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

NualaBuala

Evening all. I've enjoyed catching up on this thread this evening. I found it heartening that people who disagreed with one another were able to express themselves sincerely but come to a mutual understanding. If we had more of that in the real world, it would be a better place.

Just my tuppence worth - I wasn't around for the previous it's tough threads but as a newcomer I feel very welcome and it hasn't been offputting reading the chat at all. The opposite really, it's been so nice reading about people supporting each other, giving advice, sympathy and whatever seems needed to keep on going through these tough times. If I haven't time, I skim ... don't think the sky will fall in if I miss a few pages.

pink_numbers wrote: »

This is such a good point, and a point that I have so easily missed! Thank you so much for saying what I needed to hear.

saving never used to come naturally to me. I was a natural godess of spenders! However, I have been trying really hard in the last 4, 5 years.

It IS much easier now to save, with everyone else having to save. I had a friend ask me if I fancied coming out for a brew. I let her know that I couldn't afford to but she was more than welcome to come round and I'd make her a brew and something to eat. When she turned up, she said 'thank goodness you said that because I can't afford it either!' :rotfl:

Pink, for what it's worth, I think you are doing great! :T It can be hard to see our own progress at times so give yourself a big pat on the back.

kezlou wrote: »

of course your not failing!!! We all have bad days.The past two weekends, i got sick of life, lack of money etc and i though s*d it, ended up spending a fortune on the kids and food. I also spent money on my credit card for food, stupidly i might add. But now i'm back on it, well trying anyway. We never fail we just slow down or speed up.

I also like to think, that if come here and rant about money, life etc i'm with like minded people and to be honest it has really helped me out. So keep posting and we'll be here to cheer, cry and shout along with you!

I also dropped out of the frugal living challenge everything crept up on me so i thought right well at least i had a go. Better than nothing.

I like the bit in bold Kezlou, very nicely put! :T Would be lovely to see you back on the Frugal thread - I think everyone is just doing their best there. Nobody gets smacked with a wooden spoon for falling off the wagon. Life has a funny way of interfering with our plans and all we can do is try our best.

Welcome Rachel, nice to "meet" you! I can't help with the meal ideas I'm afraid. Are there any foods that are staple ingredients for you? Maybe if you list those, the clever OSers will be able to suggest some recipes. Low fibre - I'm thinking starchy foods like potato maybe, meat, dairy and eggs - are the kinds of things you eat? I have had depression on and off so I sympathise.

Monty ... the name seems to be sticking! Nice to hear from you, we're all well-impressed with your OS skills!

Hope everyone is ok - and hugs for anyone who isn't.

I'm coming down with a virus - have been fighting it off for a few days and this evening it started getting the upper hand. Never mind, I don't have to do anything much tomorrow so I will take it easy and lash into the honey, ginger and lemon.

ginnyknit

made a huge pot of pea,ham and dumpling soup but realised I had forgotten to put the ham in so used them as mushy peas to go with Mums mince and onion pie. then popped the ham in and we had it as soup for dinner. First of many meat free meals for us. I think there may be many to follow. Am going to try and spread the meat out more too. I want to try and save some cash for emergencies as we don't have a cushion any more. Its a scary time guys, thank goodness for the support on here.

had a look at the big brands for less site yesterday and think I will order off there on Saturday. Have finally convinced my Mum to build up a store of tins and packets, she has a fab walk in cupboard in the hall. I worry about her as she moved near my brother when my Dad passed and though it was a good idea he hasn't a clue about her needs. The problem is she is diabetic which is limiting and mainly because of her age she has a tiny appetite and could easily not look after herself.

Oh well am off to bed now as Dgs is here and he has worn me out! But he brings sunshine into the house and lifts Dh's mood in the way that no doctor can manage:T

Pink.

Hi everyone,

While I understand the need to chat, motivate and keep morale up for each other, we also need to accept and appreciate that there are other Old Stylers who would prefer that the thread is kept on the topic of Old Style and ways to deal with life getting tougher.

So I'm gently reminding everyone to keep the thread relevant and on topic. I understand that lots of people enjoy chatty posts, but if your post is going to be exclusively a chat about your day, relationships, politics etc then the best places to post are either the Old Style daily thread or begin a new thread in the Discussion Time board.

May I also add that there are no gold, silver or black stars awarded to posts. Each and every post that is supportive and helps us to save money in these tough times is a valuable one.

Thanks for your co-operation.

Pink

gailey_2

kidcat wrote: »

Was talking to friend earlier and she says yesterdays announcement will cost them £300 per month, she will lose all her child benefit and some other stuff relating to pensions in public sector. Now I appreciate that her husband must be earning enough to pay high rate tax but the idea that all of a sudden they will no longer have £300 per month brought home just how hard it is going to be, I know they spend irresponsibly and I have been trying to encourage her to change her spending habits. I think looking at an idea in principle - ie remove CB from high tax bracket, but in practise when you see it in practise, it is so much more difficult. They are heavily in debt atm and in reality she has no real input into their spending, she buys shopping, he sorts rest. And as she uses CB for shopping I see the panic on her face.

On a much happier note, I called into Asda on way home earlier and got a wonderful trove of whoopsies. Our local Asda is 24hr so reductions are pitiful but the store near the old house closes at 10pm so has brilliant reductions - tbh my shopping bill has risen substantially since moving as I cant do a whoopsie run every few days. Amongst my haul I got a box of samphire - 20p. HOwever as DD pointed out I have no idea what to do with it ( my rationale for buying was that for 20p we could experiment and if we hated it then had lost nothing!) so any suggestions gratefully received.

