Getting to know you........

shelley_crow

I've been using mse for 3 years now but haven't got around to introducing myself, lol.

I've got a wonderful OH who is a mature full time student. We have two sons, ds1 is 5 and ds2 is 6 weeks old and four year old pooch. I qualified in my profession earlier in the year, unfortunately I wasn't entitled to maternity pay so our belts have been tightened considerably.

I try to be OS all of the time but before now I have been able to afford not to be and have lapsed back into bad habits. I love jumble sales/car boots and saving money. I'll be hitting the grocery challenge hard when I can get my act together, out major expenditure at the moment is food and fuel for OH to get to uni and back.

I love to cook but always overestimate my abilities. I like to sew but I'm not very good at it

I'm hoping to have as long off with ds2 as possible as long as we can stretch out meagre budget out as far as possible.

jools27_2

:wave:Hello all, I've been lurking about the boards for a couple of weeks and feel I should be neighbourly and introduce myself! I'm 43, live in Glasgow, and work as a Charge Nurse in a mental health unit. I have 2 not kids anymore!....daughter is nearly 21 and son is 15, partner too, and have become addicted to this site and bargain hunting! And if you can all help to instill some order into my sadly neglected home I will forever be in awe, especially as with 12 hour shifts minimum and 2 hours travelling time I am out of the house for at least 15 hours a day whilst working!!!

21stCenturyPioneer

Hi All!

I am John and at 31 have decided to become a doctor so will be VERY poor for the next 6+ years at least!

I finally joined today after lurking about and wanted to introduce myself, but feel like a kid in a candy store atm with all the info on the boards!

I have lots of experience of heating, oil powered, all electrical types and bottled LPG and hope to be able to answer some questions from personal experience since lots of people seem to be troubled by trying to keep warm at the moment.

I have an amazing partner however due to me studying live away from home 4 days of the week so am always looking for ways to save money and keep my hobbies going to fill in time when I am not at the text books.

I keep chickens, and am very interested in self sufficiency since we live in the rural countryside. In 2011 I will be doing extra garening, raising ducks and trying to bottle / preserve / make as much wine and other store cupboard ingredients as I can!

Really looking forward to getting to know you all,

J )

oldandhappy

Hi All Dianne here,
Choose early retirement late 90's and husband managed to follow suit 1 year after so we are use to making money go around. The change of location helped our finaces too.
Important things in our lives on a daily basis is our animals(We love our grandchildren really)...One Male Cat, One Female Cat, Three Pekin Hens (Only One has laid egg a few eggs during the summer so far). Newest addition is our 4 Call Ducks... two of each sex of which One very active Drake is keeping the others on there toes...3 Very Good Sized Duck eggs this week so soon...so surprised we are. Love them all and already wondering(worrying) if our hens are warm enough tonight. They are all penned because of Mr Fox & Co on our doorstep.
We Bake our own Bread and Grow loads of 'Food' . On the other hand we have a luxury that is a must.. our hot tub. We gave up our sky subs to HELP pay for the extra electric we use and the bills are horrendous to be honest.
Husband has just recently been turning his carpentry skills to good use and earning about 1 Day a weeks worth. We both are loving the extra.
Loads of very interesting topics on here I must say. Dianne

skintsusie

Hi all, im Susie and im skint! (this is like an AA meeting)

I am ashamed to say im a lurker, i have been for months and especially love the old style money saving forums.

Its been a really bad year for me and my family. I was at uni studying to be a midwife (which i loved) but decided to leave as my OH lost his job and we were struggling to survive. The in's and out's are way too long to go into but lets just say it all got worse, we werent entitled to any benifits as they still classed me as a student (we did appeal to no avail) and were living off £60 a week child tax credit. We were told we couldnt have housing/ct benift as I was unable to provide them proof of how we were supporting ourselves and am now £3000 in arrears with our rent. Needless to say this has had a huge effect on my mental health. I am currently being treated for depression and having councelling. I really struggled with my decision to leave midwifery as i loved it so much and had done 2yrs of 3.

My OH now has a job which he doesnt really like and does horrible shifts, 4 days, 4 off, then 4 nights and 4 off, for not alot of money but its something. I also start a new job next week as a maternity assistant. My first pay day is 23rd of dec!!! Frantic xmas shopping then!


Anyway I have rambled enough and well done anyone who has got this far!! What I really wanted to say was thank you!!! This forum has kept me company on the long nights when my hubby is working and i cant sleep. I always feel motivated after reading the forums, although i dont really know where to start with sorting my debts!!

Looking forward to getting to know you all xxx

louise3965

Hi Susie, its nice here, isnt it?

skintsusie

it is nice to be here. The longer I spend here the more I find. I really should be sleeping but am now browsing through the decluttering thread the cleaning thread.............

Westywoodpecker

Didn't want to read & run.

I'm so sorry you couldn't complete your matty course, such a shame, but at least your keeping your hand in with your new job. Well done you for realizing that you had a financial problem (through no fault of your own).

Regarding your debts, you've made a good start finding MSE Hopefully you will gain loads of tips & help with your financial struggle.

Sending you & your OH hugs & best wishes Westy x

Olliebeak

Hello :hello: and welcome, skintsusie - you couldn't be in a better place for support and ideas.

Have you checked out the Special Occasions/Christmas board - loads of great ideas for a 'very budget Christmas' on there.

Have you had any specialist advice on your benefits situation? - sometimes you have to make an appeal on decisions - and they DO sometimes overturn a decision.

Best of Luck for you and your family - Ollie xx

Lou76

skintsusie wrote: »

it is nice to be here. The longer I spend here the more I find. I really should be sleeping but am now browsing through the decluttering thread the cleaning thread.............

Susie, 7 years ago I had a job I both loved, and paid well , but sadly non-ability took hold of me.

It's taken me a while (7 years must count as a while lol) but we'll get there together - thanks to this forum.

MSE Old Style - the only place where we're actually "in it together". :mad::D