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

mardatha

I got a full M/C licence, but I dono if it covers quads !!

ceridwen

mardatha wrote: »

I got a full M/C licence, but I dono if it covers quads !!

- guess thats a motorcycle licence? Hmmm....okay-dokey...who knows if such a licence covers quadbikes then?

Magpye

You need a full car license to ride a quad on the road, not just a m/c license.

mardatha

Phew. Thanku god. Cos I dont fancy it anyway LOL my days of sitting in pelting rain are over !

meanmarie

Mardatha....all you need is to get to the bus stop....what about an electric bicycle? There would have to be somewhere you could safely leave it....I would hate to be depending on OH to collect me from anywhere....he would forget.

marie

Hardup_Hester

I needed to put petrol in the car today so went into Tesco, I went straight to the reduced section & I bought 24 finest chipolata sausages & some liver, 2 Value pork chops & a rolled breast of lamb £5.16.
The breast of lamb I shall stuff & cook, slice it up when it's cold & should get at least 2 roast dinners for each of us.
So I have enough for 18 portions of meat for £5.16.
Hester

mama67

kippers wrote: »

My mum and dad have both remarried so me and my DH have 3 sets of parentsthat all live only 20 mins away......they only come round if invited and only stay as long as they really have to and in 12 years they have only babysat approx 3 times between them. When my DD's were babies i really needed help as i found it hard but i never got any help.

I am so jealous that you have family that take care of you like this...you really must treasure them, you are so lucky

I lost both my mum (1988 i was 21)and dad (1994 i was 27) before the boys were born and Dhs parents were both in their late 70's so I never had any of that family help.
Boys now do not have any grandparents alive (dh mum passed in 2000 and dad in 2004)

Luckily I have friends who have travelled to help out when the boys were very small, otherwise we had to just muddle along best we could, with often one us staying with the boys.

gailey_2

Ahh im envious of all these fab reductions and making 18meals out of it .
I need to be more much better at stretching food.

Bit nervous this morning as hubby has important job interveiw.
If he gets it its 6grand payrise. worked it out yesterday its extra 300 or so amonth after deductions but will help bring us on even keel as some months running on 200quid defecit so will allow us to break even.

Once rent, bills, food, car paid for plus debts on top theres not much left no meat on the bone. We have no savings so if car breaks down and washing machine dies its all funded by credit card:o.

We would love to pay debts of at quicker rate.
I do my best to help by bringing in income through selling.
I go carboots and nearly new sales to get girls what they need.
Try to keep grocery costs down.

I dont think we can possibly get much more frugal.

So if he does get it wont be instantly better off but in few years such a good career opportunity will boost his earnings for future trying to see long term plan.

Im worried though about bills.

Energy was awful last winter need to bring that down.
November the 3rd rise in petrol gets added as its staggered.
jan-vat could increase petrol even more as talk of fuel escalater gone very quiet.
april- last year our council tax went up by 20quid a month seemed much higher than other counties.
April-lose tax credits and threshold revise its only 40quid but still a loss but trying to plan to bring in more income as you cant rely on anyone but yourselves.
Im pretty sure 1percent increase in vat for employees too which will hit us.
Fags hits hubby although hes tries to but cheap baccy from abroad.
Booze-we not big drinkers do like bottle of wine a week or odd beer ect.
Grocery will keep trying to reduce and stockpile.
Will keep batchcooking and makings reducing vat impact.
Xmas /birthdays buy 2nd hand, make and try hit sales.

Other news is

eldests getting new bed she needs as baby still in our bed refuses cot so can have daughters toddler bed:j
Babys 1 next month quite nervous putting her in own room although need yet another stairgate its like aprision in our house.
Shes desperatly trying to walk very sweet .

Eldests exited about new bed its the midsleeper white wood with tent and slide currently 300quid in argos im getting it for 40quid and shes delivering for free, only problem has no matress so need to work out where I can get a cheap single matress from.
Couldent fit anything big in our saloon car wish we had a hatchback miss out on so many bargains.

So both spare rooms getting new lick of paint and carpet cleaned.
Prefer to add colours and themes with accesories as kids tastes chaneg so quickly might attempt some homemade art work to brighten up their walls.

The baby will get the box room.
eldest back in playroom which says double bed but can fit bed in and not much else blooming hate room proportions in new builds.
With midsleeper we can put her toy kitchen underneath, hubby says shes nearly 5 too old lets get rid buts he still plays with it and baby will love it. its elc baby blue retro wood from elc sale with smeg fridge so at least it looks nice.

Do need to go dreaded shoe shopping might put that off until next week.

Got to pick up 2prams one to sell for profit and 1 for me as selling most of my buggies yes its mad hobby but makes me money so cant complain.

Theres nothing like picking up dirty rundown pram restoring it to former glory then selling small profit to someone on low income who needs its.

Sold mates double yesterday thankgod its huge , she lent it me bless her but dident want it back , dident want to post as too big .

Hoping to pay few bills this week as lots stacking up i know I can get them paid and trying not to stress too much.
Im babysitting on friday for one of eldests school freinds as her mams got hospital appointment.
Shes loaning some babystuff from loft so can save her bit of money.
Was bit shocjked when she sdaid she spends 400quid a month asda 2adults and 4year old.:eek:

Looks like rain here again quite depressing.
Hoping can go somewhere this afternoon have no idea where.
got soaked yesterday.
slowling running out of food thankgod for hm readymeals.

fri payday which means new grocery month for us so
might try farmfood first thing and the mobile butchers meat machine in pub carpark, then do co-op sunday for reductions, lidls, morriosions and perhaps sainsburys next week and leave some money in pot for milk, bread and reductions.

I keep running out of butter, flour and sugar so need to buy more.
Also should have brought more passata and tinned tomatoes.

Im stuck in rut too want to make meals that freeze nicely but hubbys fed up of spag bol and lasagne.

So will do chilli
beef stew
fishpie
shepards pie
susage casserole.

Any other ideas that can cook in one huge pot or dish and freeze.

kezlou

morning peeps, how are you all.

crickett sorry to hear about your OH is moving out. hope your feeling/ managing okay. You know where if want to rant/cry etc ((hugs))
spendless fantastic news!!
gailey fingers crossed for your OH today x

Today is gloomy and its going to lash down so going to be raiding the freezer again.
Yesterday we threw out/recycled so much stuff its unreal. Most of it couldn't be sold as it was just to scrappy. But at least were beginning to sort the house out finally.

Just received an email saying i have a new electricity bill - i'm not even going to look at it as its just going to make me cry.
Still have council tax to pay. Going to carry on with the curtains, doing the washing and sort through more things to sell on ebay. need to make some money badly.

Oh and on the aldi front - staff said they might be getting some dried milk back in stock next month.

now waiting for my leeks to come from ebay.

Grumpycupple

Just back from a family funeral that went as well as you would expect it to do. I am sick of going *home* for those events as it is always sad occasions.Anyway while we were down there we got invited to a niece's wedding so I am really needing some help as what to do for a wedding present.She has been living with her future husband for a while so they will probably have most of the household goods.I was thinking of making up a hamper for them but I am having a senior moment and cant think of what to put in it.

Help please ..........:A