make do and mend for tougher times

prepareathome

Son phoned earlier and told me and Aldi is opening not far from me on the 4th of next month, he got vouchers through his door, I didn't get any boo hoo. As he got two lots he will pass one lot to me as its £5 a £35 shop for two separate weeks. So I will have to get a taxi on the 4th as hubby will be working and son in college but as its not to far it will not be to expensive(about £4 each way) ok no savings first day but they have a list he told me off all sorts of opening specials so worth being there when they open. Its totally opposite to where we normally go but did used to go to a Netto there that closed down years ago.

I had to get a breath of 'fresh' air after my long sleep but still pouring so pottering in garden out so went over to newsagent and topped up our electric, gas and my mobile(had forgotten blackberry bolt on payment was due yesterday and only had £2 odd left on phone. Was drizzling when I went across but when I came out of shop it was bucketing again. It has been raining non-stop for 3 days now.

Drains thankfully are coping again and so although puddles everywhere no standing water on road any more and paths are clear but front garden still under water, be days before that goes down once it stops raining, I swear I could grow rice out there.

My dried veg from Amaz@n arrived, delivery had said would be here tomorrow and was worried I would miss it as in morning I have smear and then doctors, son will take me and I will give him the money I would pay for taxis, around £5.50 so some money for him for petrol.

3kg of dried veg is certainly a lot, my friend wants 1kg I think she will be in for a shock at the amount, I have bagged it into 100g lots for her as at 70 she is only now really learning to cook and would not be sure how much dried veg to put in anything so this way she cannot add the lot.

They give you a £3 coupon off your next order so going to go to their website and see what else they sell, as I only know them from Amz. The 3kg cost £25.63 with pp but I don't think its to bad considering the tiny amounts you can buy from whitworths that cost a lot. Worth buying the bigger size for two of us as one 1kg pack before pp is £8.50 yet we are paying £8.55 per kg including pp.

Right got to go and make the dumplings to go with the overcooked stew lol

Hugs and Love to all xxxx

Cheapskate

I've been feeling a bit sorry for myself this week, details unimportant, but I feel so bad now as we're nowhere as badly off as so many.

PAH - that's a stalwart idea, it would be fabulous if we could do something like that!

(((Byatt))) - I'm no good at the benefits system, it's beaten us into submission before, so we manage pretty much by ourselves; all I can offer you is another hug if you need it!

A xo

Byatt

Oh PAH, thank you, but no. no. no. I would be mortified even though it's a simply generous gesture. I will be alright. I can adapt even more than I have done and will survive. There are so many worse off. It was just a shock again, trying to work out what to do for the best.

Thank you again...but please, give to your local food banks instead.

Pooky

Cheapskate wrote: »

I've been feeling a bit sorry for myself this week, details unimportant, but I feel so bad now as we're nowhere as badly off as so many.



A xo

It's all relative, have a hug and a virtual slice of lopsided sponge cake x. Anything we can help with?

kidcat

Ginny - hope all goes well at hospital

Byatt - I had forgotten about discretionary housing, may help a little
If you do need help please post - between us I am sure we will find a way

Shegar - I cannot believe they are not calling you, that is incredibly poor and downright dangerous, is there anyone that you can complain too? I cannot believe how poorly these places are treating people - how would they feel if it was their father, oooooh it makes me cross:mad:

Cheapskate - we all have problems, and they are all just as valid and important as anyone elses. Thats what makes it so good here,

PAH - where is the Aldi opening? may try to persuade my parents to have a wander in.

Molly41

Byatt - I did think that the underlying entitlement to ESA remained even though the money ran out. That underlying entitlement should still passport you as regards NI contributions and other benefits?

Im so sorry that you are feeling so sad - I do know how you feel as have had my own battle with them since April. Hugs x

fuddle

The thing is, it doesn't matter how bad it is we all just muddle on. It doesn't matter what is causing the upset, it's the sheer fact that upset is being caused that's important. x

born_blonde

Shergar the PALS team were a great help to me when Mum was in hospital.
They were on the spot and chased people for me.

prepareathome

They I assure you already get donations from me I promise, woman calls round once a week or so for my food as nearest one is miles from me so volunteers call at homes as they know to far for most to drop stuff in.

Please at least do not hestitate to ask us for ideas on how to make things go further.

Please promise me you will never go to bed hungry, nor spend all day hungry and eat before bed so you can keep that promise to me. I would be mortified if you went hungry.

Its not that we have a lot, we could actually claim hb and ctb and wtc if hubby was doing 30 hrs but we know we will most likely lose it next year so I am already living as if its next year and so spending any extra on food stores. I only buy things like meat, chicken, fish etc ys and then if its say 400g beef I will cut it into 4 and freeze it so that give me 4 meals,not much 100g for both of us but what they had in the war and doesn't do us any harm having less meat and fill us up with other things. Means we eat a lot of stews and casseroles but they are healthy. Occasionally we have a piece of fish each as hubby not a fish pie lover so I will fry a whole fillet each but that is a treat now, but we manage and slowly the stores build up.

I don't bake often now but when I do its a nice treat or have many puddings, but have tins of rice pud in and tinned fruit.

We basically do live on a wartime diet, but not cutting back on milk to those limits or cheese - at the moment mozzarella is 44p a ball in Mr S and I use one on each hm pizza and we usually have this once a week, hubby likes it with pineapples and mushrooms, I use tinned tomatoes mashed down as a the tomato base.

I could yes buy more food to eat now but cannot live without stocks, who knows what the future holds my esa could be stopped any time or hubbys job which might only be part-time and pays £129 a week could go and we would be far worse off on full benefits so we eat as we do now with the stores being built and rotated.

Tonight's rather long cooked stew is 100g beef with a turnip diced, two carrots - large ones and two medium onions into which I will add suet dumplings and gravy powder and that will fill us and we will enjoy it. Other times I will add tomatoes, mushrooms, other vegetables maybe a hint of chilli ( hubby doesn't like anything hot) all I admit variations on a theme but then when I can buy an nice roast ys we enjoy it even more. Similar is done with chicken, rarely have it roasted as you tend to eat to much in one go that way so I cut it all and freeze it in small amounts.

My freezer is filled with lots of little packs of meat and chicken.

As smileyt and ginny can tell you I am not exactly wasting away :rotfl:

Hoping what we do gives you ideas to cope, but if you do hit a wall please do not starve, ask, better mortified and full than starving and suffering from malnutrition at the very least, please, same for anyone else on here.

Hugs and Love to all xxxx

prepareathome

kidcat wrote: »

PAH - where is the Aldi opening? may try to persuade my parents to have a wander in.

Leathers Lane in Halewood on the 4th according to the leaflet my son recieved.:)