Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2016

mumto2monkeys_2

I'm hoping it's okay if I join?

After 13 years of teaching FT, it is really taking a toll on my health. I have fibromyalgia and it is getting increasingly hard to manage each day. I often work 70 or more hours and it's just not sustainable.

I've asked to drop some hours, but I'm not sure whether it will be agreed. Obviously, a drop in hours is a drop in income. If it is refused, I need to start building some security in case there comes a time when I can no longer do my job.

I've earned well but spent it all and more besides. I tried an old style way of living a few years ago and paid down a lot of debt, but soon ended up back in the same spending pattern.

I think the penny has finally dropped that I am living to work, that the hours I do take away any motivation to be careful with money and result in self indulgent spending to make myself feel better.

My aim is to tighten things up drastically as I believe that I may finally find some freedom and happiness by living that way. There are so many things I would like to do, but trapped in the work/spend cycle, I never have the time and energy.

So, I've set a budget and am firmly back on the make do and mend lifestyle.

nursemaggie

This is nothing new. This is 43 years ago. (1972) Was expecting DD had to have minor operation in early pregnancy. A few days later they discharged me. They took me out of bed and gave my bed to another patient around 8.30am. Dr had not yet discharged me.

9.30am nurse came to tell me they could not contact my husband. Of course not he is a rep he could be anywhere between Birmingham and the Scottish borders. What time will he be home? How should I know I don't know where he is. It could be five, could be nine. Depends how far he has gone.

1 pm. I pass out. They take someone else out of their bed and put me in. Mother comes an hour later I don't tell her I have been discharged as not sure if they want to keep me now. Half hour later dad comes for mum they are going out for the rest of the day it's dad's day off.

Another half an hour later ward sister is panicking. They need the bed I would be better at home. Unfortunately hospital is right out in the countryside, nearest bus stop is over a mile away I have only nighties and dressing gown, all relatives uncontactable. We also live right out in the countryside in a different direction.

Husband eventually phoned the ward at 9pm. I went home at 10.30pm. Of course the other patient whose bed I had taken had to be found another bed on another ward.

Now why do they have to have a mysterious discharge day. You go in for an op. There is a standard discharge date for each op. Occasionally someone reacts badly to the anesthetic someone gets and infection it happens but it is rare.

They should arrange for discharge 48 hours before then none of this would happen. Meds could be ordered the day before and come with the wards normal morning delivery.

The discharge coordinator sounds a good idea. Some hospitals do have discharge wards but it is still a muddle.

mrssnowy_2

Discharge from hospital
My Mum was in hospital for 8 weeks last year after a fractured hip and heart attack at the same time.Heart eventually settled well enough for her to have partial hip replacement.
When discharge was discussed I said that as we lived an hour from hospital and Mum lives on her own ,that she would need occupational therapy assessment and equipment to enable independent living.It was suggested that this could be done when she got home on a Friday-I refused to have her home until the toilet seats etc arrived.
That worked ,but basically Mum was a bed blocker for a few days because of lack of discharge co-ordination.
It wasn't easy to coordinate all that was needed, physio/OT/pharmacy/equipment/home carers/home alarm/Community nurses,even as a Practice nurse(now retired!).
Mum has done very well,hated the toilet seat-so that went quite soon.Loves the cleaner-good friend of mine.
Is able to do all her own cooking,eats very well.She has always been a real MMMer and taught me all sorts of stuff.
Mums loves something for not much and seeing how far it will go.
My makedo today,tom-yum soup,chicken stock and meat from earlier in the week ,fridge bottom bits and noodles,really good if a bit spicy.
No mending,but I am aiming for a sewing day tomorrow.
Minimising-just newspapers.
Oh yesterday minimized money into one account,off to NEC mid March so got train tickets for 4 of us to go,went to cinema last evening.Money moving everywhere!

Watching the rugby with half an eye,but not as nerve wracking as when Wales are playing.

mrss

mumto2monkeys_2

Okay, so launching in with a minimise: stack of CDs. Still trying to get DH to break his emotional ties. He pays for Deezer - a music streaming service - and has no CD player, so I have no idea why we keep them. I have a few because I have a CD player in the car, but that still doesn't justify the numbers we keep. I've had a good cull ready for a trip to the CS.

