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

gailey_2

jediteacher wrote: »

Big hugs to all those that need them

We've had to sit down this week as when we looked to see how much money we had we realised we had £50 to last until January the 1st! :eek: We've had some sudden expenses - car wheels, central heating, petrol (visiting Father in law as he has been diagnosed with cancer) and it's all just snowballed. To top that off my bank account has been frozen whilst the bank investigates some fraudulent purchases. It's never ending at the moment! :mad:

At school this week my year 6 class went across to the old folks home to sing them some carols and play some songs. I've has this class from Year 5 and they are such a brilliant bunch of kids. Half way through singing Away in Manger my eyes all misted over as I realised that I wouldn't be with them when they leave school. This may sound strange but I love my job and this class have been very special to me. These pregnancy hormones are playing havoc!

I've sold some stuff on ebay so that should pay for the Christmas food. Luckily I've got all the prezzies I need and have tonnes of wrapping paper so at least that is all paid for.

We'll get there but it's just heartbreaking working so hard and having all the prices go up and not your salary. I worked out that from this time last year all our combined bills have gone up by just over £200! :mad: We don't have an extra £200 a month so we really are going to have to sort something out - not sure what yet.

Anyway I'll stop my rambling as there are people out there who struggle far more than us and at least we have each other and our health.

Jedi teacher sorry you having rubbish time.

Can empathise as sometimes even the tightest laid budgets we have had unexpected bills mainly the car of doom and ended up with not much until payday.

Hubbys pad days 15th middle of month which sometimes seems worse as all the bills end or beggining.
we have sold lots but my ebays doing slow at moment and taken out awful payday loan to see us through in past but only because their extortionate fees are less than banlk charging us for going od and bouncing direct debits.

Theres nothing more disheartening to work so hard and live frugally but feel like odds stacked against as everythings going up.

Thur was really stressful as hubby had 40quid to last him until cheque cleared yesterday.
But he had confereence upnorth he got a carshare lift.
But he had to pay for his food upfront and claim when he got back into work which was friday.
We checked credit card wed and balance said we had 120quid remaining so he said use my card for train fare thur to funural plus he had to use his last tenner for petrol for car.
well thur early morning whilst hubby filled up with petrol tried to get money off it out machine as prefer to deal with cash just incase as dident know if needed cash for the wake.
Machione wouldent let me was in panic then that dident ahve money to get there, hubby was like probably just that machine.
did have 10quid of tax credits but left that accoiunt card at home and wouldent have have been enough and had less than 20mins to get there before missing train.

Luckily got there at 6.50, train was 6.58 and it accepted his card but felt too close to the edge to me.

when i changed station for 3rd change cafe took card for cappacuino and roll as was freezing and hungry.

luckily wakes cost nothing drinks and foods provided.
mums hubby was driving us to church and crem.

Had small amount of change on me.
got back to bristol but station very far from my house far too far too walk, hubby rang said car had broken down and he was waiting for aa. Luyckily I had enough change shocking 2.90single to high street but had to walk 20min down from high street to home as single down one road litetrally 4stops would have cost 1.50:eek:
popped into co-op spent a tenner as completly run out of milk.

hubby said aa said they could put new battery in car for 80quid that day but he couldent pay them. so they jumpstart him home.
Luckily we had micra so friday we drove to halfords and got battery for 86quid something we were not accounting for this month.

Ordered party dress in boden sale as they dont take money until desptach which would be friday. and it was half price as shes got her first school disco and last years seems bit on short side.

On jan 1st its double whammy petrol as fuel duty goes up same time as vat. The bmw currently 70quid to fill tank lasts a week as hubby does over 300miles a week as commutes to work but nissan micra thankfully 25quid. Hubbys taken to driving slower.

dreading energy costs as got heating on a lot.
we downgrading sky package in new year
trying to change house/car insurance
change energy
and see if we can somehow balance the books that way.

Hubbys speculating on if there will be annual payrise as there finacial year starts jan and they got 1percent last year despite the compant actually doing quite well last 2years well better than they expected. Everyones thinking 2.5 percent I said dont bank on it will have to wait and see.
Think if everything goes up next year including intrest rates maybe but wages dont lots will struggle.

we get break from council tax and water feb/march so that moneys going straight off his creditcard.But eldests birthdays febuary and we promised her a party as everyone else having oen so trying to do it as cheap as possible.

