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

lora

jackieglasgow wrote: »

Well bed for me now. I am tackling today's tough time by going to the carboot sales tomorrow to sell my weans, I mean wares. OH never got paid today and I have only a wee bit of cash in the house, so am off to drum up some money for petrol, diesel and food. Those shoppers better barter hard tomorrow as I will be looking for top dollar Hope you are all having a good evening. x

Can't get much tougher than selling your weans:eek::eek: OH never got paid----been there. Jackie and lots others desperately do need this thread.

*Maya*

Pitlanepiglet, well done to your OH on getting some work. It's awful when it's so unpredictable isn't it? I have a good friend who is self eployed doing something she loves but her work is erratic and some months she really struggles, but the alternative is doing job she hates and so many people (me included) are facing redundancy in jobs we once thought were safe anyway.

I hope you do well at your boot sale Jackieglasgow.

Kittie, I agree with Pitlanepiglet. I am sure the thread will settle down soon.

ceridwen

kittie wrote: »

ok so I`ll may get shot down by some but I have to say what I feel

The tone of the tough range of threads has changed from being os and helpful to over-the-fence chat and that was absolutely not the purpose of the original threads. There is very little on here that is now useful to a newbie looking for help. I suggest that this is now the last thread using the `tough` theme.

Daily chat belongs to the daily chat thread and I am signing my `tough` theme out as it has run its course

'Morning Kittie

Well - I certainly won't be shooting you down over this. As you know - I've always seen the purpose of the Its Tough threads in the same way you have.

The original purpose is, as we know, more necessary than ever. Many people are now "in a bad place" financially and many others are worried that they will be too. All of us (apart possibly from those in very high-level jobs) do have very real cause for concern. Right now - what is happening in the Middle East MAY lead (and we all hope it does) to functioning democracies out there. However - it may NOT on the other hand and those of us elsewhere in the world will have very serious cause for concern if it doesnt - at the impact on our own finances (amongst other things....).

The "first fruits" of the major Cuts now in the process of being implemented will soon start to be felt and, by the end of this year, many people currently unaffected will also have felt an impact on their finances.

The Narrative of how life is for all of us goes:
- go however far we decide to with education
- get a job/career that matches our expectations and treats us at least reasonably fairly
- get a mortgage/get the house sorted out/get some savings
- retire at retirement age

It's surprising just how pervasive and persistent that Narrative has been (to many people - still is) in our Society. Surprising because it HAS only been the expected Narrative since World War 2 (so a very short period of time historically). Throughout most of recorded history life has been very harsh for the vast majority of people - and this has been overlooked by many - as they decided those times were relegated to the history books...:cool:

It's Game Over for that Narrative. This is not how it will be for most people from now onwards and it's time for a new Narrative. I see the Its Tough threads as having been/being about helping people to cope with the transition from that late 20th Century Narrative towards the new Narrative (whatever it may turn out to be). Hopefully - not just to survive but thrive.

You are right Kittie - the Its Tough threads are not for "everyday chat" or some of the other stuff that has crept in at regular intervals on all of them. They are for hints/moral help/etc in dealing with the dying "Narrative" and finding a positive way forward - as I see it.

You are the Founder of these threads - and a lot of help has been derived by many people from them and you are owed a debt of gratitude for them.:T

NB; Kittie - you know where I am and welcome to contact me personally any time. Take care lass ((((( )))))

lauren_1

My car failed its MOT yesterday, rather miserably.....Best make use of my legs although I am very peeved after buying a carseat and base and only getting to use it once. I have listed it on ebay in hope that I can get something for it, taken out stereo, drained fuel tank and sold to my mum for 50p a litre

Strange orb in sky spotted over mid somerset.

Now to complicate matters even more OH family are coming to stay for 5 days next week so that's 4 extra people and a food budget of £45 (probably less as I only have £100 in my bank and due no money till after they go).

I think a night of jacket potato's, a roast (best get 2 chickens), Something with the left over chicken and hope they offer to buy take away one night (they live on a island and have only a chippy, usually they are gagging for a take away!)

Pitlanepiglet

Lauren, you still need to update your signature

kidcat

Lauren - how about a chilli? I find these very cost efficient as you can bulk it up a little by adding loads of kidney beans and lentils. 500g of mince can easily feed eight usually with leftovers if you bulk it out sufficiently. I use 500g of mince (could use cheapest - fry off and drain fat off) and at least two cans of tomataoes, two tins of kidney beans and a cup or more of lentils then al the seasoning etc usually at least half a pint of water.

catznine

It's tough now and going to get tougher, how much tougher I don't know and to be honest that scares me. With a new grandchild expected but nearly 300 miles away, getting to see him/her is going to be expensive, petrol/diesel going up fast, flights will be out of the question, that leaves the train which can also be hugely expensive, any ideas on how to get cheap fares?

