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

jackieglasgow

dollydaydream I am sorry to hear you are struggling, been there, done that two years ago, and you will come through the other side honey. Could you not change your house insurance to monthly payments? (have you shopped around?) We took the car off the road when we were struggling as we couldn't afford to repair it, is that possible for you? Have you made sure your tax credit award is right - www.entitledto.co.uk There are things you can do as a SAHM wto earm without going back "out to work"- things like mystery shopping, surveys, daily clicks, selling Avon, Betterware, becoming an Usborne book seller. Think outside the box, things like these have very low start up costs, and can be quite profitable. x

SD-253

mama67 wrote: »

Now I'm waiting for the engineers to come and take out my Econ 7 meter as with a standard tariff I will be approx £90 per year better off and that is with the washer, dishwasher and bread machine all running during the cheap electricity, and me getting up early to bake whilst the oven still runs on it as well.
Also remember that when the clocks change for summer/winter the timings for Econ 7 change as well. Ours is 5p E7 and 14p daytime but will be 11p standard all day and night.
I have compared my last years readings to double check this before making the descision.

Your tarriff is a bit steep mine is 3p night and 6p day £9.83 standing charge? Also there is no winter or summertime on my meter as it is the new digital one which adjust itself. Everyone who is on Economy 7 will get one eventually. Tell me who is the robbing bas*ards who supply you electric? and where are you as I assume that makes a difference??

Pitlanepiglet

Re taking cars off the road, it's worth being aware that the law changed on 1 Feb and you must now insure a car that is on private property unless it is SORN'd there's some info here http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/jan/12/motorists-register-uninsured-car

mama67

bertiebots wrote: »

I know just what you mean..I may have portrayed myself as a bit of a worrier! But I am so proud that I can manage when times are tough..and be sensible when they aren't! Recently when I saw my solicitor to start divorce proceedings she said things must be pretty tough on my income. I was sat there thinking ermm...nooo... not really!! I saved up to have my whole kitchen refurbished after my x moved out in August last yr ..and I didn't have to adjust my lifestyle at all:T. I think my x always thought I was tight (which really annoys me!) but i simply have never understood why you should pay double for something just because of its label or because your friends and neighbours do etc I live within my means,...the value of a person is not in what they own but who they are at the end of the day:D
I was crocheting baby blankets and using washable nappies 14yrs ago when everyone thought I was barmy ,but I look back and know I am true to myself..never have been a sheep/never will be. I just wish, if anything ,that I could fulfill my dream (that I have had since I was 16) to have a home somewhere rural, with enough land for chickens , an orchard and polly tunnel!
With that in mind I keep buying the lotto tickets;)

I knitted all the woollens needed for both DS's whilst pg with DS1, also used terry towelling nappy squares, still using them now as they have been revamped into kitchen towels with the aid of some dye.

Whilst a teenager I made most of my clothes including my school uniform skirts and summer blouses.

At the moment I am busy amonst other things knitting dishcloths as they are far more hardwearing than the cheap ones.

mardatha

We have tons of boiling hot water because the stove is on 24/7, so we have a bath each every night. But if I had to pay for electricity to heat the water then I would just have a wipe in the sink .
Re cutting down and trimming off extras, I don't see it as losing parts or layers of my life Kittie, I see it as simplfying and streamlining it. I like simple

shegar

mama67 wrote: »

I knitted all the woollens needed for both DS's whilst pg with DS1, also used terry towelling nappy squares, still using them now as they have been revamped into kitchen towels with the aid of some dye.

Whilst a teenager I made most of my clothes including my school uniform skirts and summer blouses.

At the moment I am busy amonst other things knitting dishcloths as they are far more hardwearing than the cheap ones.

Yes I always had terry nappies too, always came up pure white after a good boiling......but theres no way I could use them as towels knowing what they were originally used for and where theyve been ....:eek:.........yep id use them as floor cloths but that about it.......

shegar

mardatha wrote: »

We have tons of boiling hot water because the stove is on 24/7, so we have a bath each every night. But if I had to pay for electricity to heat the water then I would just have a wipe in the sink .
Re cutting down and trimming off extras, I don't see it as losing parts or layers of my life Kittie, I see it as simplfying and streamlining it. I like simple

Hey whats a WIPE in the sink mardatha....:eek:

Horse_Owner

kittie wrote: »

I was just thinking about what could really be scraped of what we already consider the very basics of living today, in a sense of push comes to shove.

It would have to be internet and telephone and meat. Not using toothpaste or replacing moisturiser and so on. It is like taking another layer off life

I haven't bought moisturiser in years, there are always free samples being given away somewhere online.

maryb

When the DDs were small and I was working full time we had an au pair to pick DD1 up from school while DD2 was at a childminders. I don't know WHAT she did to every electrical appliance we had but they ALL needed replacing within the first year. The dishwasher caught fire and all the plates were covered with greasy black smoke, the iron exploded!! and the washing machine burnt out as well. Plus we had to get a new hoover.

So yes things can catch fire. But never tell me that inanimate objects can't be malevolent! They were out to get that poor girl!

kidcat

I wont leave my washing machine on overnight any more either, since we had one that exploded a few years ago. If I hadnt been there it would have been disastrous, a friend who is an electrician has many horror stories of electrical fires caused by appliances left on overnight. My recommendation would be to make sure if you are leaving them on that you have a good working smoke alarm nearbyu that will sound as soon as any problems occur:)