As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

EstherH

Hi GreyQueen, I too think that a lot of people are seriously discontented with their lives and in debt because or the celebrity culture and the magazines which make people think they can live like that too. I think the amount people spend on weddings to copy celeb ones is particularly sad as they start married life in debt and that causes more arguments and stress etc and ultimately in many cases, the breakdown of the marriage.

Supermarkets etc all have their ploys to make us spend more but I am trying to make it work for me.

Not many whoopsies near me any more. Have got some good bargains on fruit this week though at a supermarket I was able to get to as I was over the other side of town.

I also bought a turkey thigh and for about £1.70, can't remember exact amount. I popped it in the slow cooker and got 11oz of meat off it. All just fell off the bone. Haven't bought one of these for years as the last time was Pre slow cooker/Pre MSE and I did it in the oven and it wasn't cooked properly. Really put me off.

Well, trying to make biscuits and cakes to take on holiday with me on Saturday. Self catering in this country so trying to be old style but will have some teas out at supermarkets or cheap place. We take flask and packed lunch picnic and cakes or biscuits for mid afternoon. Need to get on and pack, so bye for now. Esther

mrswive

My old mother didn't teach me to do anything really, she always said it was quicker to do it herself. Nowadays she's frankly embarrassed by my frugal lifestyle. I guess it's because she grew up poor and wanted better; the most important thing to her is 'what people think', and being frugal is tantamount to telling the world and his wife that you're hard up. She still buys 6 slices of ham from the deli counter even though she only uses 2, as she doesn't want the assistant to think that 2 is all she can afford - it's sad really.

On a different subject, though very relevant to the current tough times, I heard the other day - can't remember if it was radio or TV news - that the government borrowed a record amount for any April this year. That'll be the same government that's cutting everything left, right and centre to pay for the deficit they inherited will it?

EstherH

Of course you are a good enough mum. You're children need your time and love more than anything else. Please try and stop feeling guilty.
Guilty is what I should feel for being on here when I should be packing and doing the hundred and one other things that needed doing before I go away on Saturday. Sorry, don't mean to be flippant. Tell yourself you are a good mum.

freudianslip wrote: »

mmmhmmm. I felt guilty when I worked and now I stay at home with my children I feel quilty because I'm not a yummy mummy, guilty because I haven't access to the car to take them to clubs, guilty because we can't go to the forest after lunch or galivant here there and everywhere, guilty that I'm not completely composed all the time, guilty that I haven't got a fantastic farm house kitchen and guilty that they haven't go a 'park' in the garden, guilty that they don't have a play room, guilty that I'm not up to the ideal of a yummy mummy.

My husband once said to me something about all these really great mums that (an ideal I have in my head that is) they take their children to all these places because they can't bare to spend quality time with them, entertain them, play with them at home so go out to allow their children to be entertained from other sources.

Of course you're a good mum. Your children need your love and time more than anything else. Please try and stop feeling guilty. Esther

I did make me think. I'm an alright mum.

gailey_2

saveabobortwo wrote: »

:)its notjust me then i think we all must have supermum or grans it makes me feel little bit like i should be doing better than i am , but then suppose theydid have plenty of time to over the tough years to perfect the art of home baking growing mending , making do etc iv been bought up in the mcdonalds era where as they did nt have no choice then but to make something great out of nothing.but i m doing my best so thats it today i ordered next weeks online tesco shop and talk about get blood out of a stone it took me a long time to search for the absolute lowest prices and i have no less than 80 value items coming including delivery charge alot of the items iv ordered alot of but all around 30pence things to make cupboard full right up think me old mummsy might just give me a pat on the back for that one 80 iITEMS 20 SQUID showing off now so think i will go give garden a little tidy up sweep up and then put the kettle on wishing you all well:)ps i like these smiley faces on here there chirpy aswell.

Wow did you do a tesco order for 20quid including delivery charge for 80items? Im guessing no meat in that amount?
Dont breatyourself up about not being good enough as sounds like you doing great.

AmI the only fruitcake who thinks of oldstyle ways in terms of levels and that as a beginner best to start small and gradual and work your way up,
I at moment am probably down a level as since baby no 3 been born not had as much time.

My online foodshop arrived today thankgod was starving.
Think im always hungrier when on a diet.
Think my foodbill may go up as eating more fruit and veg.
we all love berries but even at half price 2quid they pricey as punnet strawberries gone in seconds.
Might ring up the farm and see if can go pick our own soon as think they out earlier thisyear.

Cherries came out on august last year.

sill question fruit related how much sugar do you add to fruit to stew it thinking min amounts so can deal with 20bags plums in freezerand welcome any recipies for plum chutney.

Dont get online food ordering at all?
did waitrose so free delivery.
few subsitites but worked out 13quid cheaper but got everything I wanted plus random free tub haggan daaz which I should bury at bottom of freezer. Must admit do love the quality oftheir own brand essential range.

got 3whole chickens for £10
they substitued 3 2packs salmon which was on deal for£10 for waitrose 8salmon fillets costing em 4quid for 8fillets its 4quid for 2 in co-op!

