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

rachbc

My ds is 12 and dd only 3 so we do as a previous poster does and spend much less on the littley - she will get some lego and playmobil and be happy as larry, ds however gets more spent - this year a ps3 - I'm not going in to debt for it, he will really value and appreciate it (in fact we had tears when he asked for it as he was worried about being greedy and us not being able to afford it). He will also get a stocking of silly cheap bits but nothing else from us. I'm not buying his affection or compensating for not seeing him as I work...he doesn't get lots of other stuff so we do make a big deal at xmas and birthdays. I don't crticise those who choose to spend less nor do I expect judgements cos I do choose to.

I'm getting a fantastic new kitchen knife and a super snuggly wool/ cashmere blanket! Useful things I will use lots but can't quite justify buying for myself - I think of it as luxury OS!

jackieglasgow

rachbc wrote: »

I'm not buying his affection or compensating for not seeing him as I work...he doesn't get lots of other stuff so we do make a big deal at xmas and birthdays. I don't crticise those who choose to spend less nor do I expect judgements cos I do choose to.

:T:T:T:T Well said.

sammy_kaye18

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

There was a thread on the Families board yesterday about which kids have TV, computers and game-thingys in their bedrooms and I've never heard of anything like it! Some Mums on there had kids who were only about 11 years old or even younger and had been bought endless amounts of gadgets, mobiles and laptops and quite a few of them thought it was normal and perfectly reasonable. Either I'm stuck in a previous age or part of the world really has gone mad. Thinking about the amounts of money those people had obviously spent )on what I personally belive to be non-essentials) I'm not altogether surprised that they come onto a site like this. Quite a number of them should pop by and join the Old-Stylers and get a sense of proportion.

I have to say that Ben has a DVD/Combi thing in his bedroom that I won about 3 years ago in a work raffle and I think he's watched it once. He does have a DS which is his DS, we have an XBOX360 which was my Xmas present two years ago but the whole family use it and we have a PC which again is for family use. I don't see why Ben would need any more.

His brother on the other hand has a DS, a DSi, a Wii, an XBOX, a PC, a mobile, Sky TV in his bedroom and is now getting an XBOX360 for his christmas present from his mother. Even Owen himself has no idea why Josh needs all that. Although Josh has said he likes coming to see us because we spend time with him but at home he just stays in his room, he even eats his meals there. Whereas I cant get Ben to go in his room here. He prefers being with me and holly in the living room like it should be.

sammy_kaye18

Well said Rach.

Most of Bens stuff this year has been given to me by other people or won. I have spent about £20 on him at the minute total. I will spend a little bit more on him - possibly about £80 but that's it but I know he's not materialistic etc.

Little holly princess will probably get about £30 and that's her lot. She will be 5.5 months so wont know what's going on.

I think parents who give their children all the new fan-dangled things are setting themselves up for a fall in the coming years personally. Whereas I know Ben is happy with a few games, and a stocking. In fact there would probably be murders if he didn't get his stocking.

Primrose

kidcat wrote: »

Is anyone else feeling really low and down today? Have felt really weepy and assumed it was me, but my DD16 boyfriend has just said that there were girls in his class all crying at points during the day and that he saw a teacher sit in her car and cry after school.

I really think this is partly connected with the grey skies, damp weather and low light levels we experience at this time of year. On these kinds of days, I often feel down too. But this year I suspect there's also the psychological effect of worries about the future economy too, pressing down on many people, especially those who have debts or who are worried about losing their jobs. The combination of all these factors can sometimes feel just too much to cope with. Additionally, in Autumn, we know "it's all downhill now", for several months, with darker nights, colder weather and a generally miserable time. By the time we get to mid February and the days are growing imperceptibly longer, one's spirits can at last start to rise but the intervening months sometimes feel a very long haul.

I think many teenagers who've grown up in good times, are now old enough to sense some of the financial anxieties which are about to hit their parents and are becoming fearful about what the future will hold for them. Suddenly their own futures, in terms of educational and job prospects are now longer automatically guaranteed and there's a worry about what will happen when the golden egg of ready credit or an affordable place at university seem to be disappearing into the mist.

I was thinking about this the other day and wonder just how my parents' generation coped with all this during the War years when things were so much worse than they were today. Not only did they have the winter weather to contend with (no central heating, coal on ration, no washing machines and labout-saving kitchen gadgets, food on ration, clothes on ration, petrol withdrawn for private cars) but bombs dropping down everywhere and often husbands and wives separated for years as they were away serving in the forces. Plus the anxiety of that dreaded War Ministry telegram arriving at any point "We regret to inform you..."

We often just feel the immediacy of our own personal situation but even looking around at the economic state the country is in, in many other ways we still have a lot to be thankful for. I try to keep reminding myself of this when I wake up to a grey sky or a wet and miserable day. Some nice cheerful music or a brief walk in the fresh air often succeeds in lifting my owns spirits. What does it for you?

lolly_896

It's getting cold - Energy prices are rising! Money's tight and were due a vat increase!? Anybody else frightened about what this will mean for them and there families?
Our budget has been skimmed back to the basic and were surviving with little surplus. Redundancy is a possibility for myself and i am making myself ill thinking about how i we are going to stay warm and well fed if this happens especially with all the increases!

x

rosieben

<<hugs>> it is such a worrying time for so many people; why don't you come along to the Its tough thread, you'll find lots of people with similar worries and plenty of support and advice

Pink.

Hi lolly,

I think most people are fearful at the moment of what the future is going to bring, but we have a thread dedicated to supporting each other through it where you should get lots of help and advice:

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

I'll add your thread to that one later to keep the replies together.

This thread may help too:

Preparing for winter II

And you if you join in with the November 2010 Grocery Challenge the people there will help and support you in bringing your shopping bills down.

Pink

BitterAndTwisted

gailey wrote: »

I had an idea from the debate on this mornings wright stuff. Rudolph stew, do you think its mad. apparently lidls selling pack steaks for 5.99 always wanted to try deer and similar I guess and cheaper or is it os too far and bit mean?
Would anyone else buy and eat it?

I haven't eaten meat in decades but if I did I would most definitely try some of that venison from Lidl. Just because it's a good price doesn't make it "cheap" or "mean" by any means: it's considered a huge luxury in a lot of quarters. Also, I suspect it would be pretty healthy eating as it's free-range and has less fat and therefore much less cholesterol than other red meats.

Give it a whirl, Gailey, it's probably very nice.

Bella79

Hi,

Where the same here, husband is doing all the work he can, i cant work but do recive benefits, we have cut back on everything swapped gfas and elec suppliers, canceled sky, reduced all d/d that we can, we dont go out for meals or drink and we dont buy drink, All i do is go to the supermarket once a week for a basic shop, and were stilll struggling !

I dont even have 40.00 a week for food theres 3 of us and 2 dogs, and i honestly do not know how we will cope if things keep increasing, all i want to be able to do is keep a roof over our head and food on table im not bothered about anyhting else but still even jst doing that is turning into a luxury.

Im spreading food as much as i can, nothings getting wasted i bake, cook from scratch, i just cant do anymore to cut back .

So no your not the only one !

bx