It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

schumie

Slowandsteady - keep smiling it will get better. Sending you hugs x x x

taplady

slowandsteady - (((hugs))) seems like you're doing really well and I agree it really isn't fair for you to be worse off through working full-time than when you were part-time and on benefits.

BitterAndTwisted

Same here, Slowandsteady. Same here.

A stupid thought, I know, but if hubs can drive you to and from your shifts with kidlet in the car then perhaps you won't need to run both vehicles.

Any way, how cr*ppy can life be when you've got a SAHD for a husband a darling little toddler? Sounds fab to me!

BigMummaF

taplady wrote: »

the poundshop are selling pots of grow your own veg and salad stuff which will fit on your windowsill. I saw peppers, salad leaves, tomatoes, dwarf green beans, rocket and various herbs.

We haven't got window-sills & the kitchen is ALWAYS in the shade, so can't pinch a bit of work-top either.
I did wonder if you could bodge up some window boxes PaganGirl, as I seem to recall they were popular with folk who live in flats :think: My gardening skills are very limited, but I desperately want to grow something edible this year. I'm going to try rocket for sure as our Iggie eats that, & how would I start with the spring onions Schumie as they sound lovely cuz she would help us eat those too.

I can understand your feelings S&S; I too am thoroughly fed up with never having a moment when I don't think of ways to save money. It makes me laugh when I see these programmes on the telly where someone is in thousands of pounds of debt buying carp. The 'experts' tell them to use High Street stores in place of trendy boutiques & store's own instead of premium brands...but what on earth are you supposed to do when you live on value & charity shops already But then, like today, the sun shines a little warmer & you make the mince s-t-r-e-t-c-h to yet another portion, & All Seems Right With The World till the next crisis at least.

Primrose

schumie - If you want to save money it's worth germinating your bigger seeds (tomatos, climing beans) in pots indoors on a window sill to get them off to a good start. Buying them from garden centres is very expensive. If you start digging now, you can sow tomatoes & beans in pots in April indoors. Peppers can be sown indoors now.
Several people on here (check out the Greenfingered Thead) grew potatoes in pots last year and I don't think any body felt they'd grown enough to make growing them value for money as they're quite cheap to buy. I suggest you concentrate on using your new vegetable patch for things which are expensive to buy or you eat a lot of like tomatoes, climbing beans, salads, or for winter greens (leeks, kale, Swiss Chard, etc) which you can use in winter. You can also grow vegetables dotted around in small clumbs in your flower borders. Beetroot, spring onions & carrots work well like this.

mummysaver

Good morning! Not been around here for a while so going to make a cuppa and catch up with everyone and their tips and lives!

We've been tiling the kitchen, utility and loo, something I've wanted to do for years, but now actually needed to do as parts of the utility floor actually needed replacing! Looks lovely though, and I know that all the tips and advice about money saving here and elsewhere on OS have enabled me to save the money we needed to do it!

Financially things seem to be settling down quite well at the mo, and ex seems to have found another job quite quickly after being made redundant, fingers crossed, so whilst we would have coped, this will make things a bit easier!

Kids are now quite used to all the mad things I do to save money, and have decided that lighting candles in the evening makes it seem warmer, definitely makes it cosier!

dd1 has offered to take over the garden plans, so has been ensconced in her room with bits of paper, magazines and her laptop planning away! So hopefully we shall have lots of veg and a pretty garden as well!

Right time to catch up now!

elizabunny

Good luck Pagangirl, whether you decide to hunt for another job or become a 'Lady of Leisure' Although I think we would all agree that being and OS 'Lady of Leisure' is quite a demanding and full time job. Unpaid in the terms of actual cash, but profitable in terms of time and what you can achieve in that time. Time to cook from scratch, knit and maybe make your own clothes, and growing lovely crops in whatever tiny space you have -sprouting seeds don't take up much room at all and there's pots of herbs and speciality tomatoes. I must admit I was sort of forced down the 'Lady of Leisure' route which was really difficult financially, but I think in real terms, we are so much better off. I really hope things will turn out well for you whatever you decide to do next.

slowandsteady sorry to read that you are feeling sad, but you have done so well and I think that anyone who faces their problems head on, has a better chance of getting through them. I suppose lots of us feel at times that we are getting nowhere fast and its sometimes really difficult to keep upbeat and focussed. Hope things pick up for you really soon.

Nothing much different here either. DH still on a 4 day week some weeks and things very tight, made worse by the fact that we have been hit by some huge bills. Oh well, not much choice but to battle on:)

Thats_me

slowandsteady , so sorry you are having a bad time, nothing worse than feeling that problems are endless, we have all been there! When I feel really bad, I buy a bar of a5da 5mart price chocolate and eat it all with a cup of coffee - it costs about 29p for a big bar and just feels so good! Another thing is to have a bath (damn the extravagance!) with some nice smellys or, if really skint, some cheap bubbles. Try lighting a candle and relaxing, it really works.

(((big hugs)))

slowandsteady_2

Evening everyone,

hope everyone is well,

thank you everyone for the kind words and support i appreciate it:)

I love the idea of dh taking me to work and would be very feasible if i get this job on wednesday-i havent found the exact place yet but ive a very good idea of where on the road it is and in reality i wouldnt need to use car except for shifts that fall on bank holidays. Unfortunately at moment it would mean a daily mileage of 80 miles, i do long days as do all staff there so a daily trip of 40 miles three times a week, on the motorway at the moment with me driving myself. Thanks for the idea though!

And you are also right, i am VERY lucky to have such a wonderful hubby and daughter, everything i do is for them, just sometimes i wish i could do more!

However i do feel better having a job and no longer having to sit at the awful job centre feeling as though im begging for help! I feel very much for any of us struggling to find work in this day and age and having to spend time at the jobcentre in any way, shape or form-no offence meant to any JCP staff on the forum, i always found the staff fantastic, just the whole environment etc is not conducive to boosting morale. Its so very hard for people looking for work at the moment, and that place used to put me on such a downer!

However i continue to remind myself that i am-

reducing waste and therefore supporting the environment in even a small way

feeding my family healthy, good, nutritious virtually chemical free food, practically free from pre packaged stuff

supporting local trades people by using markets etc

teaching my daughter life long lessons in cooking, budgeting, reducing waste and the need to get a good education and a career and rely on herself (well these lessons start early!)

a strong person who both on my own and with my hubby, has got through much much worse over the last few years, and got through it right to the other end, so if i can get through all those dramas, i can get through anything!

Well i feel a bit better now!

Again, i shall stop going on with myself and boring you and quietly catch upon the thread!

charlies-aunt

Hi Pagangirl - have you tried getting an allotment or a share in one? Or ask round the neighbourhood to see if there is anyone with a large garden and no time to look after it or too elderly to bother, it may mean coming to an agreement that you can use it in return for passing on a share of the veg...but its worth a thought.

Also could you put the word round that you'd be up for doing casual odd jobs ....I'm thinking of dog walking, house and garden minding and 'granny sitting' when people are away on holiday ... or waiting in on behalf of people who work full time and just need someone to there when they are expecting a delivery / workmen .... I would rather give someone £10-15 'pocket money' to wait in for a delivery rather than have to take a days holiday in wait in myself.