It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

Caterina

Hi all

Thanks for all the advice re. unwanted presents/vouchers, especially the wise words of Oystercatcher and mummysaver - unfortunately this is not MY family but DH's and it would be really awkward for him if I were to discuss this issue (I would, in a heartbeat, except I do not want to embarrass him). He is a bit wimpy-ish when it comes to dealing with money issues! I am going to have to tackle this before next Christmas comes around, for sure!

Meanwhile, on the OS front: I am going to have to tighten the belt seriously seriously! I have just been to a trip to Ikea with the kids and spent a VERY large amount of money on furniture, mattresses and quilts. Given that they have been putting up with second hand and dragged-out-of-skip furniture for their entire life, this time I decided to give in to their request and got them something new.

This means postponing the new boiler to spring, waiting to have paid up the credit card (which I will, all at once to avoid charges, but then save enough to replace the hole in our little saving pot).

I feel a bit embarrassed at having spent so much money, but I really could not bear to let them sleep on rickety beds and have a desk that does not even open the drawers. As it goes, for the money I spent, I got good value, just feeling uncomfortable because it is quite a lot for me and I never spend anything like that on myself!

DH is ok with it and the kids are delighted. Here it is me, the only one to worry about it all, so what's new?

They have all been put on NO-Takeaways NO-treats notice for the next 3 months and they have agreed that we will all be careful with money until I have saved enough to cover the expenses.

Thanks goodness for this forum, where I get all my ideas and suggestions!

Caterina

oystercatcher

I know that scary feeling Caterina, but it's good to get stuff sometimes and nice when they are that age and socialising a lot.
I've been shopping around for bargains over the last few months preparing for mine leaving home/going to uni etc. Trying to get everything reduced or free, not done badly so far! The sales were disappointing so far but maybe more bargains next month.

In-laws are awkward...all these family traditions etc.

I have got the whole family busy winding my lanterns in turn !! We will beat the challenge!!

Aaargh have to leave for work in 15 minutes...must get off computer !!
It's so addictive here!

Oystercatcher

D&DD

Peartree wrote: »

Being rather fixated on disaster stories

Hiya Peartree ooh I love a good disaster movie :rotfl: I actually collect them *and Zombie flicks*





you'd never have thought it would you :whistle: :whistle:


Eliza :rotfl: sorry shouldn't laugh but that sounds like the sorta thing that we'd do here glad you were ok!
I asked the chemist for K and M recently to be told they don't stock it anymore because of the morphine in it ...I must look rougher than I thought :eek:

nannaC

elizabunny wrote: »

Hi everyone and good evening!
A good tip came from this though, and very flat Cola was suggested to me to settle the stomach and it really did seem to work, for me at least anyway.

Maybe wrong but I am sure you can use it to clean copper. Grumpy Grandad says he used to use it to clean his pennies, before we were married and he became royalty. Asked him what he meant by that and he said that as he is no longer allowed to carry money then he must be royal, as they dont carry money either. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Seriously though I know brown sauce works on copper, not sure about coke

mardatha

:eek: I have just checked the bank for the first time since before xmas and I NEED TO STOP SPENDING NOW ! :mad: If I say I want somethign then PUT ME OFF !

[Deleted User]

oooh heck mardatha. I know that feeling as I have just checked my cc on m/s money and it is going to take a chunk of my savings float to pay it in january

That christmas hype did suck me in, although I thought I was standing firm. I mean, dh and I have been eating roses chocs every evening from a bogof tin and fortunately finished them last night. I don`t even know why I bought them. All I have done is piled weight on and sucked on toffees, in case I pulled my fillings out. I didn`t even need a choc hit, so why???

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Oh Kittie,don't you know it's fatal to buy those tins of sweets.I can't stand chocolate but I used to buy/get as gifts loads of chocolate at Christmas and my husband would scoff the lot.He put on so much weight that I banned them from the house.
I once had four large jars of Roses chocolates given to me one Christmas,they went in the back of the cupboard and stayed there.I ended up throwing them out when I moved five years later.I only kept them because I used to enjoy saying no to my OH and daughter when they asked if they could open them.Sadistic or what.

Catwoman_Kent

*Maya* wrote: »

I agree. I really don't think that Happytails has hit her lightbulb moment yet.
I feel so bad for people who lost their jobs over Christmas after they had spent alot of money on presents, thinking their job was secure, which is why I struggle to understand someone who KNOWS times are getting very hard, blowing money from a bonus on a luxury that most cannot afford. I don't mean to cause you offence Happytails but I think you have an uphill battle ahead and need to get yourself emotionally prepared.

I got my Wii free with a phone deal last May. My old mobile was broken and I needed one urgently. The deal was with Fones4u on their website and I have a great phone , Wii, Sports and fit for £35 a month for 18 months. My old phone cost me about £15-£20 a month but I also cancelled my gym membership and saved £26 per month. Still keeping fit but exercising more now and saving money on petrol getting to the gym.

mommyof4

Peartree - I will second your comment about Aloe Vera gel. It's wonderful. I burnt my very pregant tummy with water from a boiling kettle a couple of years back. Health food shop recommended Aloe Vera get. It soothed it and the scar vanished completely!

Also, Kaelin and morphine is still sold over the counter. Sorry can't remember who mentioned it. But the calamine story made me lol! sorry:p

ixwood

Aloe Vera is also known as the burn plant and has all sorts of uses. Growing it is easy and very handy thing to have to hand.