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

debbym

Hi Byatt - we're on the Somerset side of the Dorset/Somerset border just outside Sherborne - lovely to have rolling hills again after 18 months in the Netherlands! DS1 was 2yo when we realised there was actually "something wrong" rather than it being "just us" and is nearly 8 now so it has been a long road but we now know what we are facing and getting the right support, that makes all the difference.
The car thing is entirely down to an error by the Main Dealer when it was serviced last:mad: Overfilling the oil in a diesel will knacker the turbo and can cause the engine to "run away" (i.e. not stop when the key is turned off) and it can then over-rev until it explodes. When you look at it like that a big bill is lucky! Don't know of we will be able to persuade the dealer it was their fault though and get some money back...

oldtractor

Hi everyone. Things definitely are getting tougher. I shopped at the co-op today , thye have taken over our local independent supermarket. My goodness ! how expensive they are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to have to plan better and travel further to the nearest Aldi. An example is tinned cat food. had been paying 45 to 50p max. less if on offer. the stuff on the shelves today was minimum 71p. And dont get me started on the fresh veg prices.
I'm quite upset.

jpscloud

oldtractor Aldi are definitely the way to go for fruit and veg (at least for now - I am worried they will start hiking their prices now they've moved into advertising on national TV).

Vine tomatoes 69p for 5 or 6, cucumber 39p etc. Also very good for naughty snacks like chocolate, their alternative brand stuff is excellent.

kidcat

I think my mum had a guilt attack today - when she was writing a shopping list for my dad and I tried to stop her, she agreed to ask him to try Aldi:j:j:j Just hope he did as she was letting littlies help so it was a long list.

greenbee

kidcat wrote: »

I think my mum had a guilt attack today - when she was writing a shopping list for my dad and I tried to stop her, she agreed to ask him to try Aldi:j:j:j Just hope he did as she was letting littlies help so it was a long list.

I hope he's paying...

kidcat

greenbee wrote: »

I hope he's paying...

Spoke too soon - DD just checked he bought Flora:eek: so obviously didnt go anywhere near Aldi - suppose I tried.

Havent been presented with bill yet but they are calling tomorrow for another list - OH will be here and I have threatened him that he is on no account to say we need anything, trouble is mum being here has meant she has been in fridge so has been in control of supplies - apparently we didnt need sunflower spread we had one in back of fridge, then again we didnt need yet more ham either but we got two more packets today - expensive £2 a packet for four slices type ham! ANd she threw yesterdays open packet away says DD! Am taking a deep breath and concentrating on recovery - I figure its cheaper the quicker I get better!

Have decided to write list and send DD shopping tomorrow - OH can drop her off and wait in car with littlies, she can shop and then I can relax.

Oh the joys of being ill - expensive prescriptions and expensive parents!

Would kill for some broccoli - it was McDons tonight!

Old tractor - I buy cat food mainly from Lidl, but its worth looking at offers from pets at home etc - it may well be cheaper to get a load delivered, than travel to your nearest store.

Debbie I am another parent of children with autism - both my boys 8 and 13, DS8 received his official diagnosis in Jan, and DS13 will receive his this month. It certainly makes things tougher financially and shopping wise too - DS8 eats bananas and cucumber as though they are going out of fashion. Obviously they cannot be stockpiled so its full price usually.

Byatt

Kidcat, when you are feeling better, can you have "the Talk" with your parents? I am sure you have already and they are just not listening, but as you are paying for their extravagance then something's gotta give. Would it be cheaper to shop online at the mo'?

Oldtractor, have a look online as kidcat suggested. I wanted to change dog food supplies because of ethical reasons, and thought it would be more expensive online, but I trawled the internet and found a supplier in Wales who deliver and it works out cheaper for a much better product.

In the coop tonight B£anston beans were on offer at £1.39 for 4 tins, only one pack left in my local though.

greenbee

Kidcat - maybe your DD could say something to her grandparents - after all it was her hard work that went into cooking the food they threw out!

katieowl_2

Good evening gang... Good news on OH's biopsy all clear as far as they can tell. Not suggesting at the moment that they 'do' anything to improve his symptoms, they said they'd take another blood test before his next clinic apt in three months. So more disturbed sleep. I feel like !!!! most mornings, and I've not actually got out of bed to pee upwards of twice, three times not being uncommon, so God knows how he must feel of a morning!!!


We hit Bookers to look for bargains (frozen squid for £2, chicken breasts and a box of frozen danish pastries :j), and of course the obligatory trip to TKMaximus - but somewhere along the line I've lost my good sunglasses which is a right pain! I'll have to go BACK to TKM to get another pair soon

One of the dogs did a really naughty thing last night and peed on my duvet, it had a clean cover on to compound the naughtiness, but I don't know which dog it was!!! It's happened once or twice before, but this time, I knew what the answer was...go buy a new basics duvet in Tesc* - sad but true fact of our 'disposable society' is it's actually CHEAPER than running it through the big washing machine in the laundrette in town. Isn't that disgraceful???

I'm hoping that I can cut the soggy duvet into a single and run it through the machine at home, if not it will be into squares I can wash, and use for dog bedding. I have wondered if the do it when they fancy a new bed!!!

Kate

charlies-aunt

Things will be getting a lot tougher when the Welfare Reforms really start to bite this time next year - especially for people on low income/on benefit who are going to get hit hard with the "bedroom tax".

Further depressing news - I work for a Social Housing Group and I had a email newsletter today with the headline story being that the government are considering changing the benefit rules further by withdrawing Housing Benefit for all claimants under 25.

Unbelieveable and very, very worrying . . . .