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

countingthepennies

That is pretty sneaky of A$da. I do my online shopping with MrT and if an offer is going to be ended by the time of my delivery you get a message telling you this so you have the option to remove the item before you checkout. Also, if for some reason on the day of delivery they have had to substitute an item with something more expensive, they only charge the original cheaper price.

debtdesperado

Annie - you ROCK! It reminds me a few years ago I went to a wedding of the son, where the dad had left his wife of 30 odd years for his glamorous secretary (such a cliche) who was younger than the youngest son. Even the sons were embarrassed by how awfully their dad had behaved. I had heard all the back story before the wedding from my (rather sexist) boyfriend at the time, who disturbingly suggested that it was her fault as she'd 'let herself go' (my response to him at the time I won't include as it was rather rude) but anyway, I had never seen any of the people.

So anyway, we rock up to the wedding, and I'm immediately introduced to the dad and the new floozie. Except, she didn't look like a floozie anymore... they'd had a baby, and she was obviously struggling to lose the baby weight, so she was wearing this horrible brown shapeless dress, hair colour needed touching up etc - she looked basically like any new mum does. I think she was really nervous as well about being on display in front of the family. The dad apparently looked how he always looked - I noticed that he didn't attempt to touch his baby in case it messed up his suit (the floozie's dress was covered in lots of grubby little marks...).

Suddenly, this amazing looking woman in a bright red suit, with this amazing dramatic red hat, skinny as a whip, gorgeous styled blonde hair, looking immaculate strolls in. There was a ripple through the congregation... it was the 'abandoned' mother. Well, she certainly didn't look abandoned, she looked incredible. Think My boyfriend couldn't get over how much she'd changed, and when later he spoke to one of the sons, the son said, oh yeah, well, now she doesn't have to look after dad, she's got time for herself. It turned out she now lived in a tiny, but by all accounts beautiful little flat, spent lots of time visiting friends and going on holidays, because of course, all their friends had sided with her because he had behaved so badly, so she had this amazing support network whereas he didn't. I commented to my boyfriend that clearly, it wasn't that she'd let herself go, but that her ex-husband had an unfortunate effect of dragging the women in his life down... my boyfriend said nothing. HA!

And the best bit? She ended up catching the bouquet.

I will never forget it - she was absolutely triumphant.

[Deleted User]

Just popping in once more to say to people who aren`t pulling things together, not to get complacent. There are lots of job losses just now and we all know that there are always lots more just before christmas. My dd was made redundant yesterday from what had been a very good job in a large company and she is the type who is an asset. I have heard of 11,000 all around the same 200 miles area and 2000 have been re-employed but that is all

redundancies = much less spending = more redundancies

Although retired now, I intend to pull things together more too as we will all be affected eg energy is up and so on

I still pop in to read your posts and many are inspiring. Stay with it

hellsbells45

Hi all, been reading through all your posts (upto page 103 at the mo) Its been so inspiring!! I'm 47, simgle parent of 2 girls, both have Autism- the elder worse than the younger. I also have ME (or CFS which ever you choose) and have not been able to work for some time now. Am surviving on IB. I still have debts but am plowing through them slowly but surely.

Some days the lack of money really gets me down and I panic about managing, but then I think, whats the worse that can happen, really.
You have really inspired me with regards to cooking. I find it hard to batch cook because of the ME, but the quick recipies for cookies, muffins etc are really useful. Also my sister gave me a combi microwave, what a god send. oven chips done to perfect, roasts done in 20 mins wonderfully tender. Not to mention the reduction in electricity bills.

Your links have helped with regard to the C word. Have really inspired me as am quite crafty. Last year that was restricted to scarves and socks, but this year I'm looking at doing pump bag and crayon roll x 3 for neice and nephews. tote bag (knitting) with sock pattern and suitabel wool for SIL. Tote bag with recipes and cookie in jar type thing for Sis (she needs gluten free, so if any one has a suitable cookie or muffin recipe I would be most grateful). Recipes I shall hunt down on the net and print of as I find them. May do cookie in a jar type for friends as well, though I have got requests for socks. Don't no what to do for Mum or Brother yet.

I also did a xmas hamper club this year, never done it before, ordered grocery and meat hamper, also £200 pounds in vouchers for girls big present. Had doubts about this as I thought that it may be a waste of money (could get stuff cheaper if shopped locally etc) But now I'm experiencing a fantastic sense in relief knowing that the girls big present is sorted and that I can just pick up stocking fillers as I go. That I won't have to worry about food shopping and the inevitable price hike that I experienced last year. And sad to say, I'm getting really excited about it now and am thinking about what I will order next year - now that really is sad.

