If things get tougher?

FairyElephant_2

Been meaning to mention for ages - there is a really interesting book called 'Round about a pound a week' by Maud Pember Reeves.

It was first published in 1913, and was the results of a 5 year study of the 'poor' (but not the poorest) people of a certain district of London.
To read about how they managed to bring up their families in such terrible housing and on such little food etc. is a real eye-opener for us in our day & age. I grew up listening to my grandmother's stories of life during the wars, but even so this book was quite shocking in places. It is also amusing in parts, and paints a real picture of life at that time.

I have given it to my DSD (15) to read, and she is fascinated - shame I can't get the DSS's (13 & 17) to read it!

BARGAINHUNTER!

FairyElephant wrote: »

Been meaning to mention for ages - there is a really interesting book called 'Round about a pound a week' by Maud Pember Reeves.

It was first published in 1913, and was the results of a 5 year study of the 'poor' (but not the poorest) people of a certain district of London.
To read about how they managed to bring up their families in such terrible housing and on such little food etc. is a real eye-opener for us in our day & age. I grew up listening to my grandmother's stories of life during the wars, but even so this book was quite shocking in places. It is also amusing in parts, and paints a real picture of life at that time.


I have given it to my DSD (15) to read, and she is fascinated - shame I can't get the DSS's (13 & 17) to read it!

Ooh - thanks for the heads up on that book - I have just checked online at my central library and they have it in so in true money saving style I have reserved it for delivery to my local library for free!!!! I love reading books about what life was like in the olden days so if anyone can recommend any more please do so!!

ceridwen

Well.....theres "The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist" - think author was Robert Tressell - its a fiction book - but one of those that everyone needs to read at least once:cool:

zannie_2

Dont drink, Dont smoke Have a problem following cancer treatment which means I tend to get hot so this saves on bills. Paid my mortgage off, Good deal on my mobile have an old portable TV which is not heavy on electric. So why am I so short of money.
....used MSE spreadsheet and looked at total expenses over a year and It's simple I dont earn enough. only thing I can think of is get a second job or lodger. which is a bit depressing however I have found that by keeping a record of ALl I spend I tend to spend less - it really makes you aware of things you dont really need. Had this realisation today that only 100 of my favourite chocolate bars is £100 shocked me when I looked at it like that so I am gong to buy my chocolate at lidyl - its better choc anyway

Softstuff

zannie wrote: »

Dont drink, Dont smoke Have a problem following cancer treatment which means I tend to get hot so this saves on bills. Paid my mortgage off, Good deal on my mobile have an old portable TV which is not heavy on electric. So why am I so short of money.
....used MSE spreadsheet and looked at total expenses over a year and It's simple I dont earn enough. only thing I can think of is get a second job or lodger. which is a bit depressing however I have found that by keeping a record of ALl I spend I tend to spend less - it really makes you aware of things you dont really need. Had this realisation today that only 100 of my favourite chocolate bars is £100 shocked me when I looked at it like that so I am gong to buy my chocolate at lidyl - its better choc anyway

Might be worth posting up a list of your expenses and maybe a typical shopping list in a new thread? People here can find savings where you'd never think! And I'm a huge advocate of spending less to work less.

annie123

This thread is now 2 1/2 years old! well done to kittie for starting it, I have found it very useful

reading the first few pages I wondered if any of the posters had given up the things they said they would? and, if yes, has it helped?

Things seem to have got a lot tougher recently, (well they have in this household, dh now earns less than 15 years ago and I face redundancy at the end of september:eek: but thats another story) and we all seem to still find further things to cut back on....no caribbean winter holiday for me this year:rolleyes: maybe next year .................. well you never know :rotfl:

sb44

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

Hi SB44

With frozen milk we find it best to shake the bottle every time you go to use it -otherwise we think it seems a bit "thin" too ..but as long as we shake it -we can't tell the difference..In fact has anyone else found that once frozen and defrosted the milk seems to keep better than unfrozen? ours does

Flippin' eck! How thick am I, I never even thought about having to shake the damned bottle.

Doh!

Ta!

sb44

troo wrote: »

Ahhhhhh MRSMCAWBER you beat me to it

Thanks, shall def remember to shake the carton next time.

:rolleyes:

ceridwen

zannie wrote: »

Dont drink, Dont smoke Have a problem following cancer treatment which means I tend to get hot so this saves on bills. Paid my mortgage off, Good deal on my mobile have an old portable TV which is not heavy on electric. So why am I so short of money.
....used MSE spreadsheet and looked at total expenses over a year and It's simple I dont earn enough. only thing I can think of is get a second job or lodger. which is a bit depressing however I have found that by keeping a record of ALl I spend I tend to spend less - it really makes you aware of things you dont really need. Had this realisation today that only 100 of my favourite chocolate bars is £100 shocked me when I looked at it like that so I am gong to buy my chocolate at lidyl - its better choc anyway

That must be a very difficult situation to be in - one often finds that people complaining about shortage of money are doing things like smoking, having loads of children, buying a lot of consumer goods, running round in a car unnecessarily, etc, etc. But I can sympathise with someone who is "doing all the right things" and there still isnt enough money. Having been on the "dole" before now and found it was only just enough for a normal standard of living (if one excluded holidays) - and seen it cut a LOT since then - I know I would find it physically impossible to manage on it now (even though I am very good with money - so goodness knows how other people do). I am personally also scared of the "gap" there will be between my retirement (at 60) and the fact that my State Pension and Old Persons Tax Allowance wont start now till some time later (as I know that already - even though I will have a full job pension it wont be enough- so I fear having to go into the savings I will have to subsidise it - and that will mean I could end up losing my savings I will have there for ME and in case of expensive medical bills).

Someone who is doing everything they reasonably can to get a decent income and then genuinely doing everything they reasonably can to manage that money well is entitled to be aggrieved (more than aggrieved in fact...) if they still dont have enough money to live on. Why should you have to take a second job or a lodger? (and I'm speaking as someone who has done both those things before now - in fact I must have held the Guinness Book of Records for how many "second jobs" I had on top of my full-time job at one point).

Gawd - one shouldnt have to begrudge oneself a bar of chocolate for goodness sake! No matter how "simply" one lives - we are human and the least we are entitled to (if we are making a reasonable effort ourselves - as you clearly are) is a few small treats once in a while - and a reasonable social life (I notice you dont even seem to be having that - or have you got the type of social life that is largely free - yep, I know a lot about doing that one myself:D )

sammy_kaye18

That must be a very difficult situation to be in - one often finds that people complaining about shortage of money are doing things like smoking, having loads of children, buying a lot of consumer goods, running round in a car unnecessarily, etc, etc.

Lol = how dare you visit my village and not say hello ceridwen!

It really bugs me when you see people who are complaining about money but yet popping out babies left right and centre - i have a few friends who are pregnant and are only 21 and on their second or third kids with the idea that benefits will look after them/keep them fed etc. (dont get me wrong - if you have a genuine reason to be on benefits - then thats fair enough but the people im referring to have no interest in working, their partners dont work, they smoke like chimneys, drink every night etc but yet they are havign more babies)

Meanwhile Im struggling to get into a job that I hope will become a profession to give me and my little family a better quality of life (ie not living pay cheque to pay cheque and actually having extra money to have a treat every now and then) by getting into caring with the hope of completing a nursing degree. Fingers crossed I have a few promising looking ones around me but it really bugs me when people just cant be @rsed.