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

HairyHandofDartmoor

Thank you SSG. I just don't know whether I could ask DS1. I'll have to think about it. It might be easier to use DH's computer when he's at a meeting and not using it himself. I just don't know.

I'm too tired to think, I should probably go to bed .

HairyHandofDartmoor

Today is my weekly food shop and I've decided to get a clothes horse in Mr T (if they still sell them) £15 won't make much difference to our budget but will make a huge difference to the amount of laundry I can get through. When DS3 gets home for Christmas the laundry situation will get much worse as he gets through an outfit a day :eek:.

The sun is shining but there was frost on the windows when I woke up. But I'm coping with my outdoor coat on, fingerless gloves and sitting under a blanket. The tip of my nose and my fingertips feel cold though. Still it's definitely warmer inside than outside .

DH is on a Skype call which may or may not turn into money. Hopefully it might. I've got a horrible feeling that Christmas and Brexit are delaying decisions on purchasing our services .

Anyway, this is why I need a job so we have one secure income. My children are grown up, my health is good, I'm intelligent and sensible, and have a degree in history. I should surely be able to get a job if I try for long enough, even though my only recent experience is working in a school for eleven months . I'm trying to motivate myself because feeling hopeless is a killer .

please-let-me-be-lucky

I hate thinking of you sitting there so cold . It’s no wonder you feel miserable and it’s just so unnecessary in this day and age. Could you not perhaps put the heating on for an hour to take the chill off the house?

What about asking your nocturnal DS if you can perhaps use his laptop during the day while he sleeps? Xx

[Deleted User]

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

Today is my weekly food shop and I've decided to get a clothes horse in Mr T (if they still sell them) £15 won't make much difference to our budget but will make a huge difference to the amount of laundry I can get through. When DS3 gets home for Christmas the laundry situation will get much worse as he gets through an outfit a day :eek:.

The sun is shining but there was frost on the windows when I woke up. But I'm coping with my outdoor coat on, fingerless gloves and sitting under a blanket. The tip of my nose and my fingertips feel cold though. Still it's definitely warmer inside than outside .

DH is on a Skype call which may or may not turn into money. Hopefully it might. I've got a horrible feeling that Christmas and Brexit are delaying decisions on purchasing our services .

Anyway, this is why I need a job so we have one secure income. My children are grown up, my health is good, I'm intelligent and sensible, and have a degree in history. I should surely be able to get a job if I try for long enough, even though my only recent experience is working in a school for eleven months . I'm trying to motivate myself because feeling hopeless is a killer .

Let's hope Mr T does still sells that type of clothes horse and you manage to pick one up today. Maybe the laundry situation when DS is home for Christmas might not be as bad as you feared. After tending to his own laundry needs whilst away he will hopefully have got out of the habit of a fresh outfit each day. He'll know first hand how much effort that takes;). Also, after all the time and effort you took clearing and cleaning his room after he left and after he's been cleaning his own place he might respect his surroundings more when he comes home. Don't let him get away with murder;). Sorry if that sounds a bit blunt:o


I hope your DH's Skype call goes well and he ends up with a lucrative job. This uncertainty that's rife in the whole country at the moment must be making lots of people edgy at the thought of committing to any extra expense business-wise.


I'm sure you have lots more talents and admirable character traits over and above the ones you listed, HH:A. Once you get a job (and actually securing one is the biggest hurdle because all people 'know' of you is what they read on a form) whoever you work for will surely find you a loyal and hardworking colleague. They'll be lucky to have you.

jwil

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

NPow3r just sent me a Customer Satisfaction Survey :mad:. Incredible :mad:. So I just told them in no uncertain terms how very unsatisfied I am with their shoddy service. Not that it will make any difference but it felt good to get it off my chest .

Well done :T :T

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

I'm getting so desperate for money that I've applied for a couple of Christmas jobs. One application came back with one night shift and two day shifts available in supermarkets that are in towns where I don't live and can't get to :mad:.

I'll have to wait and see about the other one. I rang our local bookshop but they've already recruited their Christmas staff. It looks like I've left it too late .

I've sorted out a load of paper statements for the accountants. I needed to print some online statements next, but when I turned my PC on it emitted a high pitched whine and wouldn't turn on . I think it's broken so now we're in trouble.

DH has a year old PC that we bought with some of the pension money, but mine is over five years old. We knew it was on it's last legs but were hoping it would limp on for a bit longer. So now I can't work help DH with work for our business even if I felt able to. DH will have to spend a day printing off stuff for the accountants instead of working. I don't know when he'll fit that in.

Just when you think things can't get any worse they do .

