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

Kitcaboodle

Tired bunny here. DH is on holiday and is doing the night shifts with DS but, I'm so used to being kept up until around 4am by DS that I can't get to sleep before 3am no matter when I turn in. Then I woke up at 9am thanks to the bin men, who weren't even emptying our bins! They do nearby on a different day and are still noisy!

Only out of stock that we experienced with the weekly shop was no cheap fizzy mineral water. I don't drink tap water as I don't like the taste or the thought of all the chemicals they pump it full of. Thankfully we had a reasonable stock so we didn't have to resort to the highly expensive glass bottles that were all the had. We'll be going out again today and hopefully we'll be able to source some. The bread stocks were low too but we didn't want any so that wasn't an issue. There were still a few loaves though if we had done. Oh yes, the only other thing I wanted that was sold out was the brand of balsamic vinegar that I get - but I doubt that that was down to panic buying!

Feeling a bit better now & have worked out that my low on Saturday coincided with it being about a week before I'm due on, which is when PMT strikes, so, being more hormonal anyway, it was a doozy!

lambanana

Nuala - thinking of you, so disgusted with that shocking Irish budget. I hope you can find a way to cope.

gailey - hope your little girl's nativity goes well. Kids are rotten sometimes!

I'm ill but I'm stuck at work (I know, I'm grateful that I have a job but when I'm sick I'd rather be at home!) I hope I'm not infecting everyone around me but I haven't much choice about being here as I'm on sickness monitoring as a result of my recent hospital treatments and I don't want to go onto the next stage!

Looking on the bright side we've just got a new Waitrose in town, full price it's expensive but I've been going after work and getting some great reduced bargains, 2 pints of milk for 19p, a whole pre-roasted free range chicken for £2.90 (should have been nearly £7) which we've had two meals and two packed lunches from and some other bits. It's good to see decent reductions because the tesco knocks about 10p off something on it's use by date and that's your lot!

I was pleased that both last week and this week our veg man made it through the ice (whilst the postie didn't!) so we've got our lovely veg. I was worried as we were getting sprouts this week and I saw an article on the news about them being frozen in the fields and becoming inedible but ours look fine and dandy, my sprout loving DH will be pleased!

NualaBuala

Charlies Aunt - sorry to hear about not getting paid, that's rotten and hope you manage ok.

Piglet - I don't have chldren either, I agree with everything you said - after all, you can't please everyone all the time!

Rosanna79 wrote: »

Nuala
With the situation in Ireland I should shut up..Will get the details from my sister in law later in the week. Thinking of you at this difficult time. Hope you can manage to make the numbers work. all the best

Thank you so much Rosanna, you are very kind. It is blooming tough - but I think it is tough everywhere really. Hope your OH has a good birthday . I can imagine how exhausting those outings must be so I hope you are taking care of yourself too. Have you got any nearby indoor activities (book groups, that sort of thing) to help keep you occupied through this tough time? I really feel for you and I admire how you're coping.

ceridwen wrote: »

ME! Doing FLUFFY:eek: - now you KNOW that I dont do that.....you having been the one that told me that:rotfl::rotfl:. YOu'll be visualising me wearing pink and frills next:eek::rotfl:> I do do strong/armour-plated .........(havent had a lot of choice at some points in my life........). Helmet - check. Vizor - check. Shield - check. Lance - check....

I am..<cough> just a tad concerned about you lass...<cough>

Crikey - 10cents..._pale_. That warrants my mothers phrase "Dont spend it all at once!" ...Hope things get better for you personally...Take care.

:rotfl:I know, I know ... I didn't really think you'd gone all "pink and fluffy"! Sounds like you are well-kitted out in warrior-goddess gear (but don't forget some thermals underneath, I believe armour can be a bit chilly!). I think I will manage the money side ok - but some expensive parts of my budget are under threat - health insurance, private dentist (no choice over here, you have to pay anyway), organic food, various vitamins and herbal supplements I take and the occasional Buddhst retreat. They are all connected with my health and wellbeing so I am loath to give them up completely - I will just have to find a way of lessening the cost. I will try very hard to give up the unhealthy things like takeaways and sweeties ... well minimise them at least and that money can help me keep the stuff that is good for me.

