Put away your purse & become debt-averse

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Morning foxgloves
I love reading about all your productivity and MSE wins. 
I've done quite a few PA surveys recently.
That's great that you have an eco refill shop - they are popping up all over. Some things are more expensive (mixed nuts and washing liquid) but i bought a tub of granola for 60p and it has lasted a good few months. I'm also less wasteful as i make sure I measure things out rather than just throwing in a handful of eg pasta or rice then another handful for good measure and making far too much!
love Deni x

foxgloves

It's already proving to be a useful shop, @Deni_debt-free_dreamer. I've topped up various herb & spice jars for as little as 11p & 13p each. Mr F said 'Best peanuts I've had for ages' & the cashews are nice too. It is nice to bring my containers back home, decant what I've bought then wash the containers ready for next time. It helps avoid that pile of packaging which goes straight in the bin when we've unpacked our shopping. They have already got loose Christmas cake ingredients in by popular request so I shall be able to buy what I need gradually to spread the cost.
F x

foxgloves

Morning Campers!
Well, I woke up a bit anxious about the state of the nation this morning - I think I'd had a weird dream tbh, but I think we are all worried about the state of things at the moment, the lack of meaningful leadership as well as any understanding just how far into society these insane energy price rises are going to penetrate. Best course of action as ever + Get up & get busy, & am feeling more proactive now.
Money saving wins so far:
*Have been paid for a couple more PA surveys & will aim to complete some more today. I'm finding it much more motivating to cash out at the end of each month, so thanks for that idea (a while back) @CRANKY40.
*Made bread (loaf in oven as I type)
*Tonight's dinner in slow cooker - smoky black bean chilli, made with our home grown tomatoes, garlic & coriander. Will serve it in home made tortilla wraps from the freezer, topped with grated cheese & probably a 'side' of wokked courgettes.
*Wrote grocery shopping list using meal plan I did yesterday. Checked a couple of items I thought we needed & we didn't, so that was a small saving, then edited an additional couple of things off the list when I found items in stock which I didn't realise hadn't been eaten. Also reduced quantity of flour as we easily have enough for another week, if not two. Then crossed off beef stock cubes as had forgotten that the recipe in question says to use a beef or veggie cube. Plenty of the latter so another item crossed off. Then crossed off grapes as ours are nearly ready & they look good this year. Mr F is determined to take credit for this as he says he's made a special effort to remember to feed them when he does the tomato/veg-feeding.
*Topped up bubble bath in my posh glass decanter (50p from charity stall) & topped up the last bit in the bottle which wouldn't fit with water, as I reckon that will do at least an extra 2 or 3 baths,
*Garden pickings - I haven't done these yet, but I think it is likely to be a few more blackberries for my freezer container, a courgette & coriander. I think tomatoes will last another day, although I must round up a basket of windfalls at some point. We need apple sauce on Sun/Mon, so I will use them for that.
*Nobbled Mr F over breakfast about him adding his input to my winter planning list some time soon.
We've had another rain shower this morning & some of the flowers in my borders are really starting to perk their heads up. Intend to work on a research project this afternoon & have a new library book to start later.
Take care m'dears, rotten economic times coming, not helped by so many years of the ideological 'austerity' agenda....one of many political pigeons now coming home to roost in the face of the storm.
 At least we all know we can support each other on here.
Love F x

milann

I think I’d feel a little more confident if the politicians ruling our country had an idea what it’s like to live in the real world and have to manage an average wage or a below average wage in a tiny house….but I think they are so far removed from ‘normal’ (whatever that is) they just can’t relate to the majority of the country. Right I’ll get off me soapbox now 😉
Tomato  crop is sounding good.  Ive done ok with tomatoes this year but not as good as usual. I was away early doors though and just managed to save them…..they looked very sorry for themselves but a good drenching sorted them….I don’t think it did them any good though.

ladyholly

I have said it before and I still think it. All MPs should, before they take their sesa in the house have to live for a montth on minmum wage and this should be repeated every 5 years. While a month wont give them a full experience they would hopefully learn something about being "normal". I also do not see why they are allowed to pass on the costs of a second home to the taxpayer. Many people have to work away from home during the week and dont have expensive second homes paid for them. Perhaps the government should consider having a couple of disused office blocks converted into bedsits for MPs who live too far away from London to travel.

foxgloves

Yes, I agree about the accomodation, @ladyholly. I also think a very big improvement would be state funding for political parties - not a lot & based on their % share of the vote at the previous election. They could add to this by using party membership fees but nothing else. No donations from lobbyists, industry, millionaires, tax dodgers or any other self-interest group. This would make a start on reducing corruption.
F 

foxgloves

Agree, @milann. It wound me up no end a couple of years ago when MPs keep saying how 'poor Boris' had no money & couldn't live on his PM's salary. 
I would support MPs/PMs being paid more BUT with a whole raft of much needed reforms around the whole area of their attendance, expenses, implementing a written job description (which all other public sector workers have), a ban on outside work which leads to conflict of interest & also a rule which requires them to live in their constituency. Our MP pretends to live here, but  has a rented house in the poshest part of the district for when he needs to visit.  His homes are a stately pile down south somewhere & a London townhouse. 
You know how some people do fantasy football, imagining brilliant team combinations? Well, I kind of do 'Fantasy Parliamentary Reform'. We dearly need a system fit for the 21st century.
F

2Scratters

I think some of them maybe need to join some of theses forums and learn how to budget!  Its just as hard (as many of will have experienced) having more does not help in a solution when you spend too much already. Clearly not taught in private schooling either!!
The more I can keep out of town doing errands the more smug I feel about managing. I'm calling it my guilty pleasure. I did some shopping last week to 2 shops that tell you what to buy in particular. I was so chuffed that I was under budget and had purchased (badly I know) a few small items not on the list but were on another list at home.

I'm trying to help a lovely neighbour about using up her massive stocks of food and household items on a rota. She goes shopping 2 times a week, every week. She has so much stuff there is only the 2 of them. 
2Scratters xx

amber03

A lot of people are feeling the same regarding the state of the country. It doesn’t help that nobody seems to listen or do anything about it. Companies are getting away with enormous profits, no leadership, the press and media love stirring things and love the doom and gloom scenario. Sadly there’s nothing we can do.x

foxgloves

@2Scratters - It's a case of forming new habits, isn't it? I was the world's worst for mindless spending on town & city centre trips back in the Spendy Era. You can absolutely burn through money once you get into that bad habit. This morning I've been in town ages & mostly just enjoyed browsing. I get the same pleasure from that now as I used to from endlessly spending.

@amber03 - I agree with you to a degree, but we must never forget that in the words of the poem, "We are many, they are few". Our FPTP election system doesn't help. It's backwards & undemocratic to have a system in which 55% of people can vote AGAINST the party which won, yet they still get in with a massive majority. 
The old narrative of "Oh they're all the same" plays right into their hands, as it makes people think there's no point in voting. 
F