It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

mardatha

Mrs. LM, it's called " How We Lived Then" by Norman Longmate. I requested it because I read about it somewhere that it was good. It's a huge book though -- will keep me busy (and quiet!) for ages. It covers all aspects of life here in Britain during the war, and in people's own words.

*moggins*

Hugs to Caterina and Mummysaver, sounds like you both had very close calls.

Oh well, if we have to 'cut our cloth to match our means' it's not before time, is it? Maybe everyone's attitudes will change although I've seen that the burglary rates are already rising, why do some many people think they are entitled to what they haven't earned?

scouserwench

Bargain_Rzl wrote: »

Am I the only one who thought you were using paper from the shredder as loo roll :rotfl: until I read on a little further?

I see what ya mean lol:rotfl:

mummysaver

Afternoon all!

Caterina - thank you for worrying about me, bless you! I'm so pleased to hear you're safe as well. Please don't go in a car with that friend again, sounds like she's far too easily distrated, far too often!

Welcome Dottybird, glad to hear that things are improving for you. That's a fair old cycle ride for your oh, have you made him put stabilisers on his bike now! Seriously though, what a horrible time it must've been for you, I'm glad that all our witterings were of use to you. It's amazing how you can survive on a lot less than you expect, lovely that you will have a second income again now.

Pagangirl - not sure about the mince in Somerfield, will have a look when I go there later for you.

Kittie - bless you for being so considerate of your neighbour, I hope that he invests in some headphones or soundproofing. Loud noise is irritating, but even low noise can be annoying if it's constant or at silly times!

Ceridwen - I agree that people with children get more help than they should, and I have four children! The amounts that can be claimed seem out of proportion. I think that tax allowances should be transferrable and that's about it! People choose to have children and they are their responsibility. But then I have an awful lot of things I don't like about the benefit system - my brother claiming benefits and having no intention of ever working is just another one of them! Moggins is completely right with the "cutting our cloth to suit our means" comment.

Charis

ceridwen wrote: »

- maybe things would become a bit fairer re money given out for having children (its got to the stage where even a mother I know told me how sorry she is for childless people - because people with children get so much financial help and we get so very little)....people with up to £66k approx income p.a. being able to get Tax Credit:eek: :mad: if they have children is something that badly needs sorting out. Perhaps a start could be made by restricting Tax Credit help for those with children to a maximum income of £30k per household.

Wouldn't worry too much about the better off getting Child Tax Credit. Anyone with an income over £50K will be paying rather a lot of income tax to collect their £10.48 a week CTC (minimum amount paid to higher earners is £545 a year). We have far more to worry about how easy it is to cheat the system and how little is done about those who claim thousands to which they are not entitled.

kidcat

I am hoping that this whole experience will help us as a country, learn to live within our means. I have friends who both work and their husbands too, income totalling over £40K per year, who say that its impossible to live on so little money and that they have to take on debt. Yet looking at how they spend their money its easy to see how much is wasted. With very small changes both could live comfortably within their income.
Its that kind of attitude that now needs re-educating and as unpleasant as this time is, it is to be hoped that we are better at the end because of it.

ceridwen

*moggins* wrote: »

Hugs to Caterina and Mummysaver, sounds like you both had very close calls.

Oh well, if we have to 'cut our cloth to match our means' it's not before time, is it? Maybe everyone's attitudes will change although I've seen that the burglary rates are already rising, why do some many people think they are entitled to what they haven't earned?

Quite!!!! Its been making me more than a little annoyed recently to hear things on the radio/read newspaper articles saying that the burglary rate has gone up....and then going on to say words to the effect that its caused by the current economic climate and not a scrap of condemnation has been implied about these "people"........:eek: Put it this way....I may be (am) a pacifist....but if I ever catch anyone inside my front door or my purse without invitation I wont be wondering whether to hit them with a heavy saucepan....they will already be nursing an extremely sore head:D I have a very "liberal" attitude to life as a whole - but theft - well stealing from me would be something whereby the "game doesnt match the candle" would be very much the appropriate phrase - blow what the law would or wouldnt do about them....

ceridwen

mummysaver wrote: »

Kittie - bless you for being so considerate of your neighbour, I hope that he invests in some headphones or soundproofing. Loud noise is irritating, but even low noise can be annoying if it's constant or at silly times!

