A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

westcoastscot · 26 November 2011 at 5:07PM

Mar stocked up on tea at Braithwaites when I was in Dundee earlier in the week - am sorted now! I love my job, but hate going out to work, if you know what I mean. I didn't work for 20 years, found myself single and needing to work, and I know i'm lucky to find work I love, but am trying to work as few hours as possible. I love being home, so look to saving money, leaving making a little more as a last resort.

Mam2B bet you have a fabby christmas, and well done for being organised so soon. Keep your chin up, sounds like you're coping brilliantly.

hornetgirl good luck with your OS endeavours - am loving your positive attitude

WCS

fuddle · 26 November 2011 at 5:34PM

mam2B wrote: »

thank you for letting me rant.. I hate to burden anyone with the woes of my life as we have a roof over our head, oil in tank ( if I ever give in to turn it on more!), some food in press and all are healthy.. many others are a lot less off .. i guess I am just in shock the bloody rescession found us.. even though we did our best to get ahead of it!

I do get cross with myself when I think negatively. We all have our health, a half decent house that meets our needs, food, water and warm clothes. I shouldn't moan at all... but I do :cool:

For me, this thread is a godsend because it enables people to get worrying thoughts down and more importantly, out. Because it's mostly a friendly place you get the added bonus of a few suggestions to help you out too.

Stock piling? I am hopeless at it. The only thing I tend to have piles of is pasta because it's girty dirty cheap cheap.

KittyBoo_2 · 26 November 2011 at 5:54PM

Really chuffed to find this friendly place to come and share thoughts and have a space to get things off our minds.
Looking forward to logging in now.

redlady_1 · 26 November 2011 at 6:51PM

Shuffle round a bit you lot...Maude is here!!!

That is my new name if anyone is curious

I have about 50kg of flour if anyone is interested??

It seems that the demise of the Euro may indeed be on its way and if that does happen there will be quite a significant fall out from it. I for one, am wanting to get prepared and only have a small amount of debt left to go from renovating the house. I can see interest rates rising and yes, I can afford a rise of about 3% it would leave me quite broke.

My big concern is diesel. I have little choice but to travel to work and do a 40 mile round trip. It is my single biggest expense after the mortgage.

fuddle · 26 November 2011 at 7:15PM

10% of our budget is spent on fuel redlady, that puts us into fuel poverty. DH hasthe car, I do my mummy duty's on foot and like yourself, it's a 40 mile round trip daily for him to get to work. We have no choice, everything depends on affording to put the fuel in the car.

Mrs_Chip · 26 November 2011 at 7:25PM

Aah, here you all are!

Been a bit quite the last couple of days as I have been slightly knacked by two days of chopping - but you should see the size of our woodpile! We borrowed a chainsaw and wood splitter and worked through the huge pile of logs and turned them into firewood. OH was very impressed with my axe-wielding technique, and I want a splitting maul for Christmas! Chopping wood is the best feeling ever, and a great way to work off any frustrations.

Now need to stack it somewhere, not sure where yet. We have a back yard, but need to put the wood we are about to buy there. It's starting to feel a bit like the Little House on the Prarie here :rotfl:

Cooked a meal for our neighbours yesterday from the Takeaway Secret book. Tandoori chicken starter followed by chicken curry, daal, pilau rice and chapattis for about £12 plus there is loads left for our dinner tomorrow. And it was FR chook, which you don't get from the takeaway! I don't think £2 a head is at all bad, and it was as good as our best Indian takeaway in London, where similar for two would have cost us about £20. Aldi mango chutney for about 69p a jar is delicious by the way! As I bought 10k of top quality basmati rice for £10 last week, I think we will be majoring on curry over the coming months. Whatever happens in the Eurozone, the chip household will be warm and
have full bellys!

silaren · 26 November 2011 at 7:37PM

For me, things have been especially tough over the last year and a bit.

But to be honest, it's actually been quite fun hunting for bargains and trying new things, especially new recipes and new food. I've learnt so much from lurking on this site and others. I think these are skills for life and not just because times are tough at the moment.

Though it's better late than never, I'm a little ashamed to say that it's taken me until this age to learn these lessons, despite growing up in a household with two very frugal parents.

Living_proof · 26 November 2011 at 7:49PM

OH has just phoned to say that he is involved in some hospitality at Murrayfield (and we all know what that is, don't we?) and won't be back for dinner. I have rifled round the fridge freezer in the kitchen as I am too cissy to go outside to the garage to the big one, and found a chicken tikka dish which is just defrosting. The sell by date I have just happened to notice is 2005. It looks very frozen to me so I am going to cook and eat it and if I don't post for another week or two you will know that I may be some time......

mardatha · 26 November 2011 at 8:09PM

Silaren, that's the thing isnt it. We're learning skills to last a lifetime, enabling us to cope with whatever comes along. Doesn't matter if we moan - so what? Feel free, moan away. As long as we keep on truckin

There are rumours in the prepping community of more bank probs to come - so please if at all poss keep some cash handy, don't rely on plastic. If you're scared of burglars etc then hide it. I had a friend who was married to a compulsive gambler, and she had good hiding places. Taped to the back of mirrors, taped on undersides of tables, in the freezer in a poly bag, and tacked into curtain hems or hidden in canisters and pkts of food. Or else an inside pocket of your coat.

Cheapskate · 26 November 2011 at 8:13PM

Evening all - really glad this thread is back!

I've been really struggling to keep on track with my budgeting, not wasting food, spending wisely, etc., but they keep wriggling out of my grasp - got too many things going on in my head re money and in relation to our older two children, so sometimes watching what I spend or batch cooking is the last thing to keep on top of!

I think next year will be quite tough for us in several areas, so am lurking and posting again on various threads to boost my morale and motivation! I think we all have a little of that old wartime spirit that enables us to put up with much, moan a bit when it gets tough for us and, at the same time, be a shoulder to cry on for friends who are having it even worse - what good eggs you are! :beer:

A xo

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A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

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