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

Fruball

I popped to MrS yesterday, just for a few essentials and.....

Came home with bags full of stuff :eek::eek:

Whoopsied.....

Pork shoulder with crackling - £1.25
Lamb pieces (goodness knows what parts, looks like shank ends amongst other bits! but perfect for SC) £1.15
7 x2 packs organic, free range, woodland chicken breasts! £1.20 per pack

I was well chuffed! Especially as I just booked a holiday for me and DDs... In feb! :eek:

I am going to massively cut down my grocery spend this year. DDs have school dinners and I usually cook in the evenings too... I am not going to do that every day anymore but they can have soup and bread, or beans on toast/egg on toast type meals in the evenings instead.

The above meat purchase will help a lot!

I seem to have been really, really lucky recently with whoopsied meat - Still can't believe the £8.56 filet steak (MrW) that I got for less than a pint of milk

fuddle

Margaret I am so sorry to read such bad news. I don't know what else to say though sometimes a RL hug can say so much, you can't type that though eh

susan6780

So sorry Margaret,keep in mind what is important,when we were very poor and in the 'system' my husband used to read to me whilst we sat under a blanket to keep warm on the sofa. Theres nothing that anyone can say that will ease the blow I guess? Sending love and hugs all the same xxxx

ginnyknit

Not had much luck with whoopsies of late except veg, but am happy with anything that saves me money.
Took DGS to see the big fish at the garden centre -again- yesterday, simple pleasures for us all. And then I saw this section where people were diving in boxes and filling baskets - no wonder, all the decs and gifts were massively reduced, OH took Dgs for a wander and I dived in, literally. I got 4 photoframes, 2 tiny angels, a mirror (shabby chic) and a bag of random balls. When I got home I was really pleased with it all especially when I paid £2.90 for 60 quids worth of stuff, how on earth can they do that?:eek:

Byatt hunny, do not apologise for feeling blue, its understandable, we are not solitary animals and some days it gets us down. Some days we ALL get down. On NYE some of us will be on here so hopefully you will not feel quite so alone with all your friends.

Margaret what a lousy thing to happen. But as Lavender Bees says you need to pop onto other bits of the forum and search out advice as well as coming here for support.

I personally think we are going to have a difficult year ahead, thank goodness we have this board to search out answers and help each other - keep up the good work guys.

shelley_crow

Margaret, I'm so sorry to hear that This happened to us quite a few years back under slightly different circumstances. Not knowing where the next meal is coming from is awful.

Uniscots97

Just been into MrM, thats all their xmas stuff reduced. Gift sets are £2.48 and the majority of toys are 99p, in case anyone wants to grab a bargain. Its going to be a difficult year but we'll get there.... we all will.

paidinchickens

What awful news and the worst thing is I think there will be more and more of it this year

The best advice is to have a few months money saved up in the bank to tide you over but personally we would struggle to save 50p at the moment.

I have had a break from the news over Christmas but watching old Cleggy this morning does not leave much hope. Having three boys at home I can see them having no jobs and staying with us til they hit 52 at this rate.

Took all the decs down last night as we did not think a wonky tree with three baubles on was really worth leaving up :rotfl: so on a mad clean up today. Been in the garden for an hour as it is lovely, bright and cheery out. I was itching to put the washing out but the line went during the porch build and I don't know where it's hiding. I would put out on an airer but the moggies like using it as a climbing frame so I have had no choice but to use the drier

The freezers are crammed full but I don't want to live of them until after the snow hits as we were stranded for two weeks last year so I am hoping we get the snow over and done with so then we can have a food bill free month.

PIC xx

katieowl_2

Sorry to hear that bad news Margaret...it's a really disgraceful thing to do to your employees, to leave them to find out like that IMHO, really shabby.

Yes, Paid in Chickens, I can really see having the kids never having a proper job. My middle DD is in her last year of uni, she's convinced she won't get a 'proper' job and is intending to come home to Wales and take any work she gets offered. DS has given up looking for work and gone to college for a three year carpentry course, he's 20 in Feb....let's hope by the time he's finished there is some work somewhere!

We're going to take over a swathe of my friend in the villages garden this year. Since her OH left in the summer, she's been struggling to keep on top of the garden, and can't really use/process all the produce by herself. I suggested we could 'run' some of the beds and pay in vegetables, so we are going to give that a go. We can eat way more than what we can produce in our 8 beds, and any surplus can go to our DD in town.

I'm cooking a roast dinner for another neighbour tonight, her OH is at his mums, and he's a vegetarian, so it's become a bit of a tradition when he goes away I feed her meat! LOL! Roast Pork for her and a roast chicken for her visiting grown up daughter! I had a massive joint of pork in the freezer, quite glad to have the space back, and whatever doesn't get eaten tonight, will keep us going for the rest of the week.

Kate

oldtractor

Taurusgb and Margret,hpe you are ok and (((((((((HUGS))))))))))
I logged on to try and find help, I think 2012 is going to be a very difficult year. So far this year my DH has brought home less money than 5 years ago and so much stuff has risen in price including petrol. Its all getting very,very tight and I am already doing things I never thought I would,like "diluting" meat with lentils,having more HM soup,making bread,growing veg and so on. I recently watch a Tightest Person in Britain prog,a repeat from a couple of years ago,then what they were doing seemed a tad OTT,now it seems normal! I really feel we all need to stand firm and help each other this coming year especially.

gardenia101

Hello All

Have been MIA as I took DD & DS to Butlins for Xmas & we got back yesterday. They have been begging me to go for years (ever since we went on a Sun £9.50 holiday there when they were wee) & I've always said "Not a hope" :rotfl:

Finally gave in & booked it last month, but didn't tell them where we were going until we arrived & they were delighted. Hardly very MSE but we had a fab time & it was my easiest Xmas ever - thoroughly recommended & I think we'll do it again one year. Butlins staff were great, food excellent & wine kept appearing on the table at tea time (& I was the only grown up at our table ).

Knackered now! The worst bit was getting back on the train yesterday - it reminded me of scenes on TV from Japanese trains where station staff were pushing passengers through doors befors squeezing the doors shut :eek: I stood up all the way with 8 (yes, really) others at the end of a carriage & kids sat on the buffet car floor. There were also 3 guys in the lav - 1 sat on it (but not doing anything :rotfl:), 1 sat on the small shelf & 1 standing.... The joys of public transport....

I shall now go back & try & catch up (too tired to do much today & kids are at their Dads so no food to get!)