It's STILL tough and not getting better - so how are we coping?

jackieglasgow · 15 July 2010 at 8:52PM

downshifter wrote: »

in the next couple of weeks have been invited to a reunion of some really nice people I used to work with, they've even chosen a restaurant in my area to make it easier for me. But the petrol to get there as well as the price of the meal scares me. I'll be scouring the menu for the cheapest thing, then when they're all choosing lovely puds, I'll be saying, god no, that pasta really filled me up, I'll just have another glass of water...

The other is a charity day someone else is holding at her house, and I really don't want to go but she looked so disappointed when someone else we were with said they couldn't go so really I'll go to support my friend. But I will take a present, there will be a raffle and other things that will demand money, and the petrol there will be a massive amount. (You can tell I live in the country by how obsessed I am with petrol prices!!!)

Anyway, I'd rather be in debt a million times over than upset such kindly people, so will go and worry about the bills later. But how would you have dealt twith these sorts of situations?

DS

The charity event, can you not share the driving with someone else, which will halve the petrol costs? Not sure what to suggest about the spends for that though, sorry. The reuninion meal though, could there not be a really important family thing on that night (they don't need to know you are washing the dog/doing the ironing.whatever) and you suggest you come along a bit later for dessert? That way you get to meet these people you really like, they will appreciate you making the effort, and you can have a light supper at hoe, and a gorgeous restaurant quality dessert in good company?

BigMummaF · 15 July 2010 at 9:31PM

lucielle wrote: »

Hello, I lurked on the old thread and as this is a new start thought I would 'pop out' and say hello. Going to slide back into lurkdom.
L

Oh no

..don't go! Personally I enjoy 'new blood' as every person brings a new slant to the predicament; you may say exactly the same words but in a different order & it can turn the discussion around another couple of notches

I was beginning to fret about 3mths ago when it was evident I couldn't spend less than twenty quid in a visit to the supermarket, but now it's rising every time & almost breaking the £25 mark :eek: Just today I bought apples, pears, grapes [on offer], weenie pork shoulder [also on offer] & a couple of other bits--£24:45! The Offspring are close to laying their own eggs & have threatened to show me just what it's like to have sage & onion where the sun don't shine if I buy yet more chicken, & all my protestations of it being nutritious, healthy & cheap are no longer working

Me muvva & I were saying too that as usual, it's good old Jo/e Bloggs who is facing pay cuts & redundancies but you rarely hear of the bigwigs suffering the same fate. I think it's awful that essential personnel--like emergency services, nursing & those working with the vulnerable--are all being pushed forward as cannon fodder, while the top-knobs carry on sitting on their keisters, shining their brass epaulettes :mad:

I've borrowed some posts from the previous thread..

BB1984 wrote: »

Hello, I'm a long-time lurker on this thread....people (despite using it every day) generally don't appreciate how essential our roads/bridges/buildings/railways/sewers etc are....

Ditto to what I was saying to Lucielle, I hope you're going to stay now you've made the effort to get here

Totally agree with folk not making a connection between things happening but someone having to do them! I've often thought I must have some soviet ancestory as I am a firm believer of no one job is any more or less important than another, & pay should reflect that. OK a brain surgeon has to be skilled & committed to perform that task but if we didn't have refuse collectors to take the carp away from the hospital, infection would be rife. My personal fear would be to work in an old people's home; I know I would not cope with watching the deteriorating every day but I loved my time as a pre-school supervisor. Horses for courses & all that...

elizabunny wrote: »

Wow!! Well done, maybe Messers C & C could take a leaf out of your book and cut costs by buying Basics Tea bags for the ministerial offices. Think I just made a joke:think:.

