It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

maman · 18 November 2008 at 3:19PM

Thanks for starting this new thread. I am one of many who cannot access threads when they get really big, something to do with my computer. I'll be reading avidly, always on the look out for new ideas.

Fortunately we're doing OK but I'm as OS as possible because I hate being ripped off. I can't help feeling that, for example, so may prices went up because of fuel costs but I doubt we'll see them tumbling down!

angelite_2 · 18 November 2008 at 3:34PM

Hi everyone, I've got back into MSE and I feel its really helping me financially. Things I'm doing:
*making jams with left over fruit or cooking it and freezing.
*my sister is getting a new freezer and was going to throw the old one out, but is now giving it to me as my fridge freezer doesnt hold much, yipee.
*got money for my birthday a few weeks ago and bought a bread maker from tesco direct, was £40 down to £25. I think its still on offer, makes great white bread, banana bread and has programmes for jam/cakes etc
*I dont buy lunch every day now, I make my own and grudge if I havent had time to make it, so I make an effort.
*with regard to petrol, I read somewhere (think it was an article by Martin) that if you make sure the pressure in your tyres is correct and you dont fill right up to the top with petrol it saves on fuel, so I'm doing this too.
I've switched off storage heater in living room and have halogen heaters.
* Also I dont throw out that much food now either, I plan our meals better,
All I can think of just now x

cuddlymarm · 18 November 2008 at 3:40PM

Hi

We have hit the bottom on these tough times and are now (slowly) back on the way up. We had 2 small businesses which (stupidly we now know) we robbed Peter to pay Paul and now OH is BK and we now live in rented accomodation. Funnily enough I don't feel angry that we've lost everything just relieved that the stress isn't there any more.
I'm blessed with a lovely husband (who has a job he enjoys and is as safe as any other these days) and 2 wonderful grown up sons. We're now looking forward instead of treading water and not being able to sleep. OK, we have to watch the pennies but we've a lot more than a lot of people.

We need to move to a slightly bigger place in the spring and I'm hoping for a garden (to grow veggies) and more room to stockpile so that we can be ready for the rainy days. The days of giving all my money to Mr T are well gone. We shop frugally and locally and thats the way it will stay.

Anyway good luck to all you frugallers (if thats a word) Onwards and upwards

Cuddles

[Deleted User] · 18 November 2008 at 3:46PM

I feel so HAPPY already, just reading these posts so far. So many new faces and so many copers. You are making me feel uplifted and very cheerful

There IS hope :T

newlywed · 18 November 2008 at 3:55PM

Well I have been:

only buying clothes in charity shops or ebay (other than undies of course)

walking more to try and use the car less (3 miles yesterday to get to Robert Dyas and back) - saves petrol and parking money (£1.50 an hour parking!).

set up several different bank accounts to put my different budgets into (eg spending money, food money, petrol, gas and electric). This stops me taking money from another pot to spend on food and makes me spend less on the grocery shop. Trying to build up the extra petrol money while the prices are lower, ready for the next increase.

thinking more about how I use the cooker - using the steamer pan more often to only use one ring, or cooking the veg in the oven with whatever else is already cooking in there.

refusing to buy new bulbs unless they are energy saving ones (currently need to buy 5 dimmable candle bulbs so only have one bulb left in our bedroom that's working - that alone saves electricity!)

not refusing any offers of clothes or free food - and actually making use of them (was given blackberries so froze them as I didn't have any apples, then two weeks later I was given cooking apples

)

I have also priced up some of our most eaten meals and worked out which end up cheaper (these are now appearing more frequently on the meal plan

).

I have also been making batches of soup (5 or 6 portions) and freezing them, ready for an easy lunch for work - think I have 6 portions of soups in the freezer just now and some parsnips that are likely to go the same way as soon as I have some more pots

.

I have also been entering more competitions and more freebies in the hope of getting some free extra treats.

I have been trying to steadily pay back my debts - but still a long way to go - only 25% of the way there.

Still got lots more to do - especially with the grocery budget.

Planning on planting some veg in pots in our tiny garden next spring - rocket, leeks, tomato, and spinach hopefully.

Triggles · 18 November 2008 at 3:58PM

This is a great thread - thanks for posting!

