It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

angelite_2

I wouldnt mind a remoska too, but they're expensive. Do you think they'll come down in price when its sale time?

shopndrop

The Remoska thread has got quite big now but there is a lot of information on it to maybe help you decide if it is for you - sorry I can't do a clever link but it is here http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=10314.

It does come with a very basic leaflet type book with some suggestions in but you can also buy a separate book that Lakeland sell. I did buy this but don't really think it is essential as you can cook anything in the Remoska that you would cook in the oven and similar timings too. You will get lots of recipes, successful and otherwise from the Remoska thread. You also need to buy the rack separately. Would definitely suggest you read some of the thread before making a decision as some people have bought the standard and found it to be a little small whereas others have found it to be a good size.

Lakeland is the only place to get them but their customer service is second to none.

wrinkled_english_rose

I have really enjoyed reading this thread.
I'm sure I remember Shirley Goode from the Jimmy Young show and the Family Circle magazine. Its because of her that I save all my copper. She had some great ideas to stretch food and money.

bellybabe_2

Thanks for the new thread, Kittie - the old one was one of my favourites. I remember when i first read it a few months ago, and the shock I got when I realised it had been started in 2006 as it was so relevant the day i was reading it!

And Mardatha, I too had a tea-spraying moment when i read your moose comment :rotfl:.

We're coping ok at the moment; OH is a teacher so fairly secure, and my business brings in a small but fairly steady income. We're about to lose some though as I'm now earning enough for the tax credits to be affected (that tricky moment when you're earning too much for the benefits but will really feel their loss) - but thanks to everything we already did, coupled with everything I've learned from you guys, I'm confident we'll be ok. We're also benefiting from the mortgage interest rate cut but are using it to overpay - just as we have since the rates started to come down (partly because of my own paranoia - when it began to drop, I didn't want us to get used to the extra money and then struggle to find it for the mortgage if rates went up again).

As people have said, OS is a way of life now. The flask by the kettle, the batch cooking, the reduced amount of washing powder, the lower temp cycle on the dishwasher, never using the TD (never have, though - only have a washer dryer for emergencies - and we still forget and stick things in front of the fire if they need drying urgently), home baking, layers and blankets before heating, using cash as much as possible and planning meals and online grocery shopping, hardly ever buy clothes (and second hand when I do), stopped buying books (have £10 book token left from my birthday in january - first time in my life I've managed to keep hold of one for that long!), taken up knitting, bubble wrapped the draftiest windows... And all these steps taken along with my gradually increasing income, and the golen rule - if we don't have the money, we don't buy it - mean we're living well within our means, with anything spare going to the mortgage or the savings, and any treats are much more valued than they used to be.

If this economic situation had come around three years ago, I think I'd be living in terror; but thanks to MSE, OS, a LBM and good old common sense, I feel confident that we can ride it out and I feel so much stronger for it.

Thanks to you all.
BB

fedupfreda

Caterina wrote: »

IMHO we (OSers and MSErs) can only lead by example, look at how "beat the credit crunch" is hitting the pages on every popular magazine and all newspapers, don't you find that you can tick virtually all their suggestions already, and have done so forever? :cool:

So very true, unfortunately.....

As I have written elsewhere on MSE, the 'boom' of recent years never seemed to happen for us, we have always struggled, and had to put up with the pitying attitude of our so-called nearest and dearest, i.e. ' oh, sorry you had a miserable wet camping holiday, maybe next year you will be able to go all-inclusive to the Med like we did this year' :mad: .....

On the other hand though, those are the very same people who are complaining most loudly about how hard-done by they are at the moment :rolleyes:

With a bit of luck they will learn this time, but I'm not holding my breath ...:cool:

bullet_2

We are doing alright at the moment, not rich but we are getting better at budgeting. I cancelled my overdraft facility at the bank, so that temptation is gone now.

marybishop

fedupfreda wrote: »

So very true, unfortunately.....

As I have written elsewhere on MSE, the 'boom' of recent years never seemed to happen for us, we have always struggled, and had to put up with the pitying attitude of our so-called nearest and dearest, i.e. ' oh, sorry you had a miserable wet camping holiday, maybe next year you will be able to go all-inclusive to the Med like we did this year' :mad: .....

With you on this one Fedupfreda - hasn't happened for us either! One week S/C holiday in Devon in four years!!!:eek: Still, at least we're better prepared than a lot of people I should imagine!

wannabe_sybil

I am so glad to see this thread. Because I need to do all of them. I am struggling, but because of the wonderful support from the people on her I am getting better and more frugal.

One thing I did was grow tomatoes this year and my little bear ate the lot. I remember picking a basket for my darling father and as he was waiting around he fed the entire basket to little bear :rolleyes: - without a trace of grumbly bear tummy later!

elona

Student DD(19) was told her letting agent for the house had "ditched" the landlord over a month ago and that they would not be using the direct debits the parents had set up.

Being a cynical old bat, I cancelled the direct debit on line immediately although DD assurred me there was no need to do this.

DD phoned me last night to say how glad she was I had cancelled it as two of her housemates had had the DD activated a few days ago and are really upset.

She wonder how I guessed that would happen as the letting agents had "promised" it was cancelled and my reply was that "if things can go wrong, they will!" and "Never let someone have access to your money if you can avoid it!"

She had real respect in her voice when she phoned and seems to be realising I do get some good ideas after all.;)

buxtonrabbitgreen

I am not so os as some of you. For a start I hate being cold more than anything. But in the last couple of years I have got back into baking preserving etc. I had just slid off the wagon a bit. I think that is becasue I work in a supermarket.
My oh will be out of work again on the 4th Jan. Knowing that he would be at some point this year (never known anyone made redundant as often as him) I have been buying christmas presents all year and have them all sorted and wrapped.
I am kind of liking the fact that all the desperate reailers have such bargains at the moment. Which means, due to my mse ways I can buy some of them.
We are lucky that the mortgage is finished in March so only 2 months to struggle if the oh doesn't find a job quickly. Though he is back at the same seasonal job in March so should be able to muddle through.
I am wearing all the usual clothes plus extra cardi, uggs, and a quilt but am still cold so have turned the heating on.
My oh, who never seems to be very impressed with my homemade food, was actually so impressed with my homemade chutney that I had maturing till yesterday, that he came back for seconds. Good job as I made 8 jars .lol