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

jackieglasgow

Get onto the competitions board between now and then and see if you can win him a laptop

Nitha

Hi all, glad to see the thread back. We've found 2011 to be a fortunate time for us after many years of tough living. OH has finally received the promotion and salary he deserves and I'm returning to work full-time after a break having my second baby. It's a big leap after three years working part-time but with huge job cuts working part-time is such a risk and coming out of the workforce altogether is not something I'm willing (or able with the benefits cuts) to do. DS1 is nearly school age and will send DS2 to DS1's current nursery (they've known DS2 since birth so I'm very confident he'll be happy there).

We will spend the next year saving the pennies having got used to such a frugal lifestyle. Then next year when the tax credits are cut for those in the £30k-£40k bracket we will be able to deal with the cuts. I don't really understand how the government plan to break the benefit dependency trap as the cuts seem to be coming hard and fast and retailers/utility providers don't seem to be buckling under the pressure of lower incomes.

DS2 is only wearing second hand clothing as I believe it is wasteful to throw away kids clothing so keep everything. I also buy second hand too. DS1 usually gets a mix of hand me down from DstS, second hand, presents and Poundstretchers bits. I occasionally buy 'nicer' bits in the sales but I'm happy to if I know they will get handed down.

I'm back into home brew as I like a glass of wine after work - especially in the summer.

I also love home decor, I get stuff from BMs and Home Bargains, plus I design my own wall decor using photoshop, get my Dad's photo company to print it and buy cheap Ikea frames. I've got loads of vintage designs done for my kitchen and a vintage ABC poster designed for my friend's baby to be! I sew my clothes, cushion covers and even a cover for the kids Ikea Poang chair. I use a £12 mini machine I got in Poundstretcher. Even made a skirt from a duvet cover I found in a charity shop.

I like living this way so I'm going to save and save eventually to buy a house when we're ready for the commitment of a mortgage!

fedupfreda

Lanny lee -

How about cheese and ham pie? Or ham omlette? Pea and ham soup?

All I can think of off hand but I am sure someone more PC literate than me will be along with some links.

Off to play catch up.

Hugs to all who need them.

RAS

LannyLee wrote: »

Hi - we've got a 2kg ham left from xmas in te freezer & I was going to cook it this weekend, but now seem to have a blank where recipes to use it up are concerned - any ideas?


P.s - forgot to add there are just 2 of us and neither of us is very fussy where food is concerned!

If it is that weight and there are only two of you, I would be tempted to cook it, cut it in half and freeze one of the cooked halves.

And maybe think about cooking some of it in cider or apple juice to make a casserole, portions of which could be frozen? Then you can thaw, add some veggies and cook to serve another day?

kitschy

greent wrote: »

Have some good news in this house today - DS1 has got a place in grammar school - yeay!

Congratulations to your DS, Greent! I know the home access scheme that was piloted a few years ago was axed, but there was talk recently of them offering £98 computers. I know a friend who works for a SEN school wrote to local companies a few years ago and was offered some computers they were going to bin. They took out the hard drives I think.

happierdaystocome - sorry you're not feeling well - I know that a lot of people like the tutorials on videojug and youtube.

LannyLee & Kezlou - :j:j:j Congratulations on those payments - what a lovely feeling

redlady_1

I just wanted to share a quick and lush recipe. 1 mozerella sliced, 2 juicy tomatoes chopped, shed load of basil, red onion chopped and a handful of toasted pine nuts. Really quick and very tasty.

Lindy_-_Loo

Dollydaydream - Im a stay at home mum after working full time as a store manager when I had DS1. We had a huge drop in salary as I earned more than OH, he works full time and gets around £13000 so its not classed as high income.

Im glad I chose to stay home - I want to be there for the boys. We dont have spare cash, I try by doing surveys and then use the points for christmas and birthday presents. If I returned to work it would have to be term time only and then what would I do if the boys where sick? I volunteer 4 mornings a week at school so sometimes it feels like work! I was offered a kitchen job at school 5 hrs per week but the cook thought DS2 was full time and he isnt until September.

I hope you get to stay home with your children I share your views x

Laney Lee - wow on paying your debt

ceridwen

Nitha wrote: »

Hi all, glad to see the thread back. We've found 2011 to be a fortunate time for us after many years of tough living. OH has finally received the promotion and salary he deserves and I'm returning to work full-time after a break having my second baby. It's a big leap after three years working part-time but with huge job cuts working part-time is such a risk and coming out of the workforce altogether is not something I'm willing (or able with the benefits cuts) to do. DS1 is nearly school age and will send DS2 to DS1's current nursery (they've known DS2 since birth so I'm very confident he'll be happy there).

We will spend the next year saving the pennies having got used to such a frugal lifestyle. Then next year when the tax credits are cut for those in the £30k-£40k bracket we will be able to deal with the cuts. I don't really understand how the government plan to break the benefit dependency trap as the cuts seem to be coming hard and fast and retailers/utility providers don't seem to be buckling under the pressure of lower incomes.

DS2 is only wearing second hand clothing as I believe it is wasteful to throw away kids clothing so keep everything. I also buy second hand too. DS1 usually gets a mix of hand me down from DstS, second hand, presents and Poundstretchers bits. I occasionally buy 'nicer' bits in the sales but I'm happy to if I know they will get handed down.

I'm back into home brew as I like a glass of wine after work - especially in the summer.

I also love home decor, I get stuff from BMs and Home Bargains, plus I design my own wall decor using photoshop, get my Dad's photo company to print it and buy cheap Ikea frames. I've got loads of vintage designs done for my kitchen and a vintage ABC poster designed for my friend's baby to be! I sew my clothes, cushion covers and even a cover for the kids Ikea Poang chair. I use a £12 mini machine I got in Poundstretcher. Even made a skirt from a duvet cover I found in a charity shop.

I like living this way so I'm going to save and save eventually to buy a house when we're ready for the commitment of a mortgage!

I think retailers are buckling as you put it under the pressure of lower incomes - defo...from what I've seen over recent years in fact. Utility companies - I wish...and cant see it happening. Rents - dont know about areas generally. In my area I remember being astonished at just HOW much I could get if I ran off and rented out my house behind me:D:D. who'd a thunk it for a place like this house is:(? But - I have noticed that the achievable rent for my house has gone down noticeably over about the last year or so - down from level to "Hmmm...:cool:...pretty good...but is it worth it?" level and I anticipate it may go down to "Definitely not worth the hassle" level by about a year or so from now...

jumblejack

I just wanted to brag that I have just made a GORGEOUS smoothie with my first time home made thermos yoghurt!!! I made it this morning with my youngest child and it is ready already. It was made with full fat milk and is sooooo yum!! I have 2 flasks so I intend yo always have some on the go. My lad gets through so many every week and I hate the amount of plastic that gets put into the recycle bin. This will reduce it brilliantly. I am going to try it with UHT skimmed next time as it is more thrifty.

I whizzed some of it up with the remaining whoopsied bio yoghurt (that started my yoghurt off this morning!!) and I also used a whole tin of peaches (inc fruit juice) and a banana. Scrumptious!!!!

Pitlanepiglet

Katholicious, so sorry to hear you news, be kind to yourself xxx