It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

fletch3163

I've been in and out like a yo-yo all day with my washing. Decided damp into the tumble dryer is better than wet into it. Rain on, me out, rain off, me out, rain on, .......

I have a small observation about my shopping expedition today. Normally when I get my act together at the weekend the shopping Saturday is well established. Today was no different as I huffed and puffed to Asda at 2pm ish. What I was surprised about though was the amount of yellow stickers still in situ. They've usually well gone by the time I venture in.

I personally gave myself a stern talking to before I left (am doing the Grocery Challenge this month) and vowed only to purchase the items on my list, no deviation. Did it (mostly):o

I found lamb mince, lamb chops, pork chops, Covent Garden soup, all on special and still there. Weird! Maybe people just don't fancy lamb this week:D

Charis

Patchwork_Quilt wrote: »

This is a brilliant idea. We have something similar in that all the birth certificates, passports, backups for the computer etc are in plastic pockets in one folder. If there was a fire, that would be the only thing, apart from ourselves, that we would need to save

Maybe they should be in a tin? Just in case you don't notice the fire in time to rescue them. Mine are in a metal filing case, the kind with hanging pockets for your plastic covers.

Charis

ceridwen wrote: »

Charis - methinks you've been and joined your local Transition Town group....that there language sounds very familiar to me....:D

I really wish we had one. Our local green group is hopeless. It's called the 'Really Use Less Group' or RUG for short. It's known locally as the 'really useless group'. I joined when they had an event in town, almost a year ago but there has been nothing much since. Even the group picnic was rained off.

I offered to do skills sharing - 'share what you know, learn what you don't know'. The phrase is a hangover from the days when I home educated for a couple of years. Heard no more about it from RUG.

When I went to the Greenfest last year, I saw there was a TT group in the next town, 7 miles away. However their rep seemed very disinclined to welcome folk from over the hills (us).

nannaC

Hi everyone, feel like I have been away for ever it has just taken me so long to catch up with all your posts that its nearly cocoa time before start.

Re washing: NannaC can proudly say that she has NEVER owned a tumble dryer, 1 ceiling clothes rack, 3 clothes maidens yes but dryer no. My washing is on the line most days [my argument is that even if it rains slightly it might as well be on the line wet as in doors wet, i will only put it on the rack when the weather is truly awful]. I also use a miniscule amount of washing powder and NO conditioner for each load, and none at all if I am doing towels. Must say that the clothes still come out really clean.

Like most of us I keep a good store cupboard and make do and mend as normal. I get real satisfaction from turning something old and worn into something new, currently devising ways to make patchwork bags/cushions/throws out of old knitted jumpers/cardigans. You can tell I have been to the local jumble sale again last night, in came a lovely new to me array of clothes and out will go my well past their wear by date ones.

ceridwen

cHARIS - sorry to hear your experience there - maybe it was just that one person having an "off" day? I know we recognise in the T.T. Movement that life is going to be rather more "local" than it currently is - working nearer to home/shopping nearer to home/etc - so maybe that one individual person was being a bit "rigid" in their approach on that matter. It doesnt mean to say that the others in the group will be the same - you might find things very different if you approach someone else in the group.

In my own group - "we're not proud" - we'll take anyone and everyone who wishes to consider themselves a part of us and certainly have people from quite a widespread area around us coming to our things. As far as we're concerned - if you want to consider yourself a member..then you ARE one.

Welcome to come to any of our events - shame we're rather too far away for it to be a viable proposition for you more than once in a blue moon perhaps.....but if you want to, then feel free. I'll PM you one of our websites - as it lists events and will give you lots of more general links you'd probably like - will send the one I think best for you - theres actually a LOT more of us than the number that currently appear on that one - as its one of our sideline sites. I've certainly been to events run by another T.T. group as well as my own one - and they are a LOT more than 7 miles away from me - but I was duly made to feel welcome.

EDIT: Make that two links I'm sending - the more "national" stuff is on the 2nd one.

PS; Both links duly sent - apologies to all for not publishing them here - but 'tis my local one....and I do like me privacy I does...

Gigervamp

Ceridwen, would you mind giving me the links too please? I've had a look at the TT website, but the page for wales has nothing on it!

BigMummaF

Hello folks....we're still plodding on & NOT looking forward to the annual price rises for the things for which we have no control I've told the offspring that they will have to increase their financial contributions to the family coffers, but sorting out who pays what is an absolute nightmare! I thought I'd got it sussed by saying "20% of your income please" but I haven't a clue what to ask for now I am also struggling to accept that I HAVE to take even more money from them as I just do not have the means to keep us all afloat; I can tell myself that they would have to pay an awful lot more if they lived away from home....but they are still my babies & I want to do everything I can to support them & not the other way round:( Silly I know, but I can't help it...it saddens me to think that if anything drastic were to happen, I can not help them out the way my folks have helped me.

Anyhoo! Re: local milk.....I was getting Local Choice in MrT but the last few times I've been in there hasn't even been an SEL for it. To add insult to injury I also read the Tesco Mega Reductions thread but I'm baloogarred if any of them relate to our store :mad: I can reach a S'fld that charges more than the one a bit further away, a largish MrT & a MrS 'local' with very little choice. In the next village east is an Iceland, a larger S'fld & two butchers. Next town west is Morries & middlin Lidl, while anything like MrA, Ikea, Primark or Aldi is literally forty miles away! No Home Bargains, Poundland or FarmFood either & the closest farm shop charges a noticable amount more for their fruit & veg :embarasse We do have a store rather like Approved Foods but even their prices are no longer that competative....I just luv livin in the sowf these days :undecided

BUT! Today the sun is shing & the offspring are chipping in with their mates to have a BBQ They've started it out the back...I've got washing out :wall:..so one of us is gunna have to move cuz the garden ain't big enuff for the both of it [enter a cowboy shooting a six-gun here LOL]

kidcat

I know its hard asking kids to chip in but at the end of the day there is massive price rises happening and you have to saty afloat, also it will help them understand the problems with finances etc more and when they do get their own place hopefully they will not be running up huge debts, you are providing a sound education for them by living within your means. Its about tough love I think anyway. My eldest has just discovered the joys of wandering around the shops on Sat afternoon with her friends, and some weeks I struggle to find cash for her to go, its especially hard as her friends all take £30 plus out with them. So I some weeks I say she can have them round to visit for the afternoon instead and provide dinner in the eve for them, it costs much less and they appreciate having somewhere to go and spend time together thats warm.

mardatha

Bigmumma, I know nothing of the south east of england at all, and I once sent a card to a previously online pal, addressed to a town called-
SAFFEND.
well its how she said it !! LOL

jamtart6

hi all, been lurking for a while and fancy joining you. just bought my first house, we are renovating but want to learn all the best tips before i move in so i can live a frugal life. ive been extremely lucky to have sensible-with-money parents but I want to prepare as best as possible in case anything happens to our jobs or anything (you never know).. just thought id say 'ello!