OS Singlies - We Do It Our Way!

mum2one

thank you to everyone for the good wishes, - I managed a journey to the hospital without getting lost.... even thou I nearly fell out with the sat nav, - it kept telling me "recalculating recaluating" whoops...

Hes ok, bit of a downer in himself so tried the hard approach, I had to suggest he has a shave, he asked me to do it, started then whoops I couldn't just get it right,.... so he had to do it himself... but think did the trick, were taking the dog to see him on Friday, asked the sister and she said as long as he is just on the fluid drip, they can disconnect it and wheelchair him down to the entrance... so fingers crossed, it may be the boost he needs.

Organised day tomorrow - drop DD off at swimming baths, then run around banks, etc and then pick DD, next task be take the dog for his booster jabs, xx

natzini

Hello all!

I used to be involved here a few years ago when I was with my ex, but now I'm single and in a house share. I'm trying to get back as OS as I can whilst sharing a kitchen. It's very difficult indeed! I also have one drawer in a freezer and a shelf in the fridge - makes it even more difficult. But I need to cut my spending, clear some debt, and get into a place of my own.

Nice to meet you all!

moneyistooshorttomention

Horace wrote: »

One of my friends lives in Ilfracombe and her brother has just opened up a boutique hotel which is rather charming and what is really good about it is that there is a reduction for single occupancy - not many hotels do that, normally you get charged for two people even if you are taking up less space.

Good for him:T

I'm actually rather surprised that businesses haven't started catering rather more for singles, as I would say its a growth market. There are millions of us out there now, so it seems really odd that so many things are based around people being in couples or families still.

Those 2 for 1 meal deals people mention are precluding singles coming at that time, because we don't want to pay twice the price for our meal as anyone else (guess we could always take a doggy bag with us and take away the 2nd meal to put in the freezer). Don't know how well that would go down...as the places will be bargaining on two peoples worth of booze being bought with the meals and on making their profits there I guess.

Bogofs in supermarkets are another thing.

I have been doing various outings in my new location and sometimes that includes an entrance ticket to get in somewhere and there are often family prices...so I mentally divide the cost of a family ticket by 4 and a quarter of a "family ticket" always costs more than a single persons ticket and that still seems to apply for me personally (ie now I'm looking for concessionary prices, as a pensioner). The one blessing is that I'm accepted as a pensioner at these places...courtesy of being both retirement age and retired and not denied the concession on the grounds of not having reached that "Revised State Pension Age" yet. That's one blessing of being in Wales now, ie that I can produce my buspass as proof of being retirement age (as that still comes at 60 here), though its all too unflattering that they look at my white hair and take my word for it...think I might start dyeing my hair again at my revised SPA.

moneyistooshorttomention

BTW

Hi Natzini:)

JustKeepSwimming_2

Phew - caught up now while drinking several cups of tea.

Mum2one - so glad to hear your Dad is improving.

Hello to all the newbies

BW - I have family in Bristol so know some parts of it quite well. The city is a fun place to go out, with lots of different types of pub/clubs/eateries & the shopping is quite good (not my thing, but I can stroll along the mostly independent Gloucester Rd for hours). I probably wouldn't go (as I'm far too old to be out gallivanting & haven't felt that sociable for years :rotfl:) but I'd certainly want to know more about the potential costs & activities planned.

I went on one years ago where we were given costumes to wear (I had a ladybird mac :eek:) & the hen had to complete certain tasks - the one that sticks in my mind most is that she had to get a pair of pants off a man. I had no idea that any of this would be happening before I went, & the whole evening descended into chaos & anarchy (2 girls got arrested for criminal damage at a bar). That was the last hen night I went on.

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Good for him:T

I'm actually rather surprised that businesses haven't started catering rather more for singles, as I would say its a growth market. There are millions of us out there now, so it seems really odd that so many things are based around people being in couples or families still.

