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

Possession

Thanks GQ, and you've just reminded me of one great thing I'd forgotten, that I sent off for the Tesco days out vouchers at 5 times the value and I think we can have at least 3 maybe 4 days out in the summer with those. I shall do as you suggest and give them a list of possibilities to choose from. I think my parents will take them out a little as well if we visit them, so at least they will have some nice summer holiday experiences which might only cost us petrol money.
We also have a free British Gas swim voucher which I think is good for 2 visits. DD still has swimming lessons so that is £18 per month we could cut out (and probably should) but I'm reluctant to do it until she can swim properly. Might have to talk to DH about that one, but I never had lessons and really can't swim properly so I wanted the children to be swimmers. Good tip about popping into a shop for ice lollies too. we have tried car boots before but it brings out DS's innate collector-ness and he comes home with things like antique silver salad servers (with his own money!). So there might need to be some ground rules first.

GreyQueen wrote: »

It's a tricky one, hun, as you don't want to deny your littlies anything but you can't go on with business as usual with such a big hit to your income.

My cousin and her OH had to think laterally to cope with her three and a low and erratic self-employed income. Here's one few of her strategies.

Kids were invited to draw up a wish list of places/ things they wanted to during the summer holiday. They were told there would be 3 outings. Each drew their personal wishlist, then the kids negotiated among themselves to choose the 3 outings they could all agree on. They were 2 lads and the youngest was a girl, span of nearly 6 years from eldest to youngest.

Another Mum found out that it was cheaper for them to have a family membership of a private health centre (they only used the pool) than to swim in the local authority pool using their "low income discount card thingy" from same council. Try making lateral enquiries about things - the answers may surprise you.

One pal of mine, lone parenting in mid-life when her eldest were grown and flown, had arranged for her child's godparents to be a lovely, affluent and childless couple. Her kid went places and did things with the godparents that Mum could never have afforded.

What sometimes happened in my childhood, and I know my pals have sometimes done, is one parent has gone into a fee-paying attraction with the kids while the other has loitered outside, just to save the second adult admission.

If going out for the day, always take a picnic and try to limit food out. It chews thru the budget like nobody's business. If you need to buy icecreams and are in town, nip into an Iceland or similar store and get a pack for less than the price of a single lolly.

A devious trick I heard was that one frugalista spent her childood believing that the chimes on the icecream van meant that it had run out of icecreams, because this is what her wily parents told her.........:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Hie ye off to the carboots and be astonished at how far your £ss will go there. A lot of stuff is like new, but for a pittance. Good kids' stuff abounds.

I'm sure the rest of the gang will have lots more, so ta da for now.

Possession

Thanks Byatt, I'll have a look at that. I'm sure I must have stuff to sell, I know DD has outgrown some clothes for a start. There's a shortie wetsuit, might be good for all this rain!
Hope your DD is feeling better soon.

Byatt wrote: »

Here's a link where someone else wanted ideas, but not sure if it's what you mean.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3995375=

Can you have a once a month treat by saving change or selling something on fleabay/car boot?

Possession

Byatt make sure she doesn't stay on Tramadol long, I'm sure it's fine in small doses but longer term it definitely does things to you. I was on it before I had my first knee replacement as it was the only thing that stopped the pain, but it stopped morphine working for me which as you can imagine brought it's own problems after the op. Even 4 months later when I had the second knee done, and hadn't had Tramadol in most of that time, morphine still didn't work, and I'd had a nasty time coming off the Tramadol. I don't mean to worry you, but it isn't the kind of drug you want to be on for long.

Byatt wrote: »

GQ, some fab ideas, and I wish I had thought of the ice-cream van one! :rotfl::rotfl:

Poor DD been given tramadol now, I understand that's quite a potent painkiller. The district nurse still seeing her every day...some of the packing is still inside the wound so gradually leaking out. She called me at 1 am this morning in a bit of a panic, and very scared. She says she just wants a hug from me. I'm not too well myself, but will try and go to hers this week.

Possession

Thanks I didn't even know about that! Sigh, isn't MSE wonderful?!

unixgirluk wrote: »

Possession, try the freebies board for the free screenings of films. There's more screenings of kids films at the moment because the summer holidays are coming up. You have to be quick though as they can be snapped up quickly.


