Nice people thread part 6 - thrice by twice as nice :)

SingleSue

LydiaJ wrote: »

But yours would get the full means-tested maintenance loan, wouldn't they? Whereas some NP have kids who wouldn't, I imagine. (Although I must admit I have no idea how the system works and am merely going off hearing the means-tested bit mentioned in previous conversations.)

They would probably get some extra but I will be back in full time work, preferably in my old sector (rather than being restricted to term time, I hope to be working before then!) by the time middle one goes off to Uni, so their situation with fees, grants etc will be the same as other NP's.

That said, it was something me and ex husband did discuss and our way of thinking was that it was better for them to support themselves by working whilst studying rather than having it provided for them....although we did realise that if they were doing something like medicine, then this would have been impossible.

I know this view may seem a little off kilter to other parents but we were workaholics (the pair of us) who strived to better ourselves, even if it meant going without socially and we wanted that ethos to be passed onto the children.

SingleSue

silvercar wrote: »

We have:

Use daily or near enough
kettle, toaster, microwave

use enough to justify existence
stick blender
food processor
electric knife

dumped
sandwich toaster (now have toasting bags that fit in toaster)
electric can opener
pineapple extractor thing (failed)
microwave egg poacher (explodes egg thoughout microwave)

I have

Use daily or near enough
Halogen oven
Kettle

Use enough to justify
Electric knife
Electric can opener (less than daily but more than once a week)
Sandwich toaster (my kids just love a piggy - their name for it)
Microwave...although it tends to be used for defrosting stuff.

Dumped

Do nut maker!
Slow cooker (afraid I have PN like obsessions about leaving things on when I am out)

Really want

A toaster!
An ice cream maker.

Spirit_2

PasturesNew wrote: »

A basic roast dinner can be cheap .... you can pick up, say, chickens at £3-4 each (less if you are lucky enough to live by a supermarket that has good knock down prices at a time you're passing) .....

Iunderstand the MSE stuff but amongst my few ethics I try to support local producers. £11 for a free range chicken and all the veg from a local farm.

Still not an expensive meal per head and a great way to shop.

I went yesterday and bought a chicken and again with DD today to choose the cuts of pork (£11 for the loin and £5 for the belly pork) . I can park outside leave my car unlocked with the keys in and chat to the butchers. Stress free shopping which feels like part of life rather than a chore

We generally stay out of supermarkets except the local coop and an occassional online Ocado shop to restock the pantry.

SingleSue

Spirit wrote: »

Iunderstand the MSE stuff but amongst my few ethics I try to support local producers. £11 for a free range chicken and all the veg from a local farm.

Still not an expensive meal per head and a great way to shop.

I went yesterday and bought a chicken and again with DD today to choose the cuts of pork (£11 for the loin and £5 for the belly pork) . I can park outside leave my car unlocked with the keys in and chat to the butchers. Stress free shopping which feels like part of life rather than a chore

We generally stay out of supermarkets except the local coop and an occassional online Ocado shop to restock the pantry.

I think I would have heart failure paying £11 for a chicken, local produce or not.....I'm not so good at supporting local farms, I tend to support my pocket more

PasturesNew

Spirit wrote: »

Iunderstand the MSE stuff but amongst my few ethics I try to support local producers. £11 for a free range chicken and all the veg from a local farm.

But that's choice.... I said "a basic roast....."

S0d ethics if paying £11 would mean you only get one every 2 months

Spirit wrote: »

Still not an expensive meal per head and a great way to shop.

I spend £10 tops on the Xmas meat..... for 4-5 people, with lashings of leftovers to be eaten cold over the next few days.

Spirit wrote: »

I went yesterday and bought a chicken and again with DD today to choose the cuts of pork (£11 for the loin and £5 for the belly pork) . I can park outside leave my car unlocked with the keys in and chat to the butchers. Stress free shopping which feels like part of life rather than a chore

We generally stay out of supermarkets except the local coop and an occassional online Ocado shop to restock the pantry.

You're one of those posh sorts aren't you
And don't say "No, we're not posh" ..... because ... you are really

Spirit_2

SingleSue wrote: »

we were workaholics (the pair of us) who strived to better ourselves, even if it meant going without socially and we wanted that ethos to be passed onto the children.

Until the last year I have been a workaholic. Perpetually got my priorities wrong on work/life/health balance.

I definitely do not want to pass this on and DD has said " No offence meant mum but don't want to be like you". I hope she is more like her dad.

Mr S down shifted some years ago now and is a brilliant dad and husband, fit, healthy and has made time for a good circle of close friends of his own.

lostinrates

Unlike spirit i hVe to admit i go to the supermarket more often than i would like, but our meat is ethical too. And unlike sue and pastures i would rather eat meat that that rests eay on my stomach and mind less often than regular meat i feel 'uneasy' with.

PasturesNew

I only work for me .... nobody else benefits from how much/little I work .... so, having worked hard/long hours for a few decades and got nowhere (all the promises they make at interview vanish the minute you start, you're overworked, they take the p155, you do hours and hours of free overtime... and still the firms close and you get no payout) .... I stopped being a workaholic.

PasturesNew

lostinrates wrote: »

Unlike spirit i hVe to admit i go to the supermarket more often than i would like, but our meat is ethical too. And unlike sue and pastures i would rather eat meat that that rests eay on my stomach and mind less often than regular meat i feel 'uneasy' with.

I rarely buy meat .... I do pick up the Xmas meat because nobody else in our family cared if there was any or not .... but now there's no family so no Xmas to even buy that turkey crown for.

As for meat the rest of the year, I might buy 3 packets of sausages/year and about 2Kg of mince per year.... beyond that meat is usually only found in one of the rare chicken indian takeaways I buy (I usually have a veggie meal so as to avoid fatty/iffy meat), or a pizza topping of chilli beef or chilli chicken a max of 3-4x a year, or in a chicken/mushroom pie (with chips) about 3x a year, or in a microwaveable meal for one about 3-4x a year.

zagubov

Spirit wrote: »

Until the last year I have been a workaholic. Perpetually got my priorities wrong on work/life/health balance.

I definitely do not want to pass this on and DD has said " No offence meant mum but don't want to be like you". I hope she is more like her dad.

Mr S down shifted some years ago now and is a brilliant dad and husband, fit, healthy and has made time for a good circle of close friends of his own.

No worries!

They say you're more likely to get most of your intellect from your mum and most of your temperament from your dad.:beer:

Hope that's good news for most NPs.