Saving into summer!

[SnugglySnerd]

New frugal thread.

Cag Will your kids be able to get to home ed classes under their own steam when you are looking after a new baby? That seems like the important thing. You can always take maternity leave for a while from your teaching responsibilities.

Sorry to hear that you're feeling the strain. I also found the changes of having a new baby really very tricky to adjust to. I look at your post and read "EBF" as "eternally breastfed", which is how my ds was too.

Cag, you can plan to alleviate some of this stress. Let your pupils know you will be taking X number of weeks off when caglitini arrives. Maybe give yourself longer than you think as you can always start back earlier?

Decathlon and life centre in Newcastle today. Lakeland too. Will be spendy

cag much easier said than done I know, but try to relax. Think about the thingd you can control now. And focus on them. What happens after cagletini arrives deal with it after.

I'd suggest you tell people you're taking a break of x weeks/months but take longer than you need. You can always go back to it earlier.

The caglets will be fine. Dh will be amazing. You will be and are awesome. Remember that. 🍍🙂❤️

Today it is raining. I do not want to get out of bed.

I have to have a mooch around the shops at lunchtime to get another bit of dhs brithday gift. Some nice glasses for gin. To go with his nice gin. Not necessarily pricey just nice. Nice to hold. Nice to nurse a lovely g&t...

I also want weetos for breakfast.

Mmmm weetos. I have a maple pecan plait which is your fault em for mentioning the Danish pastry the other day! :o Le yum!

Thanks all. I know I get in a tizz about these things. How on earth do I know how long to take officially off?! I know with my closest friends we can play it by ear no pun intended (they'll be visiting anyway TBH) I have no idea what it will be like with childcare either, it's never been an issue with the Caglets because they are older and more independent - a couple of times I've had to pause a lesson to tell them to be quieter but that's very rare. It is made a lot more complicated by the fact that DH works shifts so there's no regular times he's available.

Right I'm going to be brave send a message to the last parent who doesn't know (her DC was taking a long break anyway due to GCSEs).

Two weeks is the legal minimum for mat leave. I've known people back at work the next day if self employed but she was one of those people who has all the housework done by 8am and a three course dinner for 20 prepared for the evening & im hoping that's not normal.

Electric supplier switched ✔️
DD on water account set up ✔️ They wanted £37 & I only use £20 😡 But they've adjusted it now.

House insurance next 😭

Agh! Still haven't had time to catch up with you all.

Frugal win though. I got paid £200 more than I was expecting. Think it was a tax refund due to match pay.

Definitely not normal!!!

There's a chance I may have some editing work - a couple of years ago I typed/edited an entire novel and she's been writing the sequel - but thankfully she is just happy for me to set my own time frame for that. Obviously the sooner the manuscript arrives the better though.

I need to find out about statutory maternity pay. It's far more than what I earn but apparently I am eligible if I make some extra NI payments. However I'm not sure if the exact amount I get of SMP would then be taken off the housing benefit in which case it really wouldn't be worth the hassle would it? To end up no better off but having the stress of form filling etc. Also there are obviously rules about not working more than a set amount during that time which would mean I couldn't teach my friends' kids or do the editing. Must phone HMRC and probably the council too. I have the MATB1 though in case I go ahead.

Ugh hospital this morning and can't be bothered! Also mum kindly gave me £50 towards, well whatever really but I'm thinking maternity clothes, but UGH clothes shopping. I don't like buying clothes online either though.

Where is need BTW?

snuggly I haven't caught up on here either and I don't have 3 smallies around my feet all day
Tax refund reminded me that I finally have login details for dh's p60 so I might sneakily do my tax return today at work

Cag won't you be eligible for maternity allowance?

We're in arundel today going to the ice cream parlour!

Is that the same as SMP wreck see I'm totally clueless

I think mat allowance is for self employed but you need to ring. Nothing's ever simple.

