One Bad Week (you have to laugh, right? *cries*)
It started on Monday when I realised that No.1 son was heading off to college in jeans that are more rip than jean. I mean, we’re not talking a little socially-acceptable slice of knee showing. No no. The boy loves to longboard. And his jeans are his buffer. We’re talking verging on indecent, and no doubt uncomfortably chilly in the breeze. Two pairs of jeans for Mr 6’2″ 17yr old – bye-bye £65 (and that...
So How Credit Savvy Are You?
I’ve written before about the fact that some years back we found ourselves in what is politely called ‘financial difficulties’. We were on very low wages, and debts were simply managed rather then reduced. Then there was a redundancy, a baby… and suddenly that narrow safety margin vanished and we were in trouble, with debt increasing every month. Money worries are horrible. They sit heavily on your brain, they...
The New UCAS Tariff – 10 Things You Need To Know
My oldest is 17, and has just started his final year in 6th form. Which means we’re now facing the endless bafflement of UCAS and Uni applications. *tremble*. I realise that if your children are pre-schoolers this is a land far, far away (trust me, it’s so not as far away as you think), but if you’re housing teens then you’ll be either vaguely or acutely aware that the whole system just changed on you. So...
Just a little help when you need it.
It’s 24 years this year (in a few short weeks, actually) that Mr LittleStuff and I got married. Twenty Four Years. Firstly, I am in no way old enough to own that kind of marriage number. Yes, I got married when I was VERY young. No, really! Secondly – oh how things have changed… and stayed the same… It wasn’t long after we were married that Mr LittleStuff lost his job, I’d never got on in the first...
Topping Up Online – and not just for your phone credit.
If your teen (or you!) have a PAYG mobile, then you’ll be familiar with the ‘top up’ system. When your account is running low and you’re in need of a top up, you purchase additional credit at a supermarket or shop. They give you a top up voucher containing a top up voucher code, which when added will give you the calling credit of your PAYG provider. But it’s a printed receipt – and we all know how...
It’s SO important to understand your energy bills – and stay in control, people.
A couple of years ago I got in a slight pickle with my energy bills. Entirely my own fault – I was providing readings, but the wrong ones (yeah, I know NOW you use the first set of digits on the gas meter, and ignore the ones outlined in red. But back then I thought those were the ones we needed…). Thanks to my ineptitude, we ended up out of balance with the billing, and needed some slightly painful re-adjustments to get...