Put away your purse & become debt-averse

amber03

The last couple of months have done more damage to the conservatives than they seem to realise, they seem to be living in ga ga land, mind you all of the other parties don’t exactly fill me with confidence. Heard on the news yesterday that NI haven’t had a government since last feb due to all their ongoing issues.  It’s like nobody is running or caring for these countries, yet all the politicians are all happily receiving their salaries. I believe there’s only one man for the job and it’s our Martin.

QueenJess

I keep wondering if they are doing it on purpose as they are sick of being in power and want time to regroup as the opposition.

foxgloves

These are all things I've wondered about too. I'd like to see them out of power for 20 years to learn a bit of humility. And Labour in combination with the LibDems & Caroline Lucas need to work on getting proportional representation implemented. It isn't fair that so many unassailable Tory strongholds under our ridiculous FPTP system disenfranchise millions of us. We are such a backwards country. I despair!
F

foxgloves

Busy morning up to my armpits in blackberries & windfall apples. I've been picking blackberries daily as they ripen in the garden & adding them to freezer containers. I started off my blackberry & pear gin yesterday and even taking into account using some for that, I still had 3lbs of blackberries left for jam.....which meant going out & rounding up another big basket of windfall apples..It took.ages to cut out all the nibbled bits, bruises, etc, but I don't like to waste windfalls as our apples have a good flavour (my Mum always thought our old tree was 'Charles Ross' variety) which means they can be used as cookers or eaters.. So 6lbs fruit, 2 use-it-up little pots of lemon juice from the freezer & 6lbs sugar later, plus plenty of cauldron activity, I have 12 jars of jam, inc 2 big ones which might go in somebody's Christmas bag.
Pond de-gunked. All I need to do.now is put together a salad bowl for tonight's BBQ with our best friends. I'm struggling a bit with an IBS flare-up atm so must not be too much of an oinker.
Love F x

Cheery_Daff

Excellent work, very impressed at your industriousness!

poppy811

Realyhave reduced what I grow this year because of illhealth but have a a glut of courgettes, any ideas because  I do not want anymore soup!

Humdinger1

foxgloves said:

Ours is also a Tory with an unassailable majority.
F

Our Tory MP's majority dropped from 10k to 900 at the last election; we are confident of running him out of town with flaming torches next time.  Never say never....

Humdinger1

Also, am I being mean here? A friend who considers herself frugal has asked me a couple of times if I'll go halves on a pressie for an important birthday for another friend and her husband.  It would be £65 each.  I've said that I need to wait a few days to see what money comes in from my daughter's father (he owes me £1000 for kit and books for uni and is paying as and when he feels he can afford it); and from my mother, who has kindly offered to help.  I've had to be really firm and say no as she wanted me to decide here and now.  I think that pressies can be very meaningful without spending that amount...I've explained that the long slog of paying off £140k albeit several years ago has left me with some deeply ingrained lessons; the whole process rewired me.  If I'm at all concerned, I don't spend on non-essentials.  I fell victim to magical thinking previously; now I know that you are NOT sending a message to the universe if you spend money in a possibly tight situation that you are worthy of more as you'll keep it circulating....

DawnW

@Humdinger1 you are not being mean. Your friend is being totally unrealistic. We are in the midst of a cost of living crisis, and few of us can afford presents that cost that much, whether or not we would like to. I remember being pressurised by OH's much better off brother and sister into contributing towards an expensive ring for my mother in law's birthday, years ago when we had 3 small children, were living on one low wage, and just couldn't afford it. OH felt pressured into it even though we were already in debt. I b****y well wouldn't put up with this now!

Humdinger1

DawnW said:

@Humdinger1 you are not being mean. Your friend is being totally unrealistic. We are in the midst of a cost of living crisis, and few of us can afford presents that cost that much, whether or not we would like to. I remember being pressurised by OH's much better off brother and sister into contributing towards an expensive ring for my mother in law's birthday, years ago when we had 3 small children, were living on one low wage, and just couldn't afford it. OH felt pressured into it even though we were already in debt. I b****y well wouldn't put up with this now!

Some things some of us can only learn the hard way! Thanks @DawnW for your kind words...my spendy friend considers herself frugal, that's what's staggering me