Fantabulous February with the Friendly Frugaleers!

[Cagliostro]

Hello everyone, new thread time yet again!

My DD is in London and has a trainer come to the house at 7am once a week. £50 per hour. Works her very hard. Advises on diet as well.
Cag, you always make the learning sound like good fun, just as it should be. I think so many kids today are stressed out at school. And I am horrified when I hear they miss Art and topics because they have to practice SATS. That's not learning.

As a supply teacher, what saddens me is when I see children missing the input part of a lesson, for 1:1 interventions. How are they ever going to have any chance of 'catching up' if they miss the beginning of lots of lessons? I prefer differentiated work, with support if required, during the group/individual part of a lesson, after ALL pupils have had the benefit of the introduction, instead of withdrawal from class so often.

Thanks everyone .

Been I have been in the crown and magistrates courts before and the youth court, on various work experience placements shadowing barristers and youth offending service staff. All a mixture of interesting and boring at different parts, yes lots of waiting around! I'm not sure I could hack criminal work though to be honest and as I have aspirations of one day being a barrister, junior criminal barrister work has been decimated by legal aid cuts so pay and conditions are appalling and not having a rich family to prop me up for years it's probably not an option. I have lots of other areas of interest too though, family law, immigration...who knows where my life will take me! DH and I planning to have our kids before I get set on my career though which I know realistically may mean I never have the career I first dreamed of but I do definitely want a family sooner rather than later so we will see.

Sorry for that long and odd post.

Regarding sunflowers, I grew them a lot when I was a teenager, they were something I looked forward to each year and enjoyed nourishing as I wasn't allowed any pets, and I struggled with my mental health and they did help. I still love sunflowers now they are my favourite flower.

Ah meadow sounds like you have thought things through well. I like hearing other people's career aspirations- it gives me a prod to think of aspiring for better things too

My gym charges £40 pH personal training. They are all self employed.

Nsd planned today.

Creme our school has now organised it so pupils needing intervention are taken out of a subject for half a term of intense reading/maths tuition. It means they miss a topic in history or whatever but it seems to work better than them missing bits and pieces and still trying to keep up. I don't know what the perfect solution is.

Snuggly, I think that's fine for secondary aged pupils, but I'm talking about Reception and Key Stage 1. I don't often teach older than Year 2.

My dd is being taken out for occupational therapy at school it happens 10/15 mins before breaktime but not sure what she misses out on. She's in Senior Infants(aged 6) She's definitely benefiting from this time so I don't worry about what she's missing out on.
Meadow It was lovely to read about your work placements and your career ambitions.

My dsis has just completed her personal trainer training this year.

Sorry, Creme I forgot you teach primary. What I find disruptive is when we are told in the morning that students are having 1:1 options meetings, careers interviews etc and therefore have children in and out of the lesson for 5 mins at a time so I have to keep explaining what we are doing! Those things are important and just wish they'd give us a big more notice so we could plan something they can dip in and out of like group work.
Anyway it's not something I have to worry about for a long time!!

Doctor has written our letter finally. Going to have a read of it at the surgery today and scribble on it if it needs more detail. £36 :( must keep telling myself it's worth it!

Also need to pay long overdue subs for beavers but they are happy for me to pay over a couple of months

Oh and DH set £15 as the hourly rate, will be doing 2hrs a week. Not great but it'll do for a start. I think like I was when I started tutoring he's feeling pretty nervous!

It's over 3yrs since he qualified BTW - he's just been busy with his day job (and never got anywhere with getting a job in a gym, at nearly 50 he reckons it's his age!). He has said that's because he's a friend though, if he gets more work through this guy's contacts he will charge more (whether he wants to or not I'll make him 😂)

Thanks all x

Cag was the letter to support your housing application ? I think its worth it as it should help add weight (and if it doesn't - and I hope not - at least you'll know you threw everything at it). All the better if they eill let you comment on the draft.

I don't blame your DH for starting low while he builds his confidence. If I were him I'd tell his mate it is a special rate as he is startibg out m and he'd be grateful if the friend /client would be prepared to give a testimonial to other prospective clients.

Will have to have a read back over last few pages later as my sieve brain cannot retain what I have been reading on the hoof! Am in the city now meeting a former colleague about some possible advisory work that I could do part time on DS's nursery days. Daily rate would be well worthwhile and will help me eke out my (unpaid) maternity leave after the baby. Also possibly I will do enough days to qualify for maternity allowance (equivalent to statutory maternity pay but claimed direct). That would be a huge result so fingers crossed it comes off. He just needs to get budget signed off so 50/50 probability at the moment!

