It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

Winged_one

I have tended to be pretty frugal over hte past few years anyway, but it just happens that summer is my most frugal season. The veggies are growing best in the garden (I have some brassicas and leeks in winter, but not much really), the soft fruits need preserving, I have the little bit of time I get to sew things and I have the patience to knit on hols etc. And the sales are on for getting ahead on Christmas presents and next year's clothes for DD.

So in fact, I am actually spending more than normal just at the moment. But it is all from savings - and I have re-organised my savings just last week to get a better rate of interest on my regular savings. And I am just about finished that spending again.

We are having a holiday this year - staying in a house my parents own (they had been looking for one for a long time in the town where they have taken summer hols every year for the past 25) for a week. No flights involved, we are driving there. Which also means that we can bring lots of food with us (our own veggies, and some basics) - although we will buy a good bit there too.

But things like making use of the gym membership better (I was using it, but am trying to use it more to get better value) - and not just in terms of gym, but the excuse of needing a shower in the morning so making myself go for a swim and use their hot water and hairdryer!!

Back to getting the washing dried on the line rather than needing tumble dryer. Work lunches are back to HG salads so even cheaper than the winter salads/sambos that I bring in. DH just fixed the freeview satellite dish, so we can get the non-Irish channels again (it moved in the wind over the weekend). All sorts of little things that aren't necessarily about tightening the belt entirely, but happen to tighten it somewhat more than normal here.

jediteacher

Lurker here!

I've been reading this thread for a while and have finally thought that I must join in.

The budget has effected us as I'm in the public sector - primary school teacher. I work part time since having my little girl. The budget has really stuffed us. My wages are frozen and I know people think I get paid a lot but we honestly don't. The hours are tough despite what people think about holidays. Even though I work three days officially I still actually work the other two days unpaid! I could go on for ever about the wrongs that are said about teachers but will probably only offend people.

Anyway, I really need to join this frugal living as we do have debts to clear and with the cost of living going up (we barely cope now!) we really need to tighten our belts. We have no holidays, rarely go out and if we do it's to friends and don't drink.

Will sit down today and meal plan and sort out our income and outgoings. We did not benefit from the drop in mortgage rates and had to renew our mortgage during the high rates and are now locked in for 5 years.

My grandmother is Polish and survived the war. She was imprisoned in a concentration camps but with the help of a priest she escaped and fled to England. As a result of this she is excellent at making things stretch so will have to ask her for some more tips. The downside to this is that she still has the same mentality that she had in the camp and will throw nothing away even if (food) is well past eating. She's 82 and a real gem. Infact she's my hero and can never truly appreciate what she went through. :A

Anyway, if it's ok with you guys I would love to join this little community.

Spendless

We've just come out of a tough 18 months that we didn't see coming- hubby took a pay cut. That and me being unable to find a job has meant a year and a half of struggling. I've now got p-time work, temp thru an agency but will last several months at least looking at everything there is to do!

Hubby works from home on the days I work and is talking about doing that also in the school hols.

Now I do have an income, we've had to look round the house for what needs replacing as it is now on its last legs and prioritising it. That is something I wished we'd done in advance, thought about what obviously would need replacing/repairing and budgeted for it before the pay decrease happened instead we have gone over a year of doing without. We have been looking at repairing as an alternative. Hubby found an internet supplier that sold the parts to repair his office chair instead of buying a new one like he intended. He also has had a good luck at his suit trousers that need a repair to see how much life is left in them to see if it was worth being repaired, or whether he neeed to get a new pair.

My son's school seem to be aware too. They are knocking down the yr 6 residential trip from a mon-fri break to a couple of days. They are also having a 2nd hand school uniform stall at their summer farye for the first time.

dandy-candy

Maccanut it might be worth finding out what the school does with the uniform in the lost property box at the end of the summer term. Many schools let people take what they want or bin it as they don't want it building up, so it's a great chance to pick up free items. Also maybe ask the PA if they can ask mums of kids in the final year to pass on their kids uniform when they leave? Even if it's too big now it will be worth having for later. Hope this helps x

AnnieG

Tregemred wrote: »

Personally, my first port of call for a bike would be freecycle or skips. My daughter got a beautiful ladies raleigh on freecycle and we got three brilliant bikes out of skips. Other places to try would be the local "recycling centre" (formerly known as the tip ) but you probably need to clear any "aquisitions" with the management.

