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

bluebag

Mrs Veg Plot,

I had the reduced meat problem as well. I got round it by only buying stuff that fit in with my three weekly meal plan. It meant I could take advantage of the bargains without ruining the budget.

It has become harder this last few weeks and I can see a time when I shall have to increase the food budget slightly, sadly at the expense of something else. Can't drop the brands much further really.

At least have some luxuries that may have to go, I know many are not so lucky.

Primrose

Rummer - Delighted that your OH has found another job. Am sure both of you will sleep much easier tonight. What a lovely early Christmas present!:T

Rummer

Primrose wrote: »

Rummer - Delighted that your OH has found another job. Am sure both of you will sleep much easier tonight. What a lovely early Christmas present!:T

It is such a relief as his jobs seekers runs on on the 9th of Dec and then our life would have started to fall apart.

bluebag

Rosanna79. That was an amazing post.

I really hope Sammy-kaye hears what you're saying.

Your school of hard knocks sounds very similar to mine. I would join you in trying to save the next generation the hard lessons.

bluebag

Rummer wrote: »

It is such a relief as his jobs seekers runs on on the 9th of Dec and then our life would have started to fall apart.

Oh my! that's close. So glad for you, I imagine the stress has been awful, at least you can breathe now.

Rummer

It is nice to be able to think about the future without our thoughts being clouded by fear!

ceridwen

Hmmm...my feeling with Sammy Kaye and Owen is Sammy is the more capable of the two of them and Owen knows it. But - I would be the first to argue that the more capable of a partnership shouldnt let themselves "get held back" by the less capable one.

Do hope Sammy works this out well. I've always been single - but I do get astonished/horrified at reading all the stories on here of how one person in a partnership has affected the other with their bad money management. This is all news to me - as what I've seen over the years is both my parents co-operating with each other as to how to manage the money coming in and I didnt really realise until I came onto MSE that sometimes things dont work that way with other couples.

I well understand why you want a bit of security Sammy - and do hope that you will work this out for the best.

sammy_kaye18

Hi All

The money that I won is in no way shape or form going near Owens account, it is safe to say it is MY money - the cheque will be in my name, it will be paid into my account and any remaining will stay in my account.

He wanted a joint account that required two signatures to withdraw the money but I know he'd put up an argument and strop if he didn't get his way.

Did put him in his place last night though, we had a friend visit and he was nice as pie to me then and as our friend went to leave I said I would go back to being ignored now and looking after my 4 children and that they were ALL going to have fish fingers, mash potato and spaghetti for tea and if there was any strops they could go straight to bed. Needless to say Owen didn't look very amused or happy but it sorted it out because he seemed to magically start talking to me then.

Anyway - realisation that this cheque may take 28 days is setting in now so I will be meal planning until then.

Today I will mainly be filling in forms for Holly Child Trust Fund and getting that sent away to Nationwide.
Cleaning
Washing
Sorting Bens toys out AGAIN
and I may make some twinks hobnobs and meal plan what I have in the freezer if I have time.

Its bleeding freezing here though so may actually - i know ive been saying for weeks - but get round to heat proofing my flat!!!!!!!

Ceridwen - I do have a premium bond that was brought for £5 in 1984 for me when I was born so I might do this for the kids and get them some each and myself some. You never know do you?

WHOEVER ASKED ABOUT MONEY MANAGEMENT (sorry I cant remember!)
Owens dad is in a well paid job, and can on a whim buy what he pleases. Him and his father are exactly alike. My poor mother in law currently has an MG, a land rover and a motorbike all sat in her back garden, a motor home in the driveway, and 2 kayaks so she knows exactly how I feel. She is very money conscious though and hates to ask to have extra money from her hubby. His parents are still together.

Whereas my family, my parents divorced when I was 15, my dad was in the RAF, my mum then worked as a cleaner and in a motorbike shop. I went to live with my mum when her housemate ran off on her leaving her with a 3 bedroomed house and 2 dogs to look after by herself. I found out her house mate had left after about a month and that she had been living on biscuits. SO I moved in and my child benefit and part time job helped. I only brought home £80 a weekend working in a garden centre but it still helped. I watched her book balance, plan her bills, put money into envelopes for bills, cut vouchers etc so that instilled in me not to squander my money. I started paying £20 a week rent at 16 and got a job in our local shop so that we had discounted food.

I grew up every holiday at my grandparents or my great great aunts house too. My nan is very frugal, knitting, sewing, made her own clothes, foraging, growing seeds, baking, cooking from scratch, etc and is one of 7 daughters so knew everything as far as I was concerned when I was little. My great great aunt lived in Cupar, Scotland in a stone house, with only a coal fire, no central heating and grew all her own fruit and veg in a small garden. I remember one November walking in foot deep snow at the age of 6 to the local butchers and veg man so we could get 3 sausages, 2 potatoes and 2 carrots. God I loved those days though.

Right best be off, bens awake, holly wants some more bottle and I will be lighting some candles later for us all.

Hugs, congratulations, condolences, happy birthdays etc to all who want or need them.
x x x x x x x

ceridwen

Primrose wrote: »

Rummer - Delighted that your OH has found another job. Am sure both of you will sleep much easier tonight. What a lovely early Christmas present!:T

Echo that thought. Congratulations - and what a relief.

So - thats 2 people sorted out with early Christmas presents if I'm counting correctly - ie Sammy and Rummer. Who's next?

...that reminds me ...wonder how Annie56 is getting on?......;):)

dollydaydream07

have just totted up my spending for last week and we have spent around £200 - about £85 on 2 big pressies for DD and a few small bits for a hamper for my sister, a new xmas tree and the rest on food!!!!!!!!
its £200 we couldn't really afford and £78 of that went on the credit card and to top it all off DD is off school with a horrible barking cough and a temp, she's spent most of the morning sleeping and i've spent all morning watching her like a hawk in case she has a seizure so haven't got anything done

on a plus though, i have leek and potato soup in the SC and it's ready to be blitzed for our lunch and i didn't throw the potato skins away, i cooked them in the oven for a while and the shoved some grated cheese on them and ate them at 11 as a snack and they were delish