For some time I've been 50:50 with value & a 'name' in the tea-pot--works well too, even now The Offspring actually know about it :rotfl: What I want to know is...if we have to scour charity shops & budget outlets for bargains, why on earth can't MPs do the same :cool: Totally outrageous that they get an allowance in line with John Lewis price list for their second homes, when you & I use £land for our one & only!

katholicos · 15 July 2010 at 9:32PM

budgeteer wrote: »

Definitely. There's a long thread on this here:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2540683&highlight=brown+vinegar

I would opt for pure un-perfumed soap flakes, and add a drop or two of lavender oil - but any box of supermarket soap-flakes would do, perfumed or otherwise. As you are only using two teaspoonfuls, the WUL should work out very cheap in the long run, whatever the price of the soap

I've not made WUL before but do you think i could substitute the soap flakes for my own handmade soaps that i have made?

lucielle · 15 July 2010 at 10:16PM

You peeps say such wise things that I would be worries I might make an a$$ of myself!!!!!
L

Larumbelle · 15 July 2010 at 10:18PM

budgeteer wrote: »

I'm sure lots of you have your own recipes for WUL, but this is new to me:cool:

I use that recipe, I use eucalyptus oil as its antibacterial and I find the smell less harsh than tea tree

Katholicos you could use your handmade soap, but it seems a dreadful waste?! I use pure soap from Boots baby section, I 'grate' it in the food processor (but I use the blades not the grater). If you unwrap the soap and let it 'dry' for a few weeks before you do this, it grinds up smaller. It's far cheaper than buying soap flakes!

Brown vinegar is fine for everything, but I do use white vinegar for clothes, just in case. I once bought cheapo vinegar that it turned out had been coloured with caramel or something (wasn't labelled :mad: ) and it stained. Oops.

wigglebeena wrote: »

Oh god bless all good friends. I have had a rough time at work lately and mine have been saints listening to me snivel and moan. Their price is above rubies! When you're willing to listen to your mate wittering and whingeing for an hour at a time about her troubles, that's love and human concern beyond the call of duty.

Had to bring this over from the old thread. Amen to that, Wigglebeena!
:grouphug: to all my lovely friends on here (including all the lurkers I haven't met yet!) I agree that all the lurkers should join in!!!!!

AnnieG · 15 July 2010 at 10:21PM

Hello
Reporting for OS duty on this lovely new thread :j

I had an accidental NSD today.... but will make up for it at the weekend with DS's birthday.
I actually considered going to the Next sale for about 5 minutes, then realised that it would be like going to the most jam packed jumble sale in the world :eek: and that I don't actually need anything!

boultdj · 15 July 2010 at 10:21PM

mardatha wrote: »

Bet I can't find my way back. If I go quiet, somebody come and look for me

I'll come look for you if you'll come find me:D

Larumbelle · 15 July 2010 at 10:22PM

lucielle wrote: »

You peeps say such wise things that I would be worries I might make an a$$ of myself!!!!!
L

Well, you know what they say... nobody is born wise... we learn from each other. One man's silly idea is another man's flash of genius

and we don't all agree about everything on here all the time, it's just we don't turn it into a slanging match like certain other MSE boards do

so what's stopping you

Spendless · 15 July 2010 at 10:25PM

floss2 wrote: »

Could you do a couple of longer days, or maybe consider doing some stuff at home (so no childcare for the offspring) to get your role organised?

I can't work from home as the job requires me to physically be there. It's an 'office junior' type of position but requires someone mature enough to cope as the place is sooooooo muddled and not following a routine. It suits me as I've had to start again after having kids and they get what they want. Hubby is working from home for the 2 days I work which is the most he'll be able to do and I'm not even sure how that will pan out in the hols, here's hoping they aren't a nightmare, so I wouldn't want to work longer cos I'll need to come home and relieve him of juggling working around the kids. He may have to work later in the evenings because of this. I'm just going to be very busy next week! School hols are only 5 1/2 weeks long here this year so am hoping it's not too difficult to get thru.

katholicos · 15 July 2010 at 10:31PM

silvercharming wrote: »

Katholicos you could use your handmade soap, but it seems a dreadful waste?

!

Oh that's great, i'm going to give it a go at the weekend then. Must remember to save my old WUL bottles so i can fill them with my home made concoction. Fortunately i made an excess of soaps when i was going through my 'i love soap making' stage :-)

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It's STILL tough and not getting better - so how are we coping?

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