NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

mumto2monkeys_2

mrsscattercushion wrote: »

Hi there, lovely to have you as an understanding ship-mate!
I've had chronic pain and fatigue for over a year and all manner of tests tried and meds combos, only diagnosed a couple of weeks ago. Hubby and I have spoken about our options for many months, as my job was very demanding, commuting not great and having an unpredictable condition with an unpredictable job was sending my health spiraling down.

I'm hoping this break will allow me to o all of what you're aiming for and it to be more under control to allow me to return to work in the future, although might be a change of career....we'll see.

I'm blessed with 2 understanding GP's, great family and friend support so i'm trying to remain hopeful!! x

It sounds like you are really well supported. Take good care of yourself and enjoy the stress lifting. I'm sure having the chance to focus on yourself will pay dividends. DSis has ME and fibro, she had a lot of time away from work but is so much better for it now. She works PT in a career where she still has opportunities, but she is very careful to recognise the signs of her condition and not to push herself.

bookworm_nat123

Im another one with ME and possibly fibro, they cant decided if thats what the pain is or whether its another symptom hmm

cant believe how many there are xx

greenbee

kittie - I'm going to have to do the same as you, and focus on getting myself off sugar again. I have no idea why I eat it - it makes me thirsty, doesn't satisfy any hunger pangs, increases sensitivity to pain (and I was a chronic pain sufferer for years, so you think i'd want to avoid it) and generally makes me feel rubbish. I'm not supposed to eat sucrose as I can't digest it properly and it can make me very unwell.

I find meal planning, keeping busy and drinking herbal tea at every available opportunity (particularly those 'i'm bored' eating moments) helps. I also do better when I'm juicing, but I try to keep fruit out of the juices as it doesn't help the sugar cravings if you have sweet juices. In fact, I try to minimise fruit generally and maximise the portions of veg during the day to compensate.

moments_of_sanity

Another CFS/Fibro sufferer here, I unfortunately had to give up work in June 2013 as I was unable to work. My wonderful DH works full time to support us all but I consider my job now to be budgeting, meal planning, keeping on top of washing (as much as I can) and just little things to make his life a little easier.

My CFS/fibro eased a little before Christmas and I really thought it was going into 'remission' but unfortunately the last 5 days it has been bad again. So lovely to meet others who have an understanding of the condition, so many people I meet (including family) have no idea what it is, how it affects you and how it leaves you feelings.

I have taken the plunge today and purchased the YNAB as is it 75% off today and I am hoping this will help with my budgeting as part of the CFS/Fibro is 'brain fog', so I can't always concentrate long enough to remember why I have put money into certain accounts and what for! :eek:

Thistle-down

I have decided that as part of my not buying it year, I am going to stop dying my hair. It is quite long, and I have been dying it for about 10 years now since I first spotted some grey hairs coming in. My natural colour is a med brown but I have been dying it a lovely dark choc brown.

Really pretty, thick, shiny silver hair runs in my family, and I am hoping that is what I will eventually have. I look much younger everytime I dye it but I also want to have long grey hair down to my waist by the time I'm 60 (in 10 years). That ain't gonna happen if I keep colouring it. I think the first year it will be the toughest for not caving in, but I am pretty sure it will be worth it.

Wondering about getting some silver highlights to make the transition easier but that would be buying it...

cydney65

Another fibro person here! Also have RA, SLE and Raynaud's. Had to give up work 10 years ago.

Well I'm a bit gobsmacked today. OH casually mentioned that she wanted to move in 2015. After picking myself off the floor I asked her why, but the only things she could come up with was that she didn't like the downstairs furniture and that there were cardboard boxes upstairs! Hmmm.

I have promised to de-clutter in the next couple of days and sell some stuff to see if that would help but OH has a history of this and I know I will probably cave in and we will move in a few months arrgghh. This is the last time though, I want a forever home after moving four times in 10 years, I'm getting too old for this.

Hope everyone is okay today. We will be breaking out the sparkling water later.

CydneyX

[Deleted User]

greenbee wrote: »

kittie - I'm going to have to do the same as you, and focus on getting myself off sugar again

I try to keep fruit out of the juices as it doesn't help the sugar cravings if you have sweet juices. In fact, I try to minimise fruit generally and maximise the portions of veg during the day to compensate.

I only eat a tiny bit of fruit these days maybe 2 pieces a week and we eat a tonne of veg. It was so hard at first, the sugar addiction but I don`t crave sugary things now and even made my christmas cake without icing. One thing we have done and that is to go from lo or no salt to adding salt according to our taste buds. Very new research out that low salt is causing health problems and sugar is in fact the cause of heart problems. I see the living proof in my dh, long story but 40 years of low salt. He is an athlete for pity`s sake. Look up low salt and aldosterone link. Dh has been able to cut his bp pills by 3/4 and we are aiming for zero bp meds within two months. He has got his life back but honestly not a tale for open forum as I don`t want to influence people.

