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

Larumbelle

I am absolutely fascinated by the Mass Observation Archive! I have just started reading Austerity Britain and now I need to buy Nella Last as well!

STOP RECOMMENDING BOOKS TO ME THIS IS NOT MONEYSAVING!!!!!!

(Don't stop really )

ceridwen

Charis wrote: »

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.

I don't follow politics as much as some - just got a bit of a "Not sure about that......:cool:" feeling about Turkey entering the EU (mainly because its a nation that might turn hardline Islam at some point in the future...). Wondered what the heck the EU was doing letting in some of the poorer countries that are already in it anyway.

Thank goodness we arent as embroiled in that as some - at least we still have our own currency...

ceridwen

ginnyknit wrote: »

My ds went to the job centre yesterday to sign off and asked if there was a small grant available for him to but office clothes, he isn't greedy just wanted a couple of white shirts and black pants - apparently you USED to get 250 pounds - now you buy 1 shirt 1 pr trousers, take the receipts in and they re - imburse you, Well thats ok, he wanted to get2 of each but will manage. My point is why were they giving so much money in the first place? The lady also said she was expecting to be made redundant any minute along with half the staff at the job centre, well that ain't going to help the governments figures is it?

Well it certainly doesnt make any sort of sense to make Jobcentre staff redundant at a time when the Jobcentres look set to have a new influx of claimants needing to be dealt with...

ceridwen

EstherH wrote: »

Hi Ceridwen, I always thought/assumed that halogen was really expensive. Must have heard it somewhere or maybe that's just lights. Anyway, it's worth thinking about as backup heating if they are cheap. Was wondering about oil filled radiator last winter. Trying to work out what would work out cheapest.

I dont recall the figures for different sorts of fuel.

I just remember they came up cheaper than my fanheaters I'd previously used as supplementary heating and way cheaper than having the central heating on in the whole house. I have a - very - vague idea that the house costs about 40p per hour to centrally heat??? (I think...). I seem to recall that having a halogen heater on was something like 4p per hour for one "bar" worth and 7p for two "bars" worth?? Someone will doubtless correct me if I'm wrong on those figures. So last winter I tended to have the central heating on for the morning session - whilst I'm bombing round the house from room to room and then a halogen heater in the kitchen whilst doing dinner and one in whichever room I'm lazing round in for the evening. They seem to warm up a room quite fast - and, of course, they direct the heat straight at me - rather than sending it here/there/everywhere round the room (like my fanheaters did).

Note of caution: Dont sit looking into them - the light is rather bright. Not a problem to me - I have the kitchen one under the worksurface and cant see it whilst I'm chopping, cooking, washing-up. The one in the room I'm in now is behind me - so warms my back without my having to look at it.:D

Grumpycupple

Last night we got the sad news we had been waiting for last night. My neice died of alcohol induced illness. I was really cross last night that we had to find out via facebook instead of the closer family phoning us.

Anyone would think that we lived the other side of the world instead of Scotland. My poor DD has taken it really hard that although they were grieving they couldn't be bothered to inform us properly. Spent the most of this morning supporting her and trying to not exactly cheer her up but be understanding.

So off now to look at the cheapest way to get down there for the funeral. That's if they let us know when it is.

jackieglasgow

So sorry to hear that GC, hugs to your daughter and you. To be fair to your family, perhaps they each thought one of them had rung? Or expected it to become a phone tree, and for someone further down the list to call you? XXX

mardatha

I have a son who never phones, I have to watch his fb page to see what he's doing ! Silvercharming, I got hooked on Nella Last many years ago and bought the book. She was a lovely person.

RAS

jackieglasgow wrote: »

So sorry to hear that GC, hugs to your daughter and you. To be fair to your family, perhaps they each thought one of them had rung? Or expected it to become a phone tree, and for someone further down the list to call you? XXX

yep

That happened with me; It was only when I rung for an update that I discovered my family member had died two days earlier. I had been ringing folk but getting engaged because they were all on to each other.

One had said they would ring me, then agreed that another .....

wheretheresawill

365days wrote: »

Have a feeling that an expense is on it's way. Took DS and the dog for a long walk/bike ride along the canal. Dog has managed to rip both front pads on his paws. Not ripped as such but look like blisters do after they have popped. He is looking incredibly sorry for himself. I am loathe to take him to the vet as it will be soooooo expensive. I've looked it up online and it just says keep them clean/dry and they will heal themselves. Anyone had any experience of this??? I don't want anyone to think I'm a meanie but I just can't afford a £50 vets bill if all they are going to say to me is....keep it clean and dry!!!

My cat did this recently, sliced a chunk out of her pad, bled really bad- thats how I knew there was a problem, a trail of paw prints on my cream carpets, I bathed paw in salt water daily and it healed lovely, hibiscrub is also very good (you can buy in boots)

wheretheresawill

TudorRose wrote: »

I saw the item on the morning news about items going on sale for 'the big C' in some of the shops next week.
I am all for getting ahead like many of you on here. Last week I bought a toy each for my grandsons & today I started stitching two cross stitch tree ornaments for them as every year I give them a new ornament each for their tree.
Bought them as kits at 25p each in CS last year & then put them away 'safely' & didn't rediscover them again until the other week. Have already done over half of one whilst waiting for customers to come in. It makes a change from reading & sudoko puzzles.

With regards to the 'purple' spray to treat the dogs paws. When I worked as a herdsman we used this stuff on the cows but if I remember correctly it contained an antibiotic & was only available from a vet.

the purple spray contained tetracycline - used a lot by farmers, other stuff used was iodine