If things get tougher?

gizzie121

aloiseb wrote: »

I think you shouldn't even think about it - the thing about ITV channels not needing a licence to watch is almost certainly an urban myth.

If you get caught without a licence, and they don't buy your detuning story - which let's face it, sounds pretty unlikely! - that's £1000 fine isn't it? Not very good Moneysaving.

No, I dont' think it is an urban myth. My friend works for the BBC, and they are directly funded by the television licence. You do not need to pay for a commercial channel. They are funded by adverts. It's only BBC1 and BBC2. Not sure what the situation is with regard to the radio stations.

xx

gizzie121

Lillibet wrote: »

You need a license if you own a receiveng TV OR a video recorder, even if you are not receiving the BBC channels. You do need a TV license to receive ITV/CH4/CH5/satellite etc regardless, even though the cost of it funds only the BBC. You can get the tuner bit removed professionally if you only want to watch DVD's, this is the only way you can get around it. I belive there are new changes comming into force regarding the watching of dvd's & TV via the internet/computers but am not upto date on what this is.

And even if you do have your tuner removed or don't own a TV, the licensing board will hound you to death 'cos they just won't believe that you don't:rolleyes:

HTH;)

I stand very much corrected!!

gizzie121

Rage_in_Eden wrote: »

,

Oh I do - and going to bed and not wanting to put your nose out of the covers as it would get instantly cold and not wanting to go to the bathroom in the morning as the walk was too cold!!

There's actually something about a really cold day that I miss. I used to lvoe the cold walk to school. Having a reason to wear scarves and getting that healthy glow from the walk.

It's too hot now to wear scarves, even in winter. But maybe that's because I'm fat! I've got my own insulation.

gizzie121

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

i totally agree to a point... but there is only soooo many hours in a day....so sometimes taking on extra work/job.... is out of the question.. for some peeps but as you say it could be an option for some peeps...

I know this isn't an option for everybody, but my husband took a very drastic decision to leave permanent employment to start his own business, because we were desperate to pay our mortgage off early, but we were only just getting by pay check by pay check. Most months in over draft too. There was no way for us to get ahead.

We decided that if the worst came to the worst and it didn't work, that we'd sell up and move out of London. But we were fed up and decided to take the risk.

We took a mortgage holiday for six months, not to have that worry hanging over us, and had 3 months living money ( all eaten up in first six weeks because car broke down!!!! and ate up the money)

It took a while to get started, but he's earning over three times what he earnt before, and we are trying to maintain or decrease what we spent before so that the five year plan of paying off mortgage happens.

He says that in five years, (once mortgage is paid off) he'd like to stop, and then I'll go out to work as the kids will be 13 and 15 then. He'll take over the home education.

So, there are two ways to look at the situation, but it's not for the faint hearted. Classic economics 101. The higher the risk the higher the potential gain, but the higher the potential loss.

Now I'm trying to really reduce what I spend, and make the most of shopping. Do that rubber chicken thing, only holiday in UK with our tent. Save tesco points for merlin passes so that I can take the kids to theme parks for free. Make MAXIMUM use of free museums, activities and exhibits in London.

Make the most of freecycle for games and puzzles for children. Sell some old stuff on ebay, put some back into freecycle and charity shops for good karma.

One thing I do, is buy my sons trousers in the sales for the next year. He's very difficult to buy for, as he has a large frame, but I've found a company that suits him, but they're too expensive to justify at full price. So I buy a year ahead at half the price.

Join the newsletters of lots of shops, and then their sales will come to you directly in your inbox!

Never Knowingly Pay Full Price!

BilberryCharlotte

You seem to be doing great Mary, perhaps you may get more beans yet. My strawberries have `runners`? that you can plant for next year apparently, have you tried that, and if so does it seem worth doing?

Will you freeze the carrots? I am now wishing I had a much bigger freezer, like the one I had in the 70`s. It was a huge `chest` type freezer, and when I moved house and decided not to take it with me, the bloke who did the removal liked it so much that he took it, moved me for free (only a couple of miles away) and gave me a tenner. Would you say that was fairly old style? lol I wish I had a freezer like it now though.

