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

nannygladys

Im sorry Margaret54 to hear your news its such a shock especially at this time, its a good job there is this site to help us all along.:(

I reckon its going to get tougher for many of us and with this in mind I havent been to the sales yet as I dont really need anything I have Xmas cards and paper left and the pressies (except for children) and all going to handmade, my DD's and I have agreed on this so we will all be doing the same, so it should be interesting as none of us are particulary craftie:rotfl:

The other thing Im planning is to up my health, to make me feel better and able to cope with what this life is going to throw at us, I am really worried about money (or lack of it) but as long as I have good health and are able to keep working then I should be able to cope or thats the theory, anyway sorry to get a bit maudlin especially as we have the NY to celebrate,I will also be on my own but I wont be seeing the NY in as Im at work NY day at 6am:mad: but it wont upset me at all as its the usual for me,
Jxx

Morganarla

Feeling the pinch quite a lot right now... Have just paid off a load of bills..:

~ The edf gas for our old home is paid, and the electric is on a monthly payment plan..

~ Water bills for our old home have been put on a monthly payment plan for the arrears..
~ Water bills for our new home have been paid up to date and a monthly d/d set up for the future..

~ The (long) overdue phone bill for the landline and my mobile is now paid - so both services are back up and running - phew.


But the grocery delivery is now cancelled as I have no money. GAH.

Feels good to have paid off and sorted out some of what I owe, but it's just a drop in the ocean...

On the plus side, I went to Asda near where I'm working atm, got some fresh air and also picked up some mega bargains (again!)

- 2 cheese and garlice kievs - 50p
- 4 cheese and onion burgers (posh burgers haha!) - 99p each, got myself 3 packs of those
- 2 500g packs of beef mince (in a double pre packed packy thing) - £1.80
- 1 500g pack beef mince by itself - 99p
- 1 medium 'extra tasty' seasoned whole chicken - £1.99.

All came to £8.25, so that coupled with the 8 loaves of bread we picked up in Tesco last night for £1.36 should keep us going for a little while...

Hugs to all of those feeling down or under the weather xxx

Byatt

I am so sorry about your news Margaret. It must be such a shock, and what an appalling way to treat people.

Hobsons_Choice

It''s obvious that loads of us are struggling, and I can't see it getting any better next year either. It doesn't matter which political party is in power, none of them live in the real world and only look after themselves.
We're both over 70 and there's no way our pensions can keep place with inflation! I cling to the notion that at least, with all the HM soup and bread and cooking from fresh (not buying much convenience food) we're healthier.
One bit of good news: DH now 75 and we get a free TV licence.....just need some decent programmes to watch now!

lilac_lady

It's encouraging to read that we've all survived the Christmas melee and are looking forward again.

Whether you survived it financially and/or emotionally - you did it!

All together now - " Once upon a time I was petrifed" etc etc WE WILL SURVIVE! (with a little help from our friends!)

hornetgirl

So sorry to hear your news Margaret. What a shock that must have been.

CH27

What awful news Margaret. Sending lots of good vibes & wishes your way.

Do we have any news of Taurus yet?

fuddle

Righteo. I have done my meal plan for the month.

I have 28 meals that will rotate on a 4 weekly basis. I'll share with you because some of you might like to pinch some ideas. It's been quite difficult to think of meals. I have some puddings down when I feel the main isn't going to be too filling. I don't know what those puddings will be as yet though.#

Also, I'm not sure how expensive these meals will be each week so might have to tweak the plan and rid of things that ingredients are quite costly. Still, it's a start for me:

1) gammon, egg and chips
2) left over gammon broth, pudding
3) pizza, garlic bread, coleslaw
4) lasagne, coleslaw, chips
5) pork chops, peppercorn sauce, sweetcorn and chips
6) chicken dinner
7) rubber chicken curry, rice and naan

8) leek and potato soup, pudding
9) pork chops, veg, cauliflower cheese
10) cheese burger in a bun, salad, chips and salsa
11) lasagne, salad, potatoes
12) chicken fajitas, pudding
13) sausage, onion gravy, carrots and mashed potatoes
14) fish pie, peas, pudding

15) celeriac soup, crusty bread, pudding
16) pasta bake, garlic bread, steamed veg
17) hot dogs in buns, onions, sauce and mustard, pudding
18) cottage pie, steamed veg, gravy
19) chilli and potato wedges
20) chicken dinner
21) rubber chicken curry, rice, onion bhaji

22) jacket potato, sweetcorn, mayo, tuna and pudding
23) patatas bravis
24) HM fish and chips with peas
25) cheese and ham toasties, salad, pudding
26) spaghetti bol, salad, garlic bread
27) shepherds pie, broccolli and gravy
28) BLT burger in bun, chips, salsa.