This really annoys me too - I remember my DS asking why we weren't a real family as we couldn't get a family ticket when he was 6, which I was both sad & cross about. We also had to pay almost as much to get in for the 3 of us as the standard 2+2 family :mad:

Those 2 for 1 meal deals people mention are precluding singles coming at that time, because we don't want to pay twice the price for our meal as anyone else (guess we could always take a doggy bag with us and take away the 2nd meal to put in the freezer). Don't know how well that would go down...as the places will be bargaining on two peoples worth of booze being bought with the meals and on making their profits there I guess.

Has anyone else been refused a table at a restaurant as a singlie? I wanted to treat myself to lunch at a fish restaurant one year, but was told they were too busy to allow a single diner, as they'd lose money on that table that was designed to sit 2 :mad:. Talk about humiliation - I was inside by this time & there were others in the queue behind me who heard this conversation, so I walked out feeling I had a social leper sign above my head. Yes, they were busy but I could see about 5 tables that were still empty when I went in. I'll certainly never go there again!

I hadn't thought about asking for the 2nd meal to be put in a doggy bag for me - sounds like quite a good idea but I wonder if they'd go for it? Anyone tried it?

I do get a little cross bout all these 2-4-1 offers, but I guess they make back their money on 2 lots of drinks, so they're not going to want to encourage us singlies.

I'd like more places to offer single seating so that we singlies don't end up having to share a table with someone we wouldn't choose to share with - am I the only singlie who gets the raucous family perching on the same table, swearing away :rotfl:

Right, must get on. I have the delight of sorting out the freezer today & defrosting it (oh, the fun), & getting new school shoes & rugby boots for DS (so not an MSE day for me ).

Hugs to all.

Horace

Hello folks (and newbies).

Had to go out this morning to GP to see the health trainer who wasn't there..grrr (she made the appointment). I took the car and headed to the supermarket to do a bit of shopping, in reality I was after a 16 roll pack of loo roll which was on offer (if it is still on offer next week, I will go and buy another pack). I got some fresh veg, milk including a long life milk for my winter store cupboard, passata (it was on offer), a savers jar of sliced beetroot - it costs 39p and is enough for me plus I get a nice jar to use afterwards when I bottle fruit. Treated myself to a magazine too - something called Style as it is about cheap ideas for your home, gives you tips on upcycling, contains recipes and where housey type bargains are to be had (the mag also gives me ideas).

Got a bit sniffly in the supermarket too (don't laugh) as there was a collection for Troop Aid which is a local charity - all monies raised go to the troops as they are provided with grab bags containing toiletries, pants, t-shirt, shorts, razors etc because when they are taken from the battle field and bought to hospital here they have nothing. Despite being skint, I rummaged in my purse for some coppers and bunged them in the box.

Best crack on - I have calls to make and applications to complete and submit.

moneyistooshorttomention

Re the doggie bag, I've only summoned up the nerve to ask once or twice for one, but was given one with no problem when I did so.

It wasn't one of those 2 for 1 meal offers. Just an ordinary meal, where I thought the portions were rather bigger than I wanted as I recall. From memory, they were quite gracious about it and didn't make me feel like it was any problem at all.

I think I put my request with a smile and a comment about "What a shame it would be to waste such nice food...." type thing, so they could take it as a compliment iyswim.

There's always large handbags, with a freezer container stashed away in their depths anyway....

ellie99

JustKeepSwimming wrote: »

Has anyone else been refused a table at a restaurant as a singlie?

I have, made me feel terrible, like some lone saddo!

I had read about a band online (not famous, they mostly play small venues in their local area) and decided I wanted to see them.
Their area is about 100 miles from where I live, but somewhere I visit regularly...so I booked a B&B for a couple of nights (run by a lovely singlie, but even she was surprised I was travelling alone!).

On the evening I drove to the pub/restaurant nice and early, planning to eat before the band came on. The pub had 2 or 3 tables with "Reserved" signs on them, but they also had a large restaurant room, fairly empty, and no reserved signs...but when I asked if I could eat, the waitress said all the tables were booked and they couldn't fit me in...ALL of them?

So I just left and sat in my car in the car park for a little while watching all the couples and groups going in, and thought "WTH am I doing here?" I thought about trying somewhere else to eat, but my confidence had been knocked and I just went to the chippy.

