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

Rowan9

Morning peeps. Rainy-ish here but due to brighten . Been round the park with the dogs, wM load has finished and I can hear birds tweetling in the trees. Lovely.
Re cheaper boost for health - what about some fizzy Vit C or maybe some echinaccea? I take them from time to time but must say I've had 2 colds in the past month so I'm not a very good example! Lots of rest for you and make big pots of soup.
Interesting reading re house prices/ mortgages/ savings/ ability to budget. I have savings and obviously have low interest on them but i am actually happy that the interest rates are low just now as it gives a bit of relief for those with necessarily high mortgages. I was lucky to have bought when prices were cheaper and think it's someone else's turn for a bit of luck, therefore i don't grudge the low interest. I wish house prices were cheaper though as it is so difficult for folk to buy if they want to. Can see why lots rent.
Re literacy/ numeracy classes. These are great when they are targeted for specific groups of people. In a previous job I was a Basic Literacy tutor and really enjoyed one class which was an outreach for a young women's project. We aimed the literacy at what was helpful - reading labels, recipes, medicines, as well as form filling type stuff and poetry as well . The numeracy tutor did budgets with them. She also ran a short course on decorating your home on a budget. It was really a maths' skill course and those attending could work towards a certificate, but it was all geared around rolls of wallpaper and coverage of paint. I'd love to see these back in the community and can also see that places like LETS groups would be a possible outlet. You could trade running a class. Loads of people need help with forms, letter writing, CVs for literacy, and the maths side would also attract people. You get parents wanting to brush up because their kids are getting older and want more 'advanced' help with homework.
Oh - while I've been typing away, heavier rain is on. Ah well.
W

jinny

Im going to hold off putting heating on for as long as possible this winter too. I have no elderly or young here so is doable. I refuse to give the fuel companies my cash. I am struggling to pay a large gas bill from last year and was put on a meter. If you put £20 in say the meter grabs a lot of that £20. You cant win. I live in a flat so cant have an open fire. There is a back boiler behind the gas fire and that eats the gas. I havent the money to get one of those new boilers.
I was given one of those mini side steppers and I have to say they certainly make you warm up. My knee hurts though I do a warm up first I hope i am not doing any damage to joints. I have just been getting into bed during the day and read books just to keep warm. Its cold today but quite warm yesterday you never know what your gonna get weather wise. Sorry to moan, feel better now. Its gonna be a bumpy ride

seraphina

It's not so much failure to budget I think as so much keeping up with the Jones! Or the attitude of well everyone else has one, I'm just like everyone else, surely I shall have one too? People need to start thinking for themselves and not just follow the herd.

I don't hold out much hope though - and I'm sure anyone who's ever read Vanity Fair will agree things don't look like changing!

jackieglasgow

Its absolutely about keeping up with the Jones'. I would like nice things but I am much happier spending my time with my family. I watched Oprah yesterday, which I haven't seen for years, and the buzz word was disconnected. It was quite fascinating really, A couple and their two sons, who had the big house, triple garage, living to all intents and purposes the American dream, but they spent so much time texting, on the computer and watching TV that they barely spent any time together, so one of Oprah's gurus went into their house, made them get rid of all electronics for a week, helped them declutter their homes and gave them a wee bit of counselling, and helped them re evaluate their lives. Now the cynic in me was saying, "Well how long will it take them to go back to normal?" but the mother in me was thinking, what a great thing to do. I think they were very much representative of where western society as a whole has fallen down, somehow valuing the ownership of transitional stuff over human relationships. Unfortunately we humans as a species are greedy, which is why our species has been so successful, but its getting to the stage where we are becoming unable to sustain that greed, on all fronts.

LannyLee

When we got married we asked all the parents of the bridesmaids to buy the dresses themselves & we bought the shoes, capes, flowers etc, but my DH freinds plead poverty & said they couldn't afford that, so not to dissapoint the 2 girls we paid for the dresses, yet they were still going out for lunch/drinks every weekend & re-decorated their living room & bedroom.

It really annoyed me as I felt like they'd lied to my face, but this is a good example, as I later found out that they had put all the decorating on C/cards & now were struggling to pay it off.

They have said to us a few times do we want to do this or that & we've had to say no, we can't afford it & they look at us funny & have actually said "well ust put it on your credit card, that's what we're going to do" & they can't understand why we don't want to do this.

Sorry - went off on a bit of a rant there, but it is a good example of how people want to keep up appearances, but don't have the funds to back it up & so end up in trouble later.

parsonswife8

Good morning!:)

Yesterday, the big tree on the field outside, was full of yellow leaves.

This morning it is virtually bare and all the leaves are piled up in the corner of the field.

That was a strong wind blowing during the night.:mad: Kept me awake.

I've been reading the online papers and this forum and it just seems that food prices are climbing up and up.:(

katholicos

Belated Birthday greetings to Parsonswife and hugs to Greent at this difficult time.

seasalt_2

Also thinking of you this morning greent.

Last night, DD2 was ordering Christmas/birthday presents for her friends online and, although she is going to pay for them out of her earnings, needed me to put them through on my debit card/paypal as she can't use hers online - is waiting for one she can - and I was thrown as I have barely got enough in the bank for bills/groceries to get to the end of the month. In the end, I agreed and will take her to the bank after school on Friday so she can pay me back. But although she bought 3for2 offers from Boots etc and on several presents is going halves with a friend and they are all quite savvy with their money, there is still considerable peer pressure to buy what will be considered an "acceptable" present. (Not so easy to hunt for good moneysaving finds/CS etc because of where we live.) But there is a fine line between being honest with your children about what you can and can't afford and worrying them stupid about something that is not really their responsibility and that they can do very little about. Not sure I get it right.

Minihauk

Hi All,
I hope you don't mind me posting - I have lurked on hered for a while and wanted to say "hello".
I am lucky that I have a decent job, which I hope is safe (but you never know what is round the corner).
My DS (30) and DD (28) still live with me because they just can't afford to live on their own. They both work, but have no hope of being in a position to be able to buy somewhere to live in the area they grew up in, and renting is so expensive too.
DS has no idea of budgeting, and try as I may, he just doesn't get it. I am desperately waiting for his Light bulb moment. DD is much better, and planning to save to try to buy a home (just seemed more important to spend until now!!)
Anyway, hugs to all who need them. And thank you all for being such generous spirits.

starsandmoon

Rosanna79 wrote: »

How heartening to hear a parent giving a child such a good foundation for life! She sounds delightful starsandmoon. How old is she as a matter of interest? Good for you!

She's 8 going on 80. I was sorting out a new budget as her father has been made redundant so there wont be as much maintainence (have private arrangement, CSA cause too much trouble in some cases) and she wanted to see what I was doing so I showed her my income and all the bills that have to be paid first and what is left for fun. She was stunned, not as stunned as I was when I realised how much the car costs over a year and its only a Micra with no finance but I need a car for work and all my family live miles away :eek: