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

ginnyknit

Katieowl, me and my Mum watch programmes together too then phone each other and discuss them, keeps her happy as she gets a bit lonely.
Grandma 247 I have spent many happy hours at a caravan site in Morecmabe with DD, a friend used to lend us her van when she wasnt using it and we had a great time. Started off with a n old van held together with gaffer tape, no loo then upgraded to a very comfy one. Actually just met the friend and she struggles now to keep the caravan due to a sharp decline in her fortunes but its her only escape as she is now disabled. She lost all the money on her endowment mortgage and her hubby is on a very low wage - I feel really sorry for her.

have been scrubbing the house as we all got the'tummy bug' via DGS - OMG its awful :eek: Havent had much to eat since Saturday and feeling decidedly crummy. But needs must as the devil drives as they say and I have to keep on going as Oh has been hit worst of all. Think most of Manchester has got it.

grandma247

Stiltwalker I love Skipton and the surrounding area but when we came back north after loosing our home in the south due to the early 90's recession we could not afford to go to Skipton. We had lived in council housing there and private renting was not an option for us.

ginnyknit those were the days weren't they? We bought a bungalow tent eventually and used to camp on short holidays in morcambe on a small site. I can't remember exactly where now but I know we went down one of the main roads through town down towards the sea and turned off before we got to the end. That may just have been the shortcut though because I remember going through a few trees and a little gateway thing so we must have taken the car into a different entrance.

The tummy bug visited us the other week and my grandson who stayed overnight was sick in the bath. Dh had cleaned up most of it and I had to scrub it down when I got up. We all got a milder version of it.

mardatha

I went with Plusnet GQ and they're fantastic. I'm saving a bit on internet and phone now. I think our rent went up 6%!! - from £65 to just a tad under £70 a week.

scrabbles_2

GreyQueen wrote: »

I was having a serious wibble about the world ending in Nov 2013, not because of any Mayan calendar or any such, but because I couldn't see any Fray Bentos tinned pies with a use-by date later than Nov 2013. Honestly, everywhere I saw them, I checked, and it was always the same date. I started wondering what the FB people knew that the rest of the world didn't............should I take my savings out from under the mattress and spend them on cheap wine and slow horses whilst the going was still good.............? Can't tell you how relieved I was to eventually see pies in Lidl with Feb 2014 dates.

I temped at a food factory as a teenager (NOT Fray Bentos) and I controlled the computer that controlled the label machine. I had a clipboard with this many on this supermarket's label for this date, that many for that supermarket for that date. It was all the same food sailing along the production line. It was a mind-numbingly tedious job but paid surprisingly well for a holiday job, and it's one of the reasons why I've paid little attention to either brands or BBE dates ever since!

elizabunny wrote: »

I am still trying to get my head around the Second Purse Challange. I think I have it but often get pretty muddled with all the figures and stockpile. Still it seems to be working.

I love the second purse challenge! I don't think there's a 'right' way of doing it, as long as you're saving money, that's the main thing

stiltwalker wrote: »

That supersavers made me :eek: all those brands and to me cooked from scratch is so much nicer than out of a jar anyway, let alone the cost. Was so funny when their guests thought the cheap food properly cooked was better than the expensive packaged stuff though.

Superscr*mpers always makes me :eek: but I think it's us that aren't normal One of my friends insists on eating processed food instead of fresh because she says it's 'safer' and no amount of protest will convince her otherwise. And my OH took some convincing that homemade food was 'better' than processed because that was the values he grew up with, he was more or less taught that more expensive always equals better. It is making casual viewers think - as the 'moneysaving guru' of my circle I'm getting lots of questions about things people have seen on the show!

grandma247 wrote: »

I only use one tab per wash instead of the two it recommends. The washing mostly comes out clean but anything that does not gets put back in the next wash.

I use value shampoo for laundry. I find it's a lot better than cheap soap powder and homemade. It's about 60p per litre at present but it lasts a while - I use half a cap per load on my 8kg machine, if your machine is smaller you'd probably get away using less. I haven't worked out the cost compared to homemade but for the extra it might cost it's worth it!

prepareathome

Gosh thread is awffy quiet today, where is everyone, in the saltmines trying to earn a crust.

Well no gardening for me today :mad:, went to sleep around midnight and did not wake up, wait for it, wait for it, till 2.45pm:eek: The planting of the bushes then the doctors just flattened me. The poor strawberry plants are sitting in a big planter surrounded by straw and I can see leaves begining to peak out, I must get them in the ground soon. The rhubarb plants are at least in a planter each so have a bit of room to grow.

