Typical Isn't It

Job #2 is messing about with my holiday in asshat fashion. Citing rules and policies and blah, blah, never mind such trivial things as laws and entitlements. Clown admin has agreed to put in a special request to the CEO to allow me to take all four weeks that I have earned (like that's supposed to make me feel special?) but if they don't play ball I will just go on Unpaid Parental Leave which they can't avoid... and they still won't have me in the building for those four weeks 😁

Big Boss at Job #1 has been absolutely stellar ⭐ and will work with me however I want to swing things ⭐ which now looks like me lowering to a small contract, dragging my earned annual leave out for months, and then returning one day per week. 💙

My application for Healthy Start has been rejected as I still earn too much. I will try again next month as it will have fallen further. Council tax reduction is only 40% (not 75%) due to my "high income" 😂 but again, I'll have to reapply next month.

I've bought some more nappies. £50 worth. I think I have a problem with buying nappies 😂 in my defence Little X is outgrowing things and it was a good deal. Yeah, excuses. I also bought her a bundle of shorts in size 12-18 months, but unfortunately half of them are still too small to go around a cloth bum, so I bought another larger bundle. Plus I bought myself some shorts. And t-shirts, as two of my old faithfuls have holes.

Bundling

The answer to how much extra I had left to put onto the poison ivy card was £210. Which isn't that much because the card is getting used for ongoing expenses 😕 so the freedom date is not really getting closer yet. It still felt good that all bills are sorted and I survived another month. 

Job #2 is taking forever to approve my leave. Job #1, I have an appointment on Tuesday to talk about my part time return, since it does look like it'd be worthwhile - but I don't want too many hours, Little X is only little once. 🥰 Touch wood with a small contract I can take holidays a fair while first. I'm also going to do an online English course. I miss learning. 

Someone else bought a big pile of newborn clothes, for imminent twins. Not a big sale amount but it's stuff out of my hair. I've sold a handful of other things and listed two more pairs of trainers for sale.

My maternity pay did indeed stop 🤣 so this week I will apply for both Council Tax Reduction and Healthy Start top up, both of which I should get now, together around £80 a month.

Spendy: some bigger night nappy wraps, £20.

Winner: £100 prize from a free lottery 🎉 which is on an All4one card (zero supermarket spending options) so I will probably treat myself to new underwear and socks. 🧦

Win? I had three unopened pairs of tights to return with no receipt. I've had them far too long and finally managed to take them to the right supermarket. Face value was £8 each but I knew if they'd been reduced I'd only get current price. I was hoping for £2 each. Well, I got all £24 but it had to be on Nutmeg products in Morrisons, which is baby wear and homeware, and Little X needs nothing. To my surprise I managed to actually spend on things I'd already had in mind to get. Including a non stick tray to fit my mini oven. Chuffed with this lot! 

Happy Votependence Day

So it's the 4th of July, which we all know is a very important date, that's right, voting day. My area only has two candidates getting a good percentage of the votes, Tories and Liberal Democrats, which works well for me since since I vehemently detest the Tories since Lib Dem is my ideal party anyway.

I have been rejected for significant financial support from the grant scheme I applied to but they have given me a discretionary £300 for cost of living. 👏 I also got the statutory maternity grant of £500 👏 plus unexpectedly got a further week of maternity pay 😲 so now I'm impatient for (1) Friday, to see if it happens again, and (2) Universal Credit day to see how much I have left over to hack at the Poison Ivy card again. 

Little X is fast outgrowing her clothes so I bought a bundle off Vinted, and the seller threw in some extras, it's a huge pile 💕 really pleased even though most of it is for winter & next year. I have finally started listing the newborn stuff for sale, six sets sold within minutes 😲 unfortunately we had to cancel once we clarified the sizes. Still, part of it resold an hour later so here's hoping. Also sold another two pairs of trainers and the next pair is cleaned up and drying as I write. I seem to be settling into £50 profit each month. 

We survived 2 concerts and "survived" is apt since without being able to take a stroller in, it's fairly exhausting. It hurts carrying a kid let that long, who also won't sleep. Might be easier next year!