The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

ginnyknit

Dust sheets are not meant to be put on the floor, they are meant to be bought and misplaced then spend 2 hours while the man looks for them and goes and does the painting anyway.

Mine shocked me tonight, he enjoyed cauliflower cheese - first time ever :eek:

Im not saying I have had a day of tension but the muscle in my thigh is twitching like crazy. He who is misunderstood has gone to bed and I am determined to stay up and enjoy the peace for a little while longer. Spent 2 hours sitting waiting for camera software to download for his and my cameras then dipped the end of the camera cable in my glass of water so cant flippin well load his pics anyway, seriously this has been a stupid day.

Popperwell

lobbyludd wrote: »

pops - my electric oven is huge and runs at c.2Kwh at top temp (so uses 2kw if run for an hour) chips take 20mins and my electric costs just over 10p per Kw, so it costs me about 7-8p to cook oven chips, less if I have other stuff in the oven cooking at the same time.

I *think* i've read you (or someone!) worrying about costs of cooking food before? I used to worry too, but got one of those electric monitors for free from my electric provider and now know that it costs lots less than I thought - haven't worked out the gas yet though!

It's really important to have hot food when it's cold, it warms you up from the inside.

That's good news about cooking and using an oven...I took up Fuddles suggestion and amazed myself by having bacon, egg and chips(as the bacon shrank and needed using up)I amazed ended up eating 12 rashes of streaky bacon:o:eek:2 eggs and a fair portion of chips with some small buttered bread rolls...

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Any news from Nutty?

I was thinking that and hoping all was well. I meant to post that thought earlier in the day.

gailey_2

Evening guys.

hugs to everyone that needs it.

jem read your post hope things improve.

kidcat same with you you dont stop wish had half your energy.

well this week has been a real eye opener.

Monday we try pick up peice of broken life.

husband goes cab , housing get forms, signs on jsa online, i ring tax credits ask them to send form.s

tue -he had job intereiw appeared go well but half his old salary basic+commison so wont meet current outgoings and have no idea how housing and tax credits would work.

Wed he goes back to hand in hosuing forms they need more id and proof.They also tell him could take weeks.

Today was jsa day-he went for intereveiw.

it gets worse job centre say theres most likly a 13week delay in jsa despite being unfairly dismissed he would have been better off quitting it seems.

When he qasked how hes going to survie can he do agency work they like yes you need to work.

They looked at his cv, hes told them hes applied for several jobs over last few weeks. we have never applied for benefits before all bit bewildering how no ones in hurry or seems to care:(.

He then goes back to housing such a joy they are who tell him will take weeks. he tells them about jsa they suggest a foodbank and they will backdate ad my lovley private landlord and snooty agents will ust have to understand and we go into arrears.
Adding homelessness to list of woes as on annual contract.

ASked how any agency work affect housing they very vague couldent say.

The posties been today still no form from tax credits ad wehn its filled in that take weeks too.

Our rent and major bills due end of this month /start o next month and none of them seem to care can now see why some people use food banks the delay is horrible and worrying.

He rang old head office hes being paid 2 weeks ages_couple days holiday on 25th. so yes we can pay our rent and majority of bills-cant service debts this month so then probably have angry letters and phone calls off them.

He then rang agency and hes got days work tommorow have no idea how il effect benefits will effect jsa as wont pay 1st 13weeks (3months )ad thats acceptable?

thankfully we have food in house.

did reduced run tonight 4diffrent supeermarlets got some ready meals for 35p and some chicken fillets and loaves of bread.

We willl be alright for next few weeks but going to be very tight.

I did try seek happy ness in small things.

had baked potatoes from garden for lunch with some reduced rocket 30p, some reduced cheese and reduced tomatoes.

Eldest come home with another letter for some club £32 she wants to do and moanings shes not school dinners tommorow.

Got balance in nursery we 2 months in credit so takes pressure off there hopefully she can stay until new year then pick up extra day at preschool.

Tried book no smoking clinic for hubby at gps they have waitin list so now signing him up to stoptober at the chemists as its luxury he just cannot afford-so maybe one positive outcome.

Saw school dinners on news uselsss to me when eldest a junior and if sis gets place then she would have cooked meal and elder one wouldent doesnt sit right with me.

had nice reduced tea cost 70p in total,

i always try aim £1 or less when meal planning per portion ajd when shopping im drawn to £1 so if over i carefully think do i relaly need this, is it good value.

Kids are ok none the wiser.

Not told family and freinds hate lieing to family but we need time.

petrol not lasting long .

picked up free bike few weeks back hubby so need to get that on road and we can cycle to school then and try save on petrol costs where we can.

TRying to be upbteat. hubby moans im not upbeat enough.