Margaret54

Thank you all so much for your kind words and hugs. My dh works in security for minimum wage, on a site, for the company which is no more. Two of the men on the management committee who own property on the site came to speak to dh and the other woman who works on the site also, different shifts. One took out his wallet and asked hubby what would his wage have been and dh told him and he have him the money. Dh shook his hand as he was overwelmed at his kindness. The other person did the same for the woman. They asked them both will they still turn up and carry on as usual, and they said yes. Another security company had heard of what happened and had put in a bid for the work. The two men have said they want a huge say in who works there. They said they want to keep dh and the other woman on as they are very happy with them both. It is still very very worrying for us. One of the office staff is just back after being off on maternity leave and has another child too(both young) and she did not get her wage the previous week and she is paid monthly She was in floods of tears and my dh really felt for her and her wee family. We are lucky that we have some money to fall back on but it was for when dh retires and did not want to touch it. EWe have full cupboards thankfully stuff in freezer and big bills paid so we will hopefully be okay for now. Thank you all so much for your support xx

gailey_2

Margaret54 wrote: »

Hi everyone Well dh noticed his pay wasn't in the bank last Friday. I checked online later in the afternoon and nothing. He went into work that night to discover the company he works for is no more and has gone into receivership!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He gets paid weekly. He spoke to another member of staff and he gets paid monthly and their pay was to have been in the bank on the Tuesday nothing either.

Im so sorry such a terrible thing to happen margaret .
not sure where employees stand on list of creditors owed when in receivership.

Seems wrong there was no warning.

Not much I can say to make you feel better but if you need anything I can possibly help with just let me know as you been so kind and supportive.

Think advice about getting on benefits board a good one

Should get jsa straight away
think they also do crisis loans at job centre too.

seeing all these retailers in trouble recently will mwan thousands more jobs lost.I despair really do on how uk will recover.
Been looking for part time jobs but so few about.
todays paper said least 36people chasing one vacancy.
Of course this is regionalised and depends what sector you work in.

cant find anything online so going to print cv and pound the mean streets of bristol!

Hubby possibly has interveiw for another job but unsure on pay and security.

So nice to have this thread and be in good company.
Many people I know on mummy forums seem to have spent hundreds on next sale whilst haveing 4-5kids wonder at times how the heck do they do it?

Greyqueen my mams got same attitude cant be bothered to do several places or reduction hun mostly shops tesco metro as she hates farmoods and aldis.

Realised its impossible to keep costs down unless you do several and get some bargains.

When weekly free paper comes through door it has 5leaflets

lidls
co-op
tesco
morrisons

i then make note of what we like and where its on offer and go in specifically for these things. only buy on offer cheese,crips.
Biscuits either on offer or value.

Im deeply worried by price increase in value lines personally.
As its the very poor and struggling buying these lines?
wonder if finest/premuim ranges increasing as much?
Maybe I should turn into crazy lady and start noting down prices of staples each month?

realise to cost cut food even more I now need

more homebaking own biscuits and cakes
less meat
more shopping around
more makking jams and preserves
more growing stuff in garden especially herbs
more batch cooking and freezing.
more frozen -noticed in really skint months in past farmfoods helped!
I dont mean prepackaged junk just mean plain frozen fish fillets, frozen chips, frozen veg/fruit ect.we once a week have easy meal of braded fish or chicken with chips as useful to have standbys for the kids.

Also need to be more cautious with purchasing

with increase in value lines might be cheaper to upshift to own brand or buy a brand name on offer.


Tesco frequently had 3 for 2 on any cereals deal this year.

remember just because im in aldis/lidls not everythings cheap.

Also going to try few more independants already do butcher.
but heard really cheap fruit and veg shop opened taht mate reckons cheaper than kidls up nearby high street well think 3mile walk from my house but not far worth the trips theres also a healthfoodshop up that way might be cheaper on lentils and tesco metro can shop tesco deals more frequently as rarly go tesco as most of them are huge and need car to get to them.

Im fed up of being vunerable to random rises like wipes when pretty sure no reason apart from profits.

Read another thread about bulk buying which keep saying would love to do but dont have the space. I now need to find the space.

Jan strategy is to live off mostly what we have even if is inventive.
Look out for reductions least 3times a week.
drag myself out to co-op on sundays.
find buying reduced bread cheaper than baking my own but will try and bake a bit more lidls had good offer on bread flour other week think 65p so brought 3.

get to pound/cheapy shops more frequently as they have good deals just a potch to get to.

need to hunt for more coupons.

But need to reduce our grocery budget over next 6months from £350 to £200 which will be blooming hard with price increases but determined .

I already dont buy kitchen roll
buy value loo roll but not convinced its best deal anymore
use cheapy dettol and add with water in spray bottle to clean.

I already meal plan around whatevers cheap/reduced so dont meaplan too long term but know in my head what we have and possible amount of meals we can make..

Its getting harder to get the bargains as everyones after same things.

Put on 1lb half over xmas:(
but have been doing some exercise this afternoon walking round my estate delivering sw leaflets.dident realise my estate so big some huge houses.

Tried to deep clean the lounge today was hardwork but kids kinda of got in way.

Hubby repainted watermarks on ceiling due to flood.

On walk home from sw group this morning popped in spar got

3tubs clover butter -41p each 250g tiny tubs but be ok to bake some family pressies this week as not seeing until new years day.

2pints milk use today 28p a pint

12pack richmonds large sausages 75p -maybe wont set world alight but its one maybe 2meals!

reduced bread 32p
big pot potato salad 25p for hubby.

so done ok:)

Hubby had to go nearby high st pay money in bank so popped into co-op got some reduced hams and 1 reduced chicken for the freezer.
hes being much more supportive with reductions these days.

cooked my ham slipper joint got from butchers and will divide into freezer bags and freeze.

doing mini quiches and maybe sausage casserole for hubbys tea.
feel shattered now might get early night and keep trying tommorow.

Hope everyones had a good day.