a mortgage and pension impacted with no rights to his that he's building while not having the child to care for.

It isn't nonsense; it's just a different opinion. I agree with them. And I have children.

Never get married. Live with someone if you want but get proper advice on protecting your property first. So many people don’t look into the legal implications of marriage till it bites them on the arse at the end of it.

Absolute nonsense to say never get married. What it should say is fully research the legal implications of marriage before you decide either way. In many, many cases it is beneficial to both parties to marry.

John Lewis are really good about replacing them. If you get a manger who won’t, just wait and speak to a different one.

Fantastic advice! 🤣

By the way, stretch marks aren't caused by not wearing a bra, they're caused by rapid growth that stretches the skin. I have stretch marks on my thighs and hips from puberty, because my hips grew quickly.

This is not the same situation. Sounds like your employee had been paid for days she did not work and holidays she had not accrued which is essentially theft. Not working your notice but all debts are paid / settled on both sides is a non event usually. The temps wages replace your employees. The fact they’re higher is just life.

@Theredoubtableskins unfortunately I've spoken to three and all said no, too long ago. Despite it being during pandemic etc. over the years John Lewis are slowly reducing their customer service focus I fear.

Well, we talked about none of this stuff and are still happily married 30 years later 😊

(Which isn't to say it's not good advice)

Yup same thing happened to me! With the two tickets as well! Got it sorted eventually but omg the stress! I didn’t even think about the registered keeper thing - just assumed it would go to address on my license, which was a stupid mistake. I hadn’t got banned yet by the time I found out but was on the verge. Thankfully got it reduced to a fine of £300 and total of 6 points instead of the 12 and ban.

Don't get lip fillers.
They look bloody awful and you can have delayed allergic reactions to them (I did after 6 months and had to have them dissolved which is horrendous and not 100% effective).

No court is going to force you to work a notice period though, so if you want to leave, there is generally very little they can do about it

H
No, you are incorrect.

My argument to the court was that my business suffered loss (of the temp bills) because the (ex) employee broke the contract and didn't give the necessary notice.

So i claimed (and was awarded) the overpaid holiday, legal/court fees AND the extra cost of the temp fees (ie the total temp fee minus the salary that i would have paid the ex employee).

She was not paid for days that she had not worked.

Oh no. I fell foul of that one as well, but escaped with a smaller fine than you and no ban. Unlucky, and lesson learned.

My big one, though. Don’t allow guilt at ending a relationship to stop you from walking away with what you’re legally and morally entitled to. It may feel briefly as though it’s worth the money to be free, but that isn’t a choice you have to make- you can have freedom and the assets you worked for.

This is exactly why I have the spare key attached to the key safe with a curly cord, just long enough to stretch from the jeysafe to the keyhole. It cannot be put into a pocket or taken into the house.

I was the culprit in this instance. 🤦‍♀️

Don't have children with a man who already has children. Throw him back and find someone else.

This. Do not consider being employed without joining a union. You think you don't need it until you do.

If you have an anal fissure that won't heal, it's because it has a fungal infection preventing healing. Use an antifungal preparation on it four times a day and it will heal inside two weeks (after four years of trying everything else).

When people tell you who they are, believe them.

If your gut instinct is telling you no way, go with your gut. Important for dates, important for job interviews

Leave a toxic work environment sooner rather than later.

Don’t get angry at people acting like themselves

Assume incompentence rather than malice

Pick your battles.

Keep an extra £100 with you in case of an emergency

Save. Pay cash.

Buy well, buy once.

And, yes, I have violated all of these, and suffered the consequences.

In a workplace situation, do not assume that hard work, loyalty and always 'going the extra mile' will be rewarded. It's much more likely that you will be taken for granted and passed over for promotions etc in favour of someone who does less but shouts about themselves more. Be particularly wary if your employer tells you that they don't know what they would do without you- they may well want to keep you in the same role as they know no-one else would do as much as you do.

On a similar note, be wary if you are considering a new job/role and the person who will be your boss tells you that they always struggle to get the right person for the role. Ask yourself if the role really does require a very unusual set of skills/qualifications that you happen to have. If not, it's a safe bet that the boss has unreasonable expectations of their staff.

You can go back and amend a tax return from previous years

If someone offers you a job, and you think they must be mad because clearly you are not worthy or capable, take the job.

This! I was asked to apply for a big promotion and thought they were nuts but that I would look bad for not giving it a go. Then I got it and still thought they were mad. Seven years later I still have a bit of imposter syndrome but I am so glad I went for it. Apart from anything else I have nearly tripled my salary over the period.

😁

God yes, £125 of M&S vouchers that had expired - I'd been saving them for Christmas....