But its hard when so many barriers to getting help had no idea.

feel vunurable having no savings but been working so hard last few years pay down debts and hate thourght of going down dmp route but maybe only option.

went foraging this morning but blackberres nearly over, plumbs gone.

im just doing only think i can meal plan, buy reduced and try pick up free stuff and d best I can just money such a worry.

burtha

hi can I come and play.... have read for a few years now and in some strange way this thread make me feel more normal, in what is becoming a very sad,strange world, ...on the subject of DH, glad to say mine is very good, at the moment he is working all the hours god sends due to me off work for the last few weeks ( car smash ) , so money very short till we sort things out, but hey I am just glad I am still here and kids not in car ..otherwise normal days we try to be OS , have fantastic chickens, lots of pets , go to work and have 4 kids , so sending hugs to all that need them :wave:

the_cake

Just a quick pop in before I go to bed to say hugs Gailey, so sorry things are so worrying for you, and welcome Burtha! I'm sure you will enjoy the mixture of support, kindness, excellent advice and the little sprinkling of eccentricity that makes up this lovely thread....

fuddle

Welcome Burtha

Gailey, although I appreciate pounds are very valuable at the moment, could you pay your debts at £1 each - token gesture. This way, even with the calls, you won't be setting the ball off with legal CCJ/baliffs threats etc. You could even write to the companies with the situation and explanations, keep records and copies so you can prove to any judge (ages down the line) with debt or trying to evict you that you are trying hard, dealing with it and circumstances have got you into a horrid situation.

http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/debt_advice.php#6 here is where you can get sample letters to creditors for paying £1 token debt repayments

Thinking of you but you will become stable again. You won't be homeless just like that. There are processes LL's have to follow and I don't think they can do anything without the say so of a court. I'm sure someone will be around later who know more about that than I do though. Hang in there.

kidcat

Oh gailey hugs. The benefits system is truly awful at the moment. We were fortunate that we were claiming carer's and income support so it was considerably easier for me to do. I suggest also contacting your landlord now and explaining the situation and that you are trying to hurry things along.

We ran out of bananas today for ds9 packed lunch which is going to cause major meltdown. Can't believe I was so stupid not to check. I just feel like crying.

Hugely busy today and ds15 has begun complaining of backache. He is crying with it even after paracetamol. Will have to squeeze in a visit to the gp but no idea how.
Car is definitely very poorly but I don't know what is wrong with it so garage say it needs to develop. Terrified it will break down and I will miss pick up.

Possession

Oh dear, sorry things seem to be so bad at the moment. Gailey I agree with Fuddle, it will go a lot easier for you in the long run if you can show willing to make those token payments. But I sincerely hope things move faster for you. DH must surely see that he has to stop smoking too.
Kidcat fingers crossed for your car, and hope DS's back improves. And big (((hugs))) because you really don't need all this too.
I have a poorly DD today, and am fully expecting the cast of the RSC to turn up at any moment, such is the drama.

mardatha

Gailey can you not look for a wee job in the evenings or early mornings, even if it's cleaning or waitressing? Then at least you know you'll have something coming in. Been in your shoes pet and you will survive, just cuddle the husband and kids and stay strong xxx.

[Deleted User]

Morning Toughies, it's a lovely sunny day here today, I hope it is as nice where all of you are as that at least is a free pleasure and certainly raises your spirits.

It's very sad to read of all the besetting problems amongst us, and I can understand that when you are first confronted with something huge you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders and the world is a very lonely and difficult place to be. I can understand that feeling of hopelessness and desperation and being lost, with no solution and no obvious help to be had. Things do progress though, maybe not fast enough but progress is made and you will all work your way through whatever is your own personal set of circumstances, and even though you won't believe it today, there will come an ending one day and you'll be through and out the other side. I've been through some pretty tough times myself over the years, never through debt but through things out of my control and you really do have to work very hard to find a positive in life, but if you can, no matter how small it is your world is not completely bleak and friendless. It could be something as small as a smile from someone in the street to something like finding a fiver on the pavement and then it's like christmas, easter and birthdays come together. What keeps me plodding along is hope, we all need hope and something to hope for as much as we need air to breathe to stay alive, hope is very powerful medicine and can make all the difference to how you see life. Hope can make the difference to days being black or just a bit grey. Find something small, something achieveable, something quirky and free to hope will happen today and then make it happen. Start a nature trophy table, get the kids to find conkers, snail shells, different leaves, bird feathers anything really, if you don't know what the bird or leaf is go to the library and find a book and find out, and you'll have achieved happy kids, time in the fresh air and learned something new. Small things but big satisfaction!!! It doesn't take many small successes to make you feel much more positive and when you feel positive, the world is a much less daunting place and your cares are lightened and then you can work towards going forwards and changing things for the better.
You CAN work things out, each and every one of you, it isn't easy and it won't be quick but you'll get through the business much more readily if you can find a glimmer of sunshine at the end of the tunnel, believe me I know, I've been there, Hugs and Love to everyone who needs them, Lyn xxx.