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

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  • I too have missed the old thread but not the nastiness and back-stabbing that seemed to lurk there.

    I am solvent and can live well within my means at the moment but I am acutely aware that this could change at any time and I have to have Plan B. And Plan C. And Doomsday scenario. I know we will all get out of this tough times eventually, older, wiser and with a revised set of values. Let's face it, civilization hasn't come to an abrupt end up to now so let's just consider this a minor 'blip'.

    I have been trying to cut back on everything, or at least be more aware of what I am consuming. I hope in this way that the increased costs will be levelled out by my decreased usage and that life will carry on at a fairly steady pace. The one thing I have to have is heat as I lead a rather sedentary life and have a heart condition but other than that, cutting back has worked really well.

    OH is rather bemused by all this as he doesn't consider that I need to live this way and could have anything I wanted, within reason. And I could, but not for very long! OS and restraint have become a sort of hobby, maybe even an obsession, but what harm is it doing?

    I look forward to sharing strategies for overcoming difficult circumstances and keeping our heads above water and our moods still optimistic!
    Solar Suntellite 250 x16 4kW Afore 3600TL dual 2KW E 2KW W no shade, DN15 March 14
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  • Kimsmum
    Kimsmum Posts: 221 Forumite
    mardatha wrote: »
    Yaaay well I for one am glad, I havent enjoyed MSE nearly so much lately since the demise of the "tough" lot! We are all different and MSE is like a whole library, all these different threads are like books and we are free to pick what we want :j:j
    I'm sure a LOT of people will be having a tougher than usaul xmas, with one thing and another, and this thread kep many of them afloat in tough times. :T:T

    I agree with Mardatha so Thank you Fuggle for starting it:T:T
    Taking it one day at a time
  • living proof I'm in a similar situation - I could increase my grocery budget but having one eye on the short term future and the other on the long term i'm trying not to, and in any case it isn't sustainable - we can't keep squeezing more and more money out - we have to have a sustainable way forward, and imo going back to the old ways of house-keeping in terms of budgeting is the only way.

    wcs
  • mam2B
    mam2B Posts: 57 Forumite
    I am so glad I logged in after so long and found this thread.. makes me feel better.. I am not the only one struggling..
    In a nutshell.. we rented out our house to move closer to OH work and save on travel time & petrol-and it was fine until we had to go private with lad's S&L each week. my self employment work has gone from a decent part time wage that I could do from home with kids..to close to 0 income!, and then we got hit with a few yearly bills and well we are living on a few euro to get us thorugh this week til himself gets paid.. and there lies another problem.. family business with cash flow problems so his pay will be paid as they have it ..
    We have always been great at saving..every month since we lived together to get deposit for house, to get attic converted, to buy motorhome..we worked hard to get saving and this is the first month in 6 years we have nothing to save! I am so upset by the fact that even with the cutting back, thankfully winning a few nice things on competitions, using the inlaws fallen tree wood in the stove to warm house as much as we can, eating soup for tea time for weeks and using every coupon and buying all reduced stuff.. the recession has caught up with us..I have not bought anythiing new for myself all year, either has himself.. we dont go out, no takeaways, holidays are nights away on campsites in motorhome where I cook dinner, and we do not buy treats/toys for the kids very often..
    right now we are facing motorhome service bill and the car has a 'new' light on..which if it is what we think it is will cost as couple of hundred euro to fix!
    Only himself and me know how things are.. we dont tell family as we have grown due to circumstances not to ask for help.. they are good in that they buy clothes for kids birthday if I ask, or put money in kids savings for christmas etc..
    We have savings but I so dont want to dip in as that is for when we buy a new house ( if we ever sell the old one! he he)..
    We always prided ourselves at being careful with money, working hard, every weekend to get the funds for the motorhome, late into the night for me to get more work in.. never complained or asked for help.. and now with a budget coming and prices due to rise in everything I suppose I am just feeling AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH and worried about keeping kids warm and feed ..
    on a better note.. santa is sorted and hidden away so I hope they are happy on the big day..