We are still in the struggle to reorganise ourselves and our finances. DH is working fulltime (with some extra hours until the end of December), and I'm a SAHM. Living on one income has been a bit of a shock. We didn't realise how much we spent on really nothing until we just had the one income coming in. But we have been doing some things to save money as well as improve the quality of our lives:
- buying meat and veg from local market as it's cheaper and nicer, plus it's only there once per week, which forces me to be organised
- meal planning, according to what we have on hand first
- cooking from scratch more and more
- buy basics and less expensive brands almost exclusively
- doing monthly grocery challenges on mse and using cash only for grocery
- thermostat down on heater, although it is on
- radiators down in lesser used rooms and hallways
- freecycled our tumble dryer and now hang clothes to dry
- wash clothing 30 degrees, except bed linens which are 60 degrees
- use Remoska almost exclusively instead of the oven
- walk if possible, bus if need be, car only if absolutely necessary which has kept us down to one tank of petrol per month for the last 3 months! we can't get rid of the car as FIL and MIL have health problems and we need to be able to go over there quickly if needed or assist in transportation for them
- winterised the house to save on heating bills (extra curtains, extra blanket under bedsheet, and such)
- always pack lunch for DH for work, and when going into town, bring snacks along for toddlers, so not tempted to buy food when in town
- use online money savers, such as mse, quidco, cashbackkings, and bingoport to boost up amazon vouchers, cash back, and moneysaving info.
- make contact with friends and family abroad almost exclusively by email, saving money on phone calls and postage
- freecycle and ebay whenever possible
- entertainment for kids that is free or inexpensive (go to park, walks, even window shopping)

I will admit that we still have a way to go yet, but also there are some things we've let ourselves splurge on, as we feel that if you completely cut back to the bone on everything, we have a tendency to just cut loose and spend when we shouldn't - sort of rebellion, IFKWIM.
- inexpensive takeaway for family once per month (costs less than £10 for whole family's meals at local chip shop)
- bottle of wine occasionally
- sky tv package with sports and movies (we reason this that we never go to the pub, cinema, out to fancy restaurant, don't smoke - this is our main form of entertainment - so we're happy to splurge on this as it IS our entertainment budget)

Hopefully we can do more in the coming months to make our money last even longer.

sparrer · 18 November 2008 at 4:00PM

Thank you for the new thread Kittie, hopefully it will inspire the posting of some ideas not yet thought of - unlikely but never say never!

I thought I was coping til DS returned home recently for a period of 3 months..he's been seconded to this area so it makes sense for him to stay with Mum rather than look for digs in the locality. We've agreed a sensible sum for his keep but I'd forgotten how much a young man can eat in a day - almost as much as I do in 3 :rotfl:. However I've still got one or two MS ideas to put in place, like shopping on line and running down the freezeer before I buy anything else (it badly needs defrosting anyway :rolleyes: ) so that's the next couple of weeks projects sorted. Then we'll sit down to work out a menu plan, fortunately we both like much the same foods and he's not fussy when it comes to economical meals and 'own brands' so it shouldn't be too difficult.

My main expense is the car, next year my road tax goes up to £210 for a 1.3 Hyundai :eek: but because it's auto it's just outside the emmissions level. Unfortunately I can't do much about it, I have COPD (stupidly self-inflicted through smoking even though I've stopped now :mad: ) so it's a necessary, very expensive, evil. Added to that I visit my elderly DM, who's 80-odd miles away, every couple of weeks...I don't think I'd make it on a push-bike!

My DGD and I have made a small herb bed, planted several types including garlic so we're tending that with care. My little garden is only 25' long x 18' wide so I have an espalier Coxes apple tree on the back wall, a gooseberry bush in one corner, and in the spring we'll plant tomatoes and runners - anything that grows upward without too much ground cover.

We'll cope, it may be tough but I've been through worse. Watched my 2 DD's eat donated [strike]rabbit[/strike] chicken stew

while I feasted on bread and marg for a while back in the 70's. It's a game of wills - me v the government, economy and recession, and thanks to MSE :A I have all the weapons I need at my fingertips, so guess who's going to come through this with fewer battle scars?

