'supporting each other through really tough times'

Byatt

Feeling pretty defeated today, have done 700 miles and spent £90 so far in petrol and this has been just for a week in respect of the pet sitting and travelling. I'm worn out, irritable and wonder if it's all worth it, people complain if they think I've increased my daily rate, I haven't, or take the p!ss when it comes to payment at all. I only use the car for business, no pleasure at all (and visiting DD), can't afford to go out, have an empty freezer I can't fill and generally struggling, whilst putting on a brave face. My income has dropped so much in the last 2 years whilst everything else increases.

Just having a moan, will feel better tomorrow. I think it's made worse by knowing I would have been retired next month but now have over 4 years to go, plus I will just miss out again on the new increased universal pension rate by about a week, in 2017

Margaret54

Ah Byatt sorry to hear you are down today. I do hope you feel better soon. Life can be tough I know. Take good care Margaretx

Margaret54

Fuddle I read your post and it took me back to when mine were young. Money was very tight and a struggle, but did my best with what I had. Things started when they hit about 8 year old. So and so's Mum buys her children such and such. I am not going to be made fun of wearing that so and so's Mum buys so and so a different thing. So and So's Mum allows her children to stay out late and watch movies for older ages. I hate this house!!! One day I said well I am doing my very best with what we have and I am YOUR Mum and this is what WE are having. Then my only daughter passed the 11 plus and had the chance to go to Grammer school and the outlay for the uniform etc was horrendous, but she went and became so snobbish and looked down her nose at me, cos we lived in a housing estate. did not own our home etc. there were pupils there who had ponies and they went on trips abroad, very hurtful to have that fired at me. we have to stick to our guns and do our best love. Sadly she is in her thirties now married and nothing has changed. I told her one day it is not where you live it is how you live.

mcculloch29

Byatt, I am sorry things are so tough at the moment, all that hard work and so little financial reward.
I saw the colder weather as a good excuse to make a warming casserole yesterday. This was a smart move as I got stuck on a conference call with work - which was really valuable, though.

Lovely to come off the pc and dish it up, it was just sausages (2 types), chopped tomatoes, passata, chickpeas, leeks and onions, zapped up with Cajun spices as they seemed the most appropriate. The spices added a welcome blast of extra heat and flavour. I got them in A!di, an attractive tin, and part of a new range for the summer.

I'm lucky in that ours is a very working class area, the kids had a few nice 'label' things growing up, mostly courtesy of family or my competition wins, but for the greater part we stuck with non-labels. No Primarni back then, what they sold in the early days was unwearable synthetic rubbish.
Primarni having improved beyond recognition, I buy virtually all the clothes I get for my DGC from there.

fuddle

Sometimes Byatt a day comes along when we can't have that determined, fighting positive spirit and circumstances get us down. I wish for you to be stronger tomorrow and to have a snug relaxing cosy night tonight.

Margaret how awful. DD is 8 and changing. We've ready had 'I hate this house!' And it hurts but we will never back down from saying no as long as its backed up with a reason. She knows about the money problems of this week. She knows why and when it will be ok again.

I showed her today the box of frosties compared to the box of weetabix (wheat bisks ) she got that she cod have 48 breakfasts for the same price of the frosties and guessed that she would have 10 breakfasts out of the box of frosties. A lesson in value for money which I was feeling very happy about until she took the haribo's at 10p out the basket to swap for much bigger bag at 35p with much gusto and enthusiasm like she was beating the system! I let her get on with it 1) because she was right and 2) I just couldn't be arissed to argue! I think the message got through... Until next time.

Hardup_Hester

Hugs Byatt, I should be retiring next month, but no chance with a mortgage to pay.
Fuddle, stick to your guns, you know you are in the right.
Hester

nuttyp

hi toughies, busy day here. Inbetween showers we managed to put up the 2 fence panels and posts. Nextdoor just glared out the window, so no confrontation over us sorting it out. OH has his birthday Monday so we are going for a 2 for 1 meal tonight.

Possession, the sun are doing tickets for LEGOLAND in the paper today, you need to collect the tokens for 2 free tickets. If you need the tokens let me know as I wont be using them. If anyone else might need them please PM me as well, I can get more :-)

I have been truly converted to using aldi for nearly everything, it works out we have saved over the last month £10 from the vouchers and approx. another £14 by buying there. Heron is where we buy the remainder.

I spent a while today rehanging a net curtain, it was slightly too short so I undid the top hem and added some ribbon to create a new top hem giving 2 cm of more net. I know its sound mad but im so proud as it cost nothing but time to do.

Hope everyone is feeling better today.

P.s. forgot to say congrats on the new beast to stiltwalker, hope diggerland was fun.

morag1202

Byatt wrote: »

Just having a moan, will feel better tomorrow. I think it's made worse by knowing I would have been retired next month but now have over 4 years to go, plus I will just miss out again on the new increased universal pension rate by about a week, in 2017

I think they are changing it again soon so that anyone born after 6/04/1953 gets the new flat rate, but you will need to have paid 35 years of contributions.

Byatt

morag1202 wrote: »

I think they are changing it again soon so that anyone born after 6/04/1953 gets the new flat rate, but you will need to have paid 35 years of contributions.

Thanks Morag, have they said why they are changing the date? I know AgeUK amongst others were campaigning back in 2011 about those born in 1953/1954 as they were concerned not enough time was available to improve their pensions, and initially it was said it would not be more than 18 months gap, but as I've said mine is 4+ years at the moment.

I have 41 years of contributions.

My health isn't great and I'm very worried I won't be able to drive at night for instance doing this job, driving really takes it out of me, as well as increasing the pain I am in. I love the animals, but being so rural everyone is spread out.

Still I've had fishfingers and Bran$tons beans and feel half way human now, and I have Polo to cuddle.

eta, the proposal about the pension changes was first made in 1995, I have absolutely no recollection of it, I was too busy working and bringing up my DD and trying to keep up with ex's affairs, and coping with my first mental breakdown so in 1995, my pension was the last thing on my mind.

RosiePuddingPaws

Sorry to hear things are such a struggle Byatt. I fully understand the high cost of driving when you live in a rural area. Keep giving Polo cuddles - they're usually good for raising the spirits. Sadly only one of mine likes cuddles, and she is unlikely to be with me much longer. 19 and her back legs are getting really wobbly. She wiggles her way down the hall like some fancy supermodel!

RPP