Hopefully will make your freind take responsability and take action now.cb goes 2013 so try pay down debts before that as thats action we taking. Sometimes overspending shopping can happen when person is depressed and worries about future stressful so its worrying for everyone who thinks they maybe affected .

Well done on whoppsies, tried my local co-op earlier normally very good but not much today think I went in too early as was lunchtime.

Seductive smile-hugz sounds like tough time can empathise with banks charges, unauthorised od. defintaly pay rent first.
Your bloke sounds like right muppet but maybe hes is stressed, feels guilty for owing you and doesent want to burden you wit his problems maybe theres chance for chat and reconcile if you love his problem shared, problem alfed and can work through it together know money troubles made my marriage stonger as we on same page.

Ginnyknit-had to chuckle I been know to add an ingrediant to some recipies sometimes vital ones as go into autopilot some dinnertimes and get scatty.

If my posts completly off topic of oldstyle will stop posting.
finding it hard at times too measure whats relevent as most of time everyones engaging with others conversation and points made im not activly starting posts with irrelevent non os info think os a way of life that impacts on lots of things we do daily in order to save money and stop ourselves from sinking.

anguk

seductivesmile wrote: »

Hi There,
Can i join in please? i have read a load of the pages on here and see the same worries i have echoed. I privately rent my flat, and was struggling after i lost my evening job, just about managed the bills etc with my 37hpw job, but now they have reduced the hours to 27... under WTC threshold, and now not sure if i can even apply for help for my rent and CT... are they still open to new applications? cuz while i am looking for a job with full time hours my wages will not cover my bills.
I dont know what to do tbh as i have my bank chasing me to pay off my overdraft, which is all charges they took after i dipped into my overdraft briefly, which they hadnt informed me had been cancelled, so 'apparently' they are sending it to the underwriters (3 weeks ago) but it doesnt stop the intimidating phone calls and the threats to take the money out of the othe account i have, which just has enough for the rent this month. which if they do, means the rent wont get paid, and private landlord....

I really feel up against it, and to top it off, have just had the guy i love, tell me he cant handle a relationship as he has too much stress and cant afford to pay me back the £500 he owes me.


SS x

Sorry to hear things are hard for you at the moment. It may be best if you apply to your local council for help with rent and CT while you're looking for full-time work, the worst they could say is no but they may be able to help.

Would you be able to open a basic account with another bank to have your wages paid into? That way at least the bank couldn't take it and you could sort of start afresh without bank charges swallowing some of your wages. I know there have been others who have got into problems and the bank has taken money from another account that they've had with them and the advice has been to open a new basic account with another bank and have your wages paid into that.

youngmummy

hi all,
do any of you sew or are you crafty as i have been looking up alot recently on handmade things. if you are crafty the go to g**gle and type in somethink you want to make
im going to atempt to make some blankets for winter
bras
washable sainitry towels
pram blankets
wish me look will save me a bit of money hopefully aswell so its all good

Hardup_Hester

We had chicken ham & mushroom pie for tea last night, made from the leftover chicken from last week & there is still a whole pie left in the freezer for next week, even my hubby refuses to eat the pie every night for a week. Half term next week & I have 5 more bags of apples to use up!

[Deleted User]

I see that my attempt at rstarting my original `tough` thread has been thwarted. Oh well c`est la vie

I hope you all get through everything in one piece

Hugs and kisses from me

ceridwen

kezlou wrote: »

We has the same conversation earlier on this year. GP wouldn't let me get sterilised, as i'm too young. so my OH had a vasectomy instead. Were determined no more little accidents are going to turn up. WE BOTH decided it was best and to be honest since he had the operation 70% of shared stress has suddenly disappeared.No more running to the shop or clinics for contraceptive, i know it doesn't feel good right now. But it does get better over time.

Grrr to doctors who think they know our minds better than we do:mad: - glad you found a way to "get round him":D. I thought maybe GPs had "moved on a bit" since my day and accepted that women are to be given sterilisations if they want them - without a lot of argie-bargie or downright refusal about it (as I experienced back in my day).

I "got round" a recalcitrant GP by having the sheer good luck to stumble upon the Marie Stopes Clinics where (even on my poor income - I've darn nearly always been on poor income:() I could afford the prices. If anyone wants what I regard as having been a total godsend to me personally:
www.mariestopes.org.uk
(so put in as moneysaving hint for those who know they cant afford any more children).

Thats one of the things I thank heaven for in my life. The others are:
- thank goodness I bought a house when I did
- thank goodness I'm as old as I am (I often feel sorry for younger people about various things that have changed since my day). The latest "sigh of relief" and quick "Thanks Universe" was that I'm too old to be told my State Pension Age is going to be raised again - whew! whew! whew! I had literally been feeling ill with worry about that...so HUGE HUGE sigh of relief for me.

Better go off and think "Now what else is there to add to the list I go "thank goodness" about daily...."

JoJoB

Sorry to hear about your troubles seductivesmile. Do open a new basic bank account today wiht a bank that is not affiliated in any way with your current one. And maybe pop on entitledto.com and input your details to see if you might be entitled to any help. Definitely put in a claim for housing benefit, you never know.

Maybe you could find one evenings work in a bar/cleaning etc just to make up the 3 hours needed for wtc?

Going for a free swim with DD today thanks to Schweppes bottle tops. That's 2 free activities this week - they are about if you look hard enough!