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

Prudent

Spendless wrote: »

School summer fayre today and for the first time they ran a 2nd hand school uniform stall. Brilliant idea, I both donated stuff that mine have otugrown and bought in a new size, 1 skirt, 1 trousers (both M & S) i cardi, 1 school logo'd jumper and 2 gingham summer dresses all in brilliant condition cost me all of £3. :money:

That is a brilliant idea. I teach in a large scool and bits of the uniform are expensive. Will put the idea to the PSA when we go back after the summer

lilac_lady

ginnyknit wrote: »

Sparrer there is a saying about being good to yourself, cos no one else will be and its so true

Ginny, you brought back memories. My mother used to tell me that often. She wasn't keen on my fiance so looking back it was her way of telling me. I got married to him but regretted it. She was correct!

I'm happy now and live in the moment as much as I can.

Ps - Sparrer - go for it. You're only here once (that you can remember!)

Topher

Does anyone here remember a T.V. show called Bazaar? I think its where I first came across Shirley Goode. I became a housewife and mother in 1983, and it was one of the first daytime T.V. shows created especially for the NEW idea of daytime T.V. It also coincided with a bad recession. (I kept a page out of my diary from one of those years showing what your mortgage would be with certain interest rates and they included 16% as an interest rate.!!!)
Anyway, there was a feature on a woman who's husband was in and out of work, so she had the habit of preparing for lean times. One of her tips was collecting household paint, because she felt that refreshing a particular room or two helped her to feel less hard done by. Another feature was from some army wives who demonstrated how to put on a duvet cover in seconds, and as I said Shirley Goode did her black belt money saving in the kitchen.
There were a few books published associated with the programme. To be honest the latest recession hasn't really bitten at our house, but with my job now on the line and my husband having done only one year's paid work as part of his degree course, plus my son having been out of work for over a year since his employer's company folded, we're getting ready for a really lean couple of years, and did some careful spending this year. (Replacing a bathroom floor covering that's been concrete for the last 9 years.... ) and some gradual changes to the kitchen, (half 1940s recovered "treasures", half IKEA) I wish something like Bazaar existed now. Money watch has been quite good, but not as informative as this board on the day to day job of existing.
T

Grumpycupple

silvercharming wrote: »

I know what you mean JackieO. Has anyone been following the whole secretly poor/secretly rich saga on the discussions board? I had to stop because it all left a bad taste in my mouth. There are a lot of people more interested in wallowing in self-pity than in doing anything practical to help their situations, and an awful lot more that are always ready to make sweeping generalisations about others and congratulate themselves over their decisions, or worse over what mere mortals would consider luck or fate. It sent me scurrying back over here for cover, where we aren't bothered who you are or what you've got, so long as you're interested in saving a bit of jingle



Well... I've got to be honest, I've no idea if my bread keeps or not as we've never been in a position to investigate :rotfl: I tend to make biscuits and cakes in small batches and freeze them where possible, but I do give a fair few away to neighbours as well. For me, it's not all about money, it's also about knowing exactly what goes in to them. If I can't actually make them healthy, I can at least make them less unhealthy

In the Eighties MPH baked the most fabulous bread. He was famous for it and some of the neighbours actually bought it. We also swapped/bartered other baked stuff and skills.

Now could I ask for some help for a recipe for piccallili. MPH said earlier that he loved it and I would love to surprise him with a jar or two. I will have to find a recipe for elderberry cough mixture too as the elder is getting chopped down to a more manageable size.

Aril

I appreciate that for many buying shoes is going to be difficult. I found this site that seems to have some good linesat reasonable prices particularly if you have a wider foot and there is no p&p
https://www.wynsors.com
Hope it is of some use to someone
Aril

gailey_2

Thank you everyone for being so kind.

Had fab day hubby gave me lie in, brekkie in bed, then he did unthinkable took daughter to birthday party by himself, we then went out for cheap pub lunch and met my best mate there.

popped in sainsburys and got cheap beer 8bottles for 3quid tasty stuff so planning night in in front of tv when finally manage to get kids to sleep.

hubby bless him tired out and already asleep.

got 2jaimie oliver cookbooks off hubby as well as new kitchen stuff jaimies america is incredible price of 6quid now and its hardback edition. Also got jaimie does do love his books and cook lot of his recipies managed to find couple at carboot for 3quid each was chuffed.
Jaimies dinner was good but wish he would do super dooper recession busting book too.