Finally, my worst, or best money saver is tea. I love my cuppa so the kettle's never cold. I only buy tea-bags when they're BOGOF, make a cuppa, save the bag and use it again. When I have 2 twice-used bags I use them together for cuppa 5. By this time you only need a tiny drop of milk! Milk...that's full fat diluted 50/50 and no-one's noticed yet

. However I'm running on so will go and make myself a cuppa...

Purple_Sparkles · 18 November 2008 at 4:20PM

Once upon a time..... I wandered onto MSE and have been an avid reader ever since.

I'm lucky that I'm not in debt but have been in the past, thankfully I've come out the other side and now I live within my means.

I'm a lone parent, self employed (part time) studying a science degree and live with my 10 year old son. I think we are quite comfortable now thanks to lots of ideas and tips from this site. By making gradual changes over time we haven't felt that we've had to do without and now it's just a way of life. It's certainly taught my son the value of money - he saves half of his pocket money every week in the bank and the other keeps in his wallet to spend if he wishes, he has always got money in his wallet and never spends it all. He'll weigh up if he really wants it and how much it costs first and 99% of the time he won't part with the cash - a joy to see :rotfl:

I regularly make use of Freecycle both offering and receiving

I don't buy new clothes, I'll make them out of what I've got in my fabric stash or revamp something that no longer fits into something else. I've even started making our undies, more to see if I could rather than having to.

Grow as much fruit and veg as I can and preserve that which can't be eaten.

Brew my own wine from fruit/veg

Use up leftovers and menu plan

Built up a good stock of food in my pantry (converting under the stairs was a good move)

I won't buy it if I can borrow or make it instead

I stick to my budget and only use cash now

Don't use the car unless absolutely necessary

Use car boot sales and charity shops if I have to buy something

Make my own cleaning products from basic ingredients - the wonders of white vinegar and lemon juice!

Cook from scratch and don't be afraid to experiment.

There's loads more that I do but as others have said it becomes a way of life and you don't think about it.

I'm lucky that I can turn my hand to most things, I've just redecorated my lounge and it's cost me a total of £24.50 for all the wallpaper, paint, wood for the cupboard, replacing the doors. I'm really pleased anyway.

I'm rambling now but hope it give a bit of inspiration to some of you.

mardatha · 18 November 2008 at 4:27PM

Sparrer, I did the same in the 70s. The husband worked in the docks and they were always on strike--the kids & I lived on porridge, soup & rice pud for months! And I too treat this as a personal battle with the govt.
I love my tea as well, kettle's never off --although its a lot less full than pre-MSE days !

kittyscarlett · 18 November 2008 at 4:40PM

Well thanks for the new thread - very good timing !:T

I am fortunate in that I have now paid every scrap of debt off. Overdraft, remains of some HP and a couple of store cards, the bank loan and the credit card. All done. It is so good to not have big chunks of my income waft off to either loan repayment or CC interest any more.

I think the two biggest self helps to me at this time will be a) Not resting on my laurels b ) balance in everything. I am lucky in many things I do or am are naturally moneysaving and if things get tough then it's not any huge shock to my lifestyle. I don't drive, have never smoked, rarely drink and am not bothered about going out - I like to take walks and have days out when the weather is nice. I don't enjoy shopping for clothes and unless really necessary make do with what I have. Energy saving is almost automatic with me. I do like nice food but I am not generally extravagant, I cook mostly from scratch as I dislike ready meals, and I am pleased about the way I have reduced my food waste considerably over the last year or two.

Probably the most comical way in which I am helping myself in these leaner times is storm out of the local corner Co op 6 weeks ago after having a row with one of the staff who was really bloody rude, and vowing never to return ! :rotfl: I haven't been back there since and its done wonders for my pocket and my health ! I did used to spend too much in there really - its only a minutes walk away and when tired, unwell, down, stressed or fed up, or all of those, was only too tempting to head in there and buy ready made sandwiches ( which I would moan about how awful they were as I was eating them ) crisps, chocolate, cakes, biscuits etc... Now I face a longer walk, about a 20 minute round trip, if I want to do a " supermarket " shop, I no longer buy those horrible "shop" sandwiches but maybe once a week treat myself to a really nice bap or baguette from a proper local sandwich shop, and have cut down down on the rubbish I buy by a considerable amount ! Hehe.

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It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

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