It isn`t tough for us. We are OS and we COPE

mama67

I needed some new kitchen hand towels, all were getting past their best (well they are 10 years old) so i did what i did approx 10 years ago took some of the terry nappies i'd used for the boys and dyed them to match the decor.

So 20 lovely new hand towels. I used a machine dye but that is just easier for me so total cost packet of dye bag of salt and the electrcity to run the machine. Cheaper than the cost of 4 really cheap ones in the supermarket.

Both boys wore terry nappies and after DS2 had finished using them I put them all up in the loft, and have now done this twice.

ChocClare

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

if you continue reading down to paragraph 3 in that post, the topic turns to the costs of medical insurance. In addition to paying to see the GP, I was shocked at the cost of ER insurance - that presumably you have to have to even ENTER the accident and emergency department. If your health insurance costs (well, for ONE aspect of health cover) is equal to one and a half times your monthly mortgage payment (as it is for them according to the post), then I reached the conclusion I wasn't sure if I could 'cope' no matter how OS I was if such a state of affairs becomes commonplace in the UK.

I was reading on a forum recently about a lady who'd been rushed to hospital by ambulance and had some ludicrous bill of hundreds of dollars for the ambulance ride - which her insurance didn't then cover :eek: On another forum, one of the posters was asking for ideas of jobs she could do to earn money as her husband had terminal cancer and their insurance had run out - meaning that she had to put every penny she could towards his care.

It may be tough here, but thank God it's not that tough yet...

bargainbetty

ChocClare wrote: »

On another forum, one of the posters was asking for ideas of jobs she could do to earn money as her husband had terminal cancer and their insurance had run out - meaning that she had to put every penny she could towards his care..

When my dad was diagnosed with cancer an American friend very delicately asked me if we needed any help with his costs... I was utterly confused until she explained that only certain policies cover cancer treaments in the USA, or limited amounts. She was a former oncology nurse, and told me that a single course of chemotherapy can cost $25,000.00, plus radiography at $5,000.00 per day.

When I told her that Dad was getting five courses of chemo and all the radiography he needed for free on the NHS, she was stunned - it is unheard of for Americans. Makes you feel grateful for what we do have, doesn't it?

And more disgusted with the current govt for threatening it.

[Deleted User]

I think these cutbacks are starting to get to my psyche as I woke up early thinking about some of them. It is so unfair, surestart, swimming pools, libraries, toilets and so on. Re the manchester toilets ok fair enough in towns that have big shops and malls because there are always toilets in them but little places have maybe just one public toilet area and no cafes or just one cafe. So going to the toilet in a hurry will mean spending £2-3 first and there are people who won`t be able to wait that long and what about the cafes who lock their toilets and you have to queue and ask for a key

Going on a break anywhere always means looking for the toilets first eg a car park loo when going on a walk even if just along a canal path. There are no bushes suitable in these places. I am passionate because I was caught short once in France and it was hell getting to a loo. I never want that to happen again. I bet there are already people who won`t eat or drink on a day they are going out

Why the hell is it falling on the councils so much? I never caused any of this defecit and neither did most of us

alec_eiffel

kittie wrote: »

I think these cutbacks are starting to get to my psyche as I woke up early thinking about some of them. It is so unfair, surestart, swimming pools, libraries, toilets and so on. Re the manchester toilets ok fair enough in towns that have big shops and malls because there are always toilets in them but little places have maybe just one public toilet area and no cafes or just one cafe. So going to the toilet in a hurry will mean spending £2-3 first and there are people who won`t be able to wait that long and what about the cafes who lock their toilets and you have to queue and ask for a key

Going on a break anywhere always means looking for the toilets first eg a car park loo when going on a walk even if just along a canal path. There are no bushes suitable in these places. I am passionate because I was caught short once in France and it was hell getting to a loo. I never want that to happen again. I bet there are already people who won`t eat or drink on a day they are going out

Why the hell is it falling on the councils so much? I never caused any of this defecit and neither did most of us

I agree with you, the cuts are unfair on anyone who relies on whichever services are cut. MIL plans any trips out like a military operation, won't eat much before going out and things like it. It's awful to see her world getting smaller, I am very grateful that DH just refuses to let it stop him doing what he wants to do. Members of my family rely on the mobile library and rumours abound that it'll be out of the window - and it's just devastating to them.