Is anyone preparing for tougher times using a worse case/best case scenario? Is that too scary or being realistic? I'm looking at the way my parents (mainly Mum) and my Grandparents coped. Mum never wasted anything, all fabrics were remade into something useful - old blankets became coats, nappies became trainer pants, scraps into patchwork, rag rugs or dolly clothes, room was found in even the smallest garden for vegetables (often tucked into the borders) and we seemed to eat a lot of hm soups.

My grandparents went a few steps further, keeping chickens and rabbits, running a fairly large garden and allotment full of fruit and vegetables and at one point my Grandad kept angora rabbits which my aunties looked after, the combings from grooming he spun into knitting wool which my Grandmother knitted into childrens hats and sold them in their little drapers shop. Grandad even had a go at growing his own tobacco but the smelly result was not a success with the family!:rotfl:

We have so many resources around us but sadly not the practical education on how to use them, I remember part of my domestic science lessons were spent on making (amongst other things) a wastepaper bin from an old party seven beer tin, oddment of paint, glue and a fabric remnant!:)

btw the oxygen helped me to sleep, despite a noisy neighbour - elderly and going deaf, poor man, so he turns tv up very loudly. I had planned a de cluttering day but sadly dh seems to have labrythitus now!:eek: Is it infectious or co-incidence? What a pair we are!

ceridwen

Catznine

There are devices available that ensure a deaf(er) person can hear tv at a level that is clear to them - whilst not being too loud for other people nearby.

I cant recall what they are called and have no idea what they cost - but adaptations have had to be made in my parents home to allow for him being deaf and her not being deaf - so that she didnt get upset by HIS disability iyswim.

Cant recall - but think its some sort of "hearing loop" thing or something? Could you look it up and then find a way to suggest to your neighbour that he gets one of them? He shouldnt expect other people to put up with his tv volume disturbing them - but maybe doesnt realise that it does? or is unaware of these gadgets?

Molly41

kittie wrote: »

ok so I`ll may get shot down by some but I have to say what I feel

The tone of the tough range of threads has changed from being os and helpful to over-the-fence chat and that was absolutely not the purpose of the original threads. There is very little on here that is now useful to a newbie looking for help. I suggest that this is now the last thread using the `tough` theme.

Daily chat belongs to the daily chat thread and I am signing my `tough` theme out as it has run its course

I agree this has become another OS daily. I have followed these threads since their inception and tbh have thought that much of what has been said could be fitted into the OS daily - apart from the doom and gloom stuff - which in some cases is scaremongering.

rachbc

Hippeechiq wrote: »

If you were schlepping up the hills at Durdle Door today, I don't think you'll be walking anywhere far for a day or two! lol - you'll know all about it tomorrow my girl

The very first walk we went on when we were just in jeans, I had a shoulder handbag on and we had one bottle of water between us (rolls eyes) and no food.

The entire walk was across fields and hills. The hike started at Worth Matravers across land to Corfe (where we thankfully stopped for a coffee and a cake) and then across land again to Kingston Lacey climbing steeply to bring us out on the top of the cliffs looking out across the sea and down on Chapmans Pool. We then had to make our way back to Worth Matravers.

When we were on the cliff tops it was 6pm - we had left the car at 1pm. We were hungry and tired, and from where we stood we couldn't even see Worth Matravers, despite being on the cliff tops. After going down, up, down and up my legs were shot, and I clearly remember sitting down and crying and saying I couldn't go on because I was totally spent.

It was a hot August day, and we were dehydrated and starving, but lucky for us it was August, because we finally got back to the car at 7:55pm!! And would have been in serious trouble had it been winter. We had no idea it would take so long

I've never felt so ill in my life, and poor OH wasn't in a much better state, and he then had to drive us back to Bournemouth. I got in and went straight to bed. Should've had a bath, but I was so exhausted at that point that I couldn't even speak anymore.

When I got up the next day my legs were screaming at me. We live in a house, so have stairs, and after going up and coming down them twice in the morning, I told my OH that if I had to go upstairs again, I'd have to stay up there for the rest of the day :rotfl:

My legs took more than a week to properly recover, and at the time I was working in a job where I was on my feet all day.

Never again did we go out without being in proper hiking gear or without proper supplies. It was, what I believe is called a "learning curve", lol.

Cliff walks are deceptive aren't they- we had a similar experience on the Pembroke coast - slightly better prepared with some water and a few snacks but with the additional burden of 2 kids to worry about....we walked for about 6 hours on the cliff tops around bays and coves that was about 2 miles in a straight line!! Luckily there was a pub at the other end so we filled the kids with fish and chips and got a cab back!!! Even in august it was nearly dar when we found the pub - scary stuff and definately a 'learning curve'.

Hoping our summer holiday this year will be down in Dorset - we used to sail that coast when i was a kid and I just love it.