A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

Byatt

lizzyb1812 wrote: »

Oops Byatt - series 1 of the latest Sherlock was on over 3 days this Christmas - I'm afraid the last one was last night I liked them a lot - there's a new one on New Year's Day on BBC1

I can't find it anywhere...I've seen the series before, but it's not in my tv listings.

gailey_2

if its bbc try i player?

Hope everyones having good day

chaos here as usual

toddlers naked
baby covered himself in choc
5year old bored and whiney
13year old step son addicted to his new phone

just did lovley lunch from stuff brought reduced yesterday in co-op.

Its a tough ask but want to budget just

£100 a month on food/drink for jan as we have tonned in freezer/cupboards
might meal plan 30 days later but our month goes 15th to 15th as thats hubbys payday.
accepted we wont feel financially sorted until feb as few unexpected bills been hard few months.

Least no council tax and water for 2months.
revisiting budget see what can be cut next!
At momenet hubbys saying cut nursery which dont wnat to do as she has freinds and is clingy and its done her development so much godo she wont get funding until jan 2013 and starts school september 2014.

So need to start looking for part time job again,
need to try listing lots on ebay
find out off quidco when they paying out.
want to be more organised in new year
try and save
make more stuff.

On the good news hubbys company finacial year jan to jan and had small payrise should be extra £60 a month.

They do seem to think inflation will go down in 2012 but baffled how?
All economists think 2012 be tough unsure if tougher than the crunch or 2011?
Guess depends what happens in eurozone. read spanish unemployement 4million makes our 1million look small. Also admire how irelands coping with the tough austerity measures.
Think be more trouble in greece and italy. From what I gather portugals doing its best to get out of the mess. Al the new agreemenets, summits and bond buying has just pushed the issue back for few months and brought extra time.

Think a lot of our spending cuts fall 2012 so some will feel pinch think we lose £40 from april:(.

Sent hubby sainsburys for few value yogurts and value wipes.

wipes 6months ago 17p a pack
one moth ago 26p a pack
now 35p a pack!

Getting fed up of huge increases in value lines as cant downsize anymore than value. noticed tesco and sainsburys seem to price fix some products always the same..

Right best go tidy and see how hubbys doing fixing wardrobe door.

we suppost to be settling down and watching a film together.

Beccatje

Well, here's someone else who's officially poor.

We had this unexpected huge tax bill to come crash our holliday cheer.

It HAD to be paid this week and they wouldn't let up.
If it wasn't for the kids being home I'd have a pretty big cry I tell ya.

It will be saving and scrimping for the next few months at least!. Because of this bill, others will be left unpaid and they will accumulate extra costs and worry and well, you know how it goes.
I"m going to try and limit the damage as much as I can by cutting down on the food and 'living' costs but with two teenagers, a 7 year old, two cats and a dog, it's not easy. These kids are also on two week christmas break so home all day. That means the house has to be heated, AND they eat and drink pretty much constantly.

I've put our Canoe up for sale on ebay, hoping to sell it quick and get some cash out of that.
Also my spinningwheel and wool supply are up for sale. It's going to break my heart to see them go, but better a sad heart than empty bellies I suppose. It's only stuff in the end.

I'm going to have a look around to see what else might be worth selling.

Every little bit will help.

paidinchickens

Hello peeps

Hope you all had a smashing time

We picked up the little old man (my old next door neighbour) and was shocked and saddened to see how poorly he looks. I only saw him a few weeks ago and he seems to be getting worse. I worry about him living on his own and feel guilty I do not find more time for him so that will change this year.

He seemed to enjoy himself and said he was glad he came :j and that he will come and stay again soon :j:j

I know I shouldn't laugh however LOM has a bladder problem and wears them pad thingy me bobs, when he went to bed on Christmas eve DH and I stayed up sorting the kids stockings and DH announced his bum was wet and accused the cats (who have never messed in the house) Through the laughter I told him it couldn't have been the poor moggies :rotfl::rotfl: Christmas day we all checked where we sat :rotfl::rotfl: We have blankets on the sofas for the cats and it became a bit of a military operation trying to change blankets and wipe the sofas down while LOM was out of the room so we did not embarrass him. Operation sofas was successful and he was non the wiser, thankfully we have a few throws all the same.

My favourite present was a wind up lantern :j how sad am I ?

Looking into buying a chest freezer but there does not seem to be any amazing sale prices so will keep on looking, I think it will save us money in the long term.

I can't get over how mild the weather has been and my sympathy goes to the energy companies who have yet to get me to put my heating on :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the hols

PIC xx

ETA Beccatje It is only stuff and it broke my heart when I got divorced and had to sell practically everything I owned. Looking back I can hardly remember what I had so "stuff" is never that important just hard at the time. I hope you sort yourself out soon xx

dumpy

fuddle wrote:

So I had that phone call this morning and feel better. I have been looking into needle felting. I really fancy giving it a go but the needle holder and brush will cost me around £30 and that is before I even buy wool and felt. I shall have to save for it.

Oh, and also. I have become tea-total. I hardly ever drink anyway.

You can do needle felting much cheaper than that. Use a piece of polystyrene to felt onto, probably lots around at the moment from packaging, You can get the needles for a couple of quids each. I think I had some from wingham woolworks or there is fibre crafts. Both also sell the wool tops you need. The kits are alway expensive but we did this at my spinners and weavers guild very cheaply.