Good luck,

TGR

I've always got bikes for me and DS from the tip near my dad's house - they charge £5 and I've got a Raleigh ladies bike, DS has got a bmx type bike. They don't look great but they work fine, it's worth checking what you can get at the tip!

Uniscots97

JackieO wrote: »

This morning I went to my local Savacentre and bought my DGS a webcam that he had been wanting for ages .He has done well at school, and his report was a good one It was in Argos reduced to £5.99 from £9.99 so I know he will be so pleased with it tonight whan I see him..

Hi Jackie, did your DGS like the webcam?

floss2

ceridwen wrote: »

.....Staff carparks would be one of the first things I would go for personally - the proverbial "low hanging fruit" - and if it were a choice between a freebie perk for my employees and maintaining an essential service for the public - no contest..

We have subsidised town-centre parking for staff who work in the town centre, and free parking for out-of-town sites.....however, the site of the subsidised parking is to be built on in the next few years.

ginnyknit wrote: »

...Our local council sold off most of the council houses last year to a private company yet they still have the same offices?? ...

Probably an ALMO - arms length management organisation. Still technically part of the council but operating almost independantly. We have one of those!

We've also just heard that the schools rebuilding programme in our town is to be completely stopped, with just 2 schools to be "discussed". That's a whole team of staff, plus the jobs in construction that will vanish as a result.

calleyw

mardatha wrote: »

is it not time to start to support the english farmers as best we can.
********************
Ooooooh ! wot about Scottish farmers then ?? poor wee souls, are they not worth supporting ? LOL !

Oops sorry I should have said UK farmers it was late when I was typing my message.

I agree about having to find other things to do as farmer. But if you are working 60 -80 hour where d you find the time to add another string to your bow.

You will find that a lot of farmers wives have to work now to just keep food on the table.

Yours

calley

alec_eiffel

floss2 wrote: »

We have subsidised town-centre parking for staff who work in the town centre, and free parking for out-of-town sites.....however, the site of the subsidised parking is to be built on in the next few years.



Probably an ALMO - arms length management organisation. Still technically part of the council but operating almost independantly. We have one of those!

We've also just heard that the schools rebuilding programme in our town is to be completely stopped, with just 2 schools to be "discussed". That's a whole team of staff, plus the jobs in construction that will vanish as a result.

Hi Floss,

Just wanted to give you a wave (seaside pun intended) as I think my Dh works for the same employer as you - for the time being at least. It's not much fun at the minute with all the uncertainty, and the halting of the schools development was just another blow yesterday. Preparing for the worst here but hoping for the best.

downshifter

calleyw wrote: »

Oops sorry I should have said UK farmers it was late when I was typing my message.

I agree about having to find other things to do as farmer. But if you are working 60 -80 hour where d you find the time to add another string to your bow.

You will find that a lot of farmers wives have to work now to just keep food on the table.

Yours

calley

Around here the farmers' partners, whether male or female, work just as hard as the other half. It's interesting to look back through the census or parish records, or even at gravestones, to see how many women have 'farmer' as their occupation.

My neighbour is up early, out by 7 having seen to sheep etc, back late, do sheep again and all the other jobs - god knows what time they eat at night. And grass is cut until gone 11 pm at this time of year, starting again at 4.30 am. It's a crazy life. the other thing is there's masses of paperwork connected with farming which can involve a steep learning curve in terms of computer use, record keeping, government returns and the like. Nightmare!

The problem with supporting UK farmers is that it's hard to buy local produce at a decent price. I hate using the supermarkets unless I have to, but the small village stores, what's left of them, are v expensive and the produce is often not fresh. Bought some carrots yesterday and they had a serious case of droops! Fortunately my own garden is on the point of being abundant, not that that supports farmers either. We may be used to having cheap food, but I couldn't afford any more than the £20 I spend now on the weekly shop, incl dog/cat food, which is the case for so many people now. Farmers markets are prohibitive, I'm sure the people that sell there are making massive mark-ups, it costs pennies not pounds to grow a bunch of carrots, and if you don't have to cut the leaves off or clean the soil off - even cheaper! I always think it's so funny when you see carrots costing so much more when sold like that, or sprouts still on the stalk!

Back to work - am I the only one working today?

DS