It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

Patchwork_Quilt

Hi chaps re camping - a couple of years ago I bought a huge tent off a friend, thinking that my OH really liked camping. He let me do it thinking that I did. Needless to say, it got put up once. It entirely filled the back garden. The children and I spent the night in it whilst DH was safely tucked up in bed. We heard foxes, owls, cats mating, cars, house alarms ...

But it was fun and I would have carried on if DH had joined in. Sadly, the tent has been rehomed

elizabunny

Sorry about this little rant:mad: but WHY Oh WHY is it that I can go to the Mr S. or Mr M. Website and check out their prices and offers and yet, I cannot go to the Mr T. website and do the same without signing in. I don't want to sign in -I just want to look. Just wondered about this because it's really annoying when I'm trying to compare prices. Kinda think they don't want me to compare easily!!

Bargain_Rzl

elizabunny, have you tried Mysupermarket (https://www.mysupermarket.co.uk)? It makes life much easier...

elizabunny

Bargain_Rzl wrote: »

elizabunny, have you tried Mysupermarket (www.mysupermarket.co.uk)? It makes life much easier...

Ooooh sorry and thank you:T ! I hadn't even thought of that and was trying to do it the long way round:o .

Beki

Sorry for not posting over the weekend! My dad went to see the council about the council tax, and they agreed 'in principal' that we could only afford the normal monthly repayment, plus £50 on top to pay off our arrears.

So they're sending out a green form, which is in effect a summons, which we have to put in writing the amount we can afford to pay etc etc, and the lady at the council said that that *should* be accepted. Fingers crossed eh!

I haven't had the time to read through all the posts i've missed over the weekend, but i hope no-one's had any more bad news - (((hugs))) if anyone has

Me and OH have decided to get rid of his car. He only works around 8 miles away, so i can drop him at work for 2pm every day and pick him up at 10pm every night - living with/next door to mum and dad certainly helps as they can look after the children... otherwise i wouldn't be able to do it because they'd be in bed!

I only use my car for picking up dd from school and the occasional trip to the dreaded supermarket, or the farm shop. Don't really go anywhere else.. i'm a bit of a saddo if truth be told lol

So although it will be costing slightly more in petrol to get rid of OH's car (2x round trips to his work every day rather than 1) it will be saving us on a yearly MOT, monthly insurance, and over £200 a year tax! Plus the running costs of brake pads, tyres etc etc... every little helps

It will give us a nice little sum to put in the bank as a cushion for if the worst happens. I hate having no savings at all... it always makes me a little nervous because if something happened to his job then we'd have no chance of surviving.

His car's only worth £1500 max, as it's not a flashy new one or anything... in fact we'll probably only get £1000 for it, but £1000 is a HUGE amount to us, especially when we'd be going from £0 in the bank to £1000!

We're also cancelling SKY as of next week. Freeview channels here we come. We've been living beyond our means for years, so the 'un-neccesaries' HAVE to go, much as OH moans about it. I swear, if i didn't have any control over things we'd have gone under years ago...

I get so mad with him, because i feel like he's fighting my money-saving measures every step of the way. I feel like shaking him and shouting "do i LOOK like i'm getting any pleasure out of this???? yeah... like i WANT to pick you up at 10pm every night,,, i WANT to not have 900+ channels on the tv,.. i WANT to spend hours shopping every week, in 3 or 4 shops, just to save a few pennies... yeah i'm having GREAT fun!" *rolls eyes* LOL

It would be SO NICE to have someone by my side who i felt was HELPING me to help US!

ceridwen

Beki

I can sympathise - though I've never been in that position - ie with an financially-errant O.H.

Probably talking through my hat (so forgive me if so...) but have you told him what you've just told us (errr....perhaps phrased slightly more "delicately";) ) - ie how much you hate having to make this economy/that economy etc and its not your choice to do so, just dire financial necessity - and the figures are "x/y/z" of what is coming in and, if you both spent as he wants to do it would be 110% of that x/y/z going back out = debt = "S**t Street").

Good luck.

bellaquidsin

Beki - I'm sorry you're having such a tough time but really admire you for taking control of the situation.

Keep up the good work.

Bella.

Yategirl

Beki ((hugs)) you will get there! OH's can be pita's at time... I know.. I have one very similar(!) drives me mad! Just a thought re: car - do you need the car after say 1.30pm most days? Reason I suggest is that until recently we were able to have 1 car- if I needed it, then I would use it in the mornings and then dh would have the car from about 3pm inorder to get to work. If on the odd occasion I needed the car after 3pm then I would take him to work (and he would get a lift home as I couldn't leave the children).. Just a thought - might save you the extra fuel on the days that you don't need the car??

Beki

Thanks for the support guys... at least i can count on you, even if OH's being a royal PITA!

Yategirl - i have to pick up DD from school every day at 2.50, so unfortunately i need the car every day for that. What a pain!

the_cat

Beki

Just a thought, but is there any possibility of arranging a lift share with another parent at the school? You could take the children in when you have use of the car, and get the other parent to drop DD off in the evening.