I think the hardest thing is that people here are angry (understandably) ... but also defeated. Morale seems non-existent as we will be paying back debt from the "bailout" forever. We are "banjaxed" (as one of our opposition politicians said) because of the banks recklessness, nothing to do with most of us. It is terribly unfair. Nobody has any confidence in the government but who to replace them with?! Gailey - like you say there is Sinn Fein wating in the wings but I don't think that would be good for the country either.

gailey wrote: »

Nuala -saw irish budget last night and thourght of you.
I think we protest too much ireland got it bit harder just hope the help they get can get them back on their feet.
Politically I feel I would struggle with elections over there as not sure sinn fein the answer but neither are the eijets currently running the show the priminister looks like he ate too many pies:rotfl:

Yes ... and too many pints of Guinness too!

So ... to get away from the "it's tough" and onto the "how are we coping" ... I am going to make a concerted effort to stay positive and get as healthy as possible. I am going embrace frugalness as a lifestyle. And that's where this website is fab - cos I am surrounded by people who understand that here. I am going to figure out how to live within my reduced means and still put something away for emergencies (miracles happen, don't they?:rotfl:) I am going to seek out the simple pleasures in life and spend a little time reflecting on them - things that cutbacks can't take away from me. I'm going to nuture my spirituality - if I can't afford to go away for a retreat, then I will do Urban Retreats at home. And despite the ME and rubbish finances, I am gong to try to find some way of helping other people who are worse off. I am not going to get bogged down with political wrangling and I will pick any battles I fight carefully and cut my losses if need be as those things can really bring me down. So that is my personal manifesto! :rotfl:

Apologies for the long post everyone ... I guess I'm thinking out loud here.

Hope everyone is well and keeping warm - tis brass monkeys out there!

NualaBuala

lambanana wrote: »

Nuala - thinking of you, so disgusted with that shocking Irish budget. I hope you can find a way to cope.

gailey - hope your little girl's nativity goes well. Kids are rotten sometimes!

I'm ill but I'm stuck at work (I know, I'm grateful that I have a job but when I'm sick I'd rather be at home!) I hope I'm not infecting everyone around me but I haven't much choice about being here as I'm on sickness monitoring as a result of my recent hospital treatments and I don't want to go onto the next stage!

Looking on the bright side we've just got a new Waitrose in town, full price it's expensive but I've been going after work and getting some great reduced bargains, 2 pints of milk for 19p, a whole pre-roasted free range chicken for £2.90 (should have been nearly £7) which we've had two meals and two packed lunches from and some other bits. It's good to see decent reductions because the tesco knocks about 10p off something on it's use by date and that's your lot!

I was pleased that both last week and this week our veg man made it through the ice (whilst the postie didn't!) so we've got our lovely veg. I was worried as we were getting sprouts this week and I saw an article on the news about them being frozen in the fields and becoming inedible but ours look fine and dandy, my sprout loving DH will be pleased!

Bless you, thanks Lambanana. Hmmm, wondering if you could make some money selling any leftover sprouts.:) I listen to Farming Today and heard the same thing about there being problems with availability of certain veg for Christmas.

mardatha

Nuala your philosophy sounds like mine. But you seddit far more elegantly. I would've said sod the lot of youz I'll cope !

stiltwalker

NualaBuala wrote: »

So ... to get away from the "it's tough" and onto the "how are we coping" ... I am going to make a concerted effort to stay positive and get as healthy as possible. I am going embrace frugalness as a lifestyle. And that's where this website is fab - cos I am surrounded by people who understand that here. I am going to figure out how to live within my reduced means and still put something away for emergencies (miracles happen, don't they?:rotfl:) I am going to seek out the simple pleasures in life and spend a little time reflecting on them - things that cutbacks can't take away from me. I'm going to nuture my spirituality - if I can't afford to go away for a retreat, then I will do Urban Retreats at home. And despite the ME and rubbish finances, I am gong to try to find some way of helping other people who are worse off. I am not going to get bogged down with political wrangling and I will pick any battles I fight carefully and cut my losses if need be as those things can really bring me down. So that is my personal manifesto! :rotfl:

