make do and mend for tougher times

GreyQueen

Great-looking hair, PAH. Film star-ish even.

My mop is ridiculously heavy and I have to be careful about putting it up as if I don't get the balance right, I'll have a terrible skull ache after about 20 mins. It's great in cold weather, though, no need for a scarf.

I think a lot of hair health is actually down to your diet as well as the way you handle it.

:o:p I had a bubble perm in the early 1980s. If there was ever a woman who didn't need extra volume, it was me. Took 2 hairdressers 40 minutes to put the rollers in it. Back then, it was recommended that you combed these perms out very gently with an Afro pick, which took 20 minutes each time. One morning I must have got bored or distracted and about 14 hours later thought, What is that hanging in my hair......?

Yup, one MIA Afro pick. Hairdressers always freak out a bit when cutting my mane, which amuses me no end. And they so don't believe me when I tell them that it used to be thicker than it is now (true).

grandma247

((hugs)) to all that need them, so much going on at the moment.

Dh ds3 and gs1 and myself all decorated ds3's room at the weekend and dh put laminate down, so we were very busy. It looks good and ds is pleased I re arranged his beds so he has a tiny bit more room. Just got to persuade him to part with some toys he never plays with.

Fuddle I bought 2 bio bulbs from @mazon a couple of months ago and they are a lot brighter than standard energy saver bulbs. They have a white/blue light and made the one remaining energy saver look a very dirty orange. Dh said to buy another bio because he hated the look of it.

Now they are all bio it does make me feel better when I am in that room even when the days are dark. The room is at the back of the house and there is very little sunlight in there at the best of times. The bulbs are not cheap but hopefully they will last a while. Going in to the kitchen is weird with the fluorescent light in there. It used to seem bright but not now.

Popperwell

Pips_Mum wrote: »

I love the top bedroom Fuddle, think OH might object though!!

My Benefits saga continues :-(
Went for my sign on at jobcentre today and she asked how I was getting on, I said that being 29 weeks pregnant meant there was next to nothing suitable and she agreed. She then said that they would pay me up to today but then did not class that I was ABLE to actively seek work, She didn't doubt that I was still willing though. I haven't heard about Maternity Allowance yet so she said I would have to try and claim Income support or OH might have to do a joint claim for us. So its all up in the air again! The bit that frustrates me is that the system is sooooooooooo confusing that they don't even seem to understand the best options.


Havent caught up with thread yet so hugs to anyone that needs them x x

Did you read/hear they now say if you work virtually until full term, the child will be underweight and have similar problems as someone born to a person who smokes whilst pregnant but the JC will not pay you and withdraw help. If you were working what employer will let you leave weeks before? It's bad enough trying to get maternity...

I suppose now they've admitted this you should really be allowed to claim more as they are making out this could harm a baby. It won't happen!

Popperwell

quintwins wrote: »

i wonder if when universal credits come in you can jump jump from one to the other i doubt it tho nothings ever that easy.

I think Universal Credits will work by paying one payment and they'll just add/remove certain amounts depending on what you are getting it for...

I know IS and DLA is being scrapped/replaced, which will mean a different rate if you can still get it. I hope to watch those programmes about the assessments etc...later I missed them when they were on earlier but saw on excerpt...

A guy in a mobility scooter with arthritis in his knees/legs "You're fit for work as your hands are ok" But how does he get to work, will the building have access if he need to use the scooter and so on...Its laughable, frightening and worrying.

For once we were shown the form you have to fill in and secret filming of tests whuch they try to usually stop.

Oh Dear!

Popperwell

prepareathome wrote: »

Don't you dare feel guilty I promise you if the rich and wealthy can find a way to claim anything they do, you have every right to the benefits, you need them.

You have enough to worry about with Pip and wee pip coming without worrying will you have food on the table, even if it is less.

Hugs xxxxx

I totally agree and it will become much harder and money will be reduced or may not be available, if you can get...take it!

Popperwell

Taken from my blog...

I am hope that I am still welcome here talking about being thrifty but I feel a bit of a fraud in that having showed that I can survive on less... and worried for the last three months.

At this minute I probably can do all that I wish to and My Auntie and Uncle said "Enjoy yourself whilst you may!" And have been shocked and disgusted by all I told them about benefits and the changes coming.

We know the future will change for the reasons often mentioned but if I can buy better food, use taxi's, keep the heating and electric on longer I should do it.

As I said I feel guilty suggesting that I have holiday or go to the theatre when people are struggling and I am finding it difficult to lose the mindset of spending less and saving for the hard times. Soon I know that will no longer be an option.

The taxi cost me an obscene amount, in total £50!

What I could do with that. At least I am spending it. I have no idea how long I will get it!

Buses are out and though I stayed longer than planned I would never have got a bus that late home.

prepareathome

Pops do you mean you are still welcome here or your blog, doesn't matter why on earth wouldn't you be welcome here.....not everyone here is struggling on JSA or similar, but many are in full time work with no debts and nice lifestyle but only achieving that because of what they learnt here.......you never know might be an odd millionaire miser on here to learn how they can keep more money in the bank.