It seems as if it had been nice out there, when I first opened the curtains there was sunshine but its gone now and I am still so tired:mad:

Oh yesterday after doctors I walked through the village to hand in my prescriptions ( 13 different items, nothing new just was short of everything, some last me a few months others I take daily, just glad I have a prepay prescription that doesn't need replaced till October, as prescriptions I have heard are going up no doubt they will raise the price of that from £104 for the year so I think I better start doing a separate saving pot for it as its only way I cannot afford my meds).

Anyway where was I before I got side tracked, ah yes walking through village I popped into the one charity shop that was still open ( Barnardos as Marie Curie closes at 4pm) and found a gorgeous throw for the small couch, the SA was just putting it out and it caught my eye, so was £4.99 but I think worth it as I want to change the LR as am fed up but no money to change couches etc, so if I can find nice accessories to do it for me that is great. Its actually a cotton quilt dull gold border and lovely tapestry pattern and back the same dull gold. The label just says The Home Store, Made in India, 100% cotton. So nice for drapping on couch and nice for snuggling under if need be. Have plain cotton throws on the couches and fleece blankets there for snuggling but is a bit different and nice ( posher :rotfl:)

Also my daughter is always going on that I never buy the expensive brands in handbags - she has a thing about them - me I say if the bag does what I want it to and looks good I don't care about a name, but in the CS they had a Prada bag, nice I admit and I picked it up and SA assured me they had checked and it was a real one not a fake and they had debated whether to send if for auction or put it in the shop but manager had decided as it was just the one they would let someone have a bargain, they have a price code no matter the state of the item and a bag like that, that size was £4.99, its in great condition, white leather so I bought it, so next time I go to daughters I will try and remember to use it - can just hear what she will say ' oh you have decent bag, about time instead of one of your charity cast-offs' :rotfl::rotfl:

Right had one cup of tea and think I will have another some days water - which I have had quite a bit of since waking - doesn't hit the stop as well as a few cups of tea. Still feel so tired me thinks hubby will be doing himself a pizza when he gets in as I didn't put anything in slow cooker last night as I could not think what to do for today, but you never know some energy might appear, if I can get downstairs soon I might get something on.

Oh that reminds me must text him to call in and collect that mountain of prescriptions, he won't be to happy as a couple of the drugs can only be dispensed at the time of collection they are not allowed to make them up before hand and put them aside ready for collection, they are tablets and usually takes about 10 mins for them to put them in the boxes and print the label, then he has to sign that he has taken them as they are class B controlled drugs but the rest of the bits will be ready.

Doctor did say it could be these meds that are making me more tired, first few years I took them they gave me energy but they normally make you tired and so she thinks that is part if not all of the problem. If so makes me more determined than ever not to let body get to used to level I am on as then I would need more to achieve same level of pain relief so I will continue to put up with some pain.

Right going to get that second cup of tea- thank heavens for teasmades then might see if can totter downstairs.

Greyqueen I am so glad your back, I so adore your posts.

Hugs and Love to Allxxx

prepareathome

Well I toddled downstairs and I wish I had not bothered as waiting for me was a letter from DWP telling me my IB stops on 21st March and I am being placed in the work related activity group and I will only get ESA as long as I attend work related meetings towards going back to work. I have not even had a medical so much for the help of the benefits charity guy. Do you know what when I have my first meeting I will not take any painkillers nor will I wear my tena lady pants as my bladder runs away every day now ( bowels occasionally following) and so have to wear them 24/7 ( constance clinic thankfully gave me 6 months supply when I saw them last month as they are so expensive). Its not something I usually talk about, but I did tell the guy who was filling in form for me. So I will go in pain and stinking to high heaven, no something I would ever consider but the other option is I go fairly pain free, and sweet smelling and they talk about me working and as I cannot hold down a job my money will stop and our income will be £134 which hubby earns and my DLA ( which no doubt will be stopped soon). So they think I am a person who is fit for work lets see if the person I see can put up with the smell. If I have to degrade myself like this I will, its either that or hubby gives up his job ( which he loves) or I cut my wrists.

