It's STILL tough and not getting better - so how are we coping?

wigglebeena

I'd like to announce I have a flower on one of my tomato plants. Yay me! I feel like a proud mum. Awaiting a whopper harvest now!

ifonlyitwaseasier

howdy peeps,

well ok update on me and OH,
still living at the folks house, no chance we're moving for at least another year, which i have to admit is doing my head in but i know we are very lucky to have hads this option as we'd have got 0pts from the council.
i'm now working for the NHS, in a dept where luckily theres always going to be the need for staff, just basic admin stuff but it's a job!!!!!!!
my savings are gradually going up, mainly cos we need to have money for the mot/car tax/repairs etc etc so i'm trying to have it saved so we don't use credit for it, especially as we are desperately trying to pay off everything

well thats about it, nothing major nothing exciting

just glad i'm in it with all of you and we'll be able to keep up the good chat here, it really does inspire me sometimes

ioiwe x

crickett1234

I was always scared of the old thread, if I am honest, and tried to post a couple of times but didn't. However, with the new thread, I can now de-lurk!

Reading through all these posts, I am profoundly grateful that myself and my DH are in the position we are. Both of us are in full time work on good salaries. Both of us have had some occasions when it was a bit dicey re our jobs, but we got through them and are still okay. But those occasions where your heart is beating a little quicker and you are thinking this could be the time... well, it makes you realise that there is no such thing as a job for life.

Our household is interesting when it comes to managing money. I was raised in a house where if you had money, you spent it because you never knew the next time there would be any. My husband was raised in a house where you lived on the least amount possible and saved, saved, saved. You would think that would make finances a nightmare, but actually it works well because we balance each other out. I am an accountant by profession, so I told DH when he moved in that i did not want to do all the finances at home as well as doing them all the time at work as well. DH is very capable of doing them himself anyway (he came out of university with a bank balance, rather than a bank imbalance like the rest of us mere mortals!! ) and over the 9 years we have lived together, he has totally changed my way of managing my personal money. ie... I actually have some!

What I want to do is go back to being more OS in my way of living, not just in saving money. It is time for me to stop the acquisitive behaviour and begin to live a life instead.

This thread has already inspired me. I look forward to it continuing to do so.

[Deleted User]

Re the washing up liquid, does it really work out that much cheaper? No offence intended, just wondering if it's worth the time and effort....! (and the flack I'll inevitably get from OH for having gallons of gloopy stuff hanging around the house!)

BB[/QUOTE]

I know how you feel. For just a small saving, or if it doesn't do the job, then it isn't worth it. However, this is so cheap and quick to make that I do think it is worth it.

We made up 1 litre this morning and used

Mr A soda crystals @91p 2 teaspoons = 3p
Mr A 3 bar pack toilet soap @13p 2 teaspoons grated = 1p
Water boiling = 1p
vinegar (I used lemon juice instead)@13p bottle = under 1p

Total 6p per litre

Taking into account we will use a bit more, say double, our litre of washing up costs approx 12p Supermarket liquid costs around £1.40 per litre or more.
That makes a saving of £1.28 per litre!
BTW, instead of soap flakes we grated the Mr A soap. It grated very quickly and easily
Performance.
It looks like slightly soapy water and is not gloopy like the famous laundry gloop.we only made up a litre and are keeping it in large jam type jar with lid on, beside the sink.
It smells rather pleasant and when you pour it into the bowl it feels pleasant - not slimy. Obviously it doesn't foam up like factory produced stuff. It cleaned very well and removed grease easily from the dishes. It didn't leave sticky or soapy residue on the dishes and generally I felt it performed just as well as shop bought. My hands felt nice and soft afterwards.
Environmental issues are also a factor in making our own.

Give it a go
Lesley :j
Embarrassed to admit that our WUL has now gone officially gloopy! We have had to reduce the amount of soap quite drastically. It also began to leave slight film on glass-ware, so although we are experimenting to get it right, anyone who has got it right is welcome to share it with us lol.

Primrose

For Mardatha and everybody who's got a rant about th einefficiencies and problems in the public services or other governement departments, I've just discovered a website which enables the public to voice their feelings: http://spendingchallenge.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ You can go onto the site, give yourself a user name and throw in as many good, practical ideas as you can think of for reducing the cost of public services or making them more efficient and effective. . There appear to be various Departmental headings under which you can place your ideas. So for example, Mardatha, could include her ideas about changing nursing shifts to help reduce the cost of agency nurses, etc. I haven't had time to investigate the site in much detail - that would take as long as it would to negotiate this "It's tough now" thread but a lot of people seem to be throwing in their "threepennyworth".

