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

flipperOSN

I agree lilac_lady. I can't understand why food prices are getting so little attention in the media either, surely everyone must have noticed?

narabanekeater

lilac-its shocking isnt it. Im really trying to cut down on our meat consumption at the moment but then I find that veggies have shot right up as well. This year we really have tried to grown loads. Weve got some lovely corgettes but sadly are spuds havent done so well. With the school holds now upon us the amount of food were going through increases. When I have my Nephews at the weekends is really shocking easily a loaf a day and 4 pints of milk and a packet of ham.
Dh go to Farmfoods to stock up on the cheaper bread and milk but then I feel bad towards the farmers with how little they get paid for the milk. Id love to only buy Happy Eggs but sometimes the pennies just dont stretch that far. Cheese is another ive tried to cut down on. DH loves the stuff so I now buy a masive block then its on offer at £3.30p kg at Macro and slice and freeze it. We did try the HM bread via a breadmaker but it tasted so nice we ate to much.
Another little tip I can share is when your priniting bits off at home just for personal use your can set your printer to draft or quick print. Its doesnt 'drink' as much ink and its fine- totally passable quality still

spike7451

Well...sadly,I've secummed to Mr T for cat food...sorry Pets@Home,but when it comes to feeding Daisy,you dinna come close!
I mean,two boxes of Whiska's Simply for a fiver...you canne beat that with a stick!
One the whole tho,I have noticed that pet foods seem to have dropped in price somewhat.

seabright

There was a piece on the Today programme this morning about how about 90 councils did a trial run of "rubbish sifting" last year to see if you could tell what sort of person lived in a house and therefore be more effective at targeting various council services/mail shots/whether you're an ABC person etc.

Now, I know some people have issues with their rubbish being sifted through, although personally, I don't. But it got me wondering what my local council would deduce about me and my family from my rubbish. We are lucky enough to live in a lovely house in a lovely area, but with all my thrify ways they wouldn't see much in the way of luxury items in our rubbish (Taste The Difference, Finest etc).

In fact I try to throw away as little as possible, from an environmental point of view as well as a monetary point of view. Not sure what assessment they'd put on my glass recycling box though - a lot of wine bottles in there some weeks!

lauren_1

Highlight of my day, getting a tax rebate for the last 4 years(only £600)

rock bottom part of my day, coming off the phone from tax credits feeling broken and suicidal. I told them i was unemployed the day after it happened, said i was going to claim IS straightaway...thought that was it? No, apparently i should of told them when they first (IS) started paying me, my tax credits have been stopped for failure to notify a change of circumstances until tax credits have exact dates (they asked me what day i rang up on in october, i cant remember, i may have to repay everything from october last year as i was not entitled to them.

I didnt realise income support affected the basic ctc?

gailey_2

Lauren 1 try not to get upset does not sound quite right. people I know have been overpaid were not expected tp pay all back just got suspended payments for few months not good as short on money.

Have you visited the benefit forum as guess they experts on there.
I applied a few week a go but heard nothing we entitled to lowest amount.

happy birthday seabright, have fab day.

Best not look at new baby pic get broody my youngest seems so big so quick.

well today is day eldest has no preschool, hubbys day off.
Did dreaded shop at lidls and got 2 trollies full for 141, hubbys happy as follows his economic equation 1pound rouhly per item so 141 items but we got 146 so even better.
Was dire as freezer empty, had no fruit or veg in house.
Also i went mad on baking stuff as now have ban on buying cakes and biscuits.
I got mad he brought a frozen pizza for 2quid could make several for that price.
Took nearly and hour to unpack.
Not managed to have lunch yet
blanched runner beans from garden and frozen
washed and hoovered.

Think i need vitamins as feel so tired all time.

eldest driving hubby potty so taking her on long walk to tire her out and more foraging
easier without baby and buggy.

When get back planning to

make choc brownie with eldest
make tonights dinner
maybe start batch cooking
mini quiches for tommorow.
wash all free fruit and freeze.
might do a crumble and stew freeze small portions of fruit for kids.
hoover again.
bath kids.

seems neverending

Souk08

Seabright i desperatley need to take my bottles to the bottle bank but they're too heavy for just me!!!

seabright

Souk08 wrote: »

Seabright i desperatley need to take my bottles to the bottle bank but they're too heavy for just me!!!

Know what you mean - is it worrying that we're drinking more than our own body weight in (very reasonably priced) wine?:beer:

Wee_Jo

seabright wrote: »

There was a piece on the Today programme this morning about how about 90 councils did a trial run of "rubbish sifting" last year to see if you could tell what sort of person lived in a house and therefore be more effective at targeting various council services/mail shots/whether you're an ABC person etc.

Now, I know some people have issues with their rubbish being sifted through, although personally, I don't. But it got me wondering what my local council would deduce about me and my family from my rubbish. We are lucky enough to live in a lovely house in a lovely area, but with all my thrify ways they wouldn't see much in the way of luxury items in our rubbish (Taste The Difference, Finest etc).

In fact I try to throw away as little as possible, from an environmental point of view as well as a monetary point of view. Not sure what assessment they'd put on my glass recycling box though - a lot of wine bottles in there some weeks!

Seabright - I completely agree with you. I work in the environmental sector so I do try not to throw away too much and try my best to recycle...but moreover I have found that since changing my financial ways I LOATHE throwing away / wasting food. I get really cross with myself now about any sort of wastage...it's weird as I used to not give a second thought to chucking stuff!

Oh and snap with the wine bottles!!! :rotfl:

lilac_lady wrote: »

When I reach the till at the supermarket I'm still not used to seeing how much grocery prices have shot up in the last year. How can inflation be so low when food prices are going up every week?

I don't know how people manage when they're not following the MSE code of wise spending.

I completely agree with you Lilac Lady! I get so wound up about it, last week the ham I buy from A$da had gone up 20p in JUST ONE WEEK!! :eek: That's such a big jump! :mad: I find I am buying much more from the Whoopsie shelves. As for the ham, I am considering now buying a small ham and then slicing it up myself...does anyone else do this? What sort of ham / part of the ham would I need to buy?

maryb

Kittikins wrote: »

Thanks Maryb, I'll try that, not sure how I'll sort out my knit row being too tight (hard to get the stitches down the needle by the end of the row!). Maybe I need to have one larger and one smaller needle and be lopsided, lol.

Kittikins, That's what I mean. For example instead of using a pair of Size 4s I have one Size 4 and one Size 3.75. When I am doing a purl row, the smaller needle makes the stitches so that I end up with all my stitches on the 3.75. Then when I come to the knit row I am using a Size 4 to form the knit stitches. The important thing is that your stitches are even and whatever combination of sizes you use, you end up with the right overall tension