Sorry to hear about the PC. There's a great Techie board on here in the forums and if you post what happened, they will talk you through things to try and fix it. I've posted before and they were brilliant. It might be worth a try. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=29

carbootcrazy wrote: »

Sorry I missed answering this, HH, I got sidetracked by your post about the computer. I didn't mean to ignore your question:o


I'm not spending anything at the moment that isn't absolutely essential either. Every penny I have that's surplus to immediate requirements (and there's precious little of it:() is going straight into my F&F pot.

Yes. I've had the written confirmation which said I have 30 days from 5th November (which is when the offer was verbally accepted on the phone) to pay or the acceptance will be withdrawn. I'll probably do it tomorrow. I plan to do it over the phone by debit card but first need to phone my bank just to be on the safe side. If I suddenly make a big payment of almost £2000 from my current account my bank might think something fishy is going on, seeing as my usual spends are so small. I wouldn't want them to refuse or put a pause on the payment going through straight away. I just have a basic bank account since I started the DMP and I don't think they expect people with them will make such big payments


A couple of my others wanted updated I&E details before they would even consider an offer so these have been sent. Took ages to do, my figures just wouldn't add up. I got different totals every time I tried:eek:. I'd already sent letters with offers but in reply they just asked for I&Es. I assume I need to submit my offers again once they've had the chance to study my figures but maybe they'll consider the ones I already made. Nothing's changed, I don't suddenly have any extra money from anywhere to increase them with. I'll phone them on Friday anyway to see what the next step is. I'm itching to get everything sorted by the end of the year but if it isn't I won't fret about it too much. If I'd got off my rear and started the F&F ball rolling sooner I might have had it all cleared up by Christmas. Typical procrastination behaviour from me:o. When will I ever learn?

That's great news CBC :T :T

HairyHandofDartmoor

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote: »

I hate thinking of you sitting there so cold . It’s no wonder you feel miserable and it’s just so unnecessary in this day and age. Could you not perhaps put the heating on for an hour to take the chill off the house?

What about asking your nocturnal DS if you can perhaps use his laptop during the day while he sleeps? Xx

Thanks Lucky but I can't risk our bills going up even more. It's warmed up a bit now, plus it was lovely and warm in Mr T.

DH had a (very cheap) flat in Newcastle once where the only heating was an open fireplace :eek:. Now that was cold :eek:. We spent ages trying to light a fire the first time and got through a whole packet of firelighters :rotfl:. It's much warmer in Devon luckily.

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

Let's hope Mr T does still sells that type of clothes horse and you manage to pick one up today. Maybe the laundry situation when DS is home for Christmas might not be as bad as you feared. After tending to his own laundry needs whilst away he will hopefully have got out of the habit of a fresh outfit each day. He'll know first hand how much effort that takes;). Also, after all the time and effort you took clearing and cleaning his room after he left and after he's been cleaning his own place he might respect his surroundings more when he comes home. Don't let him get away with murder;). Sorry if that sounds a bit blunt:o


I hope your DH's Skype call goes well and he ends up with a lucrative job. This uncertainty that's rife in the whole country at the moment must be making lots of people edgy at the thought of committing to any extra expense business-wise.


I'm sure you have lots more talents and admirable character traits over and above the ones you listed, HH:A. Once you get a job (and actually securing one is the biggest hurdle because all people 'know' of you is what they read on a form) whoever you work for will surely find you a loyal and hardworking colleague. They'll be lucky to have you.

I got the clothes horse :T. Hmm maybe DS3 will use less laundry when he gets home and maybe he won't :think:. He will appreciate home comforts more I'm sure.

The Skype call won't turn into money yet because the people need to secure funding for their business idea first, so I'm not holding out any hopes, sigh.

Thank you for your kind words . I think I would make a good employee but as you say they can only go by words on paper usually.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I've got another clothes horse so I'm very pleased :T. It's the same as my other one and cost £22. Stepdad gave me £2 towards it and I used my PA money to pay for the rest .

My weekly food bill was £58.92 which is within my £60 budget :T. I bought printer paper for £2.75 but that's a business expense.

I had some Mr T vouchers so spent £8 on a whisky gift set for DS2 for Christmas and £2 towards two packs of half price Pringles to eat on Christmas day (that's not all we'll eat on Christmas day obviously :rotfl:). I'm trying to buy an item of half price food for Christmas every week, so I spread the cost and never pay more than 50% :money:.

I feel more cheerful today. I don't know why but I'm going with it .

jwil

Great news about the clothes horse and even greater news that you are feeling more cheerful

elizabethhull

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

I've got another clothes horse so I'm very pleased :T.
.

Hurray ! Enjoy using it.:j