crana's Journal

Had my 2nd day on the playscheme for autistic kids I am helping on today - 1st day for the kids.

It was good, I did feel somewhat like a spare part though as in a way we have too many volunteers/staff : kids...especially if all some of the children are interested in is blowing bubbles on their own in a corner and they get violent if you try to interact with them...kind of thing.. or they go to the quiet "soft room" by themselves for a bit of peace..

anyway, it was still very interesting - going on a trip tomorrow!

rosie

Went to give blood again with my friend yesterday, but since then I haven't done a great deal - quite enjoying just relaxing and not having to go to work

Anyway, some REALLY GOOD NEWS!

My grandma has given me money to cover 1/2 my tuition fees for my first year at university - £500. That's an entire month of working 5 days a week for me, so it's a really big deal!

When I get back tonight I'm going to make her a special card to say thank you

Rosie

Finished my week at work and feeling much chippier than i thought I would, bearing in mind I was up at 5.20 this morning to go to work..! That's..*calculates*..about £140 towards my stash. Woo!

I have this weekend off then on Monday I start on this playscheme for autistic children I'm helping at. It's not paid but I do get travel expenses. I'm looking forward to it but I'm a bit nervous too!

I'm also working straight after the playscheme on Wed, Thurs, Fri.......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......... will be so tired. The good thing is that my work is on my way home from the playscheme - it's like an extra 100m away from where i would normally drive - so it's like getting free travel to work

Speaking of which I need to get some more petrol - I've been puitting it off because I can't find my loyalty card - yes, I am that tight

I also need to wash my uniforms and have a shower and stuff..so I'll report again soon!!

Rosie

Finished my 3rd day back at work today and I'm already shattered! I had the misfortune to come back at the start of an unusually busy period so we have been finishing late every night.. at least when you are busy the time goes quicker.

It is a bit depressing though how much work pays for so little. It certainly makes you think twice about spending. I'm not sure exactly what I am making an hour - it used to be £5.20 and goes up usually in January - but that was at the weekends, it's a little less during the week. I think it was £4.75 but it should have had 2 pay raises since then.. so I don't know.

Anyway, it's roughly £5 / hour.. so to pay one week's rent at uni (I don't know what rent band I am in yet, I asked for a cheaper one but they are hard to come by.. the rent is £42 - £70 a week).

So if I had the most expensive rooms (which are also the most plentiful) I'd have to work 14 hours - so about 3 days of work by the time I've paid for my petrol to get there etc - just to pay one week's rent at uni. And then to live for the rest of the week I still have to buy food, pay for transport, phone, fees, etc, etc...

Went to the post office today to get some parcels weighed so I know how much to charge for them on eBay. The daft postman person gave me a price that sounded HUGE for one of the packets, so I ended up going to another post office to get it checked (it was wrong) - doh!

Well, they are done now and I have invoiced the buyers. Also posted the T-shirt I'd already been paid for.

I also went to the swimming baths to apply for a new card the council have introduced that gives you discounts on leisure facilities if you fall into certain groups e.g. on benefit (welfare) or for me, full time student over 18.

I had already filled in the form and everything only to be told they were "too busy" to do it at weekends and I would have to come back before 10am sometime in the week. It didn't say that anywhere on the form or the notes, or I'd have just made one trip and saved my petrol! what a pain.

Anyway then she goes on the phone for ages seeing if my proof of status is acceptable (you need a letter from your school or university saying you are in full-time education, but since I've left school and it's closed for summer, but I haven't started university yet and don't know definitely which one I'm going to... that is difficult!).

Then she comes back and says to me very patronisingly "no you can only have one if your parents are on benefit" errm no so I asked to see the leaflet again and she points to the section for 16-18 year olds.

no, I *am* 18, I fall into the catagory of "full time students over 18" for which your parents' status is irrelevant..

"But I thought you said you'd just left school?" I HAVE, it *is* possible to leave school at 18 not 16 even if not many people around here do...!

So, I have to spend my time and petrol going down AGAIN and having to deal with idiots who do not have a clue what they are doing! Very frustrating!

Thanks for the congrats on getting my job back guys Also my boyfriend is doing really well (he was unemployed for several months but now runs a small business with his dad), they are getting almost more work than they can handle!

