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

gailey_2

Morning guys hope everyone ok.

naraban similar to you try to keeps kids costs down and 30.
You great letting brother live with you. I agree with benefit system being trimmed for people that need it but oftyen it can end up making their loved ones worse off.
My mates husband was unemployed for few months he couldent get jsa as was co-habiting with her at time and she worked fulltime.

I agree about hols, jackie you sound fab my nan used to take me away to pontins as a kid.
My parents divorced when I was 9 we never once went on a family holiday.
We went to Tenby few times with mums freind and her daughter.

My 1st trip abroad must have been 13 on daytrip to France with school.
Age 14 me and my cousins went over to France for week with our other wealthier older cousin who had holiday home there was great apart from he did spanish and was relying on my rubbish french.

15 went on first family holiday abroad mums boyfreind,, mum sister and me to cyprus loved it.

At 16 went Majorca with mate and her hippy family was disaster rowed with her posh london cousin, her mam used to dump older siblings on me felt like au paid whilst she went out as they had holiday home over there, I was veggie at time was sick of omlette but by far was stranded on nudist beach for 12hours with freinds mum running round completly naked.

19 me and my freind and her sister plus freind went weeks cravan holiday in swanange was great fun.

During uni went to

Ireland for few days with ex.
We also went with freinds to Copenhagen Denamrk one new year, 20hours on ferry was great fun like going obsure places.

Only places me and hubby been is paris for honeymoon and corfu 2years running cheap package pre kids.
Would love to go abroad again but our passports expired and kids need them so 250 before I book.

We have taken 4year old to centreparcs for 1`st hol nice but pricey.
Been to cornwall last 2years and shes adored it all she cares about is beach and icecream.Might be going devon in spet as been offered super cheap deal.

I sometimes wish i had been more places pre kids but will get abroad eventually.Have uncle in louisana america who keeps saying come over but flights pricey but will get round to it.

When we get bigger car fancy driving to france.

Would love to go greece, cyrpus or italy and since seeing on tv fancy Stockholm or Makkaresh one can dream.

This summer hols we trying to keep kids entertained.

City has many parks so doing lots of different ones with picnics
blaise castle is fab.
Want to do st fagens in wales and maybe cardiff museum as thats free.
Hubby loves castles and abbeys so might try fit that in.
swimming at local pool also leisure centre has roller discos which elder kids and daddy love.
Libary has reading scheme and free crafts.
Local church has messy play club 50p.
vue cinima is 95peach for kids movie plus sainsburys basics popcorn smuggled in
If they smuggle drinks, popcorn in then its less than 4quid for 1 adult and 2kids.
Both kids love picking fruit.

Ahh confession bit hungover and never cook when slightly tipsy as burnt top of veg lasagne im just glad I remembered to turn oven off.
I took top off sides bit burnt but rest seems ok.

Wasent only disaster last night was aiming to do lovley fish pie burnt most of fish as turned oven off but as still hot and not taken out kept cooking manage to salvage the less burnt bits and made 2mini fish pies and had to do bangers and mash instead.

Got some fly spray from shop.
Attacking carpet with mouse as filthy and shake and vac want to deep clean downstairs today and start tidying upstairs my laundry mountains bit out of hand.

promiseD to take daughter to park and make cake with her.
Hubby meant to be off but had to go somewhere today so no use whatsoever, he said he might take eldest shopping later as he shops for mil.
weather bit overcast here.

kezlou

ginnyknit fantastic news:T:T congratulations for your DS. You too parsonswife wish them both the very best:)
ceridwen so true regarding uncertainty in jobs. Unfortunately for a lot of people its a waiting game with no set date to leave. While if you do know at least you can phone up the job centre and say i finish on this date. Not only does it save time but it also allows the job centre to assess your claim quicker.
This is currently what were doing living week by week as we don't know when my partners boss will say that's it for this week.
What i always say is try and make sure you have at least some food in cupboards in case this happens.Make a list of things to do around the house, but in terms of leisure have a look on the councils website for events. You'll be surprised at the amount of low cost / free stuff which happens on a weekly basis. Last year i decided to do bit of research into an old building so off i went to the archives, they free to use, but if you want print offs etc then you have to pay.

