make do and mend for tougher times

mardatha

All these people facing redundancy and losing jobs - are you you're not telling fibs?
I mean, our trusty govt said just yesterday that unemployment is falling! Numbers on the dole are dropping - so you must all be fibbing because the govt would not lie to us !
Ooooh I do like a good laugh to start the day off with

Popperwell

You are probably right Pooky,
I ate the last few eggs of my last lot after the date on the container and all was well...

I did give awy 15 before that...If I have my soft boiled eggs today that only leaves 5 to use up.

They'd work if I was making a cake but as I don't plan to I'll just do some quick simple meals poached, fried eggs, omlettes, scrambled..a fewoptions there.

Hope you don't have to cut back too much...

kezlou

well just caought up with you all, think it was 10 pages to get through.

Hows the beef jerky kittie?
great news with the order mar

Sorry i'm terrible with names, is it bec who's facing redundancy at the end of the week?
My partner felt the same as way as you when he was made redundant. He felt the weight lift off hi shoulders and was so happy not to have to go back to the same place again. He's now gone self employed and much happier with himself. So enjoy your time off!!!

pops make sure you eat! Like i said to my dad you have to eat three meals a day, once when you get up. One in the evening and once on the night. My dads a taxi driver so his sleeping pattern is all over the place. Sometimes he forgets to eat, so i'm constantly making sure he's had something.Doesn't have to be a big meal each time just little and often.

kidcat pnuemonia again :eek:

fuddle we have the same problem nn our house, it everywhere. First the LL said its condensation, which to be fair it was. Trust me you could see it so dehumidifiers were used but still the problem persisted. Its now so bad , that i made the LL come round and the black on the walls and mould growing. I've told her its a mixture of damp, broken guttering, tiles coming off the roof and a serious lack of ventilation. Also you can feel the cold coming in through the upvc double glazed windows and all should be replaced. She's not happy about this, but its her responsibility and if she get something sorted soon and reporting her to environmental health as I'm sick to death of telling her. Its the owners responsibility to maintain the house, not yours. I'm refusing to pay for the kitchen floor to be tiled or lino as a) i've put money into building the kitchen and 2) the lino couldn't be saved as it was full of mould 3) i don't why i should after all the money i've pumped into this place and getting to the point where repairs can now actually be done.

The only reason we haven't moved from here is because were in a good area and have very cheap rent. If i leave for cheaper then i'll end up where i used to live surrounded by druggies. so i just put up with it for now anyway.

Well off to see the continence nurse with ds2 today, the paeditrition is concerned now, he's eight and be should be dry. then he's back to school after that.

See you all in a bit. POPS!!!! get something to eat!!!!!!

Popperwell

mardatha wrote: »

All these people facing redundancy and losing jobs - are you you're not telling fibs?
I mean, our trusty govt said just yesterday that unemployment is falling! Numbers on the dole are dropping - so you must all be fibbing because the govt would not lie to us !
Ooooh I do like a good laugh to start the day off with

I've said more or less what you have on my blog and eventually the BBC admitted that certain figures were up and at 15 year high...and now our PM suggests or the paper he gave an interview to thinks these austere times will last until 2020!

Lovely way to start the day...but we'll be ok, we have the Olympics to divert everyone and forget our woes...

Possession

Sadly not telling fibs Mar. Although DH won't be on the figures as he'll be down as having his own business still - and actually we do have 3 catering orders today - and he isn't claiming benefits. So there's one extra they don't know about!
He has a telephone interview on Tuesday, still not heard about his last interview, they said they really liked him but he was too senior for the role and they were thinking about it. This is the problem really - he'd happily accept less money than he was on but nobody will consider him for more junior roles. Heigh ho. I reckon we've got till about Christmas before the house is in danger, so plenty of time yet.

Pops, I eat eggs a good couple of weeks after the best before date. As has been said, if in doubt do the float/sink test. And make sure you eat!!

GreyQueen

Kittikins wrote: »

Quick GQ, your favourite pies!!

fuddle wrote: »

lol how many fb pies do you have GQ Thanks Greenbee but I daren't look. Do you think AF buyers look on this board to know what stocks would sell?! :rotfl:

Anyone received their kemps wool lucky bag yet? What do you think? Still waiting on mine.

LOL, I though someone was pulling my leg when I awoke this morning. Glad it was you lot over the t'interweb, not a ghostie.

For the curious, I have a mere 23 FB pies. And the tomato inventory has shrunk slightly to 53 cans. I'm upping stocks on tinned potatoes for those months in spring next year when the h.g. are over. I'm also tucking away tinned rice pud which is a fave winter comfort and the odd can of fruit.

I've never even dared to look at the AF website. Given slightly-hoarder-ish tendancies, it would probably be most unwise. Never even heard of it except on MSE and one or two other thrifty living blogs.

