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

milann

Wow - you have been very productive.
Firstly well done on letting others get use of you mums clothes. I’m sure she’d rather see them go to a good use rather than gathering dust in a bag somewhere. It’s a big step forward to be able to let go of stuff and realise the important things are her legacies of yourself and her grandchildren and the memories you all made together.
I’m pleased you managed to get the guarantor issue sorted and it won’t take your ef.
Re the job being until October - I’ll be surprised if a member of staff doesn’t finish at the end of summer term. I think we have had staff leave every year, and sometimes in between too. So if you make yourself known, as you are doing, I’m sure you’ll get something. When I went to college doing Nursery Nursing part time as a mature student - I put myself on the supply register - went to a school supporting a girl with send for a 2 week cover. Whilst I was there had a phone call from a different head teacher (a relative of the headteacher where I worked) offering me another 2 weeks work - 7 years on I moved on because I’d found another job which appealed to me. I’ve never been out of work since although I’ve changed schools several times - my choice - to gain experience in different areas and ages of children. I know near me they don’t give permanent contracts until after 4 years. I was at my old school for 6 years on a temp contract - then unions intervened and everyone over 4 was given a permanent one.

Sun_Addict

I love Pepsi Max too, the mango one is lush Many years ago when I was a lass LOL, you could get One Cal, they did loads of flavours including shandy, I loved them, wonder what happened to them?

Fingers crossed for you your job becomes permanent, I didn't realise it wasn't. Bear in mind the job I'm in now was just temporary, 19 years later I'm still here. Before that the longest I was in a job was 4 years as the place always closed down after I'd been there 4 years, I was beginning to get a complex :rotfl: There's no way where I work now will ever close down, much to the disappointment of millions of people :rotfl:

HairyHandofDartmoor

beanielou wrote: »

I love pepsi max.
Someone bought me the raspberry one & it is lush!

Another ironing avioder here.A friend gave me an ironing board & I still dont have a cover for it!

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

HairyHandofDartmoor

milann wrote: »

Wow - you have been very productive.
Firstly well done on letting others get use of you mums clothes. I’m sure she’d rather see them go to a good use rather than gathering dust in a bag somewhere. It’s a big step forward to be able to let go of stuff and realise the important things are her legacies of yourself and her grandchildren and the memories you all made together.
I’m pleased you managed to get the guarantor issue sorted and it won’t take your ef.
Re the job being until October - I’ll be surprised if a member of staff doesn’t finish at the end of summer term. I think we have had staff leave every year, and sometimes in between too. So if you make yourself known, as you are doing, I’m sure you’ll get something. When I went to college doing Nursery Nursing part time as a mature student - I put myself on the supply register - went to a school supporting a girl with send for a 2 week cover. Whilst I was there had a phone call from a different head teacher (a relative of the headteacher where I worked) offering me another 2 weeks work - 7 years on I moved on because I’d found another job which appealed to me. I’ve never been out of work since although I’ve changed schools several times - my choice - to gain experience in different areas and ages of children. I know near me they don’t give permanent contracts until after 4 years. I was at my old school for 6 years on a temp contract - then unions intervened and everyone over 4 was given a permanent one.

Thanks Milann . I really hope you're right and something else turns up. I love the job, I like the atmosphere at the school and I like all (or 99% ) of the staff, so I would love to stay here. It's so convenient too as it's a ten minute walk away. I think I would happily stay here for twelve years until I retire :rotfl:.

Sun_Addict wrote: »

I love Pepsi Max too, the mango one is lush Many years ago when I was a lass LOL, you could get One Cal, they did loads of flavours including shandy, I loved them, wonder what happened to them?

Fingers crossed for you your job becomes permanent, I didn't realise it wasn't. Bear in mind the job I'm in now was just temporary, 19 years later I'm still here. Before that the longest I was in a job was 4 years as the place always closed down after I'd been there 4 years, I was beginning to get a complex :rotfl: There's no way where I work now will ever close down, much to the disappointment of millions of people :rotfl:

Thanks SA . You must feel really pleased to be permanent after nineteen years!

Sun_Addict

Thanks HH - I've only been properly permanent for 2.5 years, so temporary for 16 years

beanielou

Sun_Addict wrote: »

I love Pepsi Max too, the mango one is lush Many years ago when I was a lass LOL, you could get One Cal, they did loads of flavours including shandy, I loved them, wonder what happened to them?

Fingers crossed for you your job becomes permanent, I didn't realise it wasn't. Bear in mind the job I'm in now was just temporary, 19 years later I'm still here. Before that the longest I was in a job was 4 years as the place always closed down after I'd been there 4 years, I was beginning to get a complex :rotfl: There's no way where I work now will ever close down, much to the disappointment of millions of people :rotfl:

This is very true:rotfl::rotfl:

[Deleted User]

Please don't worry about spending in the coffee shop. HH. You've had to deprive yourselves of treats for so long and it was a rare spend for you and DH. Some people spend that in coffee shops every single day :eek: so once in a while is fine in my opinion. Plus, it gave you and DH a bit of quality time together. A winner all round:T.