Really do think they working out cheaper than sainsburys

as for dates thrifty.

I have taken hubby to musueum
picnic sounds nice.
check out cheaper places tesco clubcard get you cheap cafe rouge/bellas pasta andtheres alwasy coupons online.
we celebrated our wedding anniversary in pizza hut as was skint but had lovleytime also big fan weatherspoons curry club!
One ex took me to pitch and put at golf club had fab time.

lovley sunny day here rare moment of peace as girls out for say in holiday club/nursury.

Advertised a pram online for sale but getting weird responses.
got someone coming round tommorow fingers crossed it sells as need a new one thats better for me.

Hubby informs me gardens doing ok.
will domy elderflower brewing next week when eldest back in school.

forcast nice for weekend so hopefully off to beach with cool box and buckets/spades as havent booked a holiday this year all depends on hubbys wages and how good they do.

debts slowly coming down.:D

Goodside being on a diet will cook lots more from scratch as anything processed has high syn value.

Did read in yesterdays metro that food prices will double 2030.
Awful that ecoli in cucumbers never thourght veg couldbe so harmful alwys think things like that must be linked to meat.

bluebag

Guilt?? guilty? That's an admission of breaking a law,a moral or ethical code.

I don't think any of us sweating our sox off trying to make things better for our families and the enviroment, in what I personally think will turn out to be a depression can be accused of that.

We are all doing our best.

maryb

For our banner, how about

" when the going gets tough, the tough get together"

Can I please have a bit of advice? I mentioned about three weeks ago that I had done my back in. It was tweaky for quite a while and I didn't want to risk it going again so I have not really done anything on the lottie other than sow a few salad leaves. But I think it has settled down enough for me to get back in there and try to make up lost time. I think June should be OK to stick some courgette seeds in and I've got tomatoes in pots ready for going in.

But what else could I do at this time of year that would catch up with where I would have been if I had done everything when the textbooks said? For instance I got some onion sets - will they do anything if I stick them in the ground now? And my leek seedlings are still alive but they haven't got to the thickness of a pencil which is when you are supposed to transplant them, I suspect because they got a bit starved in the seed tray. Would it be a waste of time transplanting them and seeing what happens?

For info - I'm in the London bit of Kent so dry atm- the soil is like concrete dust. But we should be well past frosts

Any suggestions gratefully receievd

CorBlimeyHowMuch

Just thought Id delurk and say hello, Ive been following this thread for months and love the comaraderie and advice given and thought if my life ever meant cutting back Id love to join, well they say never wish for something:p yep its happened...Im getting divorced and have now got to move into rented accommodation and have lost my job as well:eek: so its welcome to the real world for me bigtime.

On the bright side Ive lost 15 stone in weight ( the ex):rotfl:and now have finally come to terms with all thats happened, and have by some sheer good luck have just been given the tenancy of what I can only describe as my dream home and will have to really tighten my belt to make ends meet so I might be asking for lots of advice in a while once Ive got settled in and titivated it up on a £100 budget and it has a garden which Landlord said I could have a veggie patch in .... is it too late to start a veggie patch now??? Im a very very eager learner, he said the previous tenant had left somethings in the house and outsheds so will go this evening and have
a look maybe I can reuse/recycle whats been left if possible as needs must as there are plenty of pennies in my purse but not pounds so I will have to be making make do and mend my motto from now on ..
This so scarey paddling my own canoe but also exciting ...

CorBlimeyHowMuch??????:D

saveabobortwo

the shopping i bought for next week was a store cupboard shop. I typed in value rangeand then chose everything under 30p like beans spaghetti custard chicken noodles pasta sheets biscuits stock cubes vinegar mint sauce value uht milk tinned rice pudding soup shower gel shamoo 1 litre 2 for 1 price 22 pence value water squash lemon orange etc sage and onion stuffing ,pitta bread ,garlic couple carrots and onion1 apple soaps value disinfectant value herbs i basicly bought the absolute cheapest store cupboard items that tesco sell somtimes purchased 2 off each there was no meals or meat but it was store some items at the lowest possible price i could find and managed 80 items the price came to 17 pounds plus 3 pound delivery charge this makes me feel like we have plenty in stock also bought salt and other items but it tells you as you add up how many things you have purchased so i was pleased with what i had got all these items will keep us clean or can be used with something else to make up a meal oh yes tea bags aswell 27p i do this shop now and then and family ca nt believe when it is delivered how much shopping we ve got for the price the blood out of a stone monthly shop and if you are hardup its a good feeling .

saveabobortwo

aswell peas carrots value pasta sauce etc etc value pancakes ,yoghurts

maryb

Welcome CorBlimeyHowMuch

Hopefully someone will be along soon about the veggies - I'm effectively in the same position re the veggie garden because I did my back in at a critical time