Have skimmed through now. My hospital bag tips would be really good hand cream as you wash your hands so much with a newborn.
If you are induced take ear plugs so you can sleep on the induction ward. It's really noisy. Obvs once the baby is born you need to be able to hear it crying although perfecting the skill of pretending to sleep so dh has to get up is a definite advantage once you get home

Hospital food is very stodgy so make sure visitors are briefed to bring fresh fruit or M&S salads. Our hospital has an M&S food outlet which was great when I had the twins.

Oh yes flip flops for the shower. Nothing like standing in a shower that several other post partum women have used.

Oh snuggly ugh, revolting flashback! I had no flipflops luckily for dd2 I had my own room and ensuite, dd3 and ds I wasn't in long enough to risk a shower!

Am staying home today. Might backfire later if I get cabin fever. But dp has taken the car. Washing churned, 2 bin bags from the conservatory (am digging my way to the chest freezer). Have signed up to two more bookies for free bets, am trying to make £50 a week at it. Have you tried bingo yet fluffy ? I want to, but think I might like it, and I don't want to get hooked!

I had DS at 11.30 on the Sunday morning and I had to wait until I got home on the Monday evening to have my first wash after birth. The shower in the delivery suite was broken and the one on the ward was so disgusting, I thought I'd wait and take my chances. A capful of Dettol was added to that first bath at home!

I think Need's on holiday, Cag.

Ah I was wondering if they were away, Florida wasn't it?

Hospital all good, wants me to see MW every fortnight to check blood pressure but it's normal ATM (for various reasons I am at risk of both high AND low ).

Had to pay for bus pass as I haven't renewed electronic one yet. Also £1.78 McDonald's

Tesco arrived £100 as stocked up on stuff and also got a nice easy meal for myself, including Ben and Jerry's to console myself as I can't make a group night out this evening. Beef in peppercorn sauce and dauphinoise potatoes and green veg LE YUM.

DH cleared some stuff off the bookcase so we've now got our fruit bowls on there. DD instantly went on about how in the past pineapples were incredibly rare in England and used as a status symbol, so therefore we should not eat it but leave it on display until it goes mouldy. I love my little nerd :o

Thanks for the tip about flip flops. Ick, though.

lonely It's very boring, the computer fills the card in while other people chat on the forum.

No danger of becoming addicted.

Eugh gross. I'm definetly opting for a private room of ones available. My insurance for work covers it so if I can I'm doing it - just for my own shower and free wifi! Haha! (And the added benefit that dh could stay longer with me if he wanted - if on the normal ward he would have to stick to normal visiting hours)

£4.50 today on sandwich Fanta and kettle chips. I must must must get back into the habit of bringing lunch.

MMmmm kettle chips though. 💕

That reminds me of when DS found a pineapple on the kitchen counter about 18m ago and adopted it. He carried it everywhere for about a week until I had to take it away as it was feeling a bit spongy

I have been trying to leave the house with DD for the last 2hours but she's not having it.

Aww! DS did that with a marrow once. Just cuddled it all day. :o

Currently lying on DD's bed as it's more comfy than mine. Won't be going out this afternoon as too wheezy to manage the travel to gym/acro. Disappointed DD :( but it's not worth the risk of getting more ill again. So no more spends today although I do need to order that damn laptop charger

Yes maternity allowance is what self employed people, or those who don't earn enough for smp, can get.

I was in for two weeks with both dc. Luckily the labour ward rooms all have en suites and then scbu has its only four bed room with en suite for those staying.

£19 ice cream parlour. £11 McDonald's. managed to park on the road for free.

It's miserable here now we're all in pjs in bed watching moana.

The ice creams look great wreck (those plates are from costco and are superb! I use them a lot) You have just decided me to make some brandy snap baskets for icecream pud tonight! I bet they won't work, but will be eaten anyway I'm sure. I also have a waffle cone maker...

Thanks fluffy I'll have a punt on them then. I got £9.90 from the betfair arcade offer last night, dp was a bit but I'm tolerant with repetative boring stuff.

Ah thanks so it was MA I meant then. Just need to find out if it is worthwhile financially.

That ice cream looks amazing!