    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!

    thank you ..
  • Rowan9
    Rowan9 Posts: 2,207
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    edited 26 November 2011 at 3:40PM
    Hello all - thanks Fuddle for starting this thread. I'm another one who has really missed the old one and log in half heartedly to MSE now.
    Very blustery here today and have enjoyed reading Frugal Queen's blog and pics of her wood pile all neatly stacked. A few houses ago we had an open fire that also ran the CH and I remember the excitement of the logs arriving and being dumped. The kids joined in with stacking them. FG has been busy chopping as well though.
    Been to T$sco this morning and that came to £40 but did include a bottle of red wine (sooo good for you hehehe). This week's teas will be mostly chicken as I bought a bag of their frozen chicken breasts which are half price at mo. I'll defrost them all tomorrow and use cajun seasoning then grill them, slice them up and bag some back up for freezer.
    Their cheapie tuna in brine has gone up I think (chunks) from 45p to about 66p. The flakes ere 45 so i did wonder if I'd been buying them lately but I'm sure it was the chunks. I did find some other barnd for 50 something p a tin. Handy for quick teas with baked potato and salad. I am trying to think beyond the obvious for winter salads but did pay £1 for an iceberg lettuce today as it would be easy and quick. I know the most nutrition in them is in the water content!
    I'm glad we got new storage heaters last year as they keep the place lovely and toasty and are cheap to run. We are only using the livngroom ond and it's on at lowest setting. I do feel for people with high electricity/ gas bills. I hope something happens to force prices down but don't suppose that will happen.
    Got my first pay slip for new job yesterday - yippee. It's a strange thing about me but I've always been amazed to be paid for work. Odd I know! I'm lucky in that a lot of it has been work that has been a real pleasure to do, so that helps. Yes, I have moaned a bit before (thinking about teaching previously and the dreaded Ofsted visits!!) and will moan again no doubt but when pay day comes, I do think wow! Anyone else feel like that? I'm also aware that in these times, I'm lucky to have a job. This is a 6 month contract for maternity cover, so I'm trying to be v frugal and put some away.

    Looking forward to *meeting* posters, new and old, on here and hearing your stories and suggestions for these tough times. Saw a headline this morning that we're heading into recession again but didn't click to read it. I felt I didn't need to know that at this point!
    W

    ed to add - sorry you are having such a tough time Mam2B. I know you will get lots of support in this thread. Take care.
  • mardatha
    mardatha Posts: 15,612 Forumite
    Frugal, use the old fashioned filler-uppers. have at least 2 courses at each meal and 3 if you can be assed to do it. Home made soup with veg and lentils ....main course anything cheap .... and always always make a pudding ! Even Smasrtprice/Basics sponge mix with a dollop of jam and custard. Or rice pud with sultanas.
    It makes them feel like they've had a full proper meal but lets you cut down on the meat bit in the middle.
    And if you read the Victorian books, you find that "tea" seemed to consist of bread & butter or bread & jam :D -but when you think of it, that would help fill up hungry kids for an hour eh.
    WCS I hated working and am SOO thabkful I dont have to now!
  • hornetgirl
    hornetgirl Posts: 6,145
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    Thanks for reviving the Tough thread Fuddle. I don't post often but missed it sorely - such a mine of useful information.

    My tough times are on their way I think. For some while I've been working under a fixed contract which kept getting extended. That finally came to an end at the end of October, and not much prospect of any other work at the moment. I knew this day would come, so have managed to put by what I hope will be enough to keep me going for a year, barring major catastrophe. I'm also oddly excited about having the chance to put the OS things I've learned into practice for real, rather than just because I wanted to.
  • mardatha
    mardatha Posts: 15,612 Forumite
    I have to tell somebody - I am so happy. I just counted and have 30 boxes of tea bags ! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
    HAH GREYQUEEN - that beats yur tomatoes hen! :D
  • Rowan9
    Rowan9 Posts: 2,207
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    Now, I DO have about 6 or 7 packs of pasta but never stock up on teabags. Down to one tinfoil pack from a big pack, so that would 40 teabags I suppose?? hhmm will have to get some! Keeping an eye on your stash Mardatha:p
    W
  • mardatha
    mardatha Posts: 15,612 Forumite
    Nanananana :D
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