I sometimes wonder whether going back to supermarket shopping in the 'real' shop is the best thing. I started having home deliveries once I was debt-free and was able to cover the minimum spend all at one go. It's convenient and saves the petrol and the hassle of going there but I miss out on the 'in store' bargains and reduced items that can save a lot. I'm sure I'm spending more on my 'basket' now I'm shopping online. I got so used to taking things out of the 'real' trolley and putting things back but that's something I never do with my 'virtual' basket:o. Online grocery shopping is too much of a temptation for me sometimes:(


Have a good day. I hope the sun shines for you at lunchtime. Well, all day really.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Noella wrote: »

Please don't worry about spending in the coffee shop. HH. You've had to deprive yourselves of treats for so long and it was a rare spend for you and DH. Some people spend that in coffee shops every single day :eek: so once in a while is fine in my opinion. Plus, it gave you and DH a bit of quality time together. A winner all round:T.


I sometimes wonder whether going back to supermarket shopping in the 'real' shop is the best thing. I started having home deliveries once I was debt-free and was able to cover the minimum spend all at one go. It's convenient and saves the petrol and the hassle of going there but I miss out on the 'in store' bargains and reduced items that can save a lot. I'm sure I'm spending more on my 'basket' now I'm shopping online. I got so used to taking things out of the 'real' trolley and putting things back but that's something I never do with my 'virtual' basket:o. Online grocery shopping is too much of a temptation for me sometimes:(


Have a good day. I hope the sun shines for you at lunchtime. Well, all day really.

Thank you Noella . I do quite enjoy going to the supermarket, weirdly and I like having coffee there because they make a lovely latte :rotfl:. But I think I tend to spend more in the actual shop sometimes. Although being in the shop made me check the price of the Pepsi Max and save £3 per 24 cans, online I may not have thought to check it. I kept to my budget by putting the essentials on the coveyor belt first, and putting the would be useful but not essential items on last. Then when it gets to £60 I have a cut off point and tell the shop assistant that I want to put the rest back. Ruthless but it keeps me within budget.

Sometimes we do that online, but DH gets involved when we shop online and thinks of extra things sometimes. On the other hand when shopping online you can see how much it comes to and can delete items more easily without getting a fishy stare from the shop assistant :rotfl:. Plus online you're not tempted to overbuy by seeing items you didn't go in for. Maybe it all evens out in the wash.

[Deleted User]

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

Thank you Noella . I do quite enjoy going to the supermarket, weirdly and I like having coffee there because they make a lovely latte :rotfl:. But I think I tend to spend more in the actual shop sometimes. Although being in the shop made me check the price of the Pepsi Max and save £3 per 24 cans, online I may not have thought to check it. I kept to my budget by putting the essentials on the coveyor belt first, and putting the would be useful but not essential items on last. Then when it gets to £60 I have a cut off point and tell the shop assistant that I want to put the rest back. Ruthless but it keeps me within budget.

Sometimes we do that online, but DH gets involved when we shop online and thinks of extra things sometimes. On the other hand when shopping online you can see how much it comes to and can delete items more easily without getting a fishy stare from the shop assistant :rotfl:. Plus online you're not tempted to overbuy by seeing items you didn't go in for. Maybe it all evens out in the wash.

I agree with everything you said which only added to my own confusion about which is best, in person or online:o. I think I was better in the debt-filled days when I used cash only in the actual store. I knew to the penny how much I had in my purse so became a dab hand at putting things back on the shelves before I reached the till. Then I started using my debit card more but because I don't have an overdraft (basic account opened when on a DMP:() I couldn't risk trying to buy more than I could afford to pay for with my own money rather than the bank's. I'm easily embarrassed:o. Cash or card I was strict with my purchases through necessity.


Sitting at home with a debit card and slightly more available money to spend now my debts are paid off I find it hard to resist some of the enticing food and offers the supermarket websites keep tempting me with. I sometimes buy interesting things to try whereas when I was broke I just stuck to the tried and tested that I knew we liked and needed. Strangely, and much to my relief and pride, I'm not tempted by other things online such as clothes and so I manage to keep my spending in check. It's just food that I can't resist:rotfl:. I dread going back to the days when I would spend without a thought of the cost and I hope the pain of a long DMP has taught me a much-needed lesson.


I'm lucky in that I always shop alone either instore or online so I have no one else to make me spend more than I planned for:T. I just have myself to blame:(. I do juggle supermarkets and although my first favourite is Morrisons I sometimes have deliveries from Sainsburys and Asda if I can get a really cheap delivery slot. I wouldn't touch Tesco with a bargepole. Sainsbury's do a 50p delivery on Wednesday afternoon and they keep sending me £8 or £9 vouchers off a £50 shop:j. Their prices are slightly more than some supermarkets but they sell some things that I can't get elsewhere

[Deleted User]

Meant to ask you before,HH, but did you get things settled with nPower and get your arrears paid off so you're free of them to negotiate a really good 'fix' with another supplier?


I was disappointed this week when I submitted our online 3-monthly meter reading to be told the monthly DD is to go up by £1 a month:(. I know it isn't much but we've been using a lot less since the weather has picked up. My tumble-dryer has hardly been on at all and that's really the only power-hungry appliance that I have. Just can't understand why I have to pay more so must study the usage figures carefully when I have some time. We're still well within our 18-month fixed tariff.