Im trying to be more positive and exited about

baking and cooking
foraging more free food
making lots of lovley homemade cards and presenst for xmas so im not stressed or depressed.
trying to start up own small business
enjoying simple cheap.free things this summer like picnics in park, country/mountain walks and maybe beach even.

I like sound of stockpiling chocolate but sadly dont think it would last very long in this house.

school uniform stall sounds fab as just brought daughter logos stuff was 10.50 per cardie.At end of term see lost property table and wonder if people claim uniform thats not theres always seems to be mountains of it.


Dident mean to be such a downer about housing I know im lucky as we live in lovley area and can just about afford rent.

Its just frustrating situation in uk

the part by /part let schemes are for those under 30k criteria is strict you have to work within that county which hubby commutes over bridge.
depends on other factors if you keey worker ie public sector, kids but most round here are flats not big enough for family and waiting lists outstrip demand.

we not eligable for housing benefit glad government capping benefit as rents are silly prices people living in mansions.

I have added name to council list but dont expect anything in next 10years if at all we very low priority i think if we lost house then claimed homelessness but if you privatly rent they continue you to do so so we trapped.

We cant get morgage as no deposit plus amount lended pre crash was 125k wouldent buy a house here, northern rock more but would have been foolish dont think we would have coped.

our rents 700 a month for slightly bigger house about 900-1000 a month.
people who brought at right time have lower morgage payments than private rental markets.
If by some miracle we dod get deposit average house price here 200k would need 30-50k deposit and repayment morgae would be over grand per month.

Biggest problem has been been childcare went back after my 1st earnt 20k but spent 9000 a year on nursury fees, student loan, petrol left me with net amount of 250-300 a month.

I dont think many can have it i accept that and renting has its benefts but\

hate way we cant keep pets
cant change decor much we changed some at our own cost but need new kitchen, bathroom and carpet ironically landlord will probably do those things when we gone to attract new tennanats but at moment its safe let as hes owned for 30years part of his retirement package, lot of houses that never came up for rent have but my worry would be its because they waiting for market to pick up and would be very short term theres not much securitry where as council you can treat it as your own and house for life.
Another annoying bit is inspections feel like they judging us over any tiny mark on wall ect and agents charge 70quid admin charges each year.
Still I had worse landlords and lived in worse places just wish it were bigger maybe extra reception bigger kitchen as all clutter/toys kids accrue.

My cousins just buying and ploughing everything he has for a flat despite not great job security.

another cousin went bankrupt last year and has avoided all family members since, her brothers millionaire and has his own barn conversion, daughters freinds with his sons and shes amazed when she vists how much they have dont think shes worked out we poor yet.

freind brought last year and visited today must say I hate it, in not so nice area, quite small and needs lot of work to make it decent made me glad we rent and not obsessed with ownership even if everyone else is but hubby factors in that those with low morgages probably do have greater disposable income hence why we see new cars at school and foreign holidays ect.

I too saw debate on discussion board and find it scary place some people quite smug and glaoty about their choices.
I admit some people dont help themselves but some compassion for those who are in trouble would be nice, knowledge is great in hindsight we all make mistakes and britain has an unhealthy materilistic culture and bases class on income and what you own, people are more than just pound signs.

Glad everyones freindly and likeminded here as I do worry about how economy will affect people within a year as media so doom and gloom.
I do think governenment cant win they dident get us into this messs and they have to make tough decisions to get us out, everything has to be looked at as like people say so much waste.

downshifter

silvercharming wrote: »

Well... I've got to be honest, I've no idea if my bread keeps or not as we've never been in a position to investigate :rotfl: I tend to make biscuits and cakes in small batches and freeze them where possible, but I do give a fair few away to neighbours as well. For me, it's not all about money, it's also about knowing exactly what goes in to them. If I can't actually make them healthy, I can at least make them less unhealthy

For me, the home growing and home baking is about convenience. If I fancy some bickies I'm not driving 10 miles into town for them or even to the nearest shop - still a good few miles away. The other day I had a heavy piece of work to do, typing up some incomprehensible minutes (ok, so I wrote them!!) and baked myself just 6 shortbread biscuits. If I'd bought a whole pack at Tesco's I would have scoffed them all but 6 sugar fixes saw me to the end of my 3 hr work stint very nicely. If I want a carrot I walk 10 yds to the veg plot - surely no convenience store can be more convenient than that. When I do shop though, I tend to buy ingredients rather than meals, so there's always something in that can be turned into something else!

