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

calleyw

I know that people mentioned stocking up on certain items like UHT milk.

Just to let you know in my local Morrisons they had 1litre Value UHT and the date on it was 13th jan 2011.

I know some mentioned most supermarkets only had a Oct/Nov 2010 date.

HTH.

Yours

Calley

mardatha

I owe all this stuff to Kittie as well, I read her posts and she got me thinking. I wish she would keep in touch just now & then, you should never turn your back on old friends.

mardatha

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/Union-Calls-For-Poll-Tax-Style-Protests-Over-Governments-Public-Spending-Cuts/Article/201008115674956?lpos=Business_News_Your_Way_Region_7&lid=NewsYourWay_ARTICLE_15674956_Union_Calls_For_Poll_Tax-Style_Protests_Over_Governments_Public_Spending_Cuts

crickett1234

Thanks for that link Maradatha. It raised my blood pressure quite remarkably though.

I work in the public sector (as an accountant) and I am sick to death of telling people that the simple truth is that there is no money. Protesting about no payrises or public sector pensions being reduced or job losses or service cuts or whatever is just not going to work. There is no food in the cupboard, Mrs Hubbard.

My cynical mind is wondering if this is a ploy by the unions to bring down the coalition, force a general election and get Labour back in? Not that Labour is going to have any more money to play with of course, but there you have it.

Looks like the government is going to have to go old style as well!!

mardatha

I think the unions know they are paid to do a job and have to be seen doing it, or they will lose even more members But a tory govt is a red rag to a bull at the best of times. Added to the MPs expenses scandal and the banks, it doesnt bode well for a peaceful winter

BigMummaF

crickett1234 wrote: »

....the simple truth is that there is no money. Protesting about no payrises or public sector pensions being reduced or job losses or service cuts or whatever is just not going to work. There is no food in the cupboard, Mrs Hubbard....

Looks like the government is going to have to go old style as well!! That would be a first!

Personally, I think it has more to do with the ordinary Joe & Josephine being pig-sick of the Haves dictating what the Have-Nots are going to do, without making any visible attempt to lead by example It must be such a hardship to have to drive the same car for two years running & tell your children they won't be going skiing more than three times this year.

I already watch prices on absolutely everything I buy; I already use as many basic options in my grocery shop as I can; I already limit the time the hot water goes on; there IS nothing else I can cut back on as I don't smoke, can't recall the last time I went to the cinema & "eating out" usually involves a sausage roll out of a value pack while sitting in the car park, but that makes one less for tea.

I have only ever attempted to live within my means but have to now bail out the silly burgulers who had $$$ signs where common sense should have been & loaned far too much money to people who had no intention of repaying the debt. If they hold a protest for that, I'll be the one carrying the biggest banner telling the MPs where they can stick their stupid plans economic recovery!

lambanana

Hmmm...I don't like Sky News but did read that. I'm not sure what to think, I was too young to remember the Poll Tax riots specifically though my family were very involved in the left of politics so I do remember some of it. I also remember helping my mum sort out my toys and clothes to send to miners' families for the children during the strikes and I was taken on marches and protests. I'm quite worried about the prospect of strikes, I'm in a union and will support them but I simply can't afford to miss a day of work if they do go on strike. Fingers crossed they wont...they didn't strike last time other big public sector unions when on strike but I think they might if strikes happen again now it's a new government.

ginnyknit

I have to agree that the unions are a. having to prove their value for money and b. tory's are the sworn enemy.

We could well be looking at a winter of discontent - again. So at least us guys will be prepared for it! Fuel strikes equal low food stocks not just no petrol in the garages. As many people now are totally dependant on supermarkets they will be up s**t creek without a paddle

gailey_2

ceridwen wrote: »

This is a little tale that I've had running around in the back of my mind for some time and I found it on t'Web today and it seems a very apt "motto" for this thread:

http://simple-green-frugal-co-op.blogspot.com/2010/03/ant-and-grasshopper.html

I remembered this yesterday when I read with astonishment elsewhere of someone who is planning on taking on a long-term heavy financial commitment AND for a very expensive occasion despite being in debt and about to be made redundant:eek:.

I told myself "Always remember the ant...."

(nodding in "Hello" to Kitty - the original founder of the "Its still tough" threads - guess that makes us both ants then......).

On a - related - topic I'm currently following a mini-series on tv (courtesy of IpLAYER) OF "Amish: World's Squarest Teenagers" with interest - and I guess its a useful reminder that we don't HAVE to lead the same lifestyle of most of the people around us - there are other ways to be (not that I would want theirs exactly - all those children.....I wouldnt want to be a "baby machine" - or to have their lack of dental care evident from looking at some of their teeth). Food for thought though..

I been watching the amish thing on c4 very interesting see how they live they very old style as

make clothes
wash by hand
cook from scratch
build their own homes
produce their own food and milk
They use oil lamps I think so must have low utility bill dident see their ovens in detail.

I felt sorry for the girls who have little academic education.
They forbid to dance, perform in public or be an artist.

Also if you decide on different life you shunned by family so does not seem as caring christian ethos as you would think.
I dident realise they came from switzerland and I think they were either speaking dutch or german.

