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

vesper

Hi all. Today I am being driven stir crazy, all I want to do is get out in the garden and dig over my vegetable plot and start getting everything ready for the summer. But we are in the process of maybe buying a house, I say maybe as its a repossessed house and they seem to be a very fickle thing. So if we are successful, we shall be moving and I will have an even bigger vegetable plot (and some room for some chickens I hope). It's the not knowing thats driving me mad, the house survey has gone ahead today and at the moment we are the highest 'bidder'.
Although it is helping me to be extra MS as realised that there is so much food and stuff that can be used up rather than buying new stuff.

Has any one got any handy OS tips on getting paint (as in spilt paint) off a bath tub?

maryb

rachbc wrote: »

average life expectancy has increased dramatically in the last few years - meaning increased costs to health care, social care, pensions, increased demand on housing, transport, food resources, population growth - it might not be fair but in has to be paid somewhere and although this will be an unpopular view to the 'ladies of a certain age' who dominate this thread my feeling is that they should pay for it just as much as I, my husband and our children will. Yes the goal posts have been moved but then so have they for students to be, public sector workers, working parents and pretty much all 'normal' folk

Rachbc I do accept that we couldn't go on as we were. I wouldn't be grumbling if everyone had simply had an extra year added on to the date they would have expected their pensions. That is the case for most people but there is a fairly small group born c 1953-1954 who will have to wait 2 extra years. Anyone born after that will only have to wait 1 extra year

That is what seems unfair. It's because they are tryong to do two thongs in one fell swoop - push retirement further out for everyone AND accelerate the date when men and women are equalised. Trouble is you can't do both without hitting this group with a double whammy. And finding an extra two years shortfall when you are 7 years from retirement doesn't give you much time to do it in.

My parents both died before they were 52 and I was only 16 when I was left an orphan. I realise now I subconsciously expected to die round about the same time. It caused some reassessment when i got to 52 and here I still was. I was in a very high stress job and I thought that it really would shorten my life if I carried on. So I have taken early retirement which I realise I am fortunate to be able to do. Thanks to discovering frugality we paid off the mortgage early and after that it was astonishing how the savings were able to build up. I will draw on those savings once DH retires to bridge the gap until my various pensions kick in - and now I will have a much bigger gap to bridge than a woman born three weeks earlier than I was

ChocClare

kidcat, sorry to hear about your house not going through

If it's any consolation, every time we have tried to buy a house, the one we have "set our heart on" has fallen through and then a MUCH BETTER house has come along and we've been very glad we didn't get the first one. Serendipity? Fate?

Dunno.

Hope it cheers you up though!

maryb

ceridwen wrote: »

Hi Hester


<Sits back and hopes that a home-owner will now come in and say "I'm a home-owner and I think its fair for home-owners to have to pay...">

Well I think it's a lot fairer than the idea of a levy on everyone. Why should someone who doesn't want to sell their own house because they want to leave it to their children be entitled to 10% of my house?

ChocClare

vesper wrote: »

Has any one got any handy OS tips on getting paint (as in spilt paint) off a bath tub?

Good luck with your househunting, vesper, fingers crossed!

Can I ask

a) what kind of paint (emulsion/gloss)?
b) what kind of bath (enamel/acrylic/cast iron)?

vesper

ChocClare wrote: »

Good luck with your househunting, vesper, fingers crossed!

Can I ask

a) what kind of paint (emulsion/gloss)?
b) what kind of bath (enamel/acrylic/cast iron)?

Hi it's emulsion and a cast iron bath.

ChocClare

Can you get the worst off with a razor blade? The problem is, if you use something like nitromors, then it'll take off the enamel on the cast iron as well.

How about some wire wool and a bit of barkeepers friend? I find that shifts most things you'd otherwise give up on...

ceridwen

Can I suggest that we move onto other topics than care home fees and womens retirement ages. These are obviously emotive subjects - on which there are some strong opinions both ways.

I'm feeling disturbed at "personal" comments creeping in again - on a thread that some of us (including myself) feel we've had to "fight" to keep running - but we have done so because we feel its so valuable.

So - I'll overlook the misinterpretation of anything I've said anywhere and apologise again for not putting things as clearly as perhaps I might.

So - can we get back onto other topics now please - we're all in this together as we know. It would be a shame for misinterpretations/disagreements to mar our hard-fought for thread.

Pitlanepiglet

Choc Clare you really are a font of all knowledge :T

gailey_2

Trying to catch up but failing:(

Bertiebots-congrats on new job.

kidcat-sorry bid rejected agents are muppets and some sellers just cloud cukoo land markets stalled in lots of places mam and dad beentrying to selltheir seperate properties for over a year no takers.Its because themarket needs first timebuyers.
Takes timeraise 25percent deposit and have immaculate credit history or secure employment at moment.

Thourght best rejoin the OS fold as spent so much this month think we be eating beans on toast for next month!

Febuary we always knew was going to be pricey.

I paid off nearly all my debts:D

found bargain double pram after months of looking won for£165andmymate saidIcould have somecarseat adaptors for free!
Hubbys picking it up tommorow not exact colour wanted but making some sacrafices to keep costs down.

Must be month for bargains as got 2ndhand highchair off netmums as youngest too big and keeps climbing out of oldone was minging but hubby scrubbed it bless him looks good as new.

Had topay all next terms club fees:eek:thats gymnastics for both girls and afterschool sceince club which eldests school thourghtfully advertised and sold it to kids in assembly so of course they came homeraving about it at 7quid ahour better be good:mad:.

Seems school oblivious to fact everyone has different incomes.

Eldests 5th birthday presents,meal out and party for 30 with bouncy castle and facepaints.Not even going totellyou how much as scary we overspent by nearly 200quid!

Phone died but got one in sale.
microwave died but got sisters old one for free:D
Had to taxt he car of doom.

So its back to frugal living in gailey household

Now today I planned to declutter and tidy.
Those who know me best know I like to keep busy.
But todayI have done pretty much nothing.
im still in my pjs!:rotfl:

Shattered after kids party yesterday.
mams got eldest for few days.
youngest so tired she slept through night and had lie in.
I feel like a new woman having night of unbroken sleep normally im up 2-3times.

Still got to buy a value used people carrier still looking.

Anyone heard from sammy k recently?Hope shes doing ok.

Right then this week want to christen my new bargain 6quid slowcooker.

I have a

leg of lamb in freezer-How best to cook this in slow cooker does it need stock/liquid and for how long?

Also got stewing beef how best to do beef casserole?

Also now we have microwave again can use up some of the hm readymeals in tubs in freezer.

Planning a cheap dinner party for mates who helped out at daughters party.

Cant beleive how fast year seems to be going!
Babys due officialapril7th but as last 2week early thinking endof march.

Think start of march should start batch cooking hm readmeals so hubby does not starve when babys born.

Also need to open and use bread/jam maker he brought me for xmas.
Will keep trying to declutter and sell.

once we get bigger car can take advantage of freecycle cant wait.

grocery budget £250 and spent about £80 I think need to keep closer track.
tempted to go backup tesco and bulk buy cereals.