Ok I cannot read and run. Read about cholicalciferol (D3) and what happens when the body is short of it. We were members of http://www.grassrootshealth.net/daction for several years and undertook blood sampling. Started with very low D3 and now within the optimum range for good health

thriftwizard

Also putting my hands up to not being able to go the month without supermarket/chain store shopping, partly because the one I've been able to get to over the holidays simply hasn't had two items that I would have needed to stock up on! What I will do instead is limit my accrued supermarket spends to £100 over the month; I'm feeding 6 full time and often up to 10, as well as 3 cats, one with special dietary requirements, and am away for 4 days in a different area with unknown shopping/eating opportunities, so that's a fair commitment to keeping out of them.

I've bought one item since Christmas, excluding a couple of longed-for books bought with Christmas cash; a pair of warm driving gloves. Mine completely vanished; I expect they'll turn up again, but in the recent cold I couldn't drive any distance without them, and I'm in a position where I may have to at the drop of a hat. So an unanticipated purchase, and not budgeted for, but affordable & very necessary.

CAFCGirl

I_want_a_baby wrote: »

Morning all,

Loving this thread as always :-)

I've been thinking about the no supermarket challenge and how I want it to work for us:

Meal plan for the week ahead thurs - weds to fit in with local market - put a weeks worth of food budget cash into purse on weds eve.

Milk delivery from local dairy - up and running & working well.

Meat from butchers - best local butcher for miles my sister works at and can get us any of their meat at the catering price less 20%. I'm embarrassed to say I've not bought from them in ages due to sheer laziness. Text sister to order weds eve and collect thurs morning.

Veg etc at local Thursday market. I think I should be able to buy all veg, cheese, fish, possibly even some items like foil etc from the discount stall - I need to have a good look and suss out what it sells.

Fruit & veg ongoing - we will be growing lots of fruit and veg on our land, I'm hoping this will provide lovely organic food, for very little money and exercise too!

Anything else - for the odd single item needed, to avoid visiting a supermarket I will buy in the local village shop. I will pay over the odds but save fuel and support a local business.
Finally I am going to try waitrose for anything I can't buy above hopefully only once every few weeks.

The only two caveats I have is I am not sure how far our budget will stretch - but the only way to find out is to do the above!
And health must come first - a takeaway would use the same amount of money as it would to buy two weeks fruit and veg at the market or two weeks worth of tins/packets from waitrose so I must choose to eat better over convienience and laziness!

I'm on maternity leave from now so I should have plenty of time to plan/shop/cook which I intend to use wisely doing this rather than waste watching tv!

I shall report back with my progress! It's extremely convienent that the challenge starts on a Thursday too!

IWAB x

ETA : also I must stick to only buying what is on the list and I must take bags with me!

Plus! Where possible I must try to make foods myself rather than buy them. Treats such as biscuits and cake, pies, possibly crackers, try making different types of breads etc. I already make my meals homemade and don't buy ready meals but can expand on what I do.

Thats epic!
Well done you for thinking about it so considerably and considerately. I like those rules :T

mrsscattercushion

mumto2monkeys wrote: »

Please can I ask what sorts of things do you do to manage it?

I'm 35 now and it scares me how seized up I am on a morning. I'm also constantly in pain, but I'm used to it so I tolerate it, if that makes sense? The hardest thing recently has not being able to get proper sleep. I've piled on weight as I'm so tired, I just eat to try and compensate to keep me going. I work FT still at the moment - daft hours - as I am main earner and we owe money, so don't feel I can stop.

I'm worried it might stop me though...

I think I've always had it, but dealing with extreme stress caused by DD being seriously ill and still trying to work through it with employers who heaped more stress on was what tipped me over the edge.

It's a horrible condition at times. I've previously been referred to the pain clinic and had acupuncture as well as 6 week group sessions in managing pain. It did help me understand the cycle of pain/sleep/depression. I also got a range of stretching exercises which I do in the morning (and will start in evening too) to help with the stiffness (mine is predominantly in my arms and back). Also got some strengthening exercises and some relaxation/mindfulness CDs to hep relax.

Only 3 years back I was doing kettlebell, pilates and did Yorkshire 3 peaks...I'm lucky now if I manage a few miles...I am taking some of the moves/exercises and modifying them to try and keep my stiffness and weight gain (lovely meds!!) at bay....all part of my new year plan..

Pacing is the hardest thing...I have a good day, wonder if I'm reall that much in pain and go do loads of things...then crash...that was the hardest thing re work.....so i know I need to work on this.

Having good support around me has been crucial, especially in the darkest days when you feel 90 and am only 38!
x