I and I know others are happy you can, for the moment, afford the odd taxis, stock up buy bits and bobs that take your fancy for the house..........good for you and long may you be able to.

We all come here to share and learn so at the end of the week/fortnight/month we have at least broken even if not managed to save.

I hope you had an enjoyable time with your aunt and uncle.

Hugs xxxxx

prepareathome

Oh gosh forgot to share something good.

I for first time last week put something on ebay with free listing and it sold, only couple of quid but so long as I got postage right its a couple of pounds in my pocket - usually Freegled or give to charity shop, but just wanted to try selling once and so when someone mentioned free listing weekend I thought why not.

Buyer has now paid so have parcelled up all ready for PO in morning.:)

Popperwell

prepareathome wrote: »

Pops do you mean you are still welcome here or your blog, doesn't matter why on earth wouldn't you be welcome here.....not everyone here is struggling on JSA or similar, but many are in full time work with no debts and nice lifestyle but only achieving that because of what they learnt here.......you never know might be an odd millionaire miser on here to learn how they can keep more money in the bank.

I and I know others are happy you can, for the moment, afford the odd taxis, stock up buy bits and bobs that take your fancy for the house..........good for you and long may you be able to.

We all come here to share and learn so at the end of the week/fortnight/month we have at least broken even if not managed to save.

I hope you had an enjoyable time with your aunt and uncle.

Hugs xxxxx

Thanks PAH,
To some extent what's happened is I am for now I am not as badly off(But I know what's coming)so it would be nice to save to have a cushion but the savings threshold is so low...and I just feel a bit guilty, to avoid losing money now, doing what may be seen as frivoulous such as holidays and going to the theatre etc...or maybe buying CD's just to use up spare cash and yet they'll say this is what you are entitled to for a decent life. Assuming I am allowed to do what I like with the money.
I have not had a holiday in 12+ years or been to the theatre in 20+years. Bus service is bad so I have to add taxi's into the equation to get there and come home. What I hope to see works out in reality at around the same as £1 a day. But if I see something else worth booking for and I can do it now, then if I cannot afford it next year I have already got my ticket. The first touring version of the Mousetrap is coming in March next year...

But all the theatre productions I am going to see are music or comedy.

It will mean instead of just sticking to the streets around here, taking taxi rides so the distance could cost as much as today when I saw my relatives. It will get me out more though and I'll see places that I haven't in years but I am mainly doing it to stay within the rules. My Auntie and Uncle could drive their car but use their free bus pass because running the car is so expensive.

It will be nice to keep the heating and electric on as long as I wish especially when winter arrives and not care how much the bill is.

Yet for all I know one of those envelopes could drop on the mat tomorrow and change everything as quickly as that.

A bit like Pip's Mum why do we feel guilty taking what we should knowing that most of the time life will be a struggle? And there was me saying to PM don't feel guilty...and what am I doing?

At least I have proved that I can be frugal when the time comes...

I can still keep adding to the store room though...going to CAB one last time to see if I have filled that form in ok later this morning.

Not sleeping because I caught up with some tv(frightening and worrying)but those documentaries Madatha mentioned. For once the media was fair but I suspect viewing figures would be down because te Olympics were on and they move Panorama from BBC1 and its primetime slot to BBC2...

I was also late getting home...

xxx

Thanks for missing me earlier on...

prepareathome

I have just watched both programmes, they were scary especially the under cover filming on C4 .

What I 'loved' was the governments remark about the doctor who went undercover (name gone) about they were worried about his political past -what has that to do with the filming, he did not put the words or influence the trainer or ATOS in any way, but they are just looking for a way to discredit the programme as they know what was shown was truth and well done that doctor for doing it.

What I cannot understand is why any doctor works for ATOS. At the beginning yes they as well as us didn't know what was going on, but now I just cannot see how they can be doctors and doing such work. I have more respect for someone who sweeps the streets as that at least is decent work, than those doctors.

I would love to know what the trainers speciality is if its not done in uk as I had a look and we accept most specialities its just the doctor has to do some training, usually of a year or so to be recognised to practice under the GMC. So either she is not really a doctor in our sense or she just wanted to be earning big money straight away - I felt she tended to protest a bit to much. If her job is so toxic why not get a nice clean one on a checkout, like she seems to want everyone else to do - one minute she was saying 'we are told' next minute its what she thinks and no 'we'

Well not been to sleep despite being so tired as pain flared so ended up having to take more pain meds which mess my brain up but keep me awake sometimes, like tonight and others knock me flat.

Have gone over this and corrected it so I hope it makes sense..

Ah well at least pain eased a bit and I had a nice hot shower - usually takes me 10 mins, put its not a power shower or electric one just off my taps, but we have a good mixer that sets the temp for you, so no jiggling about with the hot and cold water, just set to temp and it does the rest.

Had to close all the windows as its really quite cold out there but don't need heat on thankfully.

Another grey day.

Oh well will go and see if Argos site back up as I better get a new strimmer quickly as no doubt HA will be on my back about side garden and tell me I am in breach of something or other over it.

Have a good day everyonexxxxx