God, I've been to work and suddenly there are pages and pages of ideas and thoughts and philosophy and tips and peoples' stories - wonderful, I love it!

DS

penelopedee_2

Topher wrote: »

Does anyone here remember a T.V. show called Bazaar? I think its where I first came across Shirley Goode. I became a housewife and mother in 1983, and it was one of the first daytime T.V. shows created especially for the NEW idea of daytime T.V. It also coincided with a bad recession. (I kept a page out of my diary from one of those years showing what your mortgage would be with certain interest rates and they included 16% as an interest rate.!!!)
Anyway, there was a feature on a woman who's husband was in and out of work, so she had the habit of preparing for lean times. One of her tips was collecting household paint, because she felt that refreshing a particular room or two helped her to feel less hard done by.
T

I do that with the DIY/paint. I've just re-done the bathroom and back hall with half old/bit a of new to stretch it out. In my eyes it's sparkling and has made me feel better. OH moans at the stacks of old tins in the shed! I especially like hunting through the loft for old ornaments or curtains etc that I've put back when we've grown bored of them. Just changing a few bits does make a difference. I also think spending time brightening things up helps with motivation too.

morag1202

I lurked and occasionally posted on the last very excellent thread ever since it started and it's lovely to see so many new faces joining in the new one

I thought it might be worth re-posting about this website, a very new one set up by weezl74 with the help of a few other MSE regulars, which gives a meal plan, recipes and shopping list to feed a family of 2 adults and 2 teens for a month for only £100.

Yes, that is right, 4 people x 3 meals a day x 31 days = £100

The meal plan contains 5 fruit and veg a day, all the recommended vitamins and minerals and the correct protein/carb/fat levels.

What is more, the food is nice and you may well recognise some of the recipes from MSE

I do hope that this is of interest and maybe even help to some of you, new recipes are being added all the time.

Larumbelle

Topher wrote: »

Does anyone here remember a T.V. show called Bazaar? I think its where I first came across Shirley Goode. I became a housewife and mother in 1983, and it was one of the first daytime T.V. shows created especially for the NEW idea of daytime T.V. It also coincided with a bad recession. (I kept a page out of my diary from one of those years showing what your mortgage would be with certain interest rates and they included 16% as an interest rate.!!!)
Anyway, there was a feature on a woman who's husband was in and out of work, so she had the habit of preparing for lean times. One of her tips was collecting household paint, because she felt that refreshing a particular room or two helped her to feel less hard done by. Another feature was from some army wives who demonstrated how to put on a duvet cover in seconds, and as I said Shirley Goode did her black belt money saving in the kitchen.
There were a few books published associated with the programme. To be honest the latest recession hasn't really bitten at our house, but with my job now on the line and my husband having done only one year's paid work as part of his degree course, plus my son having been out of work for over a year since his employer's company folded, we're getting ready for a really lean couple of years, and did some careful spending this year. (Replacing a bathroom floor covering that's been concrete for the last 9 years.... ) and some gradual changes to the kitchen, (half 1940s recovered "treasures", half IKEA) I wish something like Bazaar existed now. Money watch has been quite good, but not as informative as this board on the day to day job of existing.
T

Oooh now I do lurk on Shirley Goode's blog and I think she's great. Don't really remember her from the first time round (too young :A :rotfl:), but I do remember my Mum having the books and I'm hoping to pick them up myself at some point (most of them a 1p + p&p on Amazon marketplace). I think that programme sounds fab and you're right, we need something like that now. There was that Economy Gastronomy last year, but in all honesty... well, I know that everything is relative, but I thought that even the made-over budgets were kind of extravagant. The trouble is these days, every programme seems to sell some aspirational lifestyle. Even Gardener's World can't just show you how to grow cheap nutritious veg without dressing it all up in raised beds that would cost thousands to set up Tips like that about painting are good for the soul... and isn't that as important as physically surviving?

One of the things that's great about this thread (and this board) is that a lot of people are doing it through choice, not just necessity. I think that is a certain psychological help for those in stormy waters.

For anyone who's not hear of them the Gill Holcombe books are very useful. I haven't bought the new one yet 'cos I think the price will go down yet