BilberryCharlotte

mardatha wrote: »

I'm surprized mine grew at all, actually. I just shoved them into a really shallow wooden box that held a bottle of whisky, and now they are over 4ft tall and covered with tomatoes. Wee but sweet and gorgeous tasting. But I think the russians will do far better up here, the window faces north and at nigth the glass gets cold.
Am sitting here at the comp, lustfully eyeing up my neighbours rasps....she never touches them....the blackies keep pinching them ... Hmm... thinking bad thoughts...

You have taken me back years mardatha, when I was a newly wed we had a flat in a huge house that was turned into 4 flats, and the ladies who lived in the downstairs flat had some raspberry bushes, they said we could have the fruit from them, so I just used to pick them, soak them, and then shove them in a raspberry jelly, we used to think that was delicious. I still do actually! :rotfl:

moanymoany

Hey gizzie, did you see the programme 'Pay Off Your Mortgage in Two Years'?

It seems to me that every pound you can save somewhere - anyhow - and pay it off your mortgage, makes a difference. This is something we learned late in life and the thought that if we had learned it twenty years ago our lives would have been very different does haunt me in the dalk sleepless hours of the night!

I think your kids will enjoy the holidays and trips you describe far more than getting sunburnt of a beach somewhere hot. Saving money on housekeeping is so much easier than many people think.

At the moment you can get two lots of £15 on Waitrose deliveries. I have done one and concentrated on all their meat offers. I bought £50 worth - which is the deal - paid the £5 delivery and my final bill was £30. I got a freezer full of meat. One more to go and I think I shall have enough meat to last me for six months for £60, 70 days worth. We don't have meat every day, but it is a great way to save cash.

You know what they say, a penny saved is a penny earned - so true.

katieowl_2

gizzie121 wrote: »

We decided that if the worst came to the worst and it didn't work, that we'd sell up and move out of London. But we were fed up and decided to take the risk.

He says that in five years, (once mortgage is paid off) he'd like to stop, and then I'll go out to work as the kids will be 13 and 15 then. He'll take over the home education.

Selling up and moving out of London was our plan too...we should have been gone this summer, we had an asking price buyer, then HIS buyer pulled out, and we've not had a body through the door since (May) Now we have to stay here as my son needs to start 6th Form somwhere in September, he got a place at his old school, and once he starts I can't move for two more years.

I don't want to rain on your parade, but it doesn't always happen the way you have it all planned in your head...If you will be mortgage free of course it would make a huge difference! We have four more years to run on ours, and we are struggling (and it's a small amount compared to what some people are paying)

Also if you have been out of the job market for a number of years, people do not look very favorably on your applications, I've been a SAHM for 18 years and I can't get any kind of work now (at 49) Nobody wants to know I think (and I am told) I have great skills in all sorts of areas - I could probably get a minimum wage job, but we'd just loose the remaining tax credits £1 for £1 and according to the 'Entitled to' website I'd be working a 30 hour week for £50 profit...

I hope that doesn't come over as too bitter and twisted LOL! But what I am saying is that in this economic climate you need to have Plan B and Plan C as well....I'm personally on about Plan G at the moment!

All the Best


Kate

Primrose

katieowl - I don't know whether the websites below would be any help in trying to find some work but they might be worth checking out.
Some companies are happy to employ individuals with specific skills who need to work flexible hours:
. www.Remoteemployment.com, www.Job4mothers.com, www.WorkingMums.co.uk

mardatha

I agree Owl. Even at our advanced stage of life when you've plotted & schemed & planned, things pop out of the woodwork and ruin everything. I think you have to keep a bit of "one day at a time" in order to stay sane.
I'm having a horrible black day and I dono why. Using all my spare money to stock up at Costco seems stupid;buying my remoska & camp stove seems a huge waste of money; trying to cook after a lifetime of hating it seems futile; I need a hard OS shake I think !