Would be more interesting if british teenagers went over to usa.

Thanks everyone for kid word re stepson was bit upset last night as thing been deterioting for a while now . I dont think the tuition was reason he wwent may have been part of it as he says hes does not want to learn anything in holidays hes no interest on learning or reading, has no hobbies, few freinds/social life , no sports so its hard to show him a good time we tried various activities but he always seems unhappy or bored.
Dont know what future hoods think break might be good his mams getting all chopsy but she knows what hes like and kidn of understands where we coming from.

Was hoping maybe beach today but weather quite bad.
Let hubby and eldest lie in until 9.30 the baby a very early riser.

Out of bread so off to bake another loaf and make some cakes.
want to get house decluttered and sorted next few weeks.

I knew the unions well principle is too be for greater good defending employees right but some of them so blooming militant and stubborn when I see the union leaders on tv I think they rubbish, look how long they dragged ba strike out for not getting taht if they destroy teh company no one will have jobs, not all employees supoorted it and virgin get much less in pay and benefits.

Some jobns in public sector very well paid and their benefits package in terms of sick,maternity even flexi working in nhs seems much more favourable than private.
Even unskilled low skilled workers get more, use dto be private care assistant on min wage council homes got 3quid more per hour.
Mates hubby works warehouse nhs 7.30-4.30weekedays 16half grand thats what I easrnt as deputy manager often putting in 50hour weeks as you had to show drive to get promoted and wage budget was tight.

When private companies do badly we took pay freezes which really was a pay cut, hubby lost the bonus scheme last year but we accept we lucky to have a job, job security in priavte sector bad and agency work quite soul destroying at times.

Lots of people in manufacturing willingingly took paycut, went down to 4days weeks and temporay shutdown so no one actually lost their jobs yet public sectors alright if they alright.Im not saying all public sector workers dont care as some are very low paid for the jobs they do but those i middle or tops jobs much better off.

Cant belive how sickness is managed. freinds hubby been sick so much he would of been sacked in priavte, he gets full pay too where as common in retail fisrt 3days not paid, paid for so long before switches to statutory.

Couldent believe my other mate a primary teacher said some of teh older teachesr go off work related stress or back hard to prove can get upto ayears pay in sick then come back for 1week and then get entitled to another year before they take early retirement.

I think there is alot of waste and oldstyle government sounds good if we all tightening belts they should to.
I know some people are skeptical that only spending money gets results but take for example building schools for future programme.

granted some schools need repairs or refreshing.
But trend here is knock down school build shiney new building rename in an academy but hasent done much to raise standards.
Surly the head and the teachings more important than a shiny new building. One of my local secondary has had its rebuild cancelled but looking at its its fine and they get good results cant see how its over detrimental to teaching.

I think labour loved knocking things down building shiney new hospitals that had less capacity of beds, centralising healthcare into superhospitals against locals wishes and building new schools ect maybe to show off that the materialistic act of spending money and building is their legacy without a thourght to how we would pay for it even pre crash we run at large defecit.

Like the idea that someone at top can not be paid 20times more money that those at bottom and Im sure that was tory policy not lib dems.

Like fact they straightalking and honest with journalsits.

Like fact they being brave and thinking radical sometimes taking unpopular decisions.

Not sure of strikes happen winter but suspect near april when cuts bite unions be all over tv bleating on about how hard done by they are.

The_Thrilla

crickett1234 wrote: »

Thanks for that link Maradatha. It raised my blood pressure quite remarkably though.

I work in the public sector (as an accountant) and I am sick to death of telling people that the simple truth is that there is no money. Protesting about no payrises or public sector pensions being reduced or job losses or service cuts or whatever is just not going to work. There is no food in the cupboard, Mrs Hubbard.

I am glad to see this coming from a public sector worker. Ideally about 90% of public sector jobs will have to go. As the recession deepens, people will not be able to afford to pay for these public sector workers, their index-linked pensions and their pork barrel projects. Furthermore, because there are now so many of them, the workforce has been spread too thin. About thirty or forty years ago, most of the current civil servants would never have got into the civil service because they would have failed the entrance exam. I am pursuing a case at the moment against the tax office, because some moron couldn't do a simple addition/subtraction sum that I could do when I was 8 years old - maybe 7 years old. They shouldn't be in the civil service. They're just not good enough. (Present company excepted of course.)

Crickett1234 wrote:

My cynical mind is wondering if this is a ploy by the unions to bring down the coalition, force a general election and get Labour back in? Not that Labour is going to have any more money to play with of course, but there you have it.

I would agree with Mardatha that they are looking after their members' interests and their own. I am surprised that so many people voted Labour at the last election - and this from someone who has always voted Labour...until the last election. I had just had a gutful of the last government fleecing the taxpayer while step-by-step turning the UK into a giant Japanese prisoner-of-war camp.

Crickett1234 wrote:

Looks like the government is going to have to go old style as well!!

The sooner the better. The monthly budget is still not balanced. And, as an accountant, you will know that the only way the government will balance the budget is with inflation aka quantitative easing.