It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

elizabunny

Hello everyone!

Well this is it -it's official (as if we hadn't already worked that out!) IT'S A RECESSION, not a downturn or slowdown anymore. Oh the media are going to have a field day today. We'll have interviews, opinions, dissections, forecasts, pessimism, optimisim, arguments and debates, clarifications .......endless breaking news and big headlines. Just wish someone could come up with some sensible solutions and try to rebuild OUR (the people's faith in this country). Global problem or not don't you just wish that some of the so called financial big bods could have seen this coming and if they did (which they obviously didn't) why didn't they make some preparation for it? So now we are facing a recession, probably the worst since the 2nd World War (so they say). How bad will it get -who knows -no one seem to -when will it end -who knows .......... What is certain is, that many many peoples lives are going to be affected, some will struggle through it, some will not be able to and will lose everything. Not a very good prospect all in all and did I catch someone on the news saying this was wonderful news because now it will make companies more competitive......hm... well that will only work if the company can survive long enough to become competive :rolleyes: Surely I misheard/misunderstood that.....

Sorry folks -not a good day today....although nothing has really changed since yesterday......only now it's official.

mummysaver

Frugalista - don't know what to say to you hun, but I'm thinking of you. What a horrible shock for you both, just shutting up shop is very abrupt, I hope something good comes your way soon x

Beki - hope the chat went okay and that you've spoken to someone helpful at the council

Moggins - hugs to you, it's so hard to juggle everything. Fingers crossed for you that a great job appears - any in schools around you? At least then the hours would fit in, I know though that jobs like that are like gold dust round here!

What a time people are having at the moment, I truley hope that things don't go on getting worse, otherwise Mr Brown had better hope his guardian angel is keeping a close eye on him!

Talking of which, angels not Mr B, mine was doing overtime last night! A car hit us and sent us into a hedge, I got a bump on the head followed by a trip in an ambulance and an x-ray - no damage done thankfully! Everyone was fine, cars were a bit scraped, but how lucky were we, chap who hit us just skidded on a wet muddy road, it really was just one of those things. So whilst we may now officially be in a recession, and things may be looking bleak, I am quite chirpy cos I'm still here!

Thanks for the tip about the tumbling toms, sorry forget who posted it! I have started my penny saving fund, all those pennies I would usually have spent on not very much are heading for a growy thing! It's ok, I saved Ceridwen's link, I shan't be googling "growy thing" - the bump on the head wasn't that bad lol!

Re the Asda mince, it has been on offer for a while and every time I've been in there has been loads of it, my freezer has several packs in it! There are always the 25p oats, think our little Tesco also has these, but not the big one I work in! I guess that the price will go up some time, but they are great, the bags are exactly the right size for my storage jar, meaning half bags of oats aren't in the cupboard waiting to tip out on me when I open the door! Will have a look for the flour - it was 64p in Tesco yesterday! It had been 48p the day before! I'm fed up of the prices whizzing up and down.

What I need is some cheese on special offer, Asda had 200g for £1 which isn't too bad, will have to have a nose on mysupermarket.com, shame it doesn't cover Somerfield and Morries and Lidl and Aldi!

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

I know everything may seem bad and what with it being official from this morning it makes it seem much worse.Rest assured life goes on.
We lost everything in the 70s when we were only just starting out.We had to live with no gas or electric for two years as we could'nt afford supplies to the house.We had three little ones at the time.My husband was made redundant twice but we learned a lot and we got back on our feet and now it's just a memory.My girls don't even remember it.
I guess what I'm trying to say is no matter how bad things get,you get by.If you can't afford things,in the grand scheme of things it doe'snt matter.As long as you are healthy and your loved ones are ok.
What you've never had,you never miss but somethings like family and friends are priceless and they are the things that make life worthwhile.
We all just have to adapt and see this through even though at the moment our lives seem to be falling apart.
We all get only one chance at this life,make sure you enjoy it.Whatever.
Don't let the !!!!!!s grind you down. xxxxxx

anniewoo

So sorry to hear your news Frugalista,what a shock for you.((((Hugs))) to you,Beki,Moggins and everyone else who needs them at the moment.

There seems to be more doom and gloom on the news and in the papers as every day goes by and some presenters seem to delight in saying how much worse it could get.....Robert Peston for one :mad:

I have been stockpiling food and other items for months so I think I am quite well prepared at the moment,hopefully.As has been said,compared to some other countries,at least we don't have war and famine to contend with and the goodwill of everyone on this board towards others less fortunate is so heartwarming :A

Cat_Addict

Frugalista - I just read your post. I'm so sorry to hear that your OH is redundant. It's so scary - my OH lives in threat of that constantly. He works in property development so you can imagine. I myself work in investments - eek! What sort of company was OH working for?