I,m not in front of my computer at the moment but when I am, I can send you some links and tips.

gailey_2

Beccatje wrote: »

Well, here's someone else who's officially poor.

We had this unexpected huge tax bill to come crash our holliday cheer.

It HAD to be paid this week and they wouldn't let up.
If it wasn't for the kids being home I'd have a pretty big cry I tell ya.

It will be saving and scrimping for the next few months at least!. Because of this bill, others will be left unpaid and they will accumulate extra costs and worry and well, you know how it goes.
I"m going to try and limit the damage as much as I can by cutting down on the food and 'living' costs but with two teenagers, a 7 year old, two cats and a dog, it's not easy. These kids are also on two week christmas break so home all day. That means the house has to be heated, AND they eat and drink pretty much constantly.

I've put our Canoe up for sale on ebay, hoping to sell it quick and get some cash out of that.
Also my spinningwheel and wool supply are up for sale. It's going to break my heart to see them go, but better a sad heart than empty bellies I suppose. It's only stuff in the end.

I'm going to have a look around to see what else might be worth selling.

Every little bit will help.

Sorry you going through bad time

big hugz

noticed kids like locusts too
constant snack monkeys

we in same boat have some outstanding bilsl which mean next 2months will be struggle before we even again.

My advice

lurk here
do storecupboard challange
enter grocery challange -im aining for £100 for jan.
we have large chest freezer and shop at farmfoods with money off coupons as they still cheapest for milk and frozen.
we go lidls/aldis fruit and veg
co-op/spar for reduced meats
butchers for bacon and sausages as suasage casserole always good when broke as is bacon peices in pasta!

Hunt the bargains now bank holidays, evenings/sundays
meal plan/keep to a list.

try and have fun enjoying time together
just about to make kids watch ghostbusters with bananas and icecream.

Got eneough toilitries to see me through next few months.

check out ebay board
up your income too.

remember nothings impossible, you will get through this!
You not alone!

icontinuetodream

Byatt wrote: »

I can't find it anywhere...I've seen the series before, but it's not in my tv listings.

sunday 1st jan...8.10pm bbc 1

lizzyb1812

Byatt, Series 1 came out in 2010 and was repeated on BBC HD this christmas - I have Freesat. It's not on I-Player as it originally aired so long ago and stuff is only available for certain periods of time.

Just checked my supplies of fresh stuff to see what I should get in - scrap that shopping trip, I've got loads of stuff January Grocery Challenge set at £60 to encourage me to use stuff in freezer and cupboards.

I've got a Debenhams giftcard and have been looking at their website - there isn't a single thing I want to buy:eek: - how my habits have changed! I usually send flowers to mum on Mother's Day - may use the card on something then.

VJsmum

fuddle wrote: »

She's done this since I moved out 8 years ago. 'So she can sleep'. It leaves a lot of guilt on my part leaving her alone to get on with my life but

Just one thing - THIS IS NOT YOUR FAULT! Your mother's decisions are hers and nothing to do with you. You have to live your own life - not forgetting her of course, but you cannot and should not be there all the time.

I feel desperately sad for my dad all alone in his house (which he never leaves) when he used to be out at the pub and the house was full and noisy and boisterous. But we are allowed to leave and it has been his decision to not keep up with friends and family. I go as often as i can, but it is a long way and stressful so I just can't go as often as he would like. I do feel a bit guilty, but I shouldn't.

The family left this morning, so just the four of us here. We are down at my sisters for 2 days from tomorrow, as it is dad#s 80th and i am hosting a bit of a small do for him and staying with him overnight on his birthday. Then we are bringing favourite niece back (shouldn't have favourites, but...) for a few days. It was lovely to have the family but I am glad they are gone now. It was MIL, SIL and 2 kids - BIL died nearly 2 years ago. Kids are happy and well adjusted now, didn't really mention "Daddy", which I think is good. Harder for MIL of course, he was her son and he took his own life - I wish she would put a braver face on it sometimes though - and not nag niece and nephew so much. She is their only grandparent and i am rather afraid that they will only remember her nagging them.

We are having a finishing up / freezing the leftovers day - might have beans on toast for tea, can't face anything else. We have quite a good storecupboard of food for January though, with things bought but not eaten, and the leftovers. And a very nice whoopsied beef joint I bought for £8 (instead of £18) in M&S - not any old whoopsied beef joint, an M&S whoopsied beef joint :rotfl:

Caught up with Downton and can't decide between 3 men go to New England or Dickens tonight. My knitting has got mucked up somehow and am resisting the urge to chuck it! It will be the third time i've knitted parts of it, but i'll finish it if it kills me :mad:

Am trying to resist online sales - have filled various baskets 3 times and then deleted. Might have another quick look though....

wen3

dumpy wrote: »

You can do needle felting much cheaper than that. Use a piece of polystyrene to felt onto, probably lots around at the moment from packaging, You can get the needles for a couple of quids each. I think I had some from wingham woolworks or there is fibre crafts. Both also sell the wool tops you need. The kits are alway expensive but we did this at my spinners and weavers guild very cheaply.

I,m not in front of my computer at the moment but when I am, I can send you some links and tips.

Could I be included in the hints and tips as this is something I woild like to do as well:)