Will life not go back to pre-covid 19? Is o/s the new way forward?

cbrown372

MoneySeeker1 said:

helensbiggestfan said:

ejmo said:

The problem is, whilst this effects everybody, it effects some much more than others.
I do see some positives but if you couldn't pay your rent and didn't know when you could start earning again to pay off the rent arrears staying positive is hard. Then feeling that you're not taking the positives from this situation, or even that it is some how good for you, effects peoples mental health.

I think some comments on this thread are just saying it's not the same for everyone, where is the empathy for people experiencing true hardship?

 No some people will not be baking, growing, pickling or having daily bike rides/walks because their focus will be on earning money as a means to survival not to have what they want when they want it as has been suggested. 

Well good news for those who are feeling anxious about what happens next. It has just been announced that the furlough scheme is being extended until the end of October, with employers making a contribution towards the cost. 

I haven't heard anything yet but I would imagine that this will probably mean that banks and financial institutions will have to continue with mortgage and loan repayment holidays. 

That should considerably ease the financial pressure and reduce anxiety levels. 

Not for the far-sighted people amongst us it won't I'm afraid (ie reduce anxiety levels).

The more far-sighted know that "mortgage holiday" does not mean "let off mortgage payments for those months". It just means "You don't have to pay it right now - but you will have to somewhere along the line".

Then there's the anxiety about those that could perfectly well return to work, and with the Government accepting it, but aren't doing so (despite the fact that some of them won't be "socially distancing" in their own private lives) and the far-sighted knowing that the rich aren't the ones that will be picking up the bill for them to continue to be off work, when they don't actually need to be. The people picking up that bill will be the rest of us and welcome to "Great Depression Mark 2 somewhere along the line (exacerbated by a factor of who-knows-how-much)". The rich always make sure to protect themselves - at the expense of the rest of us - so we will be the ones picking up that tab. Would be delighted to be proved wrong on that one of course - and find that Governments have found a way to make sure it's the rich/only the rich that pay for all this - but I can't say I'm very optimistic that Governments will stand up to the rich or the rich develop a conscience I'm afraid (would that I were wrong on that....). No the wealthy will still be out there doing things like treating themselves to one single meal (at regular intervals) being delivered to their home for £1,500 a shot - whilst many poorer single people would feed themselves for a year for that money.

You have posted some balderdash during your years on MSE ceridwen/moneytooshorttomention et al but this takes the biscuit. I'd give up reading the Daily Mail and Guardian if I were you. You are on Martin Lewis' website try reading some of his articles and how he is anticipating what the furlough scheme means to thousands of people and believe me its no nirvana. Incidentally it doesn't matter how much someone spends on a take away at the moment its helping many thousands of people stay in work and hopefully keep their business afloat meantime.

I know you only use FB to spy on your brother and such like but a local group today has discovered an army vet is 100 shortly, few family, people have organised a piper, a cake, an afternoon tea, a banner and clapping in the street for him, all free and all in the space of a couple of hours today. These are the things and people we applaud in these uncertain times.

Floss

cbrown372 said:.... a local group today has discovered an army vet is 100 shortly, few family, people have organised a piper, a cake, an afternoon tea, a banner and clapping in the street for him, all free and all in the space of a couple of hours today. These are the things and people we applaud in these uncertain times.

How lovely - that is what we should be doing, creating good meaningful memories for all.

suki1964

Only in as far as my oil tank is totally filled to the gills and my wood store the same. Im looking out for a second hand tank so I can get more oil because its never been as cheap since Ive lived here

As for the stores, Im just doing as normal, replacing my one spare as and when I find it. Right now Ive noticed the supermarkets aren't doing any specials. Ive never paid more then £5 for Persil powder ( 44 Washes ) now its not gone below £7. Haven't seen Tetley tea ( mums preferred ) in Tesco since lockdown other than the small 50 bags. Lidl is also very hit and miss, loads of loo paper and soap, but very low on staples, haven't been able to get mature or extra mature cheese since lockdown and a few other items id buy especially from there. I did get a 5kg bag of rice a few weeks before lockdown and thats been untouched so far and now rice is  available it will stay untouched for now. Flour is back on the shelves so Im not too concerned 

What I am worrying about is the supply of fresh fruit and veg going forward, You know I work in veg prep, and here in NI we are having a struggle getting carrots for example. Ours have come to an end and those we can get are watery. We need to bring in from Holland, Spain and Israel now, but the prices are sky high already

Floss

Suki, if you can find one,  the investment in another tank will probably be partly paid off by the savings in the current low cost of oil. 

