please help, life has never seemed so bad...

Wee_Jo

pocketshell wrote: »

Hi Bargainbetty
thank you for your shopping tips, I really do need somewhere to start!!! Went shopping yesterday and tried to buy dinner cheaply and I'm not good at it! spent some time on the threads yesterday and realise I dont plan anything, I end up in the shops every day and it drives me mad. I wasn't always like this but since money has got tighter I found it harder to do a big shop so ended up just going and getting what we 'needed'!! This afternoon if its quiet here I'm going to plan a menu then look at whats needed. xx

Hi pocketshell,

Just thought I'd check in with you and see how you're doing today. :wave: Saw your post above about meal planning and shopping - this has actually become one of my favourite thrifty bits! The Old Style Money Saving board gives some great tips on meal plans and recipes and I am happy to share mine with you and any recipes (I do a fair bit in bulk over the weekend - mostly because I revel in the angelic glow I get afterwards though hubby and friends hate the smug smile!) - I can PM them to you if you would like. I love cooking and find it very therapeutic. Not everyone does, but I think when you get a wee routine going and some quick, easy and cheap recipes going, it become more enjoyable.

As for cutting costs on your shopping bills - I find mysupermarket.com is really handy as I can go on and compare prices between the big four supermarkets. I write out my meal plans (you know my love of lists!), then go through each meal and my kitchen to figure out what I need. The I go on the the above website and check out the deals at the different stores. I think this week I am going to give Asda a go as they've got some great offers on at the moment. :money:

I have also being doing the Drop a Brand challenge, and that combined with planning my meals has dropped my weekly shopping bill from £65-70 down to around £35. :T

Anyway, just some of my little musings for this morning. Hope you're doing okay.

Jo

pocketshell

Hi LL
the talk with the kids really helped so thank you for that, my daughter went out and got an interview for some PT work yesterday afternoon so fingers crossed for her!!
I have too many things going on in my head atm and need to prioritise, I'm flitting from one to the other and getting a bit panicky (understatement!!) need to make a list of all the possible stuff to do. I really want to have a go at the boot sales or ebay, actually the latter frightens me as I have no computer skills at all and my last attempt to sell something on there resulted in me owing them £40 -nutter!!

I also need to close down my business and am panicing about that, just need to do it but I don't want to cope with the whole told you so remarks people give you when you fail, but I'm sure if I wasnt here I could get on with sorting stuff out better. Can't decide if to have a huge half price sale or just to try to sell my stuff on ebay. These things need doing though before I start contacting banks etc though as I may raise some money to pay stuff off.

also thinking about our house, its far too big for us and I hate it here. having feelings like it might be an idea to sell, pay off some debts and rent for a while until we recover, that thought is becoming more appealing actually!! oh, too much to think about, need to deal with a thing at a time!!

well done for sorting out your credit agreements btw, hope that will be me soon xx

pocketshell

Hi 3dogs
thank you so much for that, I really do admire all you people who shop so well for so little, if I'd been doing this all this time reckon I'd be sat on a fortune, so much wasted cash!!
I'm still working on my OH, hope I can get through to him, caught him last night talking to our neighbour about going on holiday!! Trying my best not to scream! xx

pocketshell

Hi savingwannabe
thank you for your post, Anns thread is so inspiring!! Hoping to get myself more organised and make progress with this. Sorry to hear about your illness and part time situation, hope things are ok for you atm xx

pocketshell

Hi debtfreewannabee
thank you for your post, fantastic that you have taken these steps!! I am preparing myself to do this atm and its not easy so well done!!! Really want to sort this lot out and knowing that I'm not alone means so much. Need to take the next step but would seriously like my OH to be there with me, going to give him a little while to come round before I talk to someone, I know I don't have long xx

pocketshell

Hi Jo
I would really appreciate any info you have about planning and recipes if its not too much trouble, as you will have guessed by now I'm an absolute div at budgeting! xx

Wee_Jo

No probs! Is there anything that you or your family really hate? Money saving on food is great, but there's no point in making stuff that nobody wants to eat just because it's cheap!! :rotfl:

pocketshell

Hi Jo

we eat most foods so any info would be appreciated, thank you !!!

Mazzy_2

Hi Pocketshell, just wanted to say hi, as we are in a very similar position as you, I have in fact just posted my first thread on this forum this morning, so have been reading this and just wanted to say hello to a fellow newbie. :wave:

Also thanks to everyone for all the great tips too. :T

pocketshell

Hi Mazzy
thanks for posting, so good to know there's not just me in this state, felt so much better just talking about my mess. just going over to your thread now, speak later xx