May 2011 Grocery Challenge

espresso21

That's so sweet of you to offer to help. I'm ok thanks, things aren't that desperate at the moment - that last remark was a bit tongue in cheek! Sorry I didn't mean to be melodramatic! I have some leftover curry in the fridge from last night which I will heat up in a minute.

I'm just feeling so low at the moment as I have tried really hard this month and I'm still skint. I don't know where else I can shave some money off. And I guess I naively thought that if I told O2 I was struggling to pay the bills, they would help me find a way - after it was surely in their best interests too. But I was wrong.

It's still a long way to payday as well! However, I have just remembered that I have a cheque for £25 that work owes me- it will take a week to clear but at least it's another £25!

PennyGrabber

I didn't have a NSD today, BUT, I did go into a sm for bread and milk and come out with... bread and milk!! I'm so proud of myself! It did help, of course, that I was off work sick, and didn't really want anyone to spot me and think I was skiving! I ended up buying some pills at the pharmacy too, but I wasn't given a prescription, so it cost me £1.34 instead of £7.20 or whatever it is these days. I'm managing to have a frugal few days, however, it may all go horribly wrong tomorrow, as my powerwalking friend (best friend!) normally comes round every tues, then I do us dinner, but she has bailed on me for this week, so I'm sure the urge will hit me to go shopping instead. Hmm.

Although I'm not technically living on the line at the moment, I have been in the past, and I feel for those who are finding it tough at the moment. I echo what katholicos said - if we were mates that met up, I'd help with a food parcel too. Although, I think one of the fab things about this forum is that we are kind of anonymous, and so can share things that we maybe wouldn't share with people we have face time with.

Lots of love and hugs,

PG x

Hippeechiq

Espresso hun - may I suggest that (next month) you buy yourself a Pay As You Go o2 sim for a tenner and put in your phone?

My o2 PAYG is 300 free txts for a £10 top up per month, but I believe there is one where you only have to top up £5 a month to get x amount of free texts now.

Yes, you will still have to pay your basic monthly contract fee, but there will be no nasty surprises coming through the post each month. Maybe even ask o2 about buying out the contract?

My DD got herself in a huge muddle, (as did my SS actually) - I'm embarrassed to say, as I should have been more aware.
In both cases, they ended up buying out the contract and agreeing to pay off what they owed over a 12-18 month period. Both of them then bought a PAYG sim to put in their phone which they top up once a month, or as and when they have the money.

At least with PAYG you only spend what you can afford if you see what I mean, and it's one less bill to fall on the mat every month.

Just a thought

Thanks again for everyone's kind words - it does always give me a lift when people are so caring and thoughtful

Saw GP first thing this morning, and she said it would be a waste of time turning up at A&E for DD, but has promised to chase the gall bladder scan and endoscopy appointments and also increased the dose of anti acid meds. I do wish something would go right for her for once. It's just one thing after another and she so deserves a break

On a brighter note I did manage to spend the day planting up all my plants (had 6 Chilli Pepper Plants turn up today too) and I feel all the better for it

Spigs, I see you haven't posted for a while - hope you're ok hun x

Spends of £3 today on 3 bottles of milk - now off to update siggy.

katholicos

Hippeechiq, hope you are feeling better today and that your DD is okay.

I'm on a Pay as you go plan these days...if i top up a tenner a month i get free internet access via my mobile and 300 free txts..and also because i'm on Orange, I get to take advantage of the cinema Orange Wednesday BOGOF ticket offer. My daughter had to pay £130 to get out of a twelve month contract...nightmare! I like knowing what my outgoings are so this way suits me fine.

69chick

Hi all, I have been reading through some of the thread and would love to join you all (I did couple of GC a couple of years ago)

DH gets paid on 19th so I am going to do it from then, so I suppose that will be from this thurs it would actually be June so I will update sig with my June figure (but will be 19th-19th).

We are in the process of buying a house having relocated back down South last July (me, dh, ds and 2 x dd's) and staying since then with my parents, so budgeting has been harder (I don't have much space for storage and only half the freezer space) but I need to really get into much better food shopping spending habits for when the mortgage kicks in!.

I am also hoping I can do a bit of growing although the garden is fairly small so will maybe see what I can do in pots

I am going to include all food and cleaning stuff, but do alcohol separately as I want to budget for this separately...

Hope I can get to know you all...

espresso21

I can't believe how kind you people are. I'm only a newbie, you don't know me all that well, in fact you don't know me at all considering we've never met, and yet here you are offering food parcels and such. It's amazing. Maybe that's one thing the hard times are good for - for bringing out the niceness and communal spirit in people once more.

I just need to learn how to cut back my expenses. I used to earn a decent salary, not fantastic but reasonable, and now that has dropped by about 30%. Soon it will be half of its original amount. So I need to do a lot of rethinking. I know I can do it - I used to do it when I was a student and had no money, but it's remembering how. And I am probably going to ask a lot of foolish questions that will seem old hat to you, probably mostly about cooking.I also need to get out of the habit of shopping when I am miserable! Admittedly I haven't done that for quite a while now so I am nearly cured.

Anyway, back to the mobile phones. I never thought about PAYG. I always thought they worked out far more expensive. I shall have to investigate. I won't be able to keep my old number will I? Thanks for all the advice. I might have to have a look around. I have always had a contract as I thought it was cheaper. Maybe I was wrong!

espresso21

On a good note, I did manage to stretch last night's curry to do another night for hubby and I.
But I cooked too much rice. Does anyone have any idea of something to make with savoury rice and two cooked chicken breasts (I had to cook them to make them last longer - raw chicken doesn't tend to last too long in the fridge)? Thank you!

Hippeechiq

Welcome 69chick :hello:
We're a nice friendly bunch, so ask away if you have any questions

espresso21 wrote: »

Anyway, back to the mobile phones. I never thought about PAYG. I always thought they worked out far more expensive. I shall have to investigate. I won't be able to keep my old number will I? Thanks for all the advice. I might have to have a look around. I have always had a contract as I thought it was cheaper. Maybe I was wrong!

I'm the opposite - I've never had a contract. Been on PAYG for 13 years and it suits me fine. I don't use it to call people much, but I have a landline for that

Not sure if you'd be able to keep your old number, but I somehow doubt it, as that number/sim will be tied into your contract I would think.

My DD & SS didn't bother asking. They just bought out their contracts, put in a PAYG and haven't looked back. Their contracts cost a lot to buy out, but it's a weight off their minds knowing there will be no more outrageous bills coming through the post, and that once the debt is repaid, that will be the end of it.

It's similar to the difference between buying groceries on a card when you think about it, and suddenly finding yourself overdrawn, or using cash.

I'm a great believer in dealing in cash where I can, as with cash, you can't spend what you haven't got

Oh - and there's no such thing as a foolish question hun

espresso21

Thanks Hippeechiq, I need to investigate that.

helen_jelly

Espresso21 - where abouts in Bucks are you - I'm at MK, not able to do a food parcel but more than happy to meet up for a coffee if we are anywhere near each other - nothing like a RL hug and support

Helen x