Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

SandraScarlett

tumptyteapot wrote: »

Did anyone read this at the weekend - http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/mar/19/bankruptcy-life-after-debt basically it lists the things that are allowed as reasonable expenses if you have been declared bankrupt - they include a TV licence, which I really don't see as an essential - what do you think? We haven't had a TV for years, we watch DVD's and the Iplayer but not live and I listen to the radio. When I visit people with a TV I'll watch anything though :-)
This is the bit that really got me though - "Family holidays and pet-related costs (food and vet bills) will be considered individually, but the guidelines say these are "not allowable unless [it is] to cover [a] reasonable domestic need". The most a family of four is likely to get for a holiday is £960."
I can't imagine spending just under a thousand pounds on a holiday!

This strikes me as similar to the statements about poverty. I wouldn't be surprised if "they" considered living in poverty is to be without an extremely wide-screen TV in most rooms. I do get cross when a so-called friend tells me how lucky I am to have some savings, when she has several holidays a year, including a 3 week cruise. :mad:

I don't begrudge her the holidays, and I always ask to see her photos, it's just it's so difficult for DH to travel now, so our "holidays" are trips to the Garden Centres etc, which we both enjoy. And obviously they don't cost a fraction of her trips. But why does she begrudge me my savings?

Sorry all - rant over! :mad: :mad: :mad:

xx

SandraScarlett

Catching up for lost time here! Just seen that the 99p store sells bedding plants - 6 for 99p. I've never seen any in my local branch - have others ever seen them, and if so, were they OK?

Thank you very much.

xx

never_too_old

evening all,
not a completely frugal day but a nice one and well deserved.
today we went to the zoo, dh and i took dgd, dd and dd bf. booked it online yesterday so got a 5 % discount, we took a picnic ( which is a first for us) had a wonderful time,
only one slight slip up we had a lightbite at the pub on way home:D

tumptyteapot

SandraScarlett wrote: »

This strikes me as similar to the statements about poverty. I wouldn't be surprised if "they" considered living in poverty is to be without an extremely wide-screen TV in most rooms.

Any idea what the definition of poverty is? Or, tp put it a different way have they put a price on it?

I know people who honestly think I am rich and should pay for them because I own my house (at least the mortgage company do), they don't see that I own it because I spent years working and saving to get it. I earnt this house.

LolaLemon

CRANKY40 wrote: »

My Grandad told me if I wanted to be friends with people then I should never discuss religion or politics and never lend or borrow money.

totally agree! although only lend money if you dont mind not getting it back. I come from the west coast of scotland, and religion is a very contentious issue (which is also related to football). their was a big game today -- my pub closed its doors at 6, as had many other pubs, as we anticipated a LOT of trouble.. 20 mins AFTER the game had finished, could hear sirens going in all directions.

InTheSpirit good luck! I hope the jobs go your way

Erme wrote: »

I fail to understand this....

Erme, its the way universities decide IF you are 'good enough' to get in. Every qualification you take is assigned a 'credit' amount, and each uni course decide what is the lowest accumulated amount of credits they will accept from their students... in normal terms, or schooling terms, its understood as 'you need 2 A's and a B to get into xx course' . When you have been out of education (high school) for a while, it then changes to the accumulated credit units.... Hope that helps



Ive just read (i think its) 7 pages for the weekend! its a bit better than when it was 7 pages a day hahaha
(im hopeless at remembering names! so apologies for the general comments)
welcome to all the new frugalista's, congratulations on the new house (sorry cant remember who it was) - i find the english house buying system really strange. Thinking of everyone who needs/wants hugs for any reason, including nuula (i think) for the shot in ur thumb (ouch!)

the thank button. i dont read names, i read stories. i 'thank' any post that i like, it may just be that someone is baking bread, or it may be that they are having a bad day and they have posted abt their day. it could be a helpful post like a tip or a funny post. I try and avoid any posts that can be harmfull (like the religious posts previously seen on here) to anyone reading them, and i generally try and not post things that can be taken as harmful (although i am aware that any posts on parenting, i cna come across as 'better than you', but that is not my intention. i just parent differently, its the best way for us, and i think its mostly the best way for children too, but its each to their own and as long as the parent isnt going to majorly regret thier actions, then its all good)