We're finding it hard, OH moaning about me meeting up with my Mum or seeing friends. Its ok, he's working (I got made redundant) and still spending like its going out of fashion!!!! I told him its little things like that that's keeping me sane!

Possession

That's excellent going. DH is in the same boat but I'm sure he hasn't applied for that many. He's had 3 interviews but didn't get further, but I'm hopeful for him. Fingers crossed for you!

unixgirluk wrote: »

He's moaning as I'm supposed to be at home applying for jobs and not driving around (I pay the bills and for my car as he doesn't drive so I have to drive him to his work and pick him up so I was tying in seeing my Mum and friends with picking OH up), however as I explained to him I need my sanity and the stuff I do there isn't jobs advertised everyday. In the now 7 weeks since I finished I have applied for 312 jobs. I think that's pretty good going.

Possession

Already we are doing much better than we were doing in managing money, and it's all down to you fabulous folks on the O/S board. I shudder to think of how much money we wasted. If we'd saved it all, we could probably have paid a lot of the mortage off by now and I wouldn't be worrying about finding £900 a month. We won't go back to that kind of spending even when DH finds a job, and you're right it will be much better for the kids not to be so reliant on 'stuff'. There's way too much stuff in our house anyway.
My parents were very frugal, and had to be, when I was growing up, so I don't know where I started going wrong. But I think you get carried away by the money you earn and it's rather like having extra space - you just fill it!

fuddle wrote: »

They will possession, they'll get used to it and actually it will be really good for them to not rely on 'things' to give them enjoyment. They will see the fun in making stuff happen themselves. It's a good way to live youknow, really it is. Being frugal has got under my skin in many ways. I appreciate everything and constantly quiz myself about how I could do better or get more out of my money. It's a challenge but in a good way. Possession you would be more than welcome to stick around here you know. It's cool and full of like minded people who are only too pleased to help us learn all they know.

ginnyknit

see possession, just a couple of suggestions from the peeps on here and your mind is kicking into 'how to survive mode'

Unixgirl, you deserve a treat, that is a lot of jobs to apply for. If you sit there all day everyday you wil soon become dispirited and your answers on applications will become lacklustre.

Will someone stop my bloody cat from launching himself across the office and sending papers flying :mad::mad: He thinks he is in a circus and wanders from room to room creating new stunts ...sorry getting ratty

The marinade for the pulled pork works fab with sausages, just had it with mash for tea and it perked it up no end.

Right off to put a post it note on my forehead saying 'elderflowers' so when I brush my hair in the morning I might remember. Also 'find spare keyboard' as this never recovered from the vimto spillage and now has a limp :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

A limp what? and does it have anything to do with the cat?

mcculloch29

This post contains info on bodily functions so you may not want to read it if you are sensitive...
A friend popped round the other day and was in some distress on arrival. She'd soiled herself - it isn't an uncommon occurrence for her.
Unfortunately she didn't make this clear until after she had sat on - and marked - my cream faux fur throw.
Bless her, she was really embarrassed. She wanted to leave for home straight away, but I gave her some underwear and trousers to change in to and encouraged her to make herself comfortable and stay for a while.
It wasn't a bug, or an allergy and here is a bit of a dilemma for me. It happens every time she over-eats. We worked this out previously, as a similar thing used to happen to me.
I asked her if she had had a huge lunch again.
She had, and her stomach had just said 'S*d this...' and dumped what was there already.
This happens quite often.
I've encouraged her to cut down on portion sizes so it doesn't happen. I've also had to cut back on the amount I eat because of weight gain.

I mentioned serving herself on a large tea-plate rather than a large dinner-plate so that it doesn't look a smaller portion (works well for me) and she said 'Oh I couldn't manage on just that!'
But she is overweight too, so it would help her...

Oh dear. If she persists in over-eating and soiling herself it really is going to make her life miserable.

I'm wondering if soiling my throw may have marked a turning point though (It's come up OK after using Dylon Travel Wash as a stain remover, good stuff that.) I don't expect anyone has any answers, but I feel this is a good non-judgemental thread to share it on.

grandma247

Just popped on to say that I have put two long lists of things to do with kids on this thread that someone posted. I should be packing