It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

moanymoany

mardatha wrote: »

We live on pension credit and find it ok really. The less you have, the less complications it brings ! When we were both working we made a lot more but spent a lot more, sort of running to keep still really..
edited to add -I just read a report on BBC Scotland site saying that for the last 40 years, Scotland has had the highest proportion of poor ie people living on the breadline- and the shortest life espectancy. Almost a third of the population are officially classed as "living in poverty". That's TERRIBLE in this day and age, esp when this is the coldest part of the UK.
I bet sooty & sweep down in Downing st arent losing any sleep over it...

Why do you think this is Mardatha? It does seem strange. Could it be that the more educated people get they move away? Where do Scottish entrepreneurs start their businesses, maybe the distance for transport is a handicap. I would have thought that call centres would work. Better than India.

I can understand that poverty and shorter life expectancy go together. The Jamie Oliver Rotherham showed the clear link between poverty and poor eating. My own maternal family history - going back to the 1920's - is of poverty. However, because there was the tradition of good plain food the health of the older members of the family was good. There are still poor members of the family who sadly haven't continued the good food habit and they and their children are obese and lazy. As they have got older they also have poor health - diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems - the usual poor food/obesity suspects.

The children brought up on this rubbish have no good foundations of health.

purpleivy

mardatha wrote: »

We live on pension credit and find it ok really. The less you have, the less complications it brings ! When we were both working we made a lot more but spent a lot more, sort of running to keep still really..
edited to add -I just read a report on BBC Scotland site saying that for the last 40 years, Scotland has had the highest proportion of poor ie people living on the breadline- and the shortest life espectancy. Almost a third of the population are officially classed as "living in poverty". That's TERRIBLE in this day and age, esp when this is the coldest part of the UK.
I bet sooty & sweep down in Downing st arent losing any sleep over it...

Ha ha ha 'Sooty and Sweep' I like that!

Although my dh is in work in a good job, my hours have recently been more than halved...14 down to 6.

my concern now is that in addition to this big decrease for me, my dh is going to be working abroad for much of the next two years. I'm so used to not having to pay big ££ on stuff like household repairs, car repairs etc, cos he does all that...at the moment. His company does give a small uplift for working abroad, but I can see that it will end up costing more at home for the reasons outlined and more for him abroad, because he will (justifiably) want to take the opportunities that he has for travel while he is away. He will get some subsistence allowance, but that won't go far once he has travelled out of the one-horse-town he's going to.

He's allowed a visit home every 3 months. So we might need more than that.

I'm sure we'll manage. Still trying to pay off the end of our extension costs too!

Had a thought....I'll be able to turn the heating down a bit!

moanymoany

This is about 'dumpster diving'. http://www.mookychick.co.uk/lists/dumpster_diving.php

I help out in a charity shop and I am amazed by how much is chucked out - things I would happily take home and use. When the shops have closed it would be worth having a thumb through.

I would suggest going early as other undesirables go later on. Wear good gloves and be carefull as there will be broken glass and crockery. Otherwise good pickings.

If you feel a bit cheaty doing this you can always go in later and put a sum you think relevant in the box on the counter.

mardatha

Purpleivy, the IQ level is exactly the same at any rate !
Moany, I really don't know why. My parents families were all miners/trawlermen/farm workers - all big families and all very long-lived.
I think the normal working class people going back a couple of generations were more hard working and socially aware than they are now, or is that a generalization? There is a sort of apathy in a lot of people now, and a lazyness. Is like spoiling kids isnt it? You arent doing them any favours by making life easier sometimes.

Cinny91

purpleivy wrote: »

Had a thought....I'll be able to turn the heating down a bit!

silver lining and all!

calleyw

moanymoany wrote: »

I help out in a charity shop and I am amazed by how much is chucked out - things I would happily take home and use. When the shops have closed it would be worth having a thumb through.
.

If it is clothes don't they have a rag bag person who comes around. The one my husband helps out in does and it helps raise extra founds.

Yours

Calley

moanymoany

Just found this little poem about logs to burn.

LOGS TO BURN
Logs to burn, logs to burn,
Logs to save the coal a turn
Here's a word to make you wise,
When you hear the woodman's cries.
Never heed his usual tale,
That he has good logs for sale,
But read these lines and really learn,
the proper kind of logs to burn.
OAK logs will warm you well,
If they're old and dry.
LARCH logs of pine wood smell,
But the sparks will fly.
BEECH logs for Christmas time,
YEW logs heat well.
SCOTCH logs it is a crime,
For anyone to sell.
BIRCH logs will burn too fast,
CHESTNUT scarce at all
HAWTHORN logs are good to last,
If you cut them in the fall
HOLLY logs will burn like wax
You should burn them green
ELM logs like smouldering flax
No flame to be seen

PEAR logs and APPLE logs,
they will scent your room.
CHERRY logs across the dogs,
Smell like flowers in bloom
But ASH logs, all smooth and grey,
burn them green or old;
Buy up all that come your way,
They're worth their weight in gold.

Good eh?

Apple and pear – burning slowly and steadily with little flame but good heat. The scent is also pleasing.
Ash – the best burning wood providing plenty of heat (will also burn green but you should not need to do this!)
Beech and hornbeam – good when well seasoned
Birch – good heat and a bright flame – burns quickly.
Blackthorn and hawthorn – very good – burn slowly but with good heat
Cherry – also burns slowly with good heat and a pleasant scent.
Cypress – burns well but fast when seasoned, and may spit
Hazel – good, but hazel has so many other uses hopefully you won’t have to burn it!
Holly – good when well seasoned
Horse Chestnut – good flame and heating power but spits a lot.
Larch – fairly good for heat but crackles and spits
Maple – good.
Oak – very old dry seasoned oak is excellent, burning slowly with a good heat
Pine – burns well with a bright flame but crackles and spits
Poplar – avoid all poplar wood – it burns very slowly with little heat – which is why poplar is used to make matchsticks.
Willow – very good – in fact there is growing interest in biomass production of coppiced willow as a fuel.

Here's the linky http://www.wildeye.co.uk/trees/firewood.html

happytails

Just wanted to say my mass cooking day went well yesterday, we have plenty portions of cottage pie, scouse, pasta sauce and casserole to eat over the next few weeks - dp took one to work this morning, a cottage pie, and said it was gorgeous im a happy lady now!

Also, just bagged a canvas cupboard off freecycle which will replace my broken one and my mums neighbour said she had a big tv, 18months old spare if we want it as she has bought a new one! Since our lounge TV is 13yrs old and the speakers crackle we said yes :T really happy with these as they will save us a load of money!

Sarah & bump
27+4

moanymoany

calleyw wrote: »

If it is clothes don't they have a rag bag person who comes around. The one my husband helps out in does and it helps raise extra founds.

Yours

Calley

Yes, all fabric goes to the rag man. However there is a lot of other stuff that goes in there that many people would find a use for.

meanmarie

Anyone know anything about how sycamore burns...have several trees that could do with have a few branches lopped...have an idea that it has to be 'seasoned' for several years...just my luck.

Ash, in addition to wonderful heat has the advantage of sprouting and growing well to recut in about 7 years...you would need quite a lot of trees though.

marie