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

julietiff

So sorry to hear of your loss. My Dad passed 9 years ago
and it is still hard, even now I often still expect him to be there

Red_Doe

Katholicos, condolonces. Lost my dad a year ago. It`s surprising the times and places grief hits you, so be kind to yourself and take it easy.

littlecal

Katholicos - I am so sorry to hear about your loss,you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers at this time.

icelandic_queen

Katholicos - so sorry to hear about your Dad. Take care of yorself and your Mum and your DD. I will keep you in my prayers. XXX

ceridwen

Katholicos - condolences from me as well. Take care.

Butterfly_Brain

Katholicos - ((((((((Hugs)))))))) Sorry to hear about the loss of your dear Dad x

gailey_2

Katholics-So sorry to hear news of yours dads passing remember when he first got ill and was in hospital.
Think the idea of a tribute garden and doing a hobby you both shared would good for you.
Lost my father in lawnearly 2years ago and hubby found great comfort and solace in his in his work as wanted something to take his mind off it.

Flowertotmum-so glad things have improved that old style helps and you so positive hun

I think the genreal ethos of oldstyle is make do and mend.
To me this translates to life is what you make it rather than dwell on how tough things are and feel a bit sorry for ourselves we taking positive actions to enable us to cope and be happy despite the tough circumstances.

Kezlou-think everyone has their down days/weeks I know I do when I think why couldent life be easier?
How did we get into so much debt.
How come we work so hard but have very little to show for it and feel like hamster in a wheel going nowhere
Why does everything have to break at once seem jinxed with appliances and cars!
How and why is every one else seem to be better off and coping so much better where we going wrong?
Get frustrated with the negatives of being a private tennant.
Why do none of my family or freinds understand how tough finances are but know most of them have their head in sand carry on spending and are in debt.

But then I think when times are more challanging its changes peoples outlook.
We stop being so wasteful
maybe we even become more green.
we realise skills dident realise we had.
We learn stuff and maybe meet different types of people or more like minded people like everyone on here.
We start to become more confident and proud of what we do.
I know personally having tighter grip on groceries makes me feel calmer and less stressed.

Glad we back on os as so many thread on os like storecupboard challnge or when someone posts they broke until payday and have x amount left and whats in their cupboard and everyone pulls together with meal options quite inspirational.

I know im stuck in food rut and sometimes need ideas to use what I have rather than go shopping.

Managed to cremate the beef casserole lasttonightand over took the potatoes/veg but I tried!

gailey_2

Katholics-So sorry to hear news of yours dads passing remember when he first got ill and was in hospital.
Think the idea of a tribute garden and doing a hobby you both shared would good for you.
Lost my father in lawnearly 2years ago and hubby found great comfort and solace in his in his work as wanted something to take his mind off it.

Flowertotmum-so glad things have improved that old style helps and you so positive hun

I think the genreal ethos of oldstyle is make do and mend.
To me this translates to life is what you make it rather than dwell on how tough things are and feel a bit sorry for ourselves we taking positive actions to enable us to cope and be happy despite the tough circumstances.

Kezlou-think everyone has their down days/weeks I know I do when I think why couldent life be easier?
How did we get into so much debt.
How come we work so hard but have very little to show for it and feel like hamster in a wheel going nowhere
Why does everything have to break at once seem jinxed with appliances and cars!
How and why is every one else seem to be better off and coping so much better where we going wrong?
Get frustrated with the negatives of being a private tennant.
Why do none of my family or freinds understand how tough finances are but know most of them have their head in sand carry on spending and are in debt.

But then I think when times are more challanging its changes peoples outlook.
We stop being so wasteful
maybe we even become more green.
we realise skills dident realise we had.
We learn stuff and maybe meet different types of people or more like minded people like everyone on here.
We start to become more confident and proud of what we do.
I know personally having tighter grip on groceries makes me feel calmer and less stressed.

Glad we back on os as so many thread on os like storecupboard challnge or when someone posts they broke until payday and have x amount left and whats in their cupboard and everyone pulls together with meal options quite inspirational.

I know im stuck in food rut and sometimes need ideas to use what I have rather than go shopping.

Managed to cremate the beef casseroletonightand overtookthe potatoes

GreyQueen

Katholicos Please accept a stranger's condolences's on your dear father's death. My lovely Dad is still with us but my much-loved grandfathers have passed over. When I garden on my allotment, I use some tools which came from their sheds, and my broad and runner bean seeds, plus the marigolds, are from their gardens. I find the continuity of spring turning around yet again a comfort. I think if those ole countrymen could see me now, they'd have a wry smile and probably tell me: "that row ent straight, gal!"

jumblejack I'm a single-person household these days so my home economics are relatively straightforward. I keep my everyday expenditures in the back of my diary; I use an A4 one with a page per month at the back for everything other than "Housekeeping" and those things I do itemise with a v. short description. The Housekeeping includes food to be eaten at home and cleaning materials/ equipment and is added to the diary at the end of the month. I have a separate budget line for Homemaking (a cushion would fall under Homemaking whilst washing-up liquid is Housekeeping). I don't bother to itemise the things which go into the Housekeeping note book, nor do I keep receipts once I transferred the info into the book.

I sort my finances into the following categories; rent & service charge, council tax, communal heating, contents insurance, cooker gas, electricity, water, land line, ISP, mobile credit, housekeeping, homemaking, dentist/optician/OTC medicine, clothes and footwear, gifts and cards, trips and hols, transport and bike, computer, gardening, toiletries, food out inc snacks, food/ drink for company, library/books/stamps,entertainment.

It's a system which virtually runs itself as I've been doing it so long but it would be harder for a couple or a family as I can split off the toiletries, for example, from the housekeeping, but most couples and families would have toiletries shared in common as well as just-mine toiletries such as her special face cream.

If the above list looks a little odd, and anyone is interested, I should explain that Shoebox Towers is connected to a district heating system for heat and hot water, so we pay a modest fixed weekly charge. I have a gas cooker which is the only thing connected to the gas meter, hence "cooker gas" as a category.

Economy 7 Can't remember who postd about that but my parents have just come off it as it wasn't any cheaper and Eon also described it as an obsolete tariff. Perhaps it's not the same in all parts of the country? Love the idea of running the washer to annoy Idot Boy but it'd be unreasonable to the other neighbours and keep me awake as well.

When I moved to this flat, I set my utilities up with the same provider as the old one and the guy on the phone kept pushing the monthly fixed DD and I kept repeating "I want a quarterly variable direct debit" until he yielded. I knew that I'm a very light user (my summer quarter gas bill in the old flat, running a combi boiler, was £17) so that they'd likely end up with my money in their accounts.

From what I hear people saying, this kind of DD seems to be the exception. Mind you, when I plug my consumption into a switching website I get a negative value if I were to change. Did once allow a touting utility salesman (I was bored that evening) to look at my bills and he acknowledged they couldn't offer a better deal. He did say that he reckoned my provider wouldn't have allowed me to have the dual-fuel discount, worth 3%, if they'd realised the gas was just for the cooker. Umm, sort of forgot to mention that at the start...:whistle:

kitschy

:grouphug: Katholicos - so sorry to hear your sad news. Thinking of you and your family.

Well, I cycled in, much to everyone's amazement! Not fancying the ride home as much as it's more uphill and it's pouring with rain here atm, but I have a waterproof coat, so will just have to hope for the best. Can take it easy as I don't have to be anywhere.