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

lambanana

purpleheather2810 wrote: »

An email?! That's not on. I'm sorry you didn't get the job. I bet there's something better just around the corner for you though. My car's gone in to have some work done today - the garage have already said it will cost around €280 :eek: which I don't have - will have to go on the credit card that I am supposed to be getting rid of...:(

That's rubbish. Mine should be £120 because it's the standard first service but I'm pretty frustrated it even needs one as it's first year OR first 10,000 miles. I've had the car a year but I've only done about 4,000 so it feels such an unnecessary expense. I will get it done though as it keeps it in warranty and I know that long term it's worth having it done for the warranty incase something does go wrong. Sometimes I think we could cope without a car and probably 80% of the time we really could (we don't use it to go to work or anything) BUT then things happen like the family bereavement and if we didn't have the car it would be 2 busses and 3 trains and over 5 hours to get there.

I am continuing hunting for a better paid job, an extra £100 a month would make all the difference to me (the job I went for was a bigger salary jump than that) and trying to save as much money as possible in all other aspects of life in the meantime.

Primrose

scarina - if you have attic storage space but are worried about mice, it's worth investing in some large cheap plastic storage boxes with lids which you can often buy in Poundland and places like that. I saw some in the ASDA houseware department the other day. The mice won't easily be able to chew through thick plastic.

Lindy_-_Loo

Lambanana - sorry you didnt get the job, but an email is even more impersonale that getting a letter to say you were unsuccessful!

Freind said farmfoods have 4 tins of chopped or plum tomatos for £1 at the minute. going to go after the school run tomorrow and c what else they have.

In terms of finances I wish out tax credits could go in at the start of the month with OH wages - finding it hard to plan at the minute with monthly shopping as all DD and bills tend to come out during the first 10 days of the month. OH is under strict instruction not to spend unless he has too until 22nd when CTc, WTc and child benefit go in on same day, the day I shall pay last months shopping bill of the visa card, gutted to have used it as we have put it on a barclay loan so the credit cards are empty and the debt will be gone in 5 years. I vow to pay off the shopping no matter what we are not buikding up another bill!

Primrose

I'm very conscious that we're edging nearing to the VAt increase in January. We're members of Costco and are making a list of VATable household items so that we can do a big stock-up in December. Toilet rolls are always a big expenditure item but so bulky to store. Wish the computer technies could invest a "Zipped toilet roll" which compresses them down like they do for big computer documents :rotfl:

EstherH

We're Costco members too. That also was a factor in the stocking up. Joined last year but didn't really use it as found most things cheaper in supermarkets. Then started to really look at what was cheaper when started reading this thread and decided to get serious with the stocking up. So took photos on my phone of things and checked them in supermarket. Surprised I didn't get questioned. Hubby walked away!

EstherH

Oh, pressed something there and it got added to the thread before I had finished.

So things that were cheaper I bought in bulk there. Just as an aside, the cafe is really cheap in Costco and even though not the most romantic of surroundings we had our lunch there and I felt that I had been out - sad, I know!

Also found out about Approved Foods on here and ordered lots of soup that we had found in Aldi on one of their specials and it was 25p a tin on AF so got about 40 tins of that left, plus about 10 cartons of Bisto that they had on offer in good date.

Then there is the pasta that both Morrisons and Tescos have had on offer recently, the Daz....

Need to stop somewhere.

lambanana

You've just reminded me that my costco membership needs renewing...I split the cost with my mum last year but she was made redundant this year so I don't know if she can afford to pay towards membership. Will have to discuss it with her.

Thats_Me_3

I have noticed over the past couple of years how everyone has bought into the five a day mantra. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying its a bad thing, but is it really necesary? I heard a little while ago (on the radio I think) that there has been a big increase in ,of all things, dental problems as the fruit juices are eating away enamel. One of my grandsons had to have treatment (he is 6 for goodness sake!) because of the amount of fruit juice he was drinking. My daughter willingly let him have loads as he was not keen on eating fruit. I wondered if I am alone in thinking it is a marketing ploy and aimed at parents who will be seen as bad if their children do not get their 5 a day? Do you remember the drink a pint of milk a day and the go to work on an egg campaigns in the 60/70s? Then lo and behold, we had a generation of people needing heart bypasses etc because they had done just that! When I was a child in the early 60s, fruit was seen as a luxury item, reserved for the weekend, Christmas or the summer/autumn when the fruit bushes were doing well.

Just a thought to throw into the debating ring. (LOL)

Primrose

Amazing how all we kids managed to stay healthy during the last war, isn't it? No crisps, snacks, chocolate. Very little fat. Milk rationed. No oranges, bananas, and only a few apples when in season. I seemed to spend my childhood years munching on raw carrots. + one teaspoon of Cod Liver Oil, and a teaspoon of concentrated orange (but only if you'd been good and swallowed your Cod Liver Oil first!)

crickett1234

EstherH wrote: »

We're Costco members too. That also was a factor in the stocking up.

I have just done some internet research on cash & carry's in our area. We have quite a number, but I notice that all of them are for companies and their employees, rather than for individuals. Is there a cash and carry for individuals out there at all? I mean they ask for all sorts of id and business letterhead and stuff. None of which I have of course.

Is there any other way of getting cash and carry cards, other than "bending" the rules?