Rosie

oo just had to come on and tell you that the supervisor rang me back and I've got 6 shifts booked in (so about £150).. and she says there will be plenty more hours for me if I want them

Only thing is I'm volunteering on a playscheme for autistic children the week after next, and for 3 days out of 4, I'll be finishing at the playscheme at 3 (having started at 10 after an hour or so travelling..) and hurrying over to work (they said I can start my shift late) to work until 8.30.. I will be so tired!

Finally made the scary-phone-call I've been putting to my old work, & the supervisor is going to ring me back tomorrow - the head chef thinks they might have a space for me again - but on the early shift (boo! i'm not a morning person!)

Other good money news :
I got a £5 voucher in the post (which mum will buy off me, because she is always buying stuff from this shop) from surveys

also I now have enough "points" to get a free CD - so that's something for my boyfriend for Xmas - I will save it

Rosie

Nothing's really gone up more on eBay but I'm hoping to get a couple of last-minute bids tomorrow.

Haven't done much today - staying in and being lazy!

rosie

Woo, all my shirts have bids on eBay - let's just hope they go up a little more before they close.

I've been getting back into going to the library, so not spending anything on books, although I do have to pay a charge to borrow audio books.

Did a bit of shopping yesterday - I got myself a dress for my cousin's wedding (£6.99), a top for me (£2.50) and a T-shirt for my sister for xmas (£2.50).. also I have worked out what else to get her for Xmas, a book about knitting which I think she will like. I'm going to put it on my Amazon wishlist together with any other stuff I come across and order it all together later on so that I might get enough stuff together to get the Super Saver delivery

I only managed to get 4 shirts listed before something went wrong with the eBay site and no pages would load.. but still.. I have bids on 2 already

Working away on my grandparents' Xmas present. It's slow going but I am about half-way done now. I just need to figure out what to make for everyone else (money saving on presents. I hope)

I'm going to attempt to make my friend a purse with a snail on it, but for the others... no idea!

rosie

Been busy..

Opened a pre-student account with HSBC (should get me a 5-year railcard too! woo!).

Been working at my mum's work for some extra £

Tonight I'm busy listing away on Ebay - free listing day! I need to get round to relisting my books on Amazon too...

Rosie

Been off for a while, my internet broke.

Am really enjoying freedom - but resisting getting a job for the moment! (I know I should!)

Went into town to meet a friend on Saturday.. didn't spend anything! but got £4 from taking back a horrible necklace I bought while mystery-shopping
rosie

Was a very money-saving girl today and got the bus (free) instead of driving!

Exam didn't go well. Found 10p. got ebay cheque.

Aaaaaaaaaand... I found a good website of student recipes and I emailed the author about helping her with some stuff, and I answered some questions for her about this and that for an article she is writing - and she is going to send me a copy of her new book free when it comes out!

I was going to buy it too - the recipes on the site sound lovely!

rosie

Nothing too interesting's happened.

Got £10 in the post for mystery-shopping - just need to return the vile necklace now (cost me £4). Been revising for my exams... just 3 days and it's all over till August

Gonna fill up my car tomorrow on my way home.. and need to go to the bank at some point, I have some cash & cheques to pay in (go me!) but am waiting for an ebay cheque before I go. Also need to take some ID to open my student bank account they are gonna give me a free railcard for 5 years (worth £90) - well worth having! The bank account is one of the best anyway...

rosie

I just wrote out a cheque to my mum for £300 for my car.

Ouch, is all i can say.

I got my student loan notification too..it seems to be wrong.. I rang up and they didn't know, had to ring somewhere else and guess what it was shut.

So I guess that's a job for tomorrow.

On the bright side, I found 10p..

rosie

well now it seems the leak was bigger than they thought, several papers are involved and photocopied papers have been being sold in London for several hundred £.

got some stuff about my student bank account today.. I like my bank account, but opening this one you get a free 5 year railcard (which costs ~£90) and interest free overdraft & stuff. So, worth having!

Just need to take some ID etc down now to finish opening it.

A week today is my last exam! I can't wait!

rosie

still no real news on the exam paper. Today's went okay though.

Did the mystery shopping and also got paid for one I did a while ago

Rosie

More GRR - turns out the exam I sat this morning was leaked on the Internet but no one knows what's happening yet - if the paper will be cancelled, or what.

On the positive side, I'm mystery-shopping some time this week, I have to buy something and then I get £10 back so I hope there is something cheap to buy. (if there's nothing I need i will take the thing back after!)

More positive things: the person I thought wouldn't pay me on Ebay did pay up.

