It was getting tough in 2006 and the workhouse still threatens us in 2011

greent

mardatha wrote: »

The RV isnt so focussed on meat as such, he just doesnt like the idea that we are short of money or scrimping and watching the pennies. His best friend's wife said to me proudly that she never used her oven apart from heating up M&S pies He would happily eat veg if you told him they were expensive

OOh! My DH (stroppy very UNbalanced Libran!) is just the same! Before hHe'd have happily eaten anything if it was from Waitrose/ M&S. He hates the idea of budgets - that means penny-pinching to him (he comes from a background with no money - cardboard in shoes, no food in cupboards etc) and the thought of being there scares him.

I'm gradually educating him re cashback & price comparison sites, shops like Ald! and such like - it's a long, slow process. I tell him it's not that we're short of money so much it's that I can think of better ways to spend the money that we do have (such as paying off the mortgage early)

VJsmum

greent wrote: »

OOh! My DH (stroppy very UNbalanced Libran!) is just the same! Before hHe'd have happily eaten anything if it was from Waitrose/ M&S. He hates the idea of budgets - that means penny-pinching to him (he comes from a background with no money - cardboard in shoes, no food in cupboards etc) and the thought of being there scares him.

I'm gradually educating him re cashback & price comparison sites, shops like Ald! and such like - it's a long, slow process. I tell him it's not that we're short of money so much it's that I can think of better ways to spend the money that we do have (such as paying off the mortgage early)

That's exactly it - strictly speaking we don't NEED to economise but i'd rather put the money we save to better use than just paying unnecessarily for things. I also absolutely hate waste of any kind. (I'm sorry, i do know there are people on here who absolutely have to economise). I think we eat better now, but for less money, than we ever have. As we speak i have a lovely piece of brisket in my slow cooker - hopefully cooking if the timer plug worked :rotfl:. Otherwise we'll have a lovely piece of brisket tomorrow

My OH is ok about the economising and boasts of it to friends. however he is equally good at spending and will indulge the kids far more than i ever will.

ginnyknit

VJ's mum, its great that you don't have to economise but even better that you still do - some dear friends of mine started me firmly on the pennypinching track many years ago with their mantra of 'spending less to live better' They made everything they could themselves, coming from a farming background in the USA. They were experts at it and did it so they could buy a huge house for the extended family and collect vintage cars.

I have been lagging the shed with polystyrene to keep the guinea pigs and tiny rabbit warm over the winter and OH has just been fitting our bargain baby gate upstairs when he found some poly tiles in the immersion cupboard! So that another job completed. I also found in the shed a HUGE pile of sunflower seed husks, so our little field mouse is well and truly settled in there - it must be the size of a dog by now though :rotfl: So need to buy a plastic container for the bird feed before I need a whip and a chair to drive the mouse back to feed the animals!

HariboJunkie

Gigervamp wrote: »

Here's something to cheer you all up! Rescued baby red squirrels. They're sooo cute!

Thanks for that Gigervamp. I love red squirrels and we are lucky that they occasionally visit the garden but we never get to see the babies.

mardatha wrote: »

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/radar/ :eek:

Summary of our weather today;

Gale force winds and light rain followed by...
Gale force winds and torrential rain, then,
Gale force winds and hailstones, then, Gale force winds and thunder and lightening and now it's just gale force winds and sunshine. :cool:

At least the wind is consistent. And it's only half past four. :rotfl:

Have consoled myself by making bramble jelly, apple crumble, lemon meringue muffins and lots of raspberry gin. If the weather continues like this the gin shall be drunk ready or not.

Have to laugh at those of you tricking the OHs into eating what they "don't like". :rotfl: My OH doesn't have a problem with frugal food but he swears not to like celery, offal, sweet sauces with savoury food and almonds. I just happen to know that he does like them so long as he can't actually see them. :silenced::whistle::shhh:;):D

[Deleted User]

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Kimsmum

Haribo Junkie thats like the weather we have had today.
Gale force winds and rain
Gale force winds and sunshine and now its gale force winds and heavy rain:(

suzid

I was in true Victoria Meldrew mode yesterday - I do not belieeeeeve it!

Why oh why can't peeps do as they say or not expect others to be mind readers? The saga goes thus: Back in May I phoned DS's Uni to enquire whether it would be possible for DS to have a freezer in his room and a seperate toaster so that he could have all his gluten free food separate, quite expecting to have to buy them. 'Oh that's fine, we will provide them they said', once his accomodation is confirmed just phone and arrange.

In July phoned to confirm and was told they would supply the items and that no we could not provide our own - fire risk, and to put it in writing by email which I duly did. Didn't hear a dicky bird after that so phoned three weeks ago and was told they needed a doctors letter as confirmation. It took two weeks to get the letter out of the doctor and sent it off with another email. Nothing again, so phoned uni and couldn't get through. The next thing was I phoned Student Suport telling them of sage. Got a very nice email saying they had sorted out a fridge for DS but that he couldn't have a toaster in his room. Sent another email back saying we didn't want a fridge, needs a freezer and that he didn't want a toaster in his room, just a seperate one in the kitchen. Another email came back saying they don't provide freezers but that we could provide our own new so long as they are PAT tested (even though their own handbook says items under guarentee don't require PAT testing). Give me strength.:mad:

So now we have to buy a freezer as their's no time to source one on freecycle. DH and I will have to make a second trip with his food the weekend after and I felt like spitting feathers.

I won't bore you with the doctors saga, but why does everything have to be so difficult? Boy needs food - gluten free- to buy very expensive- OS mother makes for scratch saving small fortune. Prescription bread monthly needs storing. Seven other students sharing so strong possibility of GF food being nicked if in main freezer, plus taking up alot of room. Needs separate freezer - Simples!!!!

So off to deposit DS on Friday and reserve small chest freezer tomorrow for us to collect in Uni town. He'll take a weeks worth of food as it will take hours for the new freezer to settle and get down to temperature. On the plus side, if he's forgotten anything we can take it down with us the next weekend when we do the food drop, and DH and I will have a nice, if expensive day out.

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Welcome Jen:wave:

Hope all went well at the hospital Taurusgb , thinking of you.

Mardatha you make me giggle, you're a real tonic. How are the chickens socks coming on ?

bluebag

GreenNinja wrote: »

oldtractor wrote: »

God, thats so true oldtractor! If I even mention the "e" word can see the corners of OHs mouth turning down in disgust! LOL

Agree here too, seems to make him all depressed and sad, so I just do my own moneysaving thing and leave him out of it.

He is very good though and always consults me with any economic decision. He will ask can we afford ??...... and I always amswer honestly.

Mostly he's just happy I'm not materialistic.

mardatha

O god kittie I could really do with some thin rollups meself :rotfl::rotfl:
- would take my mind off the weather!

cat_smith

mardatha wrote: »

- would take my mind off the weather!

I second that. It has not stopped raining ALL day. Torrential rain. Thank goodness we are at the top of a slope. The school playing field is flooded and the burn is right up to the bottom of the bridge. Yuck. And the hound is still lying in the back garden:rotfl: