It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

parsonswife8

There's just been a beekeeper on the Paul O'Grady show, who says that about a third of bees in the UK have disappeared/died. He said, not only does it affect the honey production, but also food we grow here, like apples, broccoli etc, if the bees aren't around.

:eek:

champys

parsonswife8 wrote: »

There's just been a beekeeper on the Paul O'Grady show, who says that about a third of bees in the UK have disappeared/died. He said, not only does it affect the honey production, but also food we grow here, like apples, broccoli etc, if the bees aren't around.

:eek:

This is true, and not only in the UK. We have bees and my DH is having enormous trouble beekeeping the last few years - there are several new diseases and when in the past we were simply extracting more & more honey every year, now I carefully ask 'how are the bees?' every 2 weeks or so. The other beekeepers in the local beekeeping circle are also reporting losses, and this year has been particularly dismal for everyone's honey production. Really worrying!

[Deleted User]

xx bunny xx there isn`t any point in being angry and being cross is stressful. I get angry about the government but I can`t do anything about it, except my little bit to help and support people. Its not much but it is about pulling together :cool:

I`m finding it so uplifting just to read about what so many of you are doing and most of you with a song in your heart. It feels good not to be alone in our struggles

If you want to get things in perspective then read Nella Lasts war and/or austerity Britain

Happytails pm number 2 awaits you

I have just finished making granola. Very easy peasy and makes a fantastic topping on any pud eg stewed apple and yoghurt or ice cream. 225g oats, 75g pecans, 75g almonds, 45g dessicated coconut. Chop nuts and mix all. Lightly heat 3tbs oil (not olive), 3tbs runny honey, 3tbs soft brown sugar, 1/4tsp cinnamon together in a pan. Mix everything together. Spread out and bake 20 mins. I did mine in the remoska. It keeps for ages

Cinny91

happytails wrote: »

holding off on the colouring as cant afford it at the moment

I had to give up dying my hair earlier this year too, I spent about £10 on home dye kits to get it back to it's ginger roots, and I'm actually liking being ginger this time around! Saved myself about £100 so far. And talking on bathing dogs, I need to wash my jack russell tomorrow afternoon!

moanymoany- thanks for that link! I'm going to try and read afew pages more of it tonight. Been eyeing up the butter making pages so I might give that a go sometime in the near/far future.

My mum wants to start our veg garden next year, we've cleared a pretty nice spot at the bottom of the garden so we just need to get to work!

Hawthorn

wendybird wrote: »

Any one else with more knowledge have any other ideas on things that are likely to increase dramatically in price?

Meat, if we import animal feed into the country.
Cereals, likely as not.

Ah heck, everything :rotfl:

It's like a domino rally really. One thing becomes hard to find/expensive, and others are sure to follow.

My dad was saying the other day about Turkeys......I didn't see this myself, so don't quote me on it (and he is slightly deaf, for the record) but apparently there's going to be a huge increase in price before christmas?

FZwanab

I have somehow managed to run up an overdraft over the past few weeks, something to do with locking my credit card away, anyway, as an oldstyle gal ( most of the time, apart from one or two blips) I am trying to avoid nipping out for the odd pint of milk and coming home with bags full.

1. I am going to try and live out of my freezer for a while with my hm extra portion meals already in stock.
2. The only shopping I am going to do will be grocery and I may even decide to do it online to avoid all the Christmas shopping temptation in the shops.
3. I have only 5 presents left to get so will try to source them online if possible, santa is sorted and will make some hm pressies for others.

Avoiding all the other types of shops should help bring that overdraft down, give me more time to make the hm pressies and give me time to organise my home.

Caterina

Hi all

Sorry to hear about so many people's worries in these difficult times. The only thing that I can say is that being here on the forum at least we all support each other and give each other tips to ride the storm.

I think that DH will be ok work-wise because he is very busy at work, but my own job is at risk, the charity I work with has not got a couple of funding renewals that are vital to keep going and I am not sure of my fate from April 09 - all salaries are covered up to end March, but nothing then so far.

You know what, I shall cope, it will mean no more treats but with DH's salary thanks God the roof, food and bills are covered. The kids will have to contribute if they want holidays etc. I already ask them for a contribution if they want a takeaway, we have a "curry jar" where everybody puts spare change and when we have around £10 we get veggies from the Indian curry house and boil our own rice.

Ah well, we went through last recession, when DH was made redundant just before Xmas whe the twins were just 3 years old. I had to leave my p/t job as if I had been in work (on a very low pay) we would not get any benefits nor mortgage interest payments (no longer applicable now, the screw has been tightened on this too, bloody government). I got a small job baking bread and DH came in and made mince pies. We stopped using the car (we still had one at the time) and walked everywhere. We were skint and really skint but had a great time, making do and spending loads of quality time together!

Things will improve again, don't worry too much if you can.

Best wishes to all of you

Caterina

ceridwen

champys wrote: »

This is true, and not only in the UK. We have bees and my DH is having enormous trouble beekeeping the last few years - there are several new diseases and when in the past we were simply extracting more & more honey every year, now I carefully ask 'how are the bees?' every 2 weeks or so. The other beekeepers in the local beekeeping circle are also reporting losses, and this year has been particularly dismal for everyone's honey production. Really worrying!

I gather its not just the bees either - but many other insects that are vital to our own survival. I put a link to an article on that on my blog if you're interested.

I'm losing count of the number of times that the thought has crossed my mind of various recent predictions I have read (well....you've probably all gathered by now I do read rather a lot of New Age type books:D ) of the world's future population being MUCH lower than it is now. Every time I read about the difficulties being experienced with bees - and now other insects as well - I remember this and wonder if they're right. It IS starting to sound more and more likely to me.

(p.s. Caterina - glad to see you posting a lot more again these days! Hope your O.S. meet-up goes well - sorry I don't live near enough to make it or to come with you to cosmetic-making classes you mentioned.)

[Deleted User]

That`s the spirit Caterina, good os positivity :T

Fz the danger of living out of the freezer is boredom setting in, well it does for me and shopping, even for food, beckons when I am bored. When I am set to have a very frugal week or month, then I set myself all-engrossing tasks like bottoming a room or two or sorting a cupboard or 3. Knitting or anything really that will take my mind off shopping and virtual shopping

My neighbour lost 1/3 of his hives this year but another neighbour didn`t lose any so fingers crossed that genetics will out in the end

Charis

Caterina wrote: »

Hi all

then as an experiment I repeated the exercise by putting loads of booze, fags and premium flights and at the same salary I would be better off by £376.


Caterina

I stongly suspect that the calculator is grossly inaccurate. I couldn't use it anyway, because it assumes that I am paying NI contributions, but I don't pay those on a widow's pension plus child tax credits.

Anyway I know that my bills next year for everything will be substantially higher and that my minimal savings and the value of my house have gone down by around 25% in real terms. As Kittie said, smoke and mirrors, the whole PR stunt.