TumptyTeapot Any idea what the definition of poverty is? Or, tp put it a different way have they put a price on it?
The trouble with poverty, is that no one can agree what poverty is in the uk.
and it changes daily, or with different charities/governments etc.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/yourview/1563579/How-would-you-define-poverty.html

this one is 'most respected' for info on poverty.
http://www.jrf.org.uk/?gclid=COues52p3qcCFcoa4Qod6FyG9g


general definition is anyone living under 60% of the median income (in uk)



edit: ment to tell my wee update.
was in the mood for cauliflower cheese, so go the cauliflower from the veg shop, went to T's to get the cheese and both big T's near me do not have any hard goats cheese just soft stuff or feta so any solutions or recipies for my cauliflower that do not include dairy (unless its milk or soft cheese).
I met up with my friends for an hour and realised the last time i had seen them was for our christmas night out at the start of december!!!
Work was fun last night - 4 girls - friends- started brawling on the floor! over broken glass! clumps of hair everywhere! i made a lot on tips and the place was practically empty! think we had at most 25/30 people in!
today was old firm game, and we had only 15 - 20 in. finished at 7.30pm instead of midnight as usual. had to go in early but was ok. before i went i had taken my son swimming, then for a kfc, and i swallowed half a tooth! gutted! i still owe the dentist £75 from getting a white filling due to crappy work from a previous dentist didnt do!

redglass_2

tumptyteapot wrote: »

Any idea what the definition of poverty is? Or, tp put it a different way have they put a price on it?.

There was a fiercely argued thread or poll about what poverty means somewhere else on this site. Nobody ever manages to agree about it, because some people define it as absolute poverty (ie you are starving) and others as relative poverty (ie you can't do the things that most people in your society regard as normal and are cut off from common forms of experience). I tend to be a 'relative poverty' type because I think nobody in this country should need to apply 'absolute poverty' standards. Despite everything, we are a rich nation. I also think it's crazy to get angry about people saying they are poor ('How dare they, they are not starving!') but be quite happy about someone being born the Duke of Wotsit and inheriting land and property, all completely unearned. I am fascinated by the fact that the very newspapers that bang on constantly about 'scroungers' getting money without working, and who do their best to make readers foam at the mouth with rage at such wickedness, adopt a totally different attitude to those who possess inherited wealth. Nothing is too good for them and sometimes we are even asked to be sympathetic to their financial problems.:rotfl:

The trouble with relative poverty is that it's so very, very hard to decide where the poverty line is, and no, I'm not about to try.

And I am just as annoyed as Sandra when someone who doesn't bother to save describes me as lucky for having savings. It's not the fact they have had cruises (or whatever) that irritates, it's the lack of self knowledge.:mad:

SandraScarlett

Doing nursing duties for DD next week (had the day off today as DSIL was home), so won't have much chance for living life in the fast lane and coming on this site!

I wonder what the new "gate" will be? Povertygate, Breadgate, Leek & Potato Soupgate? But the nicest thing is that by next Sunday, we will be light here in the South till 7 at night. :T As soon as the clocks do their thing (Spring forward, Fall back ), I feel heartened that

(a) my heating Williams will decrease

(b) my food bill will decrease

(c) my tummy will decrease!!! :j :j :j

I find I get a really good workout doing gardening, and I don't seem to have the same appetite as I do in the winter months. No, I mustn't lie. The real truth is that my summer clothes don't hide the multitude of sins that my winter ones do and hey - a girl's got her pride!!!

Have a good week all you frugalistas, good luck to people having interviews/operations/rough times and remember, only 11 days left in the month, to eek out the pennies. :T

xx

Kerry_Woman

in spire spirit - Good luck with your job hunt.

dizzylizzie - Hope the injection goes well.

mooomin

SandraScarlett wrote: »

But the nicest thing is that by next Sunday, we will be light here in the South till 7 at night. :T As soon as the clocks do their thing (Spring forward, Fall back ), I feel heartened that

You scared me!! I thought they had changed yesterday without me knowing about it and that I was going to be late for work this morning

ceridwen

tumptyteapot wrote: »

Any idea what the definition of poverty is? Or, tp put it a different way have they put a price on it?

I know people who honestly think I am rich and should pay for them because I own my house (at least the mortgage company do), they don't see that I own it because I spent years working and saving to get it. I earnt this house.

Must admit, in those circumstances, I would just say "Owning a house is the norm in our society - end of...get over it..." and if they persisted in snipey comments then they would find themselves talking to thin air. I would have removed myself from their vicinity.:)

I must admit my first reaction was "I've never once had anyone think I'm rich because I own my house. They all know very well that I'm on low income:(". I guess that's because its just taken for granted amongst most people I know (though I AM in an older agegroup than you - so its one where we've had our houses for years now...). Things might be very different if I were in a younger agegroup...

My guess is that these peeps are making any excuse to get someone else to pay for them - and they've noticed the house, so are using that as their excuse. They'd probably try to find another one if you hadnt bought a house.

They're jealous - thats all it is - AND looking for ways to get other people to cover THEIR costs for them. Ignore them. I can sympathise - because I really had to fight for my own house one way and another - and I still cant believe JUST how much effort I had to put into getting it...

Well done you for managing to get a house:T