Taplady yes you do have to phone first, it takes about 30mins to complete the application. But its quite a good system as the job centre also complete your application for housing benefit/ council tax benefit at the same time.
Sparrer and Jackieo sounds like you all had an amazing day, can imagine all the amazing memories they'll have.

Right now my boys are on a farm with they gran, i can just see them both going off exploring. My youngest will pick the biggest stick up and just wander off pretending to be a knight off to find the fearsome dragon. While my eldest will be next to him shouting "i see the dragons foot prints". Both of them will back full of stories about the new foal, riding horses playing with the dogs. But my kids love it, last year we spent days just wandering in the woods and along the beach. We had no money as my partner's contract ended so we packed a picnic, which we always do now, flask of hot chocolate & coffee and away we go. During the half terms holidays we decided to walk three miles to next town to go to an indoor play area. So i took them both by the river and climbed the hills, explored the old tracks, watched the seals, had some food. Must have taken us about 2 hours but we really enjoyed ourselves. So after the play area we got the train back home and the boys thought it was brill. Think we spent £10.50 on drinks, play area and train back home, but it was worth it.

Larumbelle

Good Morning!

Well done to those who have found work!!!

Hester sounds like you are banging your head against the wall with your in-laws. Unfortunately some people don't grasp the situation until its too late - all you can do really is be there for them when they need you.

JackieO, what a fantastic surprise for your grandkids. It sounds like it will be lovely and it's really not about how much a holiday costs, it's about the happy times you all have and the lovely memories that will stay with you forever. I work for a members club in the tourism business. Often when members notify us about a partner's passing away, they thank us for giving them so many happy memories. Some of those letters and calls have literally had me in tears at my desk. The sector we are in is deemed as cheap (though it can actually be pretty expensive!) and second best to other types of holiday, but it doesn't stop people from having a good time, and that is what matters in the end.

I have applied for a new job! In the same company and not really a promotion, more a sideways move in the direction I want to go. My CV is good but I don't interview well... ah well, it was good enough to get me into the company in the first place I guess! Even if I don't get it, I have been told I can go full-time in my existing job, which will help a lot with the finances :j

narabanekeater

Gailey - its very diheartening. He moved in after his wife took his 2 sons and upped and left leaving him in great debt. Hes the sort of man who always needs a lady if that makes sence as he insnt at all domesticated. He can now wash up but the washing machine I darent trust him with considering how much washing up liquid he uses.
He had an interviews with M&S yesterday and he always looks really smart
Someone mentioned Tesco vouchers. Weve just become menbers of YHA through Tesco and are staying in out 1st hostel a week on Monday in Hunstanton. We havent told DD yet but when weve been on day trips she always wanted to go into the Sea Life there. Its so expensive even with BOGOF!
We shall have breakfast at the hostel and chips on the green for dinner. We always buy a massive portion then open up the paper and we all dive in - theres plenty to go round
Im meeting up with a friend later whos been a bit poorly. Pork in in the SC cooking for pork, veggies and gravy later, so its just the house to tidy now and with DS going through the lovely terrible 2s its not going to stay tidy for long

Larumbelle

I bought a wonder cooker after looking at it in Lakeland the other day - didn't pay £90 for it though :eek: I got it brand new for £23 including postage on Ebay! I only bought it on Sunday evening and it was delivered this morning. It looks like it will do the job, anyway, I am sick of having to heat the oven up all of the time. From what I have read it takes a bit of getting used to but after that it is good. I will let you know I figured that if I don't get on with it at least I can bung it back on Ebay and get roughly what I paid for it. I would have preferred a Remoska really but they are so expensive, I thought I may as well try the cheaper option first.

Of course, none of my economies matter at the moment anyway as OH left the house this morning hoping to part with £2200 :eek: he is looking for a car. I am sat waiting here on insurance-sorting duty.

gailey_2

Ahh not a great start daughters bored and messed up lounge and baby very grouchy just trying to get her to sleep so I can deepclean and declutter/organise kitchen as have to start somewhere.

Want to go out but looks like rain.