2 big things worrying me is need to get rid of bmw and get people carrier which will mean us putting 1500-2000towards it and babys due start of april plus still need to get double pram.

Hoping tax rebate and inheritance be sorted out by late jan and can start paying off few things.
Trying to stretch the money as much as possible finding it hard.
will make huge difference for me to be debt free finally but feel sad too. especially as money and wills cause some animosity.

Thank you everyone for condolances, was lovley service and nice to see and get chance to talk to family normally im running round after 2kids.Was weird being childless whilst poor hubby was stressed out but hes lucky really he rarly gets both by himself.

Felt badly tired yesterday hubby gave me lie in bless him then had to take eldest to school in micra she was so exited about being in different car. Then he went sainsburys do mil shopping as usual, mil said seeing his dads old micra on road again made her feel happy but sad.

Went to butchers and now debating what xmas meat to get bit confused.

Havent had turkey in last 3years as cant justify price of free range turkey when could get more for our money last year we had chicken and duck.

brought loads of bacon, sauasages, mini sausages for pigs in blankets. sausage meat for sausage rolls, steaks , stewing beef for casserole and pies came to 25quid but got tonnes hes mobile and the more you buy the better discount he gives you.
He knows all his customers tehere in pub carpark every fri and huge queue. He goes by value so noramlly say have 5quids worth sausages and he goves me 25huge ones with high meat content:T also doesnt make me feel nervous when got limited funds on me as know exactly how much bill will be.

so my dillemma for xmas day is

large goose -25quid
med duck 8quid, leg of lamb 10quid so could do both.
fed up of chicken and turkeys still pricey for free range although hes cheaper than supermarket got to let him know by next friday and pick up xmas eve.

Part of me thinks goose be once a year and something different.
but with duck and lamb can get more for less.

one year we had goose crown from lidls for 9.99 but they dident have that last year.
wondering what aldis 3bird roasts like.
Thing is due to my free range priciples somewhat limited.

went to bed early last night as felt rubbish.
did some xmas shopping when we went to get car battery as asad living cheap on pressies and wrapping paper.

Had yummy steak, chips and peas yesterday hubby cooked as butcher gave me 4steaks for 5quid with mcain oven chips , frozen farmfoods peit pois and colmans luxury peppercorn sauce packet mix.

Had lazy day today as not got to be anywhere.
need to pop round spar as wanted to make mincemeat but kids ate all the apples could do with more eggs as got urge to bake.

Really should eb doing housework but cant get motivated as feel so tired.

Got parcel 1st thing this morning the sale party dress for eldest so shes been twirling round living room and loves it just need to find cheap silver tights and sparkly silver shoes anyone got idea wheres best discos wed evening.

We off to see santa tommorow at place called horseworld its horse santuary with chickens and playareas actaully quite a cheap day out and local to us so meeting eldest best freinds as they saw santa together last year. Hubbys got his xmas do he wanted me to go tommorow night but cant get babysitter not that im too bothered.

Suppost to be xmas shopping together on wed as payday but think hubbys going to let me do by myself as baby hate shopping and so does he.

Hope everyones doing ok and staying positive is hard watching the news..

Was bit disgusted by the riots on ews all this unrest makes me feel bit uneasy.
Dont know why students feel they only ones suffering we all are.

Hardup_Hester

There's nowt wrong with having a temper as long as you rule it & it doesn't rule you. When you are 4'11 on tip toes a bit of temper can sometimes make the children quail even though they tower over me. Also I find I can sometimes crank mine up a notch, enough to seem assertive, not enough to end up a blubbering wreck & it makes people take me a little more seriously. If you see the tale on my blog about going to collect a parcel, I was in a queue of about 5 people, most were turned away. I collected my parcel!

gailey_2

Do hope sammy k ok shes been on mse this morning but not posted since 23rd november.
I guess shes busy with kids.just such a long gap.

grandma247

If you ever want to post a long link you can use this site to shrink it first.

ceridwen

grandma247 wrote: »

If you ever want to post a long link you can use this site to shrink it first.

Thank you.

Errr....it didnae work for me.

They havent annoyed one side or the other in the Freedom of Speech Cyberwar have they? I'm clicking in and watching it at intervals - and access being blocked here, people being told not to host Wiki mirrors or they are breaking their terms of service there...