In terms of why it's falling on councils, there are a number of theories about it. The one good thing that's come out of it is that we've had a prod to make sure we keep up the saving and living as carefully as we can. I dread to think what would have happened to us had this come about a couple of years ago.

GreyQueen

alec_eiffel wrote: »

I agree with you, the cuts are unfair on anyone who relies on whichever services are cut. MIL plans any trips out like a military operation, won't eat much before going out and things like it. It's awful to see her world getting smaller, I am very grateful that DH just refuses to let it stop him doing what he wants to do. Members of my family rely on the mobile library and rumours abound that it'll be out of the window - and it's just devastating to them.

In terms of why it's falling on councils, there are a number of theories about it. The one good thing that's come out of it is that we've had a prod to make sure we keep up the saving and living as carefully as we can. I dread to think what would have happened to us had this come about a couple of years ago.

I totally agree that it's unfair that it's the services which we all use, and use more heavily if we're hard-up/ old/ disabled etc etc that are getting hit so hard by the cuts. Didn't notice the good times, never had any kind of job with any kind of bonus in my life (oops, tell a lie, got a freebie handtowel with a driving job once and still have it. ) So never had the gravy but now get the dry bread? I'll survive but I'm constantly aware thru my council job that people are coming for us for urgent help, this year's budget is spent for a lot of things and thanks to a savage settlement from central govt we won't be able to do in 2011-12 what we did in 2010-11 and that was less than we did the previous years. Where is all our blinking tax money going?

Charis

mama67 wrote: »

Both boys wore terry nappies and after DS2 had finished using them I put them all up in the loft, and have now done this twice.

They do last well don't they? I'm still using DS's to wipe out the bath after a shower and dry the floor after mopping. He'll be 20 this year and only a couple are beginning to fray at the edges.

RE the discussion on where to go when you've gotta go, this is a helpful article, from today's BBC news website.

Charis

bargainbetty wrote: »

a single course of chemotherapy can cost $25,000.00, plus radiography at $5,000.00 per day.

When I told her that Dad was getting five courses of chemo and all the radiography he needed for free on the NHS, she was stunned

And more disgusted with the current govt for threatening it.

It must be a difficult thing to prioritise which areas of treatment have to be cut back to finance these incredible costs. At the moment these treatments are free on the taxpayer - the NHS has no income of its own to cover the cost of these colossal bills.

ceridwen

For anyone who is friends with Frugal (a regular on the Its Tough threads) - perhaps you might like to pop over to a thread she has started on this on the Moneysavers Arms:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3043350

I'm sure she'd welcome all moral support now.

ceridwen

Primrose wrote: »

I would like all members of local authorities who are responsible for making decisions about closing public toilets to be forced to suffer conditions like Irritable Bowel syndrome or Ulcerative Colitis. They would then know what it's like to experience that truly awful feeling of "when you've got to go, you've got to go" and it often comes with very little warning. There are an awful lot of older folk who experience weak bladders who would virtually find themselves imprisoned in their own homes if public toilet facilities were no longer available. Some bodily functions you simply just can't control to order.

I thought that might be where you were coming from on this.

There is also the point that some women (ie during their fertile years) have simply "got to go when they've got to go" if you get my drift - as otherwise they will be subject to acute embarrasment (if not for so directly "medical" a reason). Thank goodness those heavy period problems are over with now for good:rotfl: - but they were a bummer for some time. I wouldnt want to hang around if I had a baby I'd suddenly become aware needed changing right NOW - and that tends to be a more "female" concern too.

I don't know how likely shops are to step into the breach. I have seen some (British) examples of them already deciding its a way for them to make a bit extra money - ie by telling people they are welcome to use their loos, but will have to pay for the privilege. I have spent time travelling around abroad before now and there was never any proble (or question of payment) in going into any cafe or bar one wanted at any time and just asking to use the loo - but I suspect the British way round this virtual abolishment of public toilets will be to let passersby do so and charge them for it. I guess thats "lesser of two evils" to being shirty about letting people use a loo when they need to.....