Its tough, it will get better and guess what its freezing brrrrr!

JoJoB

Sounds like the breadmaker is a good plan then! Have put a wanted ad on freecycle for one. I did make some nice loaves by hand last year though, so mustn't let the lack of breadmaker put me off.

I can't believe the social housing rents being put up to 80% of the market rent! What's the point of being in social housing if it's nearly as much as private? I have a friend in a 4 bedroom house paying £90 a week rent - she is going to be really struggling if she suddenly has to pay £50 a week more.

Oh it's all just pants.

parsonswife8

mardatha wrote: »

I think the bit we heard today was the tip of the iceberg...there's a whole lot more underneath that will loom up and sink us later on. The "universal benefit"...?... and the job losses ... what will happen to all the half million people who lose their jobs and then cannot afford the mortgage ? Where the hell will they end up ?

How on earth do they expect people on Incapacity etc, to be able to find a job, when able bodied people are going to be laid off, to the tune of half a million????:mad::mad::mad:

I know there are some charlatons, but for the love of God....

You couldn't make it up.:(

kidcat

JoJoB wrote: »

Sounds like the breadmaker is a good plan then! Have put a wanted ad on freecycle for one. I did make some nice loaves by hand last year though, so mustn't let the lack of breadmaker put me off.

I can't believe the social housing rents being put up to 80% of the market rent! What's the point of being in social housing if it's nearly as much as private? I have a friend in a 4 bedroom house paying £90 a week rent - she is going to be really struggling if she suddenly has to pay £50 a week more.

Oh it's all just pants.

Existing tenants willl stay the same for the time being, my question is surely the majority of new social housing tenants claim housing allowance, so putting up the rents simply increases the benefits bill??

mama67

JoJoB wrote: »

Well I am just obsessing over getting the food budget down - is a breadmaker a good idea do you think? Might see if I can get one from freecycle. Trouble is my kitchen is so tiny I have to really think about getting any gadget as I have very little storage space. But if it means I can make pizza bases and rolls easily perhaps I should do it.

Just staring glumly at my living room wall now, with all the plaster breaking off and damp patches. Won't have the money to ever get that fixed now. Feel depressed.

I know compared to the majority of the world we are still rich and very very lucky though. But still feel deflated.

I have had bread machines for the last 12/13 years, but I only have cheapie ones and tend to only use the dough setting then bake off in the oven, can use a proper "split tin" tin that way, I add in different proportions of different flours, seeds, toppings etc.
I also make pizza dough, garlic bread, rolls, baguettes and doughnuts.

For whatever reason if I try to make the dough totally by hand it never seems to rise properly; end up with doorstops.
So this is a good compromise for us, we get good hm proper bread without paying extortionate prices, and the boys will eat my wholemeal done this way but won't if I buy it.

Mrs_Veg_Plot

parsonswife8 wrote: »

How on earth do they expect people on Incapacity etc, to be able to find a job, when able bodied people are going to be laid off, to the tune of half a million????:mad::mad::mad:

I know there are some charlatons, but for the love of God....

You couldn't make it up.:(

I'm with you on this one. Makes the blood boil.

Annie56

Evening everyone

Not sure where these spending thingeys are going to hit home with me or my dad and the garage, will give it a good thought tommorow, todays just been about relaxing/working and finding my feet....

Have had a long day at the garage, seems to be a national shortage of manners in the please and thank yous department to be precise, some folk just chuck there money at you for there petrol and clear off..or is it me :p??? getting to that age of grumpiness .

Will be down the allotment tommorow morning to see what Monty oops ehmm Martin has done with that huge pile of organic manure we went halfers on....cant say that blokes after my money cos I havent any and as his first gift he sourced me a cheapo pile of organic muck...well thats different....:rotfl:

Spending the weekend teaching him how to use a breadmaker and hes going to show me his jam making skills...have lots of frozen blackberries in my freeezer so looks like its jam on my toast soon...the LETS meeting the other night was interesting Ive bartered a painting my chimney breast session for making some brownies and a traybake for a little girls party seems a fair exchange.. they barter there various skills for other things that need doing,and there lovley folks.