Ceridwen - I agree that people with children get more help than they should, and I have four children! The amounts that can be claimed seem out of proportion. I think that tax allowances should be transferrable and that's about it! People choose to have children and they are their responsibility. But then I have an awful lot of things I don't like about the benefit system - my brother claiming benefits and having no intention of ever working is just another one of them! Moggins is completely right with the "cutting our cloth to suit our means" comment.

Mummysaver - I think that is very fairminded of you to say that - very commendable:T - as I am well aware that most people instantly decide that its fair for other people to pay out loads for their children the second they have some. So - well done you - for taking such an objective viewpoint on that. There are generally very few people around who will advocate the fairest course of action - if it doesnt suit them personally. So - good on you.

I certainly get positively tied up in knots if what suits me and what is fair dont coincide - while I have a total "battle" with myself - I think I have a pretty good ratio of making the "right" decision, rather than the one that suits me personally - though I confess to sometimes having a "Selfish Day" and choosing what suits me regardless (cough.....being human....cough...).

sunflower76

Well, after all my positiveness over my husbands redundancy, today I'm feeling very teary and fed up. I really need to take stock of what I have rather than that I can't have and I really need an OSer to give me a kick up the bum!

I've meal planned until the 1st of March and shopped according and I've spent under £100 in doing so, yet haven't dropped my food standards. I don't really know whether I usually spend around this much but don't notice it's so little! I shall need milk and fresh fruit at some point but even so it won't be much extra. I'm a good little MSE afterall.

I've used the camping kettle on the wood stove today for the first time and although it didn't whistle it was certainly hot enough for a coffee.

I bit the bullet and cancelled the veggie box, along with a promise to start again as soon as I was able and the lovely farm owner has offered me a free allotment until the time is such that I don't need it. I welled up when he said it and, although I don't need it as I already have an allotment, I was so grateful that someone could be so kind at such a time. It's certainly made me more determined (if that were possible) to continue to support him as soon as I'm able.

I'm also feeling very angry with the government at the moment ladies (to the point of shouting at the TV this morning :mad: ) . I can't help feeling that I've been very badly let down. Not only that they can make such a bad job of the economy to let us get into this mess but now that we are what help do we get? OK I earn a reasonable wage and we can just about manage on it, but MrS will get £60.50 per week for six months (£1573 in total). How on earth is that right or fair after years of paying tax and NI? I've suggested that he goes to work at Aldi as two days per week there would give him more than the Jobseekers Allowance that he's entitled to and, maybe more importantly, a staff discount on the shopping

[Deleted User]

I have been searching around for car insurance with good reports etc and was getting very bogged down so paid £1 to temporarily get onto which. I have decided on the insurance but spent an hour looking over the site and learnt a few things. The best buy dishwasher tabs are T value at 9p. The best buy washing up liquid is fairy. Clothes washing at 30 or lower is fine but dust mites are not destroyed unless washed at 60 so advice is that items are washed as hot as possible once a month.

I have been trying very hard in the past few weeks re healthy stuff ie juicing veg. I have a greenlife juicer, in fact bought it a good 10 years ago and used it from time to time, when I remembered. Nowadays I buy a veg box plus a fruit box from our more local supplier. The veg is fantastic and I also add extras to it so that it makes me juice daily, as I don`t ever waste any food at all. It all goes through (except potatoes, suede and parsnip) and I make juices like cabbage+ carrot + apple or broccolli + apple+celery. Anything really but adding apple and/or carrot to green juice. It`s to do with being over 60 and thats when diseases can start to manifest so no more `it`ll never happen to me` as fact is fact and age retards the immune sytem. I have also been taking D3 for 2 years now in winter ala Ted Hutchinson and I feel great, even on grey days