However...I tried again...the following year I saw they were playing at a different hotel, and booked a room for the weekend (they had ONE single room). When I arrived, the owner apologized that they had a band playing that night and it would be noisy in my room (he assumed I'd be sitting in my room!), but when I said I planned to be in the bar listening to them, he couldn't have been nicer...he picked me out a little table for my meal, and showed me where the band would be playing, and suggested where I should sit (at the bar, which was quite nice, as people talked to me). Felt a little odd being on my own all evening, but I was glad I'd gone.

Since then, I've seen the band several times, the last time with new friends I've made in the area, so I'm glad I tried again.

I know businesses are there to make money, but I'm sure they have no idea how hurtful it can be to be turned away, and how much courage it may have taken someone to turn up in the first place. And it may backfire on them a bit...I've since stayed at the hotel which made me feel welcome several times, and sometimes taken friends and family with me, so we've spent a fair bit there...I won't be back to the first place.

And I've also had to try and explain to my boys why we couldn't have a family ticket when there was just 3 of us...annoying when paying for 3 is as expensive as a family ticket!

apologies for rambling

ellie99

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

There's always large handbags, with a freezer container stashed away in their depths anyway....

I've thought this too!

I've never had the nerve to ask for a doggy bag (and was maybe a bit too greedy because I'd eat most of it at the time :rotfl:), but since I've been dieting I find pub portions are much too big.
I was thinking plastic container and a large handbag...

Does anyone know what the kitchens use to pack the leftovers? How easy is it to carry home?

LavenderBees

Bloomin 'eck!:eek: Being turned away from a restaurant for being on your own?? That's horrendous . We should set up a name and shame section, that would sort the bu66ers out!

I've not quite had that, but have had the old "looking over your shoulder to make sure you haven't just forgotten you have someone with you" :cool:, and also the even older "giving you a horrible table at the back of the room, next to the loos ". The last time that happened, I objected loudly and firmly (nearly scared the !!!!!! out of myself as I would normally skulk away than confront :rotfl:), and ended up in the centre of the room, beside a big picture window :T. Nonetheless, I found it difficult to do, and just as difficult to remain in the room. But that's more about my usual inability to confront than anything that the restaurant did wrong. They were meticulous with their serving of me after that

I also refuse to do the reading a book at the table thing that lots of singlies do. I just gaze around, and smile at people, often have had nice chats with the waiters/other customers (whether they want to or not ), then guzzle my meal, and leave.

Mostly, on my singlie forays out for a meal, I've been treated with respect, thank goodness. My confidence would be rock bottom, if not!

But I am appalled at how much singlies are ignored by the entrepreneurs of the world - there is a HOOOOGE market of us out there, getting bigger every year (the market, not us, tho there may be an element of that, too ), and yet holidays, restaurants, supermarkets etc vastly under cater for us. More fool them, I say!

I can fairly often be found in a local supermarket, holding up the bogofs and declaring loudly to the 16 year old supermarket manager :cool:, "I'd like half of this at half the price?". Not had any success yet, but I guess that's one reason why, if you have time, it's good to shop in small shops so you can weigh out what you need rather than what the supermarket wants you to have!

On the doggy bag subject - I never have anything left - but if I did and wanted it, I'd def ask for a doggy bag, why not? Potentially, you've already been completely embarassed at asking for a table for one, being given the table half in the lift shaft, been rushed through your meal to get rid of you quickly,... what's a little more embarassment?

:rotfl:

Barstewards, I say! :mad:

Gosh, I'm in a bolshy mood today...something to do with extreme boredom and only 6 more work gettings ups before my hols

I worked out my money last night for this coming payday and next month's expenses, and it is safe to say that my pay this month is going to be squeezed until it squeaks :eek:. Help! Thank goodness for a store cupboard full of baked beans, and a freezer full of gawd knows what. I knew I was over spending - a combo of buying some hols clothes, needing cattery/hens looking after, vets bills for my darling old boy, needing the chimney swept etc etc, have all mounted up. I think I have a fiver left...so, I doubt I'll be braving any restaurants for quite some time.

Enjoy your Wednesday afternoons, whatever you are doing.

LB xx