How beautifully put. We could do far worse than have a few politicos adopt versions of such a manifesto but somehow can't see that happening.:(

I think this is the real strength of the community on here, no matter how horrid a day or week or month is being there are people on here who understand that frugal, whilst being a neccessity for many, can also bring pleasure and satifaction and improve our contribution to our families and the wider community around us and that this is important. I am glad in a way that my DD and no 2 will be brought up knowing that every penny counts and that they can't have everything but that they will get all the important stuff - the time, the attention, the love and support but maybe not the latest 'thing' as I think this will be a fantastic grounding for their futures.Thanks you to you all on here who help keep my chin up on the rough days.

Good luck with your additional belt tightening and warming hugs to all on here who need them.

Gosh haven't I gone all philisophical - sorry.

Dee5565

Hi, everyone my first time posting on this thread.Hope its okay to put it here.
I have been reading lots of posts on the OS and have got some great ideas and tips. So Thank You everyone.

I have decided that i am going to have a frugal year 2011.
I need to get rid of my debt.
I am starting to declutter my home and get rid of unwanted or needed items.I am not going to buy any thing unless its a NEED not a WANT

Have 7 nieces and nephews that i am expected to buy large presents for, there parents spent far to much on them all on cards. So i have told the parents that this year it will be different as i dont have the money. I have knitted scarfs,got a few DVDS very cheap,and have made homemade chocs.Dont think it went down to well but too bad.
I am not going to be made feel bad because its homemade.

Explained it all the the OH what i would like to do this coming year and why, and he is all for it and said we would work as a team as its for his benefit as well. Didnt think he would go for it so i am all excited.:j
We have 2 DDs and 1 DS they are all overseas living so just send cards and gift vouchers to them.
Sorry for the long post, but feels better know its down in writing.

Take care everyone and be careful when going out.

Dee

kidcat

Welcome Dee, well done for tackling the presents issue and for dealing with your debts etc.

I have been dithering for weeks about making a Christmas pudding and cake, but have just been on the slow cooker thread and there is a link to a pudding I can make in the SC, so have decided to get that done tomorrow. Have picked last of kids presents out and will collect that later, then its just a case of waiting for the last few bits to arrive by post. Still trying to get the kids in the garden while it looks scenic and catch a good photo of them to have made into a canvas picture of my parents, got a great one on Monday but there are raindrops all over it which I didnt notice till after we got back in!! Did try to add the dog in too, but he was such a distraction that I am not repeating that exercise!!:)
Trying to get a list together of everything left to buy food wise and get that done by next Friday when kids break up, I really do not want to be dragging them all shopping on Christmas week.
Been trying to buy mugs today to turn into Christmas gifts for teachers etc, but they are so expensive this year, last year I paid £2 for 4 mugs, this year its £5 for 4 mugs.:eek::eek: Argos are selling plain white ones for £2.99 which seems ok but they are very plain, so was thinking of getting the kids to paint them, but am not sure what sort of paint I would need, or if the paint would fall off?

Being very careful with the heating today as kids are all at school its switched off and just a small fire in the living room, was down to 6c last night inside the house and my bedroom went down to 3c:eek::eek:.

stiltwalker

Kidcat - you will need special paints for ceramics, I've always used pebeo which you can get from art and craft shops. When your creation is dry you put it in the oven on fairly low and once baked it is totally permanent and washable some even dishwashable I believe but you'd need to check the instructions. It would up your costs a fair bit though the pots of paint go a long way and you'd have plenty left over for other projects or pressies.

jackieglasgow

Kidkat have you tried TKMaxx for mugs? You can also buy stuff which you can photocopy pictures, drawings or photos - anytting that is photocopy-able really - onto, then stick onto mugs and bake them. I have a pack somewhere if I can find it I will find the name, we use it to decorate mugs for gifts, it works very well and would be cheaper than buying special paints.