[Deleted User]

silvercharming wrote: »

These are the recipes I use:

Soap powder:
4 parts soap flakes
3 parts soda crystals
2 parts bicarbonate of soda

Mix well and use 2 teaspoons per load. MUST use HM softener with it to ensure soap residues are removed. (I adapted this recipe from one that used borax as you can't get it any more).

Softener/Conditioner
2 parts water
1 part white vinegar
A few drops of eucalyptus oil (59p in home bargains).

Mix well together and use a small splash per load. Mixing with the water instead of using a neat capful of vinegar ensures that it is properly distributed in the laundry. Ignore the recipes that use vinegar and bicarb together - they react and form sodium acetate, which has no laundry use whatsoever!

Washing Up Liquid
2tsp soap flakes
2tsp soda crystals
2tsp vinegar
a few drops of eucalyptus oil
Top up with boiling water and leave to cool. Use a few drops at first, adding more if needed.

Worktop & Bathroom Cleaner
Use the softener recipe, but put it in a spray bottle Antibacterial and no need to rinse. Use to clean the loo with a bit of elbow grease

Kitchen and Degreasing Cleaner
Use the washing up liquid recipe in a spray bottle - needs rinsing. Follow with worktop and bathroom cleaner for added antibacterial action!

Floor Cleaner
2 tbsp soda crystals
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
few drops of eucalyptus oil
Dissolve everything in a kettle of boiling water and use immediately. Slosh down the loo after use and let sit for a while - brings the bowl up sparkling for zero effort

Scouring powder
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
Umm... that's it

Fridge freshener
Store your scouring powder in the fridge

HTH!

Thanks for sharing all your lovely recipes:A Do you know of one for a gentle, softening hair condtioner?

Hippeechiq

silvercharming wrote: »

These are the recipes I use:

Soap powder:
4 parts soap flakes
3 parts soda crystals
2 parts bicarbonate of soda

Mix well and use 2 teaspoons per load. MUST use HM softener with it to ensure soap residues are removed. (I adapted this recipe from one that used borax as you can't get it any more).

Softener/Conditioner
2 parts water
1 part white vinegar
A few drops of eucalyptus oil (59p in home bargains).

Mix well together and use a small splash per load. Mixing with the water instead of using a neat capful of vinegar ensures that it is properly distributed in the laundry. Ignore the recipes that use vinegar and bicarb together - they react and form sodium acetate, which has no laundry use whatsoever!

Washing Up Liquid
2tsp soap flakes
2tsp soda crystals
2tsp vinegar
a few drops of eucalyptus oil
Top up with boiling water and leave to cool. Use a few drops at first, adding more if needed.

Worktop & Bathroom Cleaner
Use the softener recipe, but put it in a spray bottle Antibacterial and no need to rinse. Use to clean the loo with a bit of elbow grease

Kitchen and Degreasing Cleaner
Use the washing up liquid recipe in a spray bottle - needs rinsing. Follow with worktop and bathroom cleaner for added antibacterial action!

Floor Cleaner
2 tbsp soda crystals
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
few drops of eucalyptus oil
Dissolve everything in a kettle of boiling water and use immediately. Slosh down the loo after use and let sit for a while - brings the bowl up sparkling for zero effort

Scouring powder
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
Umm... that's it

Fridge freshener
Store your scouring powder in the fridge

HTH!

What a fabulous post silvercharming - thank you very much

I've never made home-made anything, so I could do with an idiots guide

For example, for the washing up mixture, when you say "top up with boiling water", how much would that be? Are you making a pint, ½ a pint? More? I can't quite visualise what I'm going to end up with IYKWIM and can any essential oil be used?

mardatha

I personally will stick to lavender or teatree, because they are anti bacterial. I will try this next - the yoghurt has gone to my head

ginnyknit

mardatha wrote: »

I personally will stick to lavender or teatree, because they are anti bacterial. I will try this next - the yoghurt has gone to my head

I hope not literally! yoghurt shampoo?

floss2

ifonlyitwaseasier wrote: »

....i'm now working for the NHS, in a dept where luckily theres always going to be the need for staff, just basic admin stuff but it's a job!!!!!!!

Ooh, do tell - are you working with midwives or the morgue?!