So that's some money (if not a lot) towards my car repair

rosie

GRR. I pranged my car. I somehow scraped the side against a postbox as i turned a corner. Now it's all bent and stuff and fixing it will cost (my dad said) ~£400. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I'm so cross with myself.

my driving lesson went OK, have another 3 hours next week though.

been revising biology

I got my "prizes" for helping promote a film in the post ( I actually did very little for this, so...) I got 2 magazines aimed at about 11 year olds... I salvaged the free gifts and mum will take the magazines to work

I also got £10 in cinema tickets .. for a cinema chain that has no cinemas anywhere near me.

however they do have a cinema in cambridge (where I hope to be at uni) so im saving them for then and if i dont get in i will givethem to one of my friends who does get in..

I really must call my old work and ask about references so I can hand in my application forms.. hehe

rosie

today I had a 3 hour driving lesson to reduce my car insurance udner the Pass plus scheme. I have another one next week too.

I also got a cassette adaptor for my car free as my dad already had it, and im going to reclaim an MP3 player i got in a competition my boyfriends been using. Voila - completely free in car MP3 player

Rosie

Grr I'm trying to sort out my uni finances.

I'm going to end up in lots of debt whatever I do

I am getting a £3070 /year loan from the government for either 3 or 4 years depending what course I do.

But I have to pay over £1125 a year in tuition fees as well..

My savings divvied up over 4 years is around £1875 a year. So I can pay my fees and have £600 a year towards living expenses... but the rest will all be debt

At the very minimum of only using my student loan, no overdrafts or loans from family, I will have between £9000 and £12000 of debt when I leave..

I know in america it's much worse than this but still...

Rosie

(cranking up money saving efforts towards uni! put £30 in the bank today )

Grr, I still haven't been paid by someone who won on eo f my ebay items, and the buyer has lots of bad feedback, so I hope they pay up!

on a happier note I found the 2nd half of my stash of the thing I "sold" to this person (if they ever pay me!) and listed that too - Free listing day today! - and it already has a bid

Went to the training for the playscheme. It was a bit boring, but I was pleased to hear we are reimbursed for our travel expenses not only for actually attending the playscheme but also attending the training sessions. I didnt know this but it's only fair really. I am not sure how much they reimburse you though.

rosie

well I am still closeted in studying away...

got a £5 cheque from surveys in the post this morning..

applied for a bank account that will give me a free 5 year railcard...

got some money for my L-plates off ebay (but by the time i;'ve paid paypal fees, ebay fees, and postage, ill have about 10p left..lol)

have also signed up for a month's free trial of DVDs hired where they post them to your house.. got my first 3 today and might watch one tomorrow (ive got 4 exams then training for the playscheme for autistic kids i am volunteering on this summer... i think I will be too wiped out to work!)

rosie

Grr
I just found out I can't work at my mum's work for 3 weeks of the summer as she said... so my job search is being ramped up

at least now I can drive my options are a bit more open..

Rosie

Well, I had my exam (which I have been dreading) today. It went slightly better than expected, but that isn't saying much!

moneysaving stuff I've done:
put some stuff on eBay - my L-plates (currently at 50p......wow) and some Pogz (an old kids collectable game thingy) that I bought ages ago for about 40p which are at £5.50 already. Woohoo!

non-moneysaving stuff:
I've been driving instead of using the bus (when I have a free bus pass to use to school and back during termtime)... but ah it's so much more convenient than the bus... and my car is very economical to run...

I did get free parking today though. I parked at the Park & Ride car park and walked up to school for my exam. & on Monday I was able to park outside school for free.

I am trying to drive to maximise the mpg I get too. I am practising trying to e.g. use my brakes less by letting the car slow down on its own when possible over a longer distance...trying not to use the air-con (which I have to say is not that brilliant anyway. but we are in a heatwave at the moment! so..). Also when I was waiting in a queue for AAAAAAAAAAAAGES to get into a car park I turned the engine off. Although i like to listen to the radio or tapes when I drive so I did get a bit bored!

I have driven to nottingham and back (28 miles) at least 4 times, as well as all round my town.. and my tank is still 3/4 full....and it is quite a small car;/tank ,so..

Rosie

well
I have mainly just been staying at home and working

I finally got round to closing an bank account I have had but not used for a while; I found a better one and stopped using that one, but left it open "just in case".

however that was a good 3 years ago, and it's an under-19's account so I didn't see that much point in leaving it open. I went and closed it....and got a whopping 42p back

I also closed one of my savings accounts with my current bank because I have to close that and my current account (the savings account is linked to the current account) and open new ones in order to get a debit card (stupid? tell me about it).. and woo I got £12 odd in closing interest.
which was nice
rosie

I remembered I never told you how I got on yesterday when I went into town.

