It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

mumoftwo

daska wrote: »

I have BT line, free landline calls and unlimited Broadband for £41/month. Our council is supposed to be cheap at £100/month!

Daska I have sent you a pm

carriebradshaw

I love the idea of these but I can't abide lavender nor can my OH, is there anything that could be used in it's place that would work as well does anyone know ?

mardatha

Valerian makes you sleep but it honks like old socks, so is best taken in a pill.

rosieben

carriebradshaw wrote: »

I love the idea of these but I can't abide lavender nor can my OH, is there anything that could be used in it's place that would work as well does anyone know ?

could you use a few drops of essential oil instead of the lavender??? I'm thinking of having a go at these myself. I'm googling to see if I can buy online

daska

mumoftwo wrote: »

Daska I have sent you a pm

Re my comment earlier about BT calls and broadband for £41...

OK, it's not the easiest to understand because what they sell you is:
£10.27 line rental (discounted price from opting in to paperless billing)
£29.31 Calls and Broadband

BUT they bill it as:
phone bill:
£10.27 line rental
£4.85 calls (free calls 24/7 to landlines, 0800, 0845 and 0870 to numbers)
broadband bill
£broadband

I can't remember the actual figures but it's I've opted to pay £17/month for the phone/calls to cover the odd premium number/mobile call and the total is just under £41. If I didn't round up the calls I thinks it just under £40.

You also get

• Wireless HomeHub2 - one of the best on the market and ****** excellent IMHO
• McAfee Security Centre
• 2nd line (via your broadband) with free landline calls at evenings and weekends - a funny 05601..... or some such telephone number ?!

It wasn't what I planned to go for but due to moving house 3 times in 18 months we were stuck in a BT contract. I looked into all the deals we could find and there was nothing to touch this once we'd paid up our outstanding contract with BT.

Having said that I'm very happy with what we get for the money. It's possibly not the best deal but the customer service has been OK (ish) and the equipment is excellent.

You can't ring up to opt in for paperless billing, you have to do this on-line. It also lets you see your account details which I found wonderful for getting the monthly billing sorted out after numerous verbal promises didn't move us from quarterly to monthly billing. It updates very quickly so you can see when they've got it right!!!

(BTW you can't use the HH2 with another ISP)

mummysaver

carriebradshaw wrote: »

I love the idea of these but I can't abide lavender nor can my OH, is there anything that could be used in it's place that would work as well does anyone know ?

Chamomile is meant to be relaxing I think. Have a look at the essential oils in Boots and see which ones are meant to help you sleep, or browse the relaxing bath potions and see what they contain, might be a smell you like?

I like lavender and chamomile together, but lavender alone reminds me of my great aunts, and lovely though they were I don't want to smell like them! I do like the smell of fresh lavender though

carriebradshaw

rosieben wrote: »

could you use a few drops of essential oil instead of the lavender??? I'm thinking of having a go at these myself. I'm googling to see if I can buy online

no that's just as bad I really hate the stuff,thanks though

kidcat

So much for getting myself more organised and together! (Have been helping a friend thru very difficult time over last two years and finally nearing its conclusion) My youngest two both have birthdays within 5 days of each other next week so I was hoping that I would be able to get organised, plan party buy presents etc. But yesterday had call from school to say DS10 had been injured, went to collect him and found he was covered with blood and looking like he had been hit with a wall. :eek::eek:Turns out he tripped on way into school after lunch, but he was total mess. Took him to be checked to find concussion and likely broken nose! So he now off school looking very sorry for himself and black and blue.
Meanwhile I am getting less sleep than when any of them were babies as the youngest seems to have acquired croup and topped it with yet another cold,
Finally organised the party today but because I am so disorganised its gonna cost way more than I budgeted for:mad: but as I cannot be sure that I will have any time to do anything I have no real alternative.
So much for money saving.
Its mot day tomorrow for one of the cars too, so have spent day getting DH to clean it inside and out(told him it was more likely to pass) dont think it makes a difference but he would never clean it otherwise!! Still insisted on using car wash though, he just will not give in and wash it here.
Had a light snow shower yesterday but no more. DD2 is hoping for snow on her birthday.

bellaquidsin

Kidcat, it always hit when you're down doesn't it. Re the party, could you just make loads of oven chips and serve them chip shop style in greaseproof paper? Just have plenty of wipes ready for greasy fingers. Just a thought, kids love this sort of thing and it can save so much effort and expense.

Bella.

kidcat

bellaquidsin wrote: »

Kidcat, it always hit when you're down doesn't it. Re the party, could you just make loads of oven chips and serve them chip shop style in greaseproof paper? Just have plenty of wipes ready for greasy fingers. Just a thought, kids love this sort of thing and it can save so much effort and expense.

Bella.

We have booked a playbarn in the end, just cos if the week goes anywhere near as bad as this one I would end up locking the door and hiding if guests came. As the kids are aged 2 to 5 the idea of entertaining them indoors if weather bad was just too much to bear. Had originally planned hiring a hall and a bouncy castle and then doing some food etc, but with everything going on I was unable to get the hall booked and couldnt find a replacement. It would seem that very few halls will hire out to a kids party, insurance is just too high apparently!