It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

wigglebeena

Lovely Sassenach sugar on porridge, you can't beat it, it all melts into little pools then you pour a moat of full-fat milk round the edges...

Boomdocker

For a zero fat/calorie flavouring spinkle a bit of cinnamon on your porridge. Its delish.

sleepy-lady

When my brother was stationed in Scotland he used to eat his porridge the "real man's way" - with sugar and cream. He said only a real man dared eat porridge like this in front of the Scots on the base!

nesssie1702

Hi Evie

Your idea of getting a sewing machine is a good one if you're a sewer and you know it's something you'd use.

Put the rest of it away and you know it's there if you need it, though trying to find an account that will pay decent interest could be difficult - I'm sure one of the other sections of the forum will help with that?

All the best!

mardatha

OH GOD STOPPIT !:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

angelavdavis

Very sensible to pay off the bills first.

Put an ad on freecycle for a sewing machine or buy one for £25 from the local small ads.

EDIT: If things go wrong and you find you need a better machine later, then you can resell the old one and buy a new one with the money you have put away.

Stick £3000 in an ISA for now if you haven't already put any into an ISA, you can take it out if you need it later.

The rest can go into an account in case of emergency - such as a high winter fuel bill, washing machine packing up, etc. Get the CV updated and looking good and hope for the best!

That's all anyone can do.

rach

ISA allowance is now £3, 600 per year not £3k. Sounds like it's best for you to keep the cash in case things get tougher with your job etc.

And def get a sewing machine if you'll use it. I have one I rarely use but it's still handy to have it there.

ceridwen

Hope things work out for you.

Just in case they dont - then BEFORE you get told officially of redundancy -pay off those bills definitely - thats priority no 1, 2 and 3 basically.

Get yourself well stocked-up with food and household sundries - all the stores you can fit in and eat up before they go off (on top of cupboards, under the bed, etc).

Pay ahead on your fuel bills - perhaps up your monthly direct debit to fuel company by a LARGE amount for the next couple of months and then put your direct debit back down to normal level. Then you dont have to worry about your fuel bills for a while.

Is your home as well-insulated etc as it can possibly be to be as economical as possible on fuel use?

Thats my initial thoughts - might have others later....

Good luck.

EDIT: Further thoughts - have you got a bicycle for getting round cheaply? Have you got camping gear for cheap weekends away? Is there any decorating needing doing in your home - might as well buy in the paint now if so and make good use of any extra time you get? Could you grow some food?

Charis

Lots of porridge lovers on the OS thread I like mine with stewed apples and raisins. I had a few leftover peach slices in the fridge the other day so I popped them in and they were really tasty. Never had peaches for breakfast before.

Out of interest does anyone grind their porridge in a magimix for speed/convenience?

I looked again at that article and can't believe how the originators bought things they didn't need, with money they didn't have, including a giant fridge and thousands of plastic rings to put two pots together. No business plan? What amazes me is that they sold any at £2 a pop (enter grasshopper in the search box) for 60g portions.

Come to think of it, why do they need a fridge to stored dry goods... If they got a business up and running here is hope for us all :rotfl:

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beautiful_ravens

Personally I would allocate some to spend now on any essentials, then put the rest away in an ISA and a savings account. I would continue to live normally, safe in the knowledge that I had some emergency money. If I had to find another job, it would be bearable in the interim knowing the money was there if needed. I might stock up on meat for the freezer, though.