Eek, that came out wrong there - I meant I hope that is doesn't happen that it isn't helpful!

£15 sounds good for mates rates. Perhaps his friend will recommend him to others and he can then charge more.
Having a really lazy day here. Not going out. Ironing and repotting the last of my plug plants. Lying on the sofa reading. Electrician coming later

Sounds like the perfect job for you seacow and if it entitles you to maternity pay all the better.

cag hope letter is written as a true reflection of yer situation.

Been a busy day and now off on a course for the rest of the week. Won't keep up with this thread until I'm back

£13.50 in tesco
Washing out on the line for the first time in months (I consider that frugal instead of using tumble dryer)

Beautiful day here today, sunshine has cheered me up

cag, the gym are being short sighted there. A 50yo client might prefer someone their age to a 21yo. I hope the letter does the trick.

Fingers crossed for you Seacow.

NSD.

I really want muffins so I'm going to look at vegan recipes, ones that don't include weird ingredients like coconut vinegar (wtf?) & make some cows milk free ones, blueberry flavour.

I've a recipe for a polenta cake fluffy which the instructor said could be made into buns. It's dairy free. They won't rise like muffins though, but were surprising light.

Afternoon.

Girlie. Is right, my PT charges £15 for a 40 minute session. You don't need more than 40 minutes, believe me. We too are in a very affluent area but I am sure that there are a variety of reasons even folk round here have a PT

Cag Said PT does an awful lot of work with older clients. He find them the most rewarding as you can make a massive difference to their well being as well as fitness. I see him out walking with folk. He also gives his time to some 'Elderberry' classes in our village, as they are so appreciative. First class, he made them all go and buy a water bottle, to encourage them to drink during the day!! However, is now going for a grant from the council to expand such types of groups. There's a big push from the Govt for well being and social care. Some of the folk from his class haven't seen the doctor in months, since they started with him. Business opportunity and win win both sides.

Good luck Seacow.

I've only skim read as I've had another busy day.

£40 M&S.
£15 fitness classes (2 for me, one for DD).

I have had a lovely day with DD but spendier than I expected.
Met a couple of friends for lunch which was about £19, partly because I got an extra pudding to bring home for DH.
DD has been angelic today. I think it's partly because now I'm on mat leave I'm doing housework etc on days when she is at nursery instead of trying to squish it all into my normal days off and trying to entertain her at the same time. She's had my undivided attention all day today! We are just having a drink and 10 mins tv before we go to pick up DH.

Snuggly, Jamie Oliver minestrone tonight. I agree. It's a staple in our house. A meal in a bowl.

Thanks all. Yes the idea is that he'll give testimonials and can recommend him etc. DH isn't going to particularly pursue it IYSWIM - he does work FT already so it's more of an extra.

Yes that's what I said about lots of people maybe wanting an older PT. Not that he looks his age, people are always shocked :o it's the running I guess, keeps him young :o I think generally though he didn't really have the right 'look' - he's not visibly muscly with a six pack, he's lean and his look doesn't show his (astounding) strength IYSWIM.

Trying to gather the energy to get up again. Need to leave for tap. Will have to find something for dinner. Meal plan fell down at the last day.

Did some budgeting with the Caglets just now. Lots of maths and they're now aware of our home ed spends budget. :)

My dad has that build too Cag. He was a runner in his youth, was always wiry and strong, never muscly looking. I'd have thought that was a lot less intimidating to some people, especially to older clients. He may find a good niche!

If I ever had the guts to get fit and use a pt, I'd want someone older for sure, my absolute nightmare would be feeling I was being judged by a young incredibly fit person! I'm sure they're not judgey really

Stupidly spendy day! Got off to an awful start with ds up from 1am coughing, had the minion movie on three times, it's not that good! Then the dogs escsped from the garden (little dog has been digging behind the shed for some time it transpires), dp drove to the other end of the bridleway, a mile away and picked them up. Went to morrisons, spent £61, but iceberg lettuces are £1.17, and you're only allowed 2! Didn't buy one (obviously).

Then I ordered a wormery. I've wanted one for years. Instead of ordering online, I phoned, and asked, and am getting one with dodgy mismatched plastic (they're made from recycled stuff), full kit, biggest size, £45 instead of £87 just cos it's colours wrong! Very pleased.

And £101 on a tonne of sand and gravel, mastercrete and fence posts. So glam. All arriving thursday, I shall be busy!

I'm all grown up guys - made my first voluntary contribution to my pension this week! and getting 40% tax relief on it

And now that my payslip is here I can budget out my wages for this week in ynab yes I'm a sadass

knitting very interested in the wormery, will you post pics?