'supporting each other through really tough times'

the_cake

Happy March to everyone! I really don't know where my few pennies (and fewer pounds ...) went to last month, it was dire, so this month I am making a new resolution: to write down all outgoings, so that at least I can see where the little b***ers are disappearing to. Including the STOs and DDs, which always give me a nasty surprise.
Hugs to all in need, xx the cake xx

ginnyknit

Peanut, welcome on board Sounds like you have lots of supprt there which is fab and a sound head on your shoulders, your lo will be rich in things that money cannot buy bless his little cotton socks.

We offer laughter, tears, good advice and a shoulder to lean on here.

Looks like a quiet day for me, Oh is sleepy after a poor couple of nights and though I have enjoyed a few short trips out this week I now need to knuckle down and get things done at home. You would think I had been out far and wide instead of a couple of miles away :rotfl: Trips further than the sm and DD's are a major day out for us now but I am getting used to it. The good news is the driveway is finished and the car is right at the door :T:T:T no more slipping and sliding on the grass verge, no more hauling bags up the path and bonus is DGS can play on the driveway with his truck while I sit on a chair and supervise. My house will be totally mud free. The little things in life are so important.

ivyleaf

Just delurking to say thanks to everyone for this lovely supportive thread. I read it every day. Sending (((HUGS))) to everyone in need of them.

Fuddle - my DD is a paediatric nurse. One thing she did before applying to Uni was to volunteer at the local hospital, helping the Play Therapist. She loved doing that, and it showed that she was good at, and enjoyed, working with sick children. Of course you'll be too busy to do that once you start your Access course, but may be something you could consider in the meantime.

She is currently working with children with special needs.

HTH.

westcoastscot

GreyQueen wrote: »

:eek: I've just had my rent increase letter. And have worked out that my rent has gone up 47% since 2005.

Ye gods and little fishes. Don't even want to add up the service charges............. I'll save that for another day when I'm feeling stronger.

My income is 13% higher this year than in 2005, mainly due to changing jobs and working a few more hours a week as haven't been getting any pay increases, not even the most measly ones, for years. But I'm working at the limits of my strength at the moment and there isn't any more oomph to give.

No wonder I was hearing the pennies screaming for mercy whenever I opened my purse. They try to hide in the seams, clinging on with little fingernails for all I know, desperate not to leave the comforting depths.

Ach well, must keep on keeping on.

It's grim isn't it? I'm right at the end of my stretch, in fact a couple of weeks ago the elastic band pinged open and I had to take a step back from the edge. I'm not sure what else we can do to save/stretch money? i have the opportunity of some maternity cover - an extra day's work a week - which i'm probably going to take to ease the financial situation a little, but it's probably not going to positively impact my health - its a balancing act between maintaining my current level of health as long as I can and preparing for when my health worsens. It's gone downhill considerably in the past two years but think i've got a grip now.

I was at our wee ironmonger/sell all shop and purchased some more hand tools of various kinds - I find i'm at my best now in the garden on my hands and knees - I can stay down there an hour, but getting down and then up again is another matter! I take a flask of tea with me :rotfl: Could be a new TV show? the crawling gardener?????????????

Peanut2013

Thank you all. We've been lucky and a friend has given us a box of 15 bottles and loads of teats which her LO no longer needs. She was going to bin then but said she'd rather they went to a nice home Probably saved us about £50 easily?

Also just bought off another friend 5 bin liners crammed full of 0-12 month clothes for £40 there are so many 0-3 months that we actually don't need to buy a single thing. Plus it's all gorgeous

Thinking of a sofa day today as nothing planned. Could then finish LOs thank you cards should prob sort the kitchen too and take a curry out of the freezer for tea (batch cooked before LO turned up). Just need to cook rice to go with it

Then tomorrow I'm treating myself to go to my local football team as they have an offer for only £5 compared to £25 normally I used to go every week for about 7 years but haven't been for 18 months due to cost . LO gets an even better afternoon as he's off to nannys which means long walk with the dogs and lots of nanny and grandad cuddles! Spoilt child!! Lol

nuttyp

Hi, well so far today ive stripped a bed - still floating round the machine. Have picked my mum up and taken her shopping. We went to aldi and shared the voucher. Popped over to sainsbugs to get some meat pies for OH pack up as he doesnt want sandwiches.

Definatley feeling the pinch her too, petrol has gone up 8p over the last 3 weeks. And ive noticed lots of the basic items had had a few pennys added on to them. My hours have gone down at work so we are going to have to be more imaginative on stretching the pennys.

Usually for our birthdays we treat ourselves and go out, this year we are having lunch at home. DD is making the birthday cake as they are so expensive now. Can i see things changing, not at the moment. Have decided to work on the farm, when the flowers starting being cropped. It only lasts a few weeks, but every penny.... Have started sorting things for carbooting, they should start around here in a few weeks.

Must get cleanign started, bathroom is first!!

[Deleted User]

Hello PEANUT nice to have you with us, just remember not to drink tea when reading this thread, or the safety of your keyboard cannot be guaranteed, go ask us ALL how we know!!!!! Good to have new contributors with new ideas and different perspectives on life.

I have just been to our local farm shop butchery and parted with £19.75 for which I got 3 1/2 lbs of beautifully hung and matured brisket, 4 enormous faggots big enough for one each to make a good meal, a big pack of fresh sausagemeat flavoured with honey and mustard , a big pack of bacon pieces and a locally grown massive cauliflower. We also went to the veg stall and I spent just under £19 and got a dozen large free range eggs, local purple sprouters,local watercress, local cooking apples,local pears, imported plums, a khol rabi for salads,a big bunch of bananas, 2 x packs of flapjack offcuts at £1 each, some puy lentils, some glace cherries, some mixed peel and some almond essence. I reckon that's enough for meals for a fortnight for the two of us and it is all so much better quality that anything from a supermarket and also mostly locally grown so very low carbon footprint. Worth the outlay I think and really not too expensive. Cheers Lyn xxx.

mardatha

What's faggots Mrs L ?

westcoastscot

Envious of your sausage meat Lyn - we only get it here around christmas - it's so versatile

VJsmum

mardatha wrote: »

What's faggots Mrs L ?

Made the mistake of googling "scotland, faggots" thinking they might be called something else up there - all I can say is that Scottish faggots are totally different to the little balls of offal etc, that we know down here :eek:
:rotfl:

Might you know them as "savoury ducks"? That's what my MIL calls them - but she's Welsh.