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

EstherH

Primrose wrote: »

I have to confess that I can't even tell the difference between a designer handbag and one bought for a tenner in the local market, so it would be a pretty pointless activity spending hundreds of pounds on one!

Always thought it was just me.

katiegizmo

Jo_Rourke wrote: »

Probably not, Katie - if the MSE boards have taught me anything it's that often the people that look like they're not skint who are (in secret) the skintiest of all!! :eek:

true... but it still feels that way! One day though, we will be the ones with mortgage paid off / enough savings to feel secure for life etc etc

Plus, my mum has always said my parents poorest years were the most fun as they found things to laugh about in the oddest places. So in the future that will be us looking back with a smile!

Wee_Jo

katiegizmo wrote: »

true... but it still feels that way! One day though, we will be the ones with mortgage paid off / enough savings to feel secure for life etc etc

Plus, my mum has always said my parents poorest years were the most fun as they found things to laugh about in the oddest places. So in the future that will be us looking back with a smile!

I agree with your Mum, Katie! I really love the challenge now of saving money where I can, getting good deals on things and being as OS as I can!

mardatha

My god you lot can talk ! I myself am very wee and quiet.. I have not said a word all day. :A
Actually I've been knitting my first xmas sock and floating around youtube watching videos on hand spinning. One lovely one of a wee navajo granny, filmed at a trading post on the Navajo Nation.
Meanwhile back to reality -BBC Scotland wittering on about cuts to come and its going to be hard.

Wee_Jo

mardatha wrote: »

My god you lot can talk ! I myself am very wee and quiet...

Nonsense! You've been out hunting hogs, haven't you???

exlibris

Re: Loo rolls. I have been buying Charmin or whatever it is called now but thought I would change brands to experiment.

Andrex quilts - supposedly 'now softer' rather harsh on my bot have piles -too much info
Tesco luxury soft - my fingers went through it!!!

So back to the original and look for it on offer.

Gigervamp

Jo_Rourke wrote: »

Nonsense! You've been out hunting hogs, haven't you???

And snaffling pink sheep! :rotfl:

kezlou

mardatha you quiet never! would never have believed it.
thanks silvercharming and alec think she's just comfortable rather than insensitive. i was just very emotional earlier and last night, you see i speak her frugality etc but only if she asks me. I never just go on about it i mean why should i its the lifestyle i've chosen and i wouldn't want to impress it on anyone else. But if someone asks me something then i oblige to the best of my ability.
Maybe she thought because i speak to her about it, i tell everybody else about it, i.e shouting from the roof tops, but i don't.
I just shouldn't get so upset over nothing.


alec about of people telling you stuff,bleeding heck i must be the ultimate informer, i get random strangers telling stuff who i meet in the bus. some the things i've heard are unreal. Especially when husband and wife asking me stuff individually about how to get certain ifkim from certain shops and i'm like piggy in the middle:rotfl: but sometimes its just so funny.

gailey_2

Grumpycupple wrote: »

Dont go Nice bunch on here honestly.

Sainsburys value fair trade are much better price wise and IMO much better tasting.

I just remembered this morning what we do when buying coffee. Turn the jars upside down to see which is the fullest :rotfl:

As for designer bags well I never fell for that one. I mostly use a rucksack that was bought in Asda for a fiver 10 years ago.It was I think one of my better buys. I trawl charidee shops for little dress bags and then there are always markets where if I actually need one I will buy from there.

OMG not a full jar coffee in every jar:eek:will be looking very closly next time shopping and staff thinking me nuts for turning them all upside down.

I been noticing rises in lots of basic and own brand goods in sainsburys latly was gutted when bog roll rose by 23p.
Noticed few other things hubby thourght I lost the plot but occasionally buy odd jar pasta or curry sauce sainsburys own brand was 85p fab price as reall chunky peaces anyway they relaunched it as great value 1pound. Iceland do same people phychologically see everythinsg rounded up to quid and think they getting bargain when in fact its less product or more expensive than it was before.

As ex supermarket manager they have something called price establishment period they have to raise price of item sell at that price before so long before they can then say its on sale or offer much of its a con.
I guess in asdas case never worked for them but they constantly rolling back prices my bet is lots rolled foward then rolled back again quite frequently.

Silvercharming ignore freind its her hangup not yours.
My mam does same when we see people ohh gailey cooks from scratch you know like its a miracle.

I do cruise charity shops but find some quite pricey as im used to carboot prices.

Nothing makes me happier than taking tenner to carboot and coming home with bargains most of it we need.

I admit im ex handbag addict but nevr brought designer was partial to monsoon and debehams.
now its more primark occasionally tk max have lovley leather bags cheap.
I have a fake louis vuiton bag from corfu was 15quid everytime I use it people think its real and im rich find it ammusing.
I do like certain brands for kids but buy 2nd hand off ebay, carboots occasionally sales and outlet village.

live a lotto for a little:D

occasionaly I go in posh department stores here sniff and stroke the lovley bags but they glorified art work to me now:rotfl:

Mardartha random scottish related question as other day they were discussing on andrew marr how bbc could save money and wondered how popular bbc alba is do many speak gailic up there.

im from south wales and speak very bad welsh , north wales they fluent so guess s4c some benefit .Mma used to watch poblycwm with subtitles then tell me to turn telly up but most welsh programming was strange smurfs in welsh even weirder.

Im stressing today as trying to do too much cooking.
need to go supermarket get few bits but only got a fiver but hoping lots of reductions after 4.
Debating to buy or make bread as unlikly i be able to buy everything I want to.

stepsons over tonight for week now panicing we not got enough food in house fridge is slowly getting bare mainly due to xmas batchcooking and freezing.

Running out of things to hide cabbage in and got 2more to use.

Freezers looking good mostly frozen fruit and veg with lots of readymeals only problem is stepson so blooming fussy he drives me mad.
still got crisps there and squash just need to bake more biscuits and cakes.
I dont want to go shopping gain until payday on 15th so seems long time away and as hubbys on holiday we eat more.

getting impatiant over tomatoes in garden.
Want to pick lots more plums
getting exited about blackberries.:j

muffin_man_7

i wish i had someone to share info with not many people understand its not always by choice we all money save all the time just for different reasons some save for a holiday(what's one of them then) some for day out some to redecorate and maybe new furniture some of us don't have a choice even just basics take us over our limit and kids just don't listen when you say no. Its not that you don't want to say yes you genuinly can't cos you just don't have it i think it would be much easier if all kids had to learn about cost of bills food etc they might realise then if they really want something then they have to save and maybe going without they might realise the difference between NEED and WANT i don't know anyone by me that's into money saving keep hoping one day till then at least i got you guys/gals to talk to need a lot of help this week dam rain set me back off an cant lift or bend to good oh well that in itself will cut shop down whats that saing every cloud has a silver lining i wonder rain=bad back= less shopping=money saving yep def a silver lining and just when need it most kezlou keep your tips coming i really do appreciate them all tips help even if you already know them they are like memory joggers and we can all benifit from them