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

AnnieG

mardatha wrote: »

This is one of the things that really does my head in re nursing. Why the hell dont they make shifts that are much more manageable for people ? They could easily do it. All the shouting about a shortage of nurses & having to pay a fortune using agency people - and if they only changed the hours a bit then it would be sorted!!

I agree... I've thought of changing career but all the jobs I'd be interested in doing... police officer or nursing need you to do silly hours that I can't do as a single mum.

Larumbelle

Needhelpsaving wrote: »

I could do with some help on saving money around the house as I have merely downshifted on groceries as opposed to substituting for other cleaning goods etc - any tips would be greatly appreciated.

These are the recipes I use:

Soap powder:
4 parts soap flakes
3 parts soda crystals
2 parts bicarbonate of soda

Mix well and use 2 teaspoons per load. MUST use HM softener with it to ensure soap residues are removed. (I adapted this recipe from one that used borax as you can't get it any more).

Softener/Conditioner
2 parts water
1 part white vinegar
A few drops of eucalyptus oil (59p in home bargains).

Mix well together and use a small splash per load. Mixing with the water instead of using a neat capful of vinegar ensures that it is properly distributed in the laundry. Ignore the recipes that use vinegar and bicarb together - they react and form sodium acetate, which has no laundry use whatsoever!

Washing Up Liquid
2tsp soap flakes
2tsp soda crystals
2tsp vinegar
a few drops of eucalyptus oil
Top up with boiling water and leave to cool. Use a few drops at first, adding more if needed.

Worktop & Bathroom Cleaner
Use the softener recipe, but put it in a spray bottle Antibacterial and no need to rinse. Use to clean the loo with a bit of elbow grease

Kitchen and Degreasing Cleaner
Use the washing up liquid recipe in a spray bottle - needs rinsing. Follow with worktop and bathroom cleaner for added antibacterial action!

Floor Cleaner
2 tbsp soda crystals
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
few drops of eucalyptus oil
Dissolve everything in a kettle of boiling water and use immediately. Slosh down the loo after use and let sit for a while - brings the bowl up sparkling for zero effort

Scouring powder
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
Umm... that's it

Fridge freshener
Store your scouring powder in the fridge

HTH!

midnightraven3

silvercharming you can get borax
well the substitute, borax was withdrawn due to changes in EU packaging & the change on borax classification
Sodium Sesquicarbonate
but comapnies like Dri-pak market it in the same box as borax and call it borax substitute

i also use vinegar, warm water & eucalyptus oil for the kitchen but add 1 part lemon juice as well for extra de-greasing power
i use it in a spray bottle

lauren_1

mardatha wrote: »

This is one of the things that really does my head in re nursing. Why the hell dont they make shifts that are much more manageable for people ? They could easily do it. All the shouting about a shortage of nurses & having to pay a fortune using agency people - and if they only changed the hours a bit then it would be sorted!!

Its all about money and targets, less changeovers mean more ward time, although some changeovers really are a glorified tea break.

Less people on the payroll mean less costs, holiday pay etc etc

When i qualified i was soo excited yet a year after the red tape, rigid shifts and standard of [STRIKE]scaring[/STRIKE] caring really got to me. I felt i wasted 3 years.

Rowan9

This is a very motivating thread. (((hugs))) to those who are going through difficulties. Reading how everyone in here is encouraging each other has really lifted my spirits today. Thank you:)
W

Larumbelle

midnightraven3 wrote: »

silvercharming you can get borax
well the substitute, borax was withdrawn due to changes in EU packaging & the change on borax classification
Sodium Sesquicarbonate
but comapnies like Dri-pak market it in the same box as borax and call it borax substitute

i also use vinegar, warm water & eucalyptus oil for the kitchen but add 1 part lemon juice as well for extra de-greasing power
i use it in a spray bottle

Thanks, I did know about the borax substitutes, but it works out dearer for me. Sodium sesquicarbonate is basically just a mix of soda crystals and bicarb, but more expensive than mixing the two myself. If I could buy it locally it might work out cheaper, but the only place I've seen it (Boots) it was priced well over the odds.

I do use lemon juice for cleaning the micro but otherwise I don't really need to that often. I find the smell horrid when it's with other chemicals which is odd as I love cooking with lemons!

...you've just reminded me, salt and lemon juice dissolved in boiling water is a great pre-wash for whites, especially towels.

wigglebeena

Spendless wrote: »

By the way we've had 'what if things get tougher' (around 2006)

It's tough now (2008)

and 'it's still tough' (2010)

Do you think we'll eventually get 'it's no longer tough' or 'it's not as tough' here's hoping. :beer:

Maybe 'it's still tough but we've learned to cope'? Even if only by means of all leaning on and learning from each other...

Chaos_Monkey

Hi all, :wave:

I'm another lurker, although didn't really get into the old thread so much as it was so long and a bit daunting (don't actually post much on any thread, but lurk a bit too much!).

Also, we've only just started to find things getting tougher in the last 6 months or so, and now my DH is in 'Consultation' for redundancy, we've started to seriously look into what we're spending. Plus, being in Infrastructure, I don't feel my job is all that secure after the next 6 months.

I can definately identify with the 'seige mentality' and 'battening down the hatches' statements - I can really feel myself doing just that. Shame DH isn't quite at the same stage, but he's getting there. Until then, I think i'm going to have to take on all the grocery shopping and not let him near a shop - he winds up with a £50 'half shop' in Lidl, which still needs topping up from Mr Mo's! I don;t know how he does it, because I can do a weekly shop for £50. There's only two of us!

I know we'll survive - other people have survived much worse, and I think I've inherited some of my mum's hardyness (we were pretty poor growing up, but always well fed and happy).

Anyway, i'll be following this thread with interest

I'm really pleased to be able to catch this thread reasonably early on - everyone so far has been lovely and supportive of one another.

TTFN

CM

TudorRose

I too am a lurker & have enjoyed reading the thread for the past few months.
Like lots of others I have learnt a lot from what I have read & can feel for many on the thread.
I have always been a careful shopper etc but now feel I really have got to try even harder.
Nearly 2 years ago I started a business with a view to seeing if I could make a go of it & see if it would bring me an income.
Now realise that I am fighting a loosing battle with overheads etc & that I have got to re think what I do when the lease is up at the end of next year.
I think my best bet is to try and keep costs down as much as I can & seriously think about uprooting myself & moving nearer to my daughter where property is cheaper & see if I can get some part time work.
Thanks for reading & I'll try to contribute in the future.

mama67

boultdj wrote: »

I started doing food hamper's for Mum+Dad as xmas/birthday present's after my stepdad died and Mum finely told me how much she was strugaling to buy thing's, as it was I took advantage of bogof's to do the hamper's but it did mean starting very early in the year to do 2 of them, now it's just Dad I find I'm making his bigger each year 'cause I'm so use to doing 2.

We used to do this for DH Mum & Dad and then just Dad.

Put in some basic everyday items which I knew they used alot of and then some more treaty items like tins of salmon, tinned ham, special marmalade and jams, etc