How can I save?

AliceBanned

onthebreadline wrote: »

Don't know how you feel about this, but I am a great believer, since I hate taking any kind of prescribed medication.

I had severe hay fever year after year, until someone told me about homopathic medicine,

I was told to go to my nearest Boots the Chemists, and look for either Nelsons Homopathic (green tube) or Boots own brand (blue tube and slightly cheaper)
look up the book/leaflet beside them (sometimes the book is kept behind the counter) with your main symptoms and they suggest
which type/name you should buy. Its like a tube about 3-4" high and has tiny tiny beads (like balls) in it.

I looked up mine, itchy eyes, itchy throat, etc, etc, and it suggests what I should try.

Anyway, a good few months later (after having taken them for a couple of months or more) they did eleviate my hay fever (within a couple of days of first starting them), but I also noticed I did not have my usual PMT symptoms either. I took another look at this book, this time looking up all my symptoms for PMT and yes you guessed it, it also recommended the same thing I was taking for my hay fever. So, all in all, done both jobs. Great stuff and only cost me about 3.00 quid (I obviously got Boots own brand).

I have since told a few work colleagues about this, with different symptoms, hay fever, going through the change, hot flushes etc, etc, and they all report that they have helped.

Please let me assure you that this is not a prescribed medicine, and that it is on the shop floor of boots amongst your olbas oil, etc,etc where anyone can go in and buy it, you will NOT find it behind the chemist/pharmacy counter

I can only tell you my story, but might be worth considering.

Please let me know, how you get on.

Hi onthebreadline

I've paid silly money in the past to see a homeopath - she gave me some remedies which seemed to help, but wouldn't tell me what they were!! Obviously as I could go and buy them myself.

I've read a couple of books on homeopathy - as it happens I find it interesting and it has sometimes worked for me. Once I had a wart on my finger for 3 years, and after taking the remedy for it, it was gone in two weeks. A friend had a similar experience with the same problem. So yes, thanks for your message and i do think there is something in it. As I am moneysaving I would only do it via Boots now rather than paying £40 or more per time to see a homeopath. Homeopaths claim you cannot prescribe them accurately for yourself, and there is some deep level you get to by peeling through the layers of your issues and reaching your constitutional remedy. The layers of £40 sessions weren't doing me much good. I try not to be cynical but it is complicated when someone is charging. I now prefer to work out my own problems as I seem to make more effort that way and take more responsibility for myself. I'm not saying homeopaths are all out to make money but this one wouldn't tell me what the remedies were so she obviously wanted me to keep going back. So I'll try the Boots over the counter ones, good point!:)

onthebreadline

Glad to be of help.

The key is in the book,(which is not readily available) and you have to look at your main symptoms first, then the rest and cross reference to see which one pops up more often than the rest.

Good Luck

AliceBanned

Great, thanks. I'll let you know how I get on!:)

AliceBanned

I received a letter from Lloyds TSB today declining my application for a credit card. I applied for Barclaycard platinum, unless I made a mistake online and ended up applying for two credit cards on the same day. I'm confused! As far as i was concerned I didn't follow the Lloyds application through as it didn't work properly online so I gave up and looked at Barclaycard. it isn't looking hopeful that i will get a balance transfer card anyway.:(

I suppose it was unlikely I would get a 0% balance transfer anway, but I only have one "arrangement to pay" (now repaid) on my credit file from early 2007. Everything else is up to date, although I am constantly up to my £750 overdraft on my current account. Can't seem to manage without it and am trying to get rid of the Halifax cc so it is hard to do both.

I have a cold since Weds so this may be why but I'm not feeling so hopeful and thinking maybe I will have to get a lodger if I'm every going to really get a handle on things. Even with the SOA it still doesn't make much sense why I can't make progress very quickly.

candykisses

I've enjoyed reading this thread as I have almost identical income to OP and similar budgeting costs, so have been trying to make some cut backs too.

I'm 40 years old and haven't got a private pension - when I asked on the pensions board, I was told at my age to be factoring in 20% of my salary as pension contributions - I just can't see how I could put this amount into a pension each month - would I be better just trying to save some cash for now or put the money I can save into a pension plan?

I have no debts but no savings either. My mortgage is £350 per month, with 18 years left on it.

AliceBanned

I pay into a company scheme so only have to pay in 7 percent and the company adds the rest. Are you self employed or is there some reason why you can't do this?

candykisses

hi alice

no, I'm full time employed, but they don't offer a pension scheme here. a bit fed up at the moment as not sure if it's worth putting into a pension if I can't afford to put in 20% - ie. is it worth me trying to put 10% in and put the rest into ISA's or maybe just save what I can in ISA's?

Probably the wrong forum to be asking, but was just amazed that your SOA is practically identical to mine so have been looking for advice on how to save x

AliceBanned

candykisses wrote: »

hi alice

no, I'm full time employed, but they don't offer a pension scheme here. a bit fed up at the moment as not sure if it's worth putting into a pension if I can't afford to put in 20% - ie. is it worth me trying to put 10% in and put the rest into ISA's or maybe just save what I can in ISA's?

Probably the wrong forum to be asking, but was just amazed that your SOA is practically identical to mine so have been looking for advice on how to save x

That's a shame. They must be a small company then? My employer pays in the rest so I am saving 20% including their contribution. Are you happy in your job and want to stay? Otherwise would it be worth looking for something with pension scheme? And maybe higher salary too, which is what I am working towards.

It's difficult - some people told me it should be easy, i have plenty of disposable income etc but it doesn't always feel like it. It isn't a large income we have in terms of building for the future - do you also live alone?

Maybe someone else can give you advice on pensions - I know that if your employer isn't contributing it is not necessarily the best place to put your money - you might need independent financial advice. hopefully someone else on here can help either through this thread or if you start a new thread asking the question in the savings part of the forum. I'm sure you'll get help on here one way or the other. There are plenty of people who know about pensions, ISAs etc.

ms_london

Hello.

I just wanted to add that the following books are also pretty good on the depression front: "Shoot the damn dog" (Sally Brampton) and "The Happiness Project" (Gretchen Rubin) - think I will also try the homeopathic route, so thank you for the advice :0)

I hope you have a lovely christmas xx

AliceBanned

Thanks Ms London. Will have a look on Amazon.

Have a lovely Christmas too!