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

lostinrates

ceridwen wrote: »

So - not saying self-contained accommodation is something everyone SHOULD have - just saying its something everyone has the RIGHT to have if they choose to/need to and I dont agree with the Government forcing people into a lifestyle that may be incompatible with them personally.

The government aren't forcing people to share. If you can earn enough to pay to live alone no one will stop you! They are providing top up to have SOME home for people who otherwise wouldn't have it. In fact I'm a bit surprised from your Ceridwen, as it strikes me as a similar argument to those I know you get animated about...the right to have children and have them supported! I do not believe this is generational, or rather, if it is I suspect its more likely to be an issue now when few kids share bedrooms and never have experience of sharing ever. Oh, and the young legal eagles? People like DH...sharing themselves? re temperament. I suspect I'm rather odd. I think sharing actually helped me be more empathetic and appreciative of that while my views and personality are not the ''norm'' they not give me other rights either. I hope that I've consistantly expressed my less popular views while learning others' opinions and view points are as ''worthy'' as mine, even when I'm pretty sure they are wrong

Anyway: you're right, while debate on this is interesting its not to be rowed over and not here!

Tough times: OK, my dog is in season and through the night she burst through a bolted door into the sitting room to sleep on a very beautifully upholstered sofa(cream and pale pink and green, cotton and velvet stripe). As well asnot being a nice way to start the day I'm frantic about the best thing to treat this now dried blood with.....its not colour safe and its not loose covers....any ideas?

BitterAndTwisted

ceridwen wrote: »

So - I do think its everyone's right to have self-contained accommodation once they reach adulthood and its part of the rite of passage to adulthood to have that if they wish - whilst acknowledging that not everyone will regard it as on the "adulthood means....." list like I do personally.

I do understand where you're coming from Ceridwen (or think i do) but would disagree that it's an absolute right when it comes to other people having to pay for it out of their taxes.

When we earn our own money we can choose to do with it exactly as we wish.

I do think it's unfortunate if say a 34 year-old may have to to go into shared accommodation if they are in a one-bedded property now and they can't afford to cover the difference themselves but see it as no particular hardship if they're not in one already. Some youngsters I know have incredibly unrealistic expectations and actually think they should be able to afford to live in their own self-contained apartment once they start working. I know couples who think that they're entitled to expect to rent a three-bedroomed house although I haven't figured out exactly what they think they're going to do with those "extra" bedrooms.

I shared accommodation for a very long time, until I was well into my forties, and it wasn't always a game of skittles but I'm sure it was all good, character-building stuff.

mrswive

DS is 34, has a fairly well paid job and lives in a room in a shared house, but that's London for you. He doesn't like it much, but would have to part with such a huge amount of his income to have anything better that he doesn't feel it's worth it at this point in his life.

Heard what sounds like a good tip from the Hairy Bikers last night- if you keep cling film in the fridge it will come off the roll easily and not do that horrid 'leaving an increasing portion on the roll so you're left with a strip about 5cm wide that sticks to itself ' thing. Hope it works as it will make the stuff last a lot longer in this house!

Thanks for the red onion chutney recipes - can't wait to get cooking!

mardatha

My "tough times" are trying to go back to normal Scottish weather after a few weeks of mild and dry. Cold grey mist today - normal service has been resumed.
Some people on other forums are saying Ireland's money crisis is getting worse and that there are rumours two more UK banks will fail. I wonder if we're just getting into troubled waters now, or if we're halfway through, or if we're nearly clear, or if it's all still to get a whole lot worse . What do you all think ?

GreyQueen

Good morning all and please be advised that anything in greentype related to dental horrors and probably best skipped if you are of the dental phobic persuation.

Just back from 20 minutes of dental misery. My tooth is dying as the decay had penetrated into the nerve. Have been sentenced to a root canal filling (not my first as I had one several years ago in the same tooth on the opposite side of the jaw). Have had most of the nerve removed but will have to go back on 07/04 to have the roots finished off and the big filling done. That appt will be for 75-90 minutes. Wahh! Just talked it over with my supervisor and I won't come in at all that day, am booking it as annual leave as won't be in any fit state to function and I only work 5 hours that day anyway.:( Let the joy be unconfined.

The good news is that I'm not so numb that I can't speak so will be taking calls from 11 am. Catch y'all laters.

Mardatha, which banks may be in trouble, please?

Rowan9

Not heard about the banks Mardatha- will have a look though. However, I AM aware of the nasty change in the weather! I'd been getting lots of sun and i was getting used to it. Bah humbug.
Plans for today include defrosting freezer (yes, really this time) and then making a list for a batch cooking session. Anyone recommend good (cheapish) freezer containers? I have a selection from Ikea but would rather have a load the same size. Soup will be made at some point and maybe a quorn spag bol as DD is coming for tea tonight. She's on placement (student nurse) and has just started this series of 4 x 12 hour shifts so will be a bit tired!
Younger dog needs to be bathed so that will be fun.
Finally cut down the amount of washing powder - never believed it before. Use Daaaz for whites and put in tablesp and they came out lovely and white.
W

dollydaydream07

have just done the final figures for this month doesn't make for good reading at all, we have come in well into our interest free overdraft - £3 short of getting charged for our overdraft so it was a close call
we overspent on our grocery budget by around £150 and out of this around £60 was on unecessary things - magazines and alcohol mainly - i buy myself one mag a month but this month i have bought more for whatever reason
our petrol costs came in less than they have been doing in previous months due to us just simply not using the car as much and next month we won't using it that much either with it being the kids holidays - i am planning on doing LOTS of fun free things with DD at home and around where we live, apart from one promised trip to a softplay place which is only £3

having looked at the budget for next month i am taking the food money down by £20 to £80 as we really do have so much food in that we don't really need to go shopping apart from for bread, milk and any fresh bits we need, so i'm hoping that £20 a week will be plenty - the plan being to get fresh bits from Aldi/Lidl, petrol i'm hoping we won't spend any more than £40 for the month

next month looks like it will be tight again as it looks like we might end up coming in at around where we are this month - maybe a bit better if i'm really good!!

plan for today is to do a meal plan using as much as is possible from the cupboards/freezer etc

also hoping that our dd will come down for gas and elec as we haven't been using as much at all - boilling the kettle and filling a flask for the day, using jumpers/throws and hot water bottles instead of having the heating on, making sure that the oven is filled whenever i use it

hope everyone is doing ok....... wondering if gailey has had the baby as i noticed she hasn't been around since the weekend........... if your reading this gailey hope your ok hun x

lostinrates

dollydaydream07 wrote: »

we overspent on our grocery budget by around £150 and out of this around £60 was on unecessary things - magazines and alcohol mainly - i buy myself one mag a month but this month i have bought more for whatever reasonx

Going cold turkey on mags is one of the best MSE things I've done. I usually bought two a month....so there is that expense gone, plus I don't feel the need to buy any of the stuff they push in editorials...another expense gone, and feel less pressure about going without....priceless! Occasionally buy one for the free gift....but find, although its taken a few years, I'm just not as interested! We bought a few house ones recently and tbh I thought wow.....how many ££££ did I waste on this over the years. The ones I miss are the ones I managed to convince my parents to stop buying....architectural digest and an American Magazine, that since folded. I get a cooking magazine when I'm away...as a flavour of where I've been. But regular mags are out an I feel LIBERATED!:o

jumblejack

HI all, Just saw that S are offering a 5p off a litre wys £50 instore or online until 12th April! Hope it helps folk!

alec_eiffel

dollydaydream07 wrote: »

have just done the final figures for this month doesn't make for good reading at all, we have come in well into our interest free overdraft - £3 short of getting charged for our overdraft so it was a close call
we overspent on our grocery budget by around £150 and out of this around £60 was on unecessary things - magazines and alcohol mainly - i buy myself one mag a month but this month i have bought more for whatever reason
our petrol costs came in less than they have been doing in previous months due to us just simply not using the car as much and next month we won't using it that much either with it being the kids holidays - i am planning on doing LOTS of fun free things with DD at home and around where we live, apart from one promised trip to a softplay place which is only £3

having looked at the budget for next month i am taking the food money down by £20 to £80 as we really do have so much food in that we don't really need to go shopping apart from for bread, milk and any fresh bits we need, so i'm hoping that £20 a week will be plenty - the plan being to get fresh bits from Aldi/Lidl, petrol i'm hoping we won't spend any more than £40 for the month

next month looks like it will be tight again as it looks like we might end up coming in at around where we are this month - maybe a bit better if i'm really good!!

plan for today is to do a meal plan using as much as is possible from the cupboards/freezer etc

also hoping that our dd will come down for gas and elec as we haven't been using as much at all - boilling the kettle and filling a flask for the day, using jumpers/throws and hot water bottles instead of having the heating on, making sure that the oven is filled whenever i use it

hope everyone is doing ok....... wondering if gailey has had the baby as i noticed she hasn't been around since the weekend........... if your reading this gailey hope your ok hun x

I could be way off the mark but could the overspend be a bit of a release valve? There was all the cost of the car, worrying about having to return to work and stuff like that so you've been working so hard to nail down the budget that you've kind of exploded and the little treats like a magazine here and there and the odd bottle of whatever have added up to more than usual?

Does that make sense? Everyone needs a treat here and there and I think when everything is money saving it can be easier to say "well we've saved so much this month that it won't hurt". If you can maybe loosening up the grocery budget would do you good rather than reducing it next month. Stick with what you've had and just get back on track with that rather than punishing yourself for spending too much this time round. Then when you've had a good month of sticking to the budget you can think about slicing a bit more off, it might be more sustainable than a crash diet.

All the filling flasks and wearing an extra jumper amounts to nothing if you, or your DH feels so deprived it leads to a splurge.