I do enjoy my storecupboarding. The freedom of not having to buy at whatever price they're demanding that day for whatever it is you need for your tea..........because you already have it. And the ability to replenish your storecupboards when you spot a sweet price. I've spent more than usual so far this month (about £64) but that is a lot of storecupboard items and will mean there are months to come when my food-spend will be well below £40 a month.

I group food and non-food household items like loo roll and cleaning materials together for the purposes of personal accounting and the monthly spends this year have been; £30, £36, £57, £16, £67 and £49. That's for one person. Where it goes higher, I am replenishing the stock-cupboard, inc the t.p mountain, currently 40 rolls. When it's lower, I'm eating in.

I'm good for breadflour and dried yeast and oil for sometime so no bread will need to be bought. Realistically, exc things which aren't long-keepers like milk and fresh veggies, I could feed myself for some time without shopping. I have to play the long game because my net income is only £29 above JSA + HB & CTB and I work for over half a year just to pay the rent and the council tax.

I've heard a rumour that there are plans afoot to reduce the single occupancy discount from 25% to 15%, has anyone heard of this? I know that central govt is reducing the amount it gives councils to adminster for CTB and that they'll be having to cut it back for working-age people, but does that mean the discount for living alone will be reduced?:( If so, it would be a major kick in the teeth as it's my biggest bill by far.

Last night's thunderstorm was fun - big sheets of coloured lightning (pinkish and greenish) and torrential rain. Water nearly came up above the plimsoll line but fortunately stopped in time.

OK, gotta get breakfasted and off to t'office. Have a good'un.

Popperwell

Thanks Kezlou,
That's me told...I have had three slices of marmelade and toast plus drinksoffee, water and pineapple juice)...I agree small portions and often can be a good idea...I'll have some cereal and fruit again later this morning...

I have quite a choice in the fridge/freezer even without my stock room so I better use it. It's easy to get into the habit of not bothering or thinking you are not hungry, though on days like that I will make a salad sandwich or something similar.

As for your problems with the house, you don't need that...

Hope your day goes well...it's another busy one...

Thanks again...to you too Possesion. We still need to be told whatever age we are, we are still children at heart...

SDG31000

Morning all

Stella I hope you are enjoying your lie in

Spikyhedgehog I'm so glad your son didn't get teased at swimming. I wet the bed until I was about 8 I think. What cured me was one of those alarm sensor things. I used it for one night and it got set off by my sweating so much, not because I wet the bed. Somehow that broke the cycle and I never did it again.

Popperwell Don't give the eggs away. You can always use them for merengues as old egg whites make the best ones. Egg whites freeze very well as well. I'm other one saying please eat properly. I'm bad at it too when I'm by myself, but it is a mood lifter and worth the effort.

I was abruptly awoken this morning at Stupid O'Clock by my Kemps order turning up. I hadn't quite realised just how much wool 3kgs is. It's a bin bag full :eek: I have 5x 100g balls of DK in purple and beige/cream, 5x 100g of Chunky in bright green and lemon yellow, and lots of little balls, making up 500g of each colour, in burgandy and sort of a grey/blue/brown effect wool. The last one is much nicer than it sounds. As I'm just beginning to knit something other than scarves and hand warmers, it suits me to get wool this cheap, but I can see how some people would be disappointed.
I'm not sure what I'm going to make out of bright green chunky wool, but hopefully someone will have an idea. Some of the wool must have been sitting around for ages as I can only find patterns sold as vintage ones on amazon and ebay. If the worst comes to the worst I'll knit a blanket out of it. I think the first project is going to be a purple cardigan for me. I would use the little balls of wool as I prefer the colour, but I can't stand the thought of weaving in that many ends.
This lot should keep me busy for a while, but I have to confess that I've found a place in Ireland that hand spins and dyes wool that I might have to go and visit on my travels with DH in October. They have the most glorious sock wools. http://shop.hedgehogfibres.com/ The online shop seems to be set up in $ so not sure if I can order from England.

Today's plans include getting DS2 to change his clothes and have a shower (wish me luck please), to bake the bread I started yesterday, think of what to make for dinner and to get the laundry mountain down to hill level. I think that is going to have to involve the tumble drier again :mad: Oh I also need to do something with the two remaining punnets of strawberries.

NNNUUUUUURRRRSSEEEEEEEEEE!!! More tea please!

Take care xxxx

Popperwell

GQ,
Yes, it is going down to 15% but that's all I know...a lot of what's happening is not known becuae they seem to be keeping quiet. Or the media isn't reporting it for some reason...

Popperwell

SDG31000,
By that order came early, sounds promising though...

Thanks for the advice about the eggs...

And the friendly push about eating. I am usually good about this and know that I should. I have been happy so far that I seem not to have fallen into just opening tins of baked beans etc...but the last few days have sometimes only had one meal...

Where I was having a decent breakfast and a reasonably good meal in the evening...

I'll start putting that right again...