How to Get Through The Tough Times The Old Style Way.

Rowan9

Mrs VegPlot - the only other thing I can think I do is to eat more vegetarian meals. This is what is helping keep me within this month's grocery budget for the first time ever(only 2 of us though). Budget includes Sunday lunch last week when we had DH's uncle and also DD and her BF. We had Julia Child's beouf bourg. which involved cooking the beef in a bottle of wine. I did quorn for DD. We also had 2 other bottles of wine (no hic though as some was left over:dance:). DD made and brought pud. Oh and we had chocolate liquers - bought in MrM for 65p a pack in January! We had left overs on Mon and I feel we've really had our beef quota for the week, although DH had sausages today.
Other than that, I've never had a tumble drier which I'm sure keeps costs down. Managed to always dry terry nappies for my 2 (2 years apart in age) in N.E. Scotland coast (hhmm rain and fog a lot!). Use clothes horse now we're in a flat but it was also used when needed. It was the same wooden one that my mum was given when I was born!
It is difficult when you work F.T., there is no denying that. I used to do it as best as I could then.
W

Charis

rachbc wrote: »

I think at 40p a car share its not enough 'incentive' for want of a better word for someone to make themselves and their car available. Obviously it can, and does work well with groups of freinds but expanding beyond that...

It also only really works for one or two, or maybe a group of people going to the same place for the same amount of time. No one wants to wait several hours for someone who intends to stay longer than the rest of the group.

Re. insurance, people might not be so friendly if they are injured in a collision, or if they slip or trip getting in or out of the car. If the insurance company finds that you have accepted any payment towards your expenses, you could find yourself uninsured. To find out the rules on car sharing and insurance, many councils and/or Community Voluntary Action groups run the kind of scheme I wrote about yesterday and I know our local one wouldn't mind sharing how they deal with the insurance.

Puddleglum

Times are getting tough but the BBC has decided in its wisdom that it will broadcast the F1 GP in digital this year,:mad: so DH has been selling stuff on Ebay and saving hard for a new TV.

It arrived yesterday and times have certainly changed along with getting tough. My first TV was black and white and I carried in home on the bus, plugged it in and twiddled with the aerial before admiring the results. This one was delivered by courier and took most of the day to get set up before we spent the evening admiring the results.:D

It is LED,32" and costs the same as the old one (29") to run ~1p per hour so if anyone else is thinking of buying a new TV we can recommend these. It has internet connection with apps a bit like an iphone and energy saving settings although we have settled for auto. Apparently, if you get the complete BT broadband package then you get SKY sports one and two automatically but DH reckons that the A1 GP is sometimes shown on SKY sports 3 so we may not be saving any money by getting rid of the SKY package just yet.

Sorry if everyone knows all about these new TVs, I'm a bit of a luddite and am still a bit blinded by the dazzling technology sitting in the corner of the living room.:o

schumie

Hippeechiq wrote: »

Not in my area. The offer started on Thursday and runs up to and including Wednesday next week. In my £idls, there was no weekend offers this week, just the weekly one, which includes the belly pork

If you go here http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg//SID-3EA24809-6FE3241A/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/4222.htm and fill in your postcode, it will tell you what's on offer at your local store

Thanks to you guys i have just been and got 4 packs of the pork belly. I couldn't believe how cheap it was and i can't wait to try out the recipes as suggested on here. Thanks guys

Butterfly_Brain

jediteacher wrote: »

Our car MOT and service is due this month and I have no idea how we're going to afford it. I only just managed to pay 6 months car tax this month! I did it for 6 months so that I could at least spread the cost of having the MOT, service and Tax all in one month. I know we pay the same in the long run but this gives me time to budget a bit more. I know someone once mentioned that there was a cheaper option than garages for and MOT but cannot remember what they are.

Look for a council run test centre they are a lot cheaper
there is an MSE link here for more information

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot?gclid=CNz65bbAqKcCFcJP4QodFmTyAw

jediteacher

So much for being OS today and hanging my washing out and not using the tumble dryer. After an hour of my laundary flapping in the wind the heavens opened and it is now pouring with rain. Due to being very slow in my walking these days by the time I got outside to collect the clothes they were just as wet as when they came out of the washing machine! :mad: Ah, well back to using the tumble dryer!

Interesting views about divorce. I'm in my 30's and I have to say that my parents generation are the worst I know for divorce. Hardly any of my friends have parents together most are on their second marriages - mine included. Anyway, a discussion not for here.

Now just sitting back and warching Jamie's 30 minute meals whilst doing my meal plan for the week. We really need to get ontop of the groceries as this is where most of our money goes after paying the bills, mortgage and cars.

Thanks Butterfly have looked and there are non where I live or even nearby.

Pitlanepiglet

Puddleglum wrote: »

DH reckons that the A1 GP is sometimes shown on SKY sports 3 so we may not be saving any money by getting rid of the SKY package just yet.

A1GP is dead -it died last year with lots of arguing about money so don't hold onto Sky Sports for this....

We treated ourselves to a 32in flat screen having previously had a very old "big box" telly. It's a huge difference but very nice.

On multi generational living, we have found that space is key for us, we built a granny annexe at Dad's which we have moved into as it has stairs and the main house if a bungalow and Dad can't manage the stairs. The plan is that he will move into the groundfloor of the annexe when his mobility becomes worse as it has a wetroom and has been built with his disability in mind.

Most of the time we live in the annexe which is linked via the original kitchen of the main house. OH and I do the cooking in the main house kitchen as it's bigger than the annexe kitchenette.

We struggled before the annexe was finished as we were all on top of each other but it's much better now we all have space. We find it works well. It means that my unemployment wasn't a financial disaster and it means that we aren't 90 miles away from Dad worrying about why he isn't answering the phone.

It does require a huge amount of realism and a lot of honesty but it's working for us.

Puddleglum

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

A1GP is dead -it died last year with lots of arguing about money so don't hold onto Sky Sports for this....

Just got really excited about this, looked it up on tinternet, confronted DH.... I was wrong, it's the Indy car he needs SKY for!:o

Frugalista

I posted this on a separate thread but have only had one reply - can anyone on here help?

Yesterday I bought 4 packs of Asda Vegetable Soup Mix (yellow-stickered at 8p :money:- there were crates of the stuff, but my freezer is full at the moment ). Anyway, it contains carrots (34%), swede (31%), potatoes (13%), and flat leaf parsley. Each bag weighs 600g.

OH says he doesn't fancy "ordinary" veg soup but wants something spicy. We like Indian, Moroccan, Mexican, etc, etc, and I have loads of herbs and spices, beans and lentils, tomatoes, passata, etc. I also have peppers, celery, onions and sweet potato.

Please, please, can anybody give me some inspiration - Thanks in advance

jackieglasgow

frugalista I don't do soup recipes, I am a chuck it in and see gal, but this is basically what I would make if I want a spicy soup

http://www.scottishrecipes.co.uk/spicylentilsoup.htm

I would stick the swede/turnip in too and just use the parsley and not bother about the basil.