Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

HairyHandofDartmoor

milann said:

Good news that your dh has made a sale and Christmas has been saved for you.
it is definitely an eye opener to the lack of basic resources in schools. I know many teachers and support staff that buy materials. I used to buy a lot of stuff for the groups I worked with. When I changed schools I vowed I wouldn’t do it anymore as I’d taken a pay cut......I still buy an occasional item but on the whole I’ve stopped. 

My town will be totally lost without Debenhams....when I think of the shops lost....BHS, M&S, Burtons, Top Shop, Dotty P, Woolies, Wallis.....and lots of smaller outlets. Makes for a very boring shopping trip. All the places I used to be able to buy my style in the petite ranges of clothes have gone. I think there’s only Primarni left in the town centre itself for clothes. At the far end on a newer complex there is a Next, H&M, and Gap but it’s quite a walk to the opposite side of town....they’ve stopped the little free bus that used to run.

Thanks Milann . You do wonder what other shops might close down at this rate .

HairyHandofDartmoor

badmemory said:

I know that my sister who retired over 20 yrs ago used to buy "stuff", but I can't remember my father ever buying stuff himself.  So it isn't that new a thing.  Although from what she said it was getting worse every year.

I must confess to throwing money away on my central heating.  It is on a thermostat so when the temp drops it comes on.  Why should I be cold because it is August & my heating has been turned off.  My boilerman loves people who turn the heating off for the summer because he gets a lot of callouts as soon as they turn it back on.

We always turn our heating off at night even in the winter as we don't want it to keep coming on and driving up our boiler costs. We have to take the batteries out of our wall thermostat or else it keeps coming on when we don't want it to 😡. Our boiler rarely goes wrong (touch wood).

HairyHandofDartmoor

Sun_Addict said:

That’s fantastic news about DH making a sale. I bet it’s a boost to his confidence too. Also sad about Debenhams closing. I used to go in there a fair bit and always bought my handbags from there. Totally agree with @elizabethhull on ignorant people commenting negatively about the vaccine. If it was left to them smallpox etc would still be rife. 

Thanks SA . I get annoyed with all these silly conspiracy theories, there are some very gullible people in the world who don't use their common sense.

Sunshine_girl2 said:

Great to hear about DHs sale, what a relief for the purse strings. Love hearing about your days at school, hope today is a good one. 

Thanks Sunshine

doingitanyway said:

Yay to DH's sale. 
I'm another one who changed duvet's ages ago!

Thanks DIA

Nicnak said:

I've only got one duvet. I never change from a summer to a winter as I am quite often always cold so have the same one!

Thanks Nicnak . We use a four tog duvet in the summer and swop it for a nine tog one in the winter.

Onebrokelady said:

Well done to your DH for rescuing Christmas, that must be a relief. I've only got one duvet and it's a 15 tog rating because I really feel the cold,I don't sleep under my duvet in the summer I just cover myself with a throw if it's hot. I'm also sad about Debenhams and do feel for all the people who are losing their jobs,we also lost House of Fraser last year. We do have a very nice John Lewis but that a little bit pricier compared to Debenhams. I'm just hoping M&S don't collapse,my poor mum would be devastated 

Thanks OBL . I would never be able to get to sleep under a fifteen tog duvet as I'd be so hot! We use a four tog one in the summer and swop it for a nine tog one in the winter. We'd don't use them together or we'd be far too hot.
I hope MnS doesn't collapse too!

Willowtree222

I don't even know what tog I have! It's probably the biggest I could have got knowing me. I hate being cold and have an electric blanket in bed with me to just take he chill off. 
x

HairyHandofDartmoor

This morning the teacher wanted me to organise the children's DT projects, so I did it at the table in a comfortable chair in the nice warm staffroom 😁. I did have to sit in a cold corridor in the second half of the morning to finish it off though 😩 as I was supervising a child doing a reading assessment and children aren't allowed in the staff room. The child doing the assessment got most of the questions wrong which was agony to watch as I wasn't allowed to help her 😣. Unfortunately I was on playground duty for morning break, there was cold drizzle falling with an icy wind and I'd forgotten my gloves 🧤 so I felt really chilled 😨. Then lunchtime was equally cold as icy rain was still coming down 😨. I still had to tell several children to put their coats on can you believe 😳. I was sitting in a cold corridor for most of the afternoon 😨, apart from when I had to fetch the HT to cart off the tricky boy because he was throwing his shoes and some magnetic letters at the other children 😱. He literally had to be dragged out of the room by the teacher and HT as he refused to leave 😱. Poor little chap, it's funny and sad at the same time as he gets so frustrated that he can't seem to control his behaviour, but there are comedic elements when it almost descends into farce 🙈🤣.

It's going to be even colder tomorrow apparantly so I may look like an icicle when I get home ⛄. At least I'm warm now sat under a blanket, with the heating on and the Christmas lights sparkling on the tree🎄😁.

I hope everyone is having a fun filled Thursday  🙂.

beanielou

Remember your gloves tomorrow 
Put them on a string in your coat 😂

jwil

elizabethhull said:

 But I just don't get the numbers of people who have NO idea about the bureaucratic hoops, delays, and general faffing about that normal research is plagued with. No, this has NOT been rushed through, it's just a massive cutting of red tape - amazing what can be done with enough will and a lot of money !! It also can't be compared with the thalidomide tragedy, which is a totally different scenario. I continue to wish that ignorant people would just keep their mouths shut - sigh !

I totally agree with you elizabethhull, it's so frustrating.

jwil

Congrats to DH on the sale!

I don't know how kids do it, mine are always coming home without their jumpers on, while I'm wrapped up in umpteen layers!

Sun_Addict

I don’t think you feel the cold when you’re young. I can remember going out in strapless dresses in December in the snow as a teenager. Had a coat on top when outside though not totally mad 🤣

beanielou

I did the same!