No am not going to let the Bs beat me, have calmed down a bit, although other letter in the mail is also not good - we have been refused HB and CTB as 'their policy is due to limited funds available they have to give the benefits where they feel it will help most and a couple with no children where one person is working regardless of the income from that employment cannot be counted as one of the most needed. If my husband were to find himself without employment then we can be assured that we would be reassessed as to whether we are among those whose need is greater'

So certainly a great day for money news - oh how I wish I could work or hubby find a job that pays more - but to be honest he has never looked, he has never been one of the worlds workers ( caused quite a few problems in the past, he always has worked but he sees it more as something to be done to pay for his pleasures and a way of passing the time till he is retired it was my income that paid the bills, brought the children up etc) but since I have been unable to work I don't feel I can say to him you have to find a better job, it was ok when I could work I would have an argument but now I don't. I know there are not many jobs out there and he most likely wouldn't find one but when he came in just now and I told him the news he immediately said so shall I be asking my firm to sack me, as that way he would go straight on benefit.:mad:

Told him no I would be appealing, as they haven't even had the decency to ask me for a medical, which cannot be right, I know the medical are a farce on the whole but I should have at least had one. They are not even giving me much time to do anything just 3 weeks also the guide they put in with my letter about disagreeing with the decision is for jobseekers allowance not ESA - I have been award the contribution ESA not the low income one so nothing whatever to do with Jobseekers.

Oh well better stop now as will just get myself all worked up again

Hugs and Love to all xxx

scrabbles_2

PAH - (((HUGS))) Prepay certificates are not going up this year. Also did you know you can do it direct debit? Then it's just 10 x £10.40. I find that a lot easier to budget for.

katieowl_2

prepareathome wrote: »

Well I toddled downstairs and I wish I had not bothered as waiting for me was a letter from DWP telling me my IB stops on 21st March and I am being placed in the work related activity group and I will only get ESA as long as I attend work related meetings towards going back to work. I have not even had a medical so much for the help of the benefits charity guy. Do you know what when I have my first meeting I will not take any painkillers nor will I wear my tena lady pants as my bladder runs away every day now ( bowels occasionally following) and so have to wear them 24/7 ( constance clinic thankfully gave me 6 months supply when I saw them last month as they are so expensive). Its not something I usually talk about, but I did tell the guy who was filling in form for me. So I will go in pain and stinking to high heaven, no something I would ever consider but the other option is I go fairly pain free, and sweet smelling and they talk about me working and as I cannot hold down a job my money will stop and our income will be £134 which hubby earns and my DLA ( which no doubt will be stopped soon). So they think I am a person who is fit for work lets see if the person I see can put up with the smell. If I have to degrade myself like this I will, its either that or hubby gives up his job ( which he loves) or I cut my wrists.

That's terrible PAH I'm :mad: on you behalf. ((((hugs))))

Kate

mardatha

PAH, my DIL is seriously ill with a lung disease and was told she has possibly 7 years left. They stopped her IB and put her on ESA, but her DLA was not affected at all. This happened in Nov and her DLA hasn't changed at all. xxx
Am so glad I'm old, because I know I couldnt work. I worked all my life in between children and sometimes had 2 jobs, but ME finished me off.

kidcat

PAH - hugs. They are definitely picking on the weak - it seems to me that the ones who are not genuine cases are not being affected at all but the genuine ones are. maybe because the genuine cases are weaker and not as able to fight/argue etc. My cousin has downs and her benefits are all being stopped - she previously got payments for carers to take her out and about but no more, she doesnt understand why she can no longer go - money means nothing to her at all, she is mentally younger than my youngest.

Been a long day today - and am now dropping, rest of week is mega busy so will be chasing my tail. Am thankful that OH has managed to arrange with work that on the weeks when he works Thursdays (4 weeks out of 8) he can finish in time to collect DS from school. have found in last few weeks that Thurs has got so much harder - its my dads busiest day and all appointments, school meetings seem to happen Thurs too, so this will help take the pressure off, will cost us about £20 a week before tax but I think its worth it to take pressure off both me and dad.

Had news this week that DS13 has had his diagnosis appointment brought forward too, am extremely pleased as it means we will have time to lean on school for help and hopefully get things in place ready for next year.

mardatha - my mums friend has a DIL who has recently died of cervical cancer, as she was originally given over twelve months to live (3 yrs ago) she was expected to work - no way she could as with all the chemo etc she was way too ill, they have ended up supporting her along with her family, who have all ended up clubbing together to pay for everyday stuff and bills, shocking.