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

lambanana

I've got a CC I'm trying to pay off as well, if I can stick to my plan it'll be paid off by August. I do also have a car loan which has 4 years to go BUT it was an interest free car loan from the "bank of mum" I know we're really fortuate she could help us (our old car was dying an expensive death and we managed to get a new one through the scrappage scheme, we don't use it much but need it for family visits all over the place where public transport just fails!) and so we'll just keep working on paying that as we are now unless we really feel we can sort it sooner. We do both have student loans but really don't think about those (I don't even earn enough to pay any of mine back and don't know if I ever will earn enough!) fortunately I did clear my OD from my student days.

If I didn't have DH who is very level headed with money I imagine I'd be in a much worse pickle as I'm not always good at controlling myself though I have gotten A LOT better. We just want to get ourselves into a position to start saving to buy a house, it feels forever away. We're also desperately hoping that DH gets to keep his job but the whole organisation is under review due to government funding. We would REALLY struggle to live on my income alone but we could survive on DH's so really if anyone's job had to go it'd be mine (I work for the council so not a complete impossibility either)

LannyLee

I've found these forums to be a huge help, especially with the Grocery Challenge, as that was a biggest expenditure (after debts of course ) & so far we've managed to cut it down from £250 to around £115-125, depending on how well stocked we are.

DH was the biggest challenge as he's a big bloke (6'4") & could easily eat 1/2 a chicken to himself, so trying to cut portion size was the biggest challenge as a normal dinner for him was 2 pork chops, 2 fried eggs, chips, onions, mushrooms & grilled tomato :eek: and while I don't want him to starve that was excessive, so there have been fights, but he's more on board now, thank goodness

sammy_kaye18

flowertotmum wrote: »

Hi no i haven't..they do sound good...do you have the recipe???? would you mind sharing it with me...
thank you

OH MY GOD FLOWERTOTMUM --- DONT DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Your waist lien will hate you forever!!!

A few reasons NEVER to make Twinks Hobnobs

1. You will not simply have 1 at any time fo day with any beverage
2. You will memorise the ingredients easily
3. The first thing you think of when you see Oats is HOBNOBS!
4. The idea of one giant hobnob is very tempting.
5. You will debate - single biscuits or tray bake every time you make them
6. You will try the mix raw
7. You will need to remake the mix after 6 takes effect
8. You will discover just how much self control you really have.
9. Your waistline will hate you.
10. They will become a stable part of your diet.

If all of these reasons deter you enough to not want them once they are made then I will happily dispose of them for you.
:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

and for the record no I have no self control, eat the mix raw and a tray bake lasts about a day in my house once the mob has sniffed them out!

juliethemuse

i'm definitely going to make those hobnobs, i have all the ingredients in my store cupboard, my OH loves those bought ones , but they are expensive, and the greedy pig can eat a whole packet to himself,
going to the job centre again tommorow, things are getting desperate, since losing my job , i am worrying so much about money my hair is starting to fall out, it always does this when i'm stressed, husband says i'll make myself ill fretting like this, but nothing seems to bother him much, one good thing happened today , my son passed his driving test first time!!
yay! no more lessons for me to fork out for, i'm finished with giving money to him left , right and centre,well i'm going to try really hard and stop worrting about money - after all life is too short!

seasalt_2

Seem to have missed rather a lot here - I am always interested to hear other people's views even if different from my own - and I change my mind all the time anyway!

I have been listening to the radio while sewing and trying to make head or tail of what might or might not happen - one thing I heard that I didn't know is that if you are a SAHM (or SAHD) your pension credits (is that what I mean - national insurance payments towards your state pension) are only protected until your youngest child is 12 - came in in April apparently- and as mine are now 15 and my self employed income is so low that I'm exempt from paying NI contributions and can't really afford voluntary ones I think I can say good bye to my pension. Not that I was expecting much of one in any case. Just thought other people might like to know about it too though.

Trouble with home baking is that it vanishes so much faster than shop bought cakes and biscuits - partly because I eat it!

Have been feeling very down the last few days. Good news though is that a friend came to lunch today which cheered me up and she brought me another lovely big pumpkin (mine all succumbed to mildew) and I gave her some toms and onions. We are having roast chicken with spicy roasted pumpkin tonight, soup with cold chicken tomorrow and three more bags ready chopped in the freezer to make at least two more lots of soup and a risotto.

kezlou

Wow Lannylee you've done really well clearing all that off, you both should be really proud of yourselves :T:T:T

We were too late with the scrappage scheme, we had only owned our car 11 months so we ended up getting another old one which has cost us a small fortune in the past few months. The amount of work we've done to it so far, i think its a new car:rotfl::rotfl:

well done to julie's son!!! :T:T:j:j:T:T fantastic!

seasalt - your tea sounds delish! i love pumpkins but sadly all mine got eaten by the slugs again .

Me and my yougest went and planted tons of kale, purple sprouting brocoli, swiss chard, leeks and spring onions today. Harvested lots big potatoes too:D. I know its late but no matter me and DS2 loved grubbing aorund in the mud.
If i'm un(lucky) we'll have lots of kale over winter hahaha.
I'll send some over to you mardatha!

seasalt_2

I still haven't dug up my last lot of tatties either kezlou. Hoping for lots of lovely K*** as well - was very late sowing it this year - partly because had so many other brassicas still going for so long. Grew calabrese "marathon" this year, started it back in February and it is STILL putting out sideshoots - only just now on it's last legs - best thing I grew this year. The young leaves make great dark greens too.

Hippeechiq

sammy_kaye18 wrote: »

OH MY GOD FLOWERTOTMUM --- DONT DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Your waist lien will hate you forever!!!

A few reasons NEVER to make Twinks Hobnobs

1. You will not simply have 1 at any time fo day with any beverage
2. You will memorise the ingredients easily
3. The first thing you think of when you see Oats is HOBNOBS!
4. The idea of one giant hobnob is very tempting.
5. You will debate - single biscuits or tray bake every time you make them
6. You will try the mix raw
7. You will need to remake the mix after 6 takes effect
8. You will discover just how much self control you really have.
9. Your waistline will hate you.
10. They will become a stable part of your diet.

If all of these reasons deter you enough to not want them once they are made then I will happily dispose of them for you.
:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

and for the record no I have no self control, eat the mix raw and a tray bake lasts about a day in my house once the mob has sniffed them out!

LOL!! Ain't that the truth....you have been warned flowertotmum

mardatha

I'll send some over to you mardatha!
**********
Em, thank you petal. And I will send it right over the back fence to the coos !;)

Lindy_-_Loo

Frugalista wrote: »

How much are they?

The tomatoes are 99p for 4 400g tins, sorry I forgot to type the price but I said it in my head as I was typing!