I sorta wish I hadnt watched that Swedish tv programme right through - as they didnt pull any punches on showing US soldiers killing civilians in cold blood - just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I hadnt seen that before and I could understand why several hardbitten newsmen looked close to tears...horrible stuff...

Care to have another go at putting a link up to that site and see if that works please?

kidcat

What a day,I feel I am walking through treacle, cant seem to achieve anything, managed to get shopping done yesterday and get to Ikea to buy chairs for the dining room that are on special offer. Then off to wholesalers to buy cat litter and back to finish the shopping. BUt that took all day, after picking up kids I dashed home to let tutor in for DS12, left mum here than raced off with dad to collect car from OH work car park then waited round for OH to finish and brought him home. Managed to get some washing and drying done, kids fed before bed, then off to Ikea again to buy mugs for presents.
But today as quick as I get one thing done three more jobs are created, kids are very unmotivated too, which is really not helping, theres loads of arguing and noise but nothing useful happening.
Managed to buy tree from local supplier - usually go a bit further out and pick tree out from forest and then they cut it down for us, which the kids love but DD4 came home ill from school yesterday (no voice, coughing etc) and i didnt want her out in the cold marching round looking for tree so left her here wth DD16 and just took the boys to a local place - nearly fell over at price though, its probably almost twice what we normally pay - although they did deliver so saved me needing to clean car out afterwards, and as dad pointed out the diesel and time saved count in too, but it just seems so much.
Tree now arrived and I have nowhere to put it as I cant get the area cleared, as fast I move one area around the kids fill it up again, so the tree is lying in the hall. Not managed to get the stand and decs from loft yet either - couldnt face it lst night and am not fussed about climbing up tonight either, still got OH to collect from work again later. Am really thinking we will have to sue his employer for the extra hassle and costs this is bringing, my dad is travelling twenty miles every morning to here to take him to work and then I go to pick him up, for my dad its sixty miles every day and its another twenty for me. The amount of fuel its costing is unbelievable. Thats before you look at the time we are both wasting. NOt to mention the inconvenience - my dad has to get up at four thirty to take him, and his job can run on till ten at night so its not good at all.

Have done no cooking at all today - the kitchen is so messy its not fit to use, but I havent had a minute to sort it.
It just doesnt feel like Christmas yet.

ceridwen

Answered my own question - i googled re what the shortening website might be and it seems to have been off air since 8 December.

but - YouTube came up trumps:D. The documentary is there (in 4 parts - in English):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhTfOL9_HBE

So - if anyone wants to watch it....errr...I suggest going to make a cup of coffee to coincide with the footage of US pilots hovering in the air over Iraqi citizens part of the way through - not for those of a nervous disposition as the phrase goes.

Mrs_Veg_Plot

Thanks for the hugs Nulabula . I needed them today.
I don't know what happened today but after enjoying catching up with all of the posts I fell out with OH over something trivial and have not been able to motivate myself to do anything at all today. Have just sat on the sofa and veged out. Feel a bit trapped today and very low. Also feeling a bit mean as it is the anniversary of FIL's death so OH not good at the moment anyway. Need to clear the air with OH soon as we are all going out as a family to DD's athletics presentation/christmas party tonight, although DD has just informed me that OH is asleep and must be old if he needs an afternoon nap.
I know we are all allowed an off day every now and then but I do hate it when they happen especially as I have been so strong lately. Never mind. I will slap on the war paint and a smile and get my backside into gear tomorrow.

kidcat

Mrs Veg Plot - maybe cos its onlt two weeks to Christmas its affecting everyones mood - sort of a mass panic attack as it were? I know its suddnely come home to me how close it is today.

Have done something really stupid today - have been trying to get rid of a sofa from the dining room but OH was very resistant (hates getting rid of anything) finally persuaded him and I bought new chairs yesterday, but DS12 went ballistic - (he doesnt deal with change at all well) and has been awful ever since, finally this afternoon I snapped that if he wanted to keep it so badly it could go in his room, hes agreed so now I have to keep the blasted thing and worse i have to get it upstairs!! It really is a case of needing to think and put brain in gear before opening mouth!!

pennywisepoundstupid

Gailey i don't post on this thread often, but read everyday, I have some silver party shoes that my DD has out grown, not putting on ebay as toes are a bit scuffed, they are a size 13 if they are any good to you i could post them to you Monday morning.