Read with interest the conversation with regards to renting v buying. I'm in my own home at the mo. But will at some stage have to sell it as 30% of it is EX's. He doesn't contribute to the house costs in any way, but does pay for girls. I know that at the mo the mortgage is so low that it is cheaper to stay put, but, I can't afford to maintain it, so although only little things want doing there are a lot of them. Also, I'm not getting any younger, so would I be better of addressing this now and trying to go for a part buy option with a HA or waiting until last minute. I think Iv'e decided on the first option then I will be in a better position of choice IYSWIM.

Anyway must get ready for dentist as I have yet another abcess!!!!

Just wanted to thank you all for your inspiration and support.

[Deleted User]

I have to admit getting sucked in to a bit of compacency and my very first job will be to get £10 baskets ready for christmas presents, when I was thinking of just buying this and that. My cc is paid off today and I will not be making so free and easy with it, ok we moved 10 weeks ago and I had things to get but from now on it is only going to be `need not want`

We are expecting a bit of money in a few weeks and we will give each of our children 2k but only to pay a little off their mortgage capital and I`ll try and save the rest until next year when we can do the same again. I am a baby boomer and feel so ashamed that my generation and the older ones in the present generation, have made so free and easy with the futures of most of the present generation and also the next

Hippeechiq

I never allow substitutes - I want what I've ordered, not what they think I might want because what I've ordered is out of stock.

I "create" my order over several days, but I never actually place my order until about 8 or 9pm the evening before it's due to be delivered - in case prices have altered and my Wednesday theory is wrong - thus enabling me to remove any price increased items from my trolley. However as you can't tell which Wednesday they will roll prices forward again, it's hit and miss whether or not you get your groceries at the rolled back price

I wont have a Wednesday delivery again - even though it suits me better - and if I find it still happens, I will seriously consider shopping elsewhere.

JulieGeorgiana

I thought I would say hello!

I find these boards an inspiration!

I lost my job when my office closed in October last year, my husband and I re-arranged our finances so that we lived on his wages only.

When I got a new job I paid for work travel expenses and childcare.

The rest of the money... went into an ISA, and on 31st July 2010 we paid off our last debt 2 years early :laugh:

We had been working on paying our debts, but this tightening of belts helped us pay it off so much faster!!

On the 9th August, my current company closed their UK opperation!!

Unlike before when things got tight we could dip into the ISA for emergencies... we no long have that!!

Incoming - Outgoings = £0

And I just got a unexpected vet bill for £45!!!!

HELP!

[Deleted User]

JG
when things got very very tight with us, in the 70s and 80s and with 3 children and one very insecure salary, which dropped to 2/3 overnight I did the following: in the short term I `borrowed` from one account to pay things on another and that enabled a very small breathing space, in which I spent almost nothing just living on what was in my cupboard. At the same time I started a written book of all incomings and outgoings and things had to jolly well balance each month. After essential bills were accounted for, I took out some cash and put it into envelopes for this and that, to last the whole of the next month. In short we lived in a financial straightjacket but we just managed to keep our heads above water

We made snacks from the likes of popcorn and we used `thrifty fifty` by rose elliot. We ate well in that the food was very nutritious. I remember going camping and my dh driving all the way back during the week on firms petrol, to collect the tomatoes from the greenhouse and to pick veg which we literally lived on

Charis

kittie wrote: »

I am a baby boomer and feel so ashamed that my generation and the older ones in the present generation, have made so free and easy with the futures of most of the present generation and also the next

I get annoyed when I hear young people accusing us of that and I can't let your comment pass without responding, Kittie. Many of us 'Baby Boomers' now have no private pension pot because all our money went into affording what now look like laughably small mortgages. Our income at the time was also laughably small. I was on £1,000 a year when we took out the mortgage and we had a job being accepted.

While I was home bringing up the children on one income, the 'yuppy' generation was paying ludicrous prices for properties, outbidding one another to get the best. Then the buy-to-let folk pushed up the prices yet again. Had the mortgage companies only loaned to folk who needed a roof over their heads, prices would never be where they are today. We had to ask higher prices than we paid, in order to keep up with market prices so we could save enough to afford to move up and let the next generation into the market.

I feel no guilt at all. We went without holidays, didn't run a car, bought clothes for covering, not fashion and missed out on the interesting social life that today's youngsters take for granted. Neither of my two husbands reached 60. And, providing it hasn't all gone to pay for my care in old age, who will benefit from the sale of my property when I die? My children.

mardatha

I agree with that. Kittie why on earth feel guilty?? This latest mess was not us. We couldnt help how the younger generation wanted it all and wanted it now
I had the same kind of time when my kids were wee. My OH worked in the docks and they were always on strike and you didnt get social security for strikers. Then he got paid off when the docks closed in the 70s and found it hard to get anything new. Then along came the 80s recession and that was the worst of all. We got along on big pots of HM soup and rice pud