Hester- cant belive they wont make cutbacks will catch up with them in end.
I would ratehr have peace of mind and no debts then worries think they need martin to help them make cutbacks maybe sell both cars and get cheaper ones, forgo holiday until back in employemnt, cut backs switching ect.

It annoys me when people moan about money but dont make changes its as if they think they will win lottory or situation magically changes.
My mams like that ah food is expensive but wont shop aldis/lidls.
Other people say they broke but out all time .

Good luck silvercharming with new job.

right baby now asleep , eldest bored driving me potty and still got kitchen to complete is so much easier when shes in school.

mardatha

Am floating around reading bits & pieces in the news and am getting worried. Some of the stuff Cameron is coming out with is a bit off... like one minute we hear the police force budgets are to be cut down drastically - then today they're going to recruit thousands of "special constables" !! -Translate that one as "wannabee cops who will work for nowt".......might not be the sort you want as your local fuzz though eh ?
And was there not something in the news recently about having a lot more volunteers running things ? ie "get on with it yourselves cos we don't care".
Added to rumours of massive cuts in the NHS budget, meaning hips and knees wont be replaced & terminal care will be cut.
Then a horrible item about Penrith & the Border's new tory mp, who thinks that his constituency is "primitive" and sneers that many of his voters "hold their trousers up with twine". Whatever happened to the idea that THEY serve US ? We PAY them to !
It doesnt sound very good for your average voter does it ?

Larumbelle

mardatha wrote: »

Am floating around reading bits & pieces in the news and am getting worried. Some of the stuff Cameron is coming out with is a bit off... like one minute we hear the police force budgets are to be cut down drastically - then today they're going to recruit thousands of "special constables" !! -Translate that one as "wannabee cops who will work for nowt".......might not be the sort you want as your local fuzz though eh ?
And was there not something in the news recently about having a lot more volunteers running things ? ie "get on with it yourselves cos we don't care".
Added to rumours of massive cuts in the NHS budget, meaning hips and knees wont be replaced & terminal care will be cut.
Then a horrible item about Penrith & the Border's new tory mp, who thinks that his constituency is "primitive" and sneers that many of his voters "hold their trousers up with twine". Whatever happened to the idea that THEY serve US ? We PAY them to !
It doesnt sound very good for your average voter does it ?

Totally agree. All this 'big society' plan really means is "we're going to sack a ton on government employees then get people to do their jobs for free". That Penrith MP deserves to lose his seat, but he won't because people tend to vote for the party rather than the person - lets face it half of those numpties would never have managed to get in otherwise!
The Tories are doing what they always do. Promise the moon on a stick to get elected, then as soon as they're in, look after their own. It's the Lib-Dems that I'm disappointed by.

Charis

mardatha wrote: »

Am floating around reading bits & pieces in the news and am getting worried.?
And was there not something in the news recently about having a lot more volunteers running things ? ie "get on with it yourselves cos we don't care".

Having spent some years in the voluntary sector I won't argue, Mardatha. Although volunteering can and should enrich both the volunteer and the community, charities themselves are always desperate for funding and there is no structure in place to ensure that they have anyone capable of managing volunteers. Not long ago the previous gov't were making statements about young people being made to 'volunteer'. If there's one thing an organisation doesn't need it's an unwilling conscript.

Then a horrible item about Penrith & the Border's new tory mp, who thinks that his constituency is "primitive" and sneers that many of his voters "hold their trousers up with twine". Whatever happened to the idea that THEY serve US ? We PAY them to !
It doesnt sound very good for your average voter does it ?

His constituents should demand a very public apology. I read this part of your post to DS who put on his best 'local' accent (Rural England) and asked 'Wos wrong wi' a bit o' twine? Why pays for a piece o' cow to tie round yer middle when you can 'ave a bit o' hairy string from the barn?'
MSE ways must be rubbing off on him. :rotfl:

Charis

BTW Am I alone in worrying about Cameron's insistence that Turkey be fast tracked into the EU? There must be a good reason for having excluded them so far, when even Romania has managed to get in.

katiegizmo

JackieO, your post made me well up that is so sweet planning a secret holiday! If that was me and my parents did that it would be like a thousand birthdays and christmasses all rolled into one!

Just proves the nicest ideas and gestures do not have to cost an arm and a leg