Make do: trying not to spend £££ on treats and groceries as this is our downfall. Decided to bake instead. Made a cake and flapjacks are in the oven, rather then shopping for chocolate and other weekend sweets. I don't think this is really making do though as they smell lovely .

Mend: none. Crocheting lots though - making blankets as Christmas gifts this year. I'm about 1/4 through a Kingsize Coastal Ripple, pattern thanks to Attic 24. I have to be careful with concentration though as I've had to pull it back thanks to too many stitches a couple of times.

HOWMUCH

Good evening all
Shorty your boys sound wonderful and likeable little characters.

Welcome mumto2monkeys and hope you settle and keep posting. We've all got things to share and tips to give and a friendly bunch.
Well my DS came today with a Savoy cabbage its larger than a football, he said he was walking past a green grocers saw it and thought of me, lol. So bless him he handed over the 69p and then spotted a bag of 8 gala apples lovely red ones for £1 so he got them too. He knows what we like and what I'd buy bless him. So savoy will feature a lot in our meals this week.
DGS has gone to his dad's for the next 2 weeks, we won't see him then he's back home for a week and then it's holiday time for the 3 of us. We are going to Cleethorpes Lincolnshire Mon to Fri coming home good Friday before it gets too busy. We booked last July and got it for the bargain price of £41.28 after quidco. We will walk on the beach,go to the soft play area and the park area, swim in the pool and there is entertainment should we wish to go.
Not much MMM here today x

MrsCD

Made veg toad in the hole for tea to use up some bendy veggies and a packet of Yorkshire pudding mix. Had some garden peas and gravy, and DH had some leftover sliced beef. We all agreed that it was quite tasty.

savingpennies

Good morning all.
Thank you Bubblesmum for the recipe. I have only just seen it but have already copied it and put it in my recipe file for when I cook curry next.
Mumto2monkeys - I'm just about to retire after 32 years as a teacher. I've seen lots of teachers leave because of ill health, and it's the reason why I am now throwing in the towel. I think the kind of lives we live now, working full time, running homes, bringing up families and the long hours associated with many jobs cause a lot health problems. The trouble is everything costs so much so we have to work to pay for things. I'm convinced that at the bottom of it is our obsession with 'stuff' -most of which we don't need.
Several years ago I lead a group of students and staff to India where we worked together in schools and orphanages. When we got back the students had to put on a presentation to the principal, governors and parents. When they were asked what they had learnt, one boy's answer stood out: 'What I have learnt is that you don't need stuff to be happy.' Says it all really.

mumto2monkeys_2

savingpennies wrote: »

Mumto2monkeys - I'm just about to retire after 32 years as a teacher. I've seen lots of teachers leave because of ill health, and it's the reason why I am now throwing in the towel. I think the kind of lives we live now, working full time, running homes, bringing up families and the long hours associated with many jobs cause a lot health problems. The trouble is everything costs so much so we have to work to pay for things. I'm convinced that at the bottom of it is our obsession with 'stuff' -most of which we don't need.
Several years ago I lead a group of students and staff to India where we worked together in schools and orphanages. When we got back the students had to put on a presentation to the principal, governors and parents. When they were asked what they had learnt, one boy's answer stood out: 'What I have learnt is that you don't need stuff to be happy.' Says it all really.

This is exactly the conclusion I am reaching. I'm 36, so have another 30 years in front of me in work (at least) unless we break this whole addiction to buying things. We've come a long way from what we were like a few years ago, before MSE, but I still haven't tightened up enough and I'm a pest for falling into buying what I think are solutions to why I'm so unhappy: if I buy this book/item of clothing/cleanser etc, suddenly my life will be transformed. It sounds really stupid writing it down, yet I think we have been incredibly brainwashed. I'm a child of the glossy magazine 90s, believing if I worked hard, I could buy the life of my dreams. Sadly, I've worked so hard I've made myself sick and I had the life of my dreams all along, I was just too busy to realise it.

Change is happening now before I collapse under the weight of it all.

mumto2monkeys_2

I should add, savingpennies, congratulations on retiring!

squeezedmillennial

I completely identify with this- we have houses stuffed with clutter and unnecessary gadgets for every little purpose. And all of it costs money, takes away our time, and just adds to our frustration. It's hard to move away from it, but definitely a step in the right direction- consumption will never truly satisfy us