Well M has had a mooch on here and thinks your all brilliant , and loves the ideas floating around on OS and likes the Preparing For Winter thread and is busy jotting down a powercut list and a winter box for the car one as well...and had a lightbulb moment when he read about HM hampers for Xmas presents....started rattling on about oh a cake and some of my jams and chutnies etc blah blah would make excellent presents never thought of that idea..thinks he may well become a Its Getting Tough etc male groupie, and now its ah now I could put up a curtain pole over the back door at home...you any good at sewing:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:if he didnt have nice muscles Id be wondering about him..am at his house scoffing the lasagne hes made and finishing off a bottle of wine....and babysitting for a couple of hours while he goes and helps his friend put together a flat pack chest of drawers...ah the joys of friendship....

Hugs to everyone, whilst hes gone Im going to have a mooch round on here at some of the recipes and other sites

Hugs and cuddles to all that need them right now, and warmest thoughts to you all from this chilly corner of Staffordshire

Annie56

hermum

Bigbrands 4 less, http://www.bigbrandsforless.co.uk/?page_id=136 have great offers on bread mixes & flour. I bought the white mix when AF had it a little while ago & it's really good. The wholemeal flour doesn't say that it's strong for bread but very cheap for pastry etc & could be thrown in with some white bread flour.
We will survive the winter. The amount of flour & bread mixes etc I could probably feed half my street. Certainly all my family.
Annie he really does sound perfect, you shouldn't have let him loose on here, as you can't tell us all about him, unless it's stuff you want him to read about.
I don't know about anyone else but this is the closest I've come to romance in about a decade.
You go girl

parsonswife8

Annie56, whenever I have encountered rude people like you have, I say loudly, it was a real pleasure sir (or madam).:rotfl:

I haven't had any injuries inflicted yet as they usually scurry away feeling embarrassed by their own rudeness.:)

Hippeechiq

katholicos wrote: »

So ESA is to be subject to a 12 month claim limitation. What happens at the stroke of midnight on the last day of the twelvth month, do those of us who are unable to work due to poor health, suddenly become well enough to work? What a load of carp. I wonder how many suicides there will be when the conservative spending review gets into its full swing?

katholicos wrote: »

Okey dokey, my concerns regarding ESA led me to do a google search about the time-limited-ESA payments and i came across this thread....it seems the 12 month ESA time limit would largely affect ESA claiments who are involved with the Work Related Activity Group and whos ESA payments are contibution based. I daren't think that i won't be directly affected via the implementation of this rule though. Will wait to learn more about what it means for people like me who claim ESA because we are unfit for work and are confirmed to be so by doctors and consultants.

When/if you manage to understand this, perhaps you'd explain it to me, as I don't know what this means for my daughter who is on ESA & DLA because of her mental illness. She sees a psychologist twice a week, a psychiatrist once a month and is under the local Mental Health Team Care fortnightly and she's on 9 tablets a day, 4 anti psychotics, 2 anti depressants, 2 anti anxiety and 1 sleeping tablet.......does that sound like someone who is capable of work?

She's already always on the edge, she already self harms, she's permanently in the depths of despair, if her money is stopped, it will push her over the edge, and many others who are in the same boat I'm sure......

I'd like to punch Camerons lights out for lumping everyone who is on benefits in the "scrounger/shirker/waste of space" category, promising to teach people it's more beneficial to work than claim........and if you are mentally or physically unable????

There isn't a word in the english language insulting enough to describe the man, so one that starts with T has osse in the middle and ends with an R will have to suffice.

MummyOfTwo

well ive had my most MS moment yet - sold my tumble dryer! havent used it since march, and ive had my utility DD reduced by £20 per MONTH, so ive decided to get rid altogether.