I hope things pan out okay for you, keep us all posted.

Jorgan_2

Sorry to read of the redundancies or the threat of redundancies that so many are going through. I went through the same myself at the start of the month. A friend of mine was made redundant two weeks ago and our approach to the situation can not be more different.

We see each other every day, I take the kids to school and he collects them. Everyday he has gone out with the yellow pages, looking for similar companies that he used to work for, seeing if they are taking anybody on, none of them are, they are laying people off themselves. Yesterday he said he was getting desperate, nobody left to contact and he didn't know what he was going to do. I suggested he starts thinking about what else he can do, the answer was 'nothing, its all I've ever known'. I could have said the same after eighteen years doing the same thing, but I sat down and thought 'what am I good at and what employers could use those skills?' In February I start work for a bank as a customer advisor, its something I've never done, I'm nervous and a little bit scared about it if I'm honest, but its a new opportunity and I intend to make the most of it.

So don't get hung up on the detail, take a good look at yourself and what you can offer and try and find an employer that wants to use those skills. And if you don't have the skills, see if you can get the training required to make you employable.

Good luck.

Margaret54

Hi Mummysaver, sorry only getting back to you now, have not been on here in a day or two. The ecoballs cost £28.50 and there are three balls in the box. They also put in a tube of eco stain remover, and three bags of replacement pellets. The postage cost just £2.50 and it has said on the box that it works out at around 3p a wash, and what they have sent me is to do 1,000 washes, which is fantastic. I have had the machine going everyday since I got them and I am very pleased with them. I have not had to use the treatment as yet to be honest. My husband is very impressed with the washing too.:) The website is: www.yourtomorrow.co.uk best wishes Margaretxx

Aril

Our local job centre now has an advisor specifically for those who have lost their jobs and are 40+. She provides indepth support on the rewording of CVS and advice for those facing the prospect of changing career direction. Sometimes it takes a fresh eye to see your potential and to be able to put your skills together in a different way. The company I work for provide IT training for many who are referred by the job centre and I have people walking through our door several times a day who are shell shocked following redundancy and the prospect of having to do something completely different after 20 years of doing one thing. It's traumatic for everyone but from experience it seems to be those who are willing to reskill and consider lots of different options that get back to work quickest. Every member of staff here has been through redundancy and completely changed from what they'd done before so we do speak from experience. It may be beneficial to speak to your job centre about possible training opportunities available in your area.
Aril

[Deleted User]

your post reminded me of something mrs T. We lived in an old isolated cottage for a while and we had 2 small children, one job etc. We couldn`t afford anything bar food and the mortgage let alone getting piped water. That was in the summer of the drought and the holding tank on the hill ran dry. I had to collect water from the bottom of the hill near the house, by cutting poly bags open and collecting drips in a bucket.

You are right mrs T. We can all get through ANYTHING

we had the health inspector once and he tested the water from the tank in the winter and it had e coli bugs in it. Oh well I set to and carried on boiling all our water. Good job I had an anthracite aga. None of us got ill and that included a 12 month old. We could only, maybe, have a bath in winter as the tank was small

kidcat

kittie wrote: »

your post reminded me of something mrs T. We lived in an old isolated cottage for a while and we had 2 small children, one job etc. We couldn`t afford anything bar food and the mortgage let alone getting piped water. That was in the summer of the drought and the holding tank on the hill ran dry. I had to collect water from the bottom of the hill near the house, by cutting poly bags open and collecting drips in a bucket.

You are right mrs T. We can all get through ANYTHING

we had the health inspector once and he tested the water from the tank in the winter and it had e coli bugs in it. Oh well I set to and carried on boiling all our water. Good job I had an anthracite aga. None of us got ill and that included a 12 month old. We could only, maybe, have a bath in winter as the tank was small

you see thats where I would collapse, we went two weeks without water a few summers back and I was at breaking point, I can manage with no gas (just) but electricity and water, I would be in despair. I have managed to survive my DH have several extended absences from work with no pay and many other things that my friends have declared impossible situations, but electricity and water are a step too far. I take my hat off to anyone that can weather that storm and pray that non of us have to face it again any time soon. :T
On a positive note my DH has begrudglingly decided the slow cooker may have been a good addition, and after seeing the price of veg, has declared that growing our own might be a consideration, :j:j although he thinks it should be just to keep the rabbits in fresh veg and that the rest of us should get "proper" stuff from superamrket :eek:( obviously hasnt realised I buy it all from local farm shop then!). Men are truly strange creatures.