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

Byatt

rosieben wrote: »

Byatt, if you can't see them, check your profile - go to the green menu bar at top of page, click on UserCP and look down the list on the left for Edit Options, and then Thread Display Options - you need a tick against Show Avatars

Thanks rosie and kidcat! All the time I've been on here and had no idea!! :rotfl::rotfl:

sunshine-55

It is definitely getting tougher, and I just want to join in the chat. I have learned things reading through the thread, but was amazed at how long it is already.
I am grateful it is not so cold here in the south this winter and am hoping to get away with lighter bills.
I am out of work at the moment and at 56 am finding it very difficult to get back in, I am not sure employers are aware that ladies my age have 10 more years to work now. There is a local part time job at a bakery I have had an interview for but the manageress has been interviewing for three days so far as she has had so many applicants.
I am making more of our food again now, and the normal birthday 'takeaway' that we would have had delivered for my daughters (she is an adult now) birthday, I made sweet and sour pork balls with dipping sauce. Pkt thai rice,which I put some prawns and veg in and a baked raspberry cheesecake for under £20 for 5 of us. Was really pleased with that?
But my goal is to stop impulse buying. it is my comfort blanket but I do not feel comfortable when the bill comes in for my credit card.
Any body any tips about how to not really 'need' some of the things I think I do?
Wishing you all an interesting and adventurous New Year.

Mrs_Chip

Here is an article that explains where we get our energy from and why when you eat a low-carb diet it is important to eat some fat. And explains a bit about how the Inuit diet of no carbs and nearly all fat can be sustained for life (though tbh I don't fancy the whale blubber or the partially-digested stomach contents :eek::eek::eek:).

Byatt

sunshine-55 wrote: »

It is definitely getting tougher, and I just want to join in the chat. I have learned things reading through the thread, but was amazed at how long it is already.
I am grateful it is not so cold here in the south this winter and am hoping to get away with lighter bills.
I am out of work at the moment and at 56 am finding it very difficult to get back in, I am not sure employers are aware that ladies my age have 10 more years to work now. There is a local part time job at a bakery I have had an interview for but the manageress has been interviewing for three days so far as she has had so many applicants.
I am making more of our food again now, and the normal birthday 'takeaway' that we would have had delivered for my daughters (she is an adult now) birthday, I made sweet and sour pork balls with dipping sauce. Pkt thai rice,which I put some prawns and veg in and a baked raspberry cheesecake for under £20 for 5 of us. Was really pleased with that?
But my goal is to stop impulse buying. it is my comfort blanket but I do not feel comfortable when the bill comes in for my credit card.
Any body any tips about how to not really 'need' some of the things I think I do?
Wishing you all an interesting and adventurous New Year.

Hi sunshine, I'm 58 and so know where you're coming from. I would have been retired in 18 months but now it's in some distant future and could extend, who knows.

I impulse buy and the only solution for me is not to go shopping. Also a spending record, I had started to write down everything I spent and knew to the penny what I had (or not) in the bank, but lapsed. Today I have started a new one (scary ), but it's the only way for me to keep track. I've always been an emotional spender.

The feeling of need comes from me wanting to feel better inside, but of course over spending then makes me feel worse so a catch 22 situations. I'm sure lots of people will come on with some great advice.

I'm so glad it's mild right now too!

Your "takeaway" meal sounds yummy.

BitterAndTwisted

My strategy for stopping impulse buying is absolute penury. I don't necessarily recommend this but it does focus the mind somewhat. Every time I see something tempting I ask myself what and how much am I going to have to do without in order to afford it. You could ask yourself how many hours you're going to have to work to pay for it. Then there's the "do I need it or do I just want it?" Half the time it's just a want. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the occasional treat but these days for me it's one of those fake mars bars from Lidl for 25 pence. I put it in the fridge and eat it slice-by-tiny sliver. That way, it lasts for days.

merlot123

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

My strategy for stopping impulse buying is absolute penury. I don't necessarily recommend this but it does focus the mind somewhat. Every time I see something tempting I ask myself what and how much am I going to have to do without in order to afford it. You could ask yourself how many hours you're going to have to work to pay for it. Then there's the "do I need it or do I just want it?" Half the time it's just a want. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the occasional treat

I do exactly that, I work out how many hours I have to work to say get a family takeaway, I drive my OH nuts, but when I tell him I have to work 4.5 hours at £6.30 per hour to get our Friday night treat, it certainly makes him think. He cooked last Friday cause he couldn't justify the cost:D It has taken him a while, but I think the penny may have finally dropped!

wen3

Morning All

Should be going back to work today but have been up all night being ill cannot think why was ill on NYE thought it was the food but was the same again last night. As soon as I can call into work to say I will not be coming in the sooner I can shut my eyes and go to sleep.

Hope everyone else is doing okay, I suppose this will kick start the wieght loss! Trying to be positive in 2012 LOL

VJsmum

REally good, sound advice, GQ - especially at such an early hour.

I have decided to award myself a clothes budget this year. Clothes are about the only thing I spend money on purely for myself in terms of stuff. I rarely buy things for the house, gadgets, bags, perfume, shoes and that sort of thing - but I do buy clothes. Still not loads, if i'm honest, but when i totted up what I'd spent last year I was a bit :eek: (though in terms of my pals, it was still not that much). There is very little I actually need - and MIL gave me an M&S voucher for christmas so that's going on underwear, and my Brother gave me a next voucher for my birthday (which is just before christmas) so i will save that for a "want".

Some of my clothes are very dated, though, many are 10 - 15 years old and are starting to look very jaded.

I am going to try to stick to ebay and charity shops as far as possible and look in the sales - although many of my most disliked clothes were bought in sales.

Today is a tidying up day - whooppee :rotfl:

OH and DD have just taken favourite niece home - I love having her here and always feel a bit down when she goes but I will throw myself into the tidying, taking the tree down, finding a home for the pressies. Some are books - recipe and gardening - and the shelves are groaning, so some recipe books are going to be culled and the odd recipe copied onto lappy but the book can go.

But first tea - got a spare cup in that pot, GQ?;)

3v3

Morning Toughies and what a wet and windy one it is today! My poor chooks are being blown around their run if they so much as step 3 paces to the left of their coop. Hope the wind dies down a bit, I've got to drive to the hospital today for some tests and the road is quite exposed so any stray wind could have me driving in the opposite carriageway (if the thought of the hospital doesn't do that first!)

Finally got round to planting my spring bulbs yesterday (well, it did say Aug-Dec and I don't think bulbs can read or would notice that they were bedded in two days after December ended ) Not concerned, my gardening philosophy is very much: only two things can happen, they will grow, or not.

Made a huge pot of celeriac soup yesterday from a celeriac which should have been included in the Christmas roast but was overlooked and some goose stock harnessed from the Christmas bones. A sprinkle of slightly drying stilton on the top and it was totally transformed into a fabulous, filling and wholesome meal in a bowl.

Your Red Onion Relish sounds delicious GQ! It's on my "must-try" list

Blessings to all.

frugaliciousnow

VJ's MUM

Ah...but the positive side to having clothes 10-15 years old is that that must mean you haven't changed size (ie put on weight) in that time. So, wear those clothes with pride, as a sign to yourself that you haven't put on weight:beer: