It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

cw18

If you're entitled to SMP when made redundant, you will still get it. There's a thread about it on the Benefits board here (see post #2 in particular)

ETA: And congratulations on the baby :T

cw18

Decided to check my starting point -- money moved from jam jar + last night's "shrapnel" gives me a starting collection of £3.38

mags50_2

Awww...thats fantastic news wendybird!! :T:T

What a lovely present for Christmas

xx

purpleivy

There is always such a lot on freecycle here in the way of baby kit. A word of advice, start and advertise a few bits and pieces that you can give away, it doesn't look as good if you do all the requesting and taking,

mrsmortenharket

Congrats Wendybird xxx

[Deleted User]

Lovely happy news. Congatulations wendybird.

:j :j :j

mummysaver

Wendybird - congratulations! As everyone has said, if you waited till you could afford them then nobody would ever have children! We all, well most of us, manage to muddle through somehow.

Caterina - sorry I missed your down moment, we are all entitled to get fed up sometimes, it's what makes us human! I'm with mardartha and d&dd, busy burning down the rainforest for my baths, I love them! I sort of figure that all the other stuff I try to do offsets them! Hopefully your new boiler will be fab and not too expensive!

Well finally we had heating yesterday, the boiler had a new valve fitted, shame that it broke again! Warmth was quite nice, but short lived lol! Ah well, fingers crossed that it can be sorted out, and hopefully cheaply!

Kittie - I have been very grateful for my stores this week, due to my bank card being cloned and really not wanting to drive 10miles to the nearest bank and queue, I've not been shopping! Nobody has noticed any difference in what we eat, as all meals were planned anyway and the cupboards are fit to bursting, in fact I currently have a huge pile of tins of kidney beans that have yet to find a home, they're sitting on the kitchen floor!

Yesterday I did need some more yeast for bread, I use a different one when baking loaves to rolls and pizzas, anyway I trotted off to Mr T's clutching assorted vouchers, grabbed some pet food and cat litter, the yeast and some cream and choc to make tarts to take to dinner last night and tonight, and chips (was cheaper than the potatoes they had left) and the bill that was originally £16 something, ended up at 28pence, I was so smug! Yeah I know conceit is a sin, but still!

Anyway, at the mo I feel we are coping well, no cash but we've survived (did have some loose change around the house, and the car was full of petrol), no working boiler but we haven't frozen (we have a fire in the sitting room and an immersion heater for the water), and amazingly the kids have stopped moaning and started wearing jumpers voluntarily, and slippers! It doesn't mean that I want to live quite like this permanently, but at least I know we can do it! Though I do fully agree with Caterina, it can get tiresome being good! But occasional bursts of disaster do have a way of making me appreciate so much that I take for granted, though, please God, no more disasters for a while!

mummysaver

Caterina wrote: »

Mummysaver do you do your own dried orange slices? I have a couple of oranges in the fruit bowl - I know from eating a previous one that they are SOUR!!!:eek: so I keep meaning to turn them into jam but haven't got around to doing so and they might go mouldy before I do! If I slice them thickish and put the slices on the radiator, do you think it would work?

This year I am not doing a Christmas tree but decorating some dry apple wood branches that I was given and I think dried orange slices would look lovely!

Thanks for any suggestions!

Caterina

Hi, sorry for delay, but been whizzing around the past couple of days! I used to slice mine about half a centimetre thick and pop in the bottom of the oven whilst its still warm, a bit like cooking meringues. I now use my dehydrator, but I should think a warm radiator would work well, plus it'd have the advantage of making your room smell nice whilst they dried out.

You could always use any extras as pomanders, like we all probably made at school, stud with cloves and tie up with a red ribbon, hang and they smell of Christmas! Nice hanging from a fireplace as it seems to bring out the smell!

Caterina

Hi all,

Wendybird, what lovely news, many congratulations! :beer: Don't worry about the money, you are in the right place here to find out how to bring up baby in the cheapest (and still best and poshest - if you so wish) way possible!

Babies are CHEAP to run, it is teens who get expensive, but by that time you will hopefully have made your first million or so, if you keep coming here and OSing for a dozen years, I am sure!

Dear all, again I don't know how to thank you all enough for the kind warm words - the crisis is actually over now (meaning I am no longer throwing all the recycling in the rubbish bin and no longer pacing the house half naked and wrapped in a towel, crying and screaming at the top of my voice "F*** the environment!!!") :eek: !

I have discussed with DH and we are on the hunt for a good quality condensing boilers, and will get millions of quotes before we decide who to go with. Meanwhile I shall stick to showers.

Mardatha, if I wasn't terrified of flying I would fly (Sorry Ceridwen, look away now) ON AN AEROPLANE! And would love to enjoy a nose-deep hot bath in your home and then a pub crawl on the 100 pubs of Rose Street (except that I would have to have tea as I do not drink alcohol - would they kick me out you think? heeheeeee)

Mummysaver I am going to slice those sodding oranges that are so pulling at my (alas still alive and kicking) green soul, and hang them on the apple branches for Christmas!

Dear all, I am off to cook some nice dinner now but before I go I want to send you all a MEGAHUG! I love this forum, you are great people! :T :T :T

Caterina

elizabunny

Hello everyone.

Congratulations Wendybird -what lovely news for you!

Caterina -so glad you are feeling more positive today!