First stop was the bank where I paid in my birthday money and cheques and suchlike, and now I'm 18 I also arranged for me to get a debit card on my account so I don't have to put all my online purchases on my mum's credit card anymore.......hehe....... it was a real pain to do, they are having to close my current current account and its associated savings account and open 2 more exactly the same but with a debit card. They have also given me a £250 overdraft, although I won't be using that!

Then I was walking up to the library to pick up some books I'd ordered and I saw a box of fabric remnants on a market stall.. so I had a quick rummage and found a really nice piece perfect for making a summer skirt........"How much?" ..."30p" woohoo so I picked up 2 other pieces for 30p as well that I'm hoping to maybe make bags or purses from after my exams.

Then my boyfriend rang my mobile phone and I don't like to be using it on the street so I popped into a shop, and while I was talkin I found their clearance shelves..........wahoo.......I got:

6 ringbinders for me & my mum: 20p each
160 ink cartridges plus little bag things for them: 80p
snazzy ruler for my exams: 17p
very fancy gift bag thingy: 25p

I turned down the 5p pencils, nice as they were, I have lots of pencils

I think I have enough ink cartridges to last me through the next 4 years at uni you know.. lol.. but it was such a good deal for what they are normally priced as. (Plus running out is so annoying!)

Then I finally made it to the library and got the books, which I had been intendeing to buy as I couldn't find them anywhere...the library didnt have them in my whole county.........soooooooooooo..............they bought them for me! which is bout £40 saved!

Rosie

another main way I get money from the internet is using it to save me money on things I'm buying anyway..

like:

now I've finally found a brand of jeans that fits me (I'm quite petite and nothing fits me!) I pick them up for around £5 a pair on eBay compared to around £30 in the shops - the last pair I bought (£3.99) were still tagged at £26.99

also books, CD's etc usually bought cheaper online

used it to shop around for my car insurance and bank accounts

I bank a lot online, and also reserve, renew etc my library books online, saving me petrol and time in going into town to do it

I get coupons online which we use off our grocery shopping

I often find out about special offers etc online

I talk to my friends & boyfriend online saving on our phone bill (as we pay a flat-rate for our internet connection)

That's all I can think of for the moment!

I just got back from a meal we had for my friend's birthday.. her dad paid but being me I still had tap water and the cheapest thing on the menu cos, well, thats just me.. actually there wasn't a lot of choice as I'm a vegetarian and this was mainly all burgers etc anyway..

Did cost me £2.40 in parking though. But i found a penny as I was paying to park, so I guess that makes it £2.39 I didn't want to park further away (e.g. park and ride) as it finished quite late and I didn't want to be wandering around on my own in the dark...plus the park and ride would only have been 40p cheaper!

It's stupid, you now have to pay per person not per car, and it's £2.00 return from the car park per person into town on the tram.. so a lot of the time it works out cheaper to park in town if you have more than one person anyway?! so how that is encouraging people not to park in the city centre I don't know!

Rosie

I just checked my bank account online and the $60 cheque I paid in has come through.. I got around £25 for it (paying fees on it took about £8 ). Yesterday I got a notification that I'm getting a £5 voucher in the post for doing surveys, etc.. and recently I've also had a £30 cheque come through. In addition I sold an unwanted book on eBay which netted me about £2.

I always find it amazing how much "free money" I can get on the internet. I don't have a job anymore (my last contract ended in Fed. and it wasn't worth me getting another one with my exams coming up - I'm doing 5 A-levels and 2AEAs ("Super A-levels") compared to most people just do 3 A-levels....so I have plenty of work on my plate.

Once my exams are out the way, I'm hoping to get round to relisting more books etc on Amazon. I'm also going to hunt around for old videos no one watches, as Blockbuster has started paying you for trade-in videos, DVDs etc. I'm going to try selling stuff I don't want on eBay more too..and entering more competitions - I find if you enter enough you do win stuff, and anything I don't want makes good presents or can be sold on eBay etc.

This year I won a mini-MP3 player worth about £80, but I gave it to my boyfriend as an early birthday present

If anyone has more tips on making money online, let me know! if I think of more things, I'll post again later

Rosie