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

jackieglasgow

Morning All, I am on a mega thrift drive from here on in, I have been a bit too relaxed about my GC and general spends, so the purse strings are being well and truly pulled in August. I am going back to living as if we have no money, as I need to get some savings by us, I am worried about the winter bills, and at the momant we only have the one car, so I need to keep it on the road, and there's not much in the car moneypot at the moment. I will also need new boots this winter, as will the kids no doubt, and I have been losing weight so a winter coat will feature too, and I want to be organised for Christmas. It's DS1's birthday in October, and I want to get him lego for that and Christmas in the Boots 3 for 2 toy sale, which usually starts mid September, I would like to get the stuff before it sells out this year. I also have several nephews and nieces to shop for, and although I would like to do them each a basket, I don't trust my own organisation skills.

I have been reading the buying vs renting debate with some interest, some people with very strong opinions in here. You don't need to be poor to rent a council house, what a terrible misconception. And as someone (can't remember who, sorry) so rightly said, a lot of people do so because they have strong political views about it, which is something I lean towards myself. I also can't believe people honestly think others should be turfed out of their homes, which they will have cherished maintained to a certain extent and possibly paid more for in rent that lots of people with mortgages, simplt because they are too big for their "needs". What business is that of anyone else's? Someone's home is their home, whether they own the bricks and mortar or not. Sorry for the rant by that really made my blood boil. Fair enough, deal with anti social neighbours etc., and ask people if they would consider downsizing, but you cannot or should not force someone who has been a good tennant to leave their home because someone else wants it. I am really shocked by that.

icelandic_queen

Thanks everyone for your kind words. I got really emotional yesterday remembering what she had done! I had got on quite well with her up until then but I didn't realise she was laughing at me. Anyway onwards and upwards! No Farmfoods here in Northern Ireland and I'm really jealous of all your bargains!! Just off out to our local market and I'm going to buy one of those trendy pull along trolleys. My kids are mortified and are refusing to walk beside me!! Let's see if they change their minds after they've carried 4/5 bags each, cos I tend to get a bit carried away at the market!

gailey_2

Crickett sorry you having bad time what a expensive naughty cat you have.
Never rains but it ours some months.
Trams sounds cheaper than first buses here they such a rip off.

I think farmfoods might have started in southwest but I only know of 2branches and neither very close to me 1 is 20mins drive on good day my mate shops there as her and her hubby live of frozen hoping she change now she got new kitchen.

ceapest for milk round here was iceland at 1quid but gone up to 1.09
lidls 1.09 but was 2 for 2quid last time in so brought 6
local booker has 8pints for 2.50 which is better value still than buying 6pints from sainsburys/co-op.

No homebargains we have poundstretcher which does tiny amounts of food but better for household.

Savers and superdrug ok for toilitries although supermarket and boots can work out cheaper.

wilkos here is big and has food section but rarly go as 2buses for me.

It takes time to shop around I can easily get to tesco metro, tesco extra, morrisions, lidls, sainsburys, co-op and iceland.
Waitrose, farmfoods and asda much harder.

Wales used to have fantastic markets miss that here.
centre has weekly farmers market but tends to be pricey organic.
There is a small market near ikea but does not look huge.
Couple of greengrocers round here quite competative compared to big 4 but most produce at lidsl.
We have big travelling butchers meat machine outside local pub which is fairly cheap.

I dont go on my supermarket but i get flyers for most of them in local rag which sometimes draws me in.

well day 2 of stepson already arguing with daughter.
taking them park, plum picking and lidls later that be a hoot.
Hes announced hes vegetarian good for me as cheaper but when will you miss kebab hes not religious about it so dont think he is veggie.
I was veggie from 13-21 veggies food improved so much still eat lot of veggie as meat so pricey.

weather not too sure what will happen.
lots of housework.
more cooking as still panicing we not got enough to last until 15th

Anyone tried bubble and squeek dont know what how went wrong but when fried turned mushy dident hold shape or brown despite dipping in flour.
cooked 5 and wrapped in foil and froze but still got 2more cabbages to use up dont want them to go waste.

Prudent

boultdj wrote: »

It's a real shop not sure how far north/south they go 'cause I'm in the midland's and I use FF weekly for bread/milk

They are in Scotland too

Prudent

Gailey if can get to Morrisons they have a 2l milk for 50p just now. It has a purple top.

thriftmonster

Icelandic Queen - don't know if you're near E Belfast but Ikea have nice trolleys for about £17 - cheaper than Lakeland, Rolser etc. And I've seen a few people with them now - not just me!!!!

Prudent

Morning everyone . I had a lovely start to the morning with a 3 mile walk around a local dam. It was very peaceful. Sometimes its just nice to listen to the bird song. I have had my bowl of porridge and am off to start reading through the diet threads as I have no clue about what I am going to eat. Like Jackie, I need to make August a really frugal month. July got a bit out of control because I had an endless list of jobs that cost - boiler service, dental treatment, haircut etc , a two week holiday and them my sister came to stay. Plus it worked out at a five week month for pay

I am really hoping the diet thread has some good ideas for dieting on the cheap. At least while the weather is ok, I can get out and walk for exercise.

narabanekeater

oh dear not a good start to the day DH car insurance has rocketed to almost £600 due to someone running into us last year. Id gladly get rid of the car but he drived 30+ miles a day to work and I dont drive. Ive got a few wash loads to do today and im popping out to see a friend who sadly lost her FIL yesterday. Dinner is already planned so hopefully a nice relaxing day. I hope you all have one too

jackieglasgow

Have you tried elephant and money supermarket Naran? That's a huge price hike.

kezlou

hi peeps, thanks for all your kind words yesterday, really cheered me up. Like i say i was very emotional yesterday and i shouldn't have ranted on here as its not fair on all of you.

Hows the gc going muffinman?

Icelandic queen thats awful what your SIL darn right i would retorted back to her what you said. The cheeky get:mad: some people.

crickett you've had a month like me, my bank balance + over draft is almost gone think i have £10 left of the overdraft so will do us. Have you tried your local market for material. The one i go to sells remnants for £1. I managed to get 4 yards for £1 on tuesday.

I don't really use farmfoods, my partner tends to go there on the odd occasion with his workmate, on they way back home. But the frozen berries are great, lots of different varieties for cheap.

My boys are back today :j:j:j:j so chuffed , we have missed them so much. They should be back for about 4pm tonight, so i've defrosted the mussels and sausages for them. So they'll be chuffed about that.

Just read about the coming winter and my god does it look bad. I know that were currently going through a period of global dimming and a combination of volcanic ash it looks like a bad winter for us again. So i'm going to stock up on dried milk and dried foods again like last years. Its quite cold here today, very unusual for august, its 15oC brrr.

So going to finish my cuppa and sort the house out.