thriftwizard

I haven't exactly started on winter preps consciously, though we have logs in the log store & salt for the drive/pavement/road in the garage anyway, left over from last winter, but my darling DD1 isn't allowing our "stock levels" of food to dip at all! If we use a can of chickpeas - which we do on an almost daily basis - she'll bring a pack of 4 home from her work. She's worrying that she's "bound" to bring the virus home to us, as she's on the supermarket front line almost every day, and there's nowt so daft as a customer with a mask (they're forever pulling them down to ask her questions, from a distance of about 6". Or to sneeze & wipe their nose, then pick up stuff & put it down again...) so she's determined that we'll be able to fly through the anticipated 14 days of quarantine without missing a thing. However, we had about a month to six weeks stuff in to start with, as I'm a minor-league prepper... opening a cupboard is now a hazardous enterprise, tin hat & reinforced boots recommended!

I thought we'd have plenty of spuds in store too; my spuds up at the allotment were looking great. But it looks & feels like we'll have a frost tonight, which wasn't forecast until about 8pm, too late for me to run up to the allotment & cover them up. So farewell spuds, French beans, runner beans & pumpkins... all of which would have been stored/frozen or just kept well into the winter. Ah well, that's how it goes sometimes... aaaargh!

ejmo

 I think it's good once in a while to have the challenge of NOT getting everything and having to manage with what you DO have, it kicks you out of your complacency and makes you think harder which is good for all of us!

It was said that this is good for people.

ejmo

Life for most people I know is managing on what you DO have. I'm awaiting a SEISS payment but it will actually only be 40% of what I have been earning recently (2018-19 compared to 2019-20) when I went from part time work to full time when my OH, due to health issues, went from a managerial wage to ESA support group.

But I am kicked out of my complacency and thinking harder. Which is good for me.

ejmo

'I'm not going to apologise for pickling, baking or any of the other things you have been slight derogatory about in my down time'
I don't mean to be derogatory but if you look at lots of threads on here people talk about simplifying their lives, going semi retired, to fit these things in mostly once children have grown up.
I'm just saying these things will be hard for people to maintain when back at work full time, with commutes, worried about finances, and children at home. Even the daily walk/cycle is hard to fit in when you get home at 6.30 and have tea, homework, after school clubs to fit in when life is 'normal'

suki1964

ejmo said:

Life for most people I know is managing on what you DO have. I'm awaiting a SEISS payment but it will actually only be 40% of what I have been earning recently (2018-19 compared to 2019-20) when I went from part time work to full time when my OH, due to health issues, went from a managerial wage to ESA support group.

But I am kicked out of my complacency and thinking harder. Which is good for me.

And for that I do sympathise

Please don't feel we are all so smug on here, we really are not

Most of us have come through extremely hard times, some are still going through them. I went from having a fantastic well paid job with a gilt edged pension to NMW and now can barely work 20 hours a week over night. But it is how it is and I learned that I have to prepare for the worst at all times. I wasn't joking when I said we are getting by on £202 a week at the moment , and helping our daughter out, its not easy, but its easier because Ive always made sure I have a store cupboard, I use the freezer, we try to grow what we can, Im not adverse to accepting free food, if that be carrots from work that cant be sold to the public or a jug of milk or cream because its split, or someones fish or shoot excess, yellow sticker shop, and refuse to waste food. And most of all , we stopped buying stuff years ago

My savings from diesel prices falling and no MOT requirement this year, plus my general save from not using the car has given us the extra oil fill. Overtime paid for the logs. We haven't had the rates bill issued yet and we have just had the good news our electric bill is being reduced so we have a bit of jiggle room. Not going out for our usual Saturday and Sunday drinks is saving a fortune, still having a drink, but buying from the supermarket and having a set time for "the beer garden" makes it feel like we are doing something different, we sit and chew the cud for a hour or so, then go in and resume life. Kinda of feels like a night out lol

Tonight Im going to go to bed knowing its been a good day. I got 5 hours overtime, we had a hot dinner on the table, we lit the stove to keep warm ( its really cold again ) and its food shop tomorrow and I can afford it even if it has stretched from the average of £40 to a new average of £60

We are also waiting an SEISS payment. We know its coming so we aren't panicking. Although Mr S's work place won't be open anytime soon, hes already found a private job which will give 2 or 3 weeks work shortly, just awaiting the supply chains to catch up so he can get the materials required

I do understand life is hard right now, I really really do. Its just for me life has been so hard for so long, it no longer feels hard, its just my way of life and I really hate to sound smug, but I truly don't feel hard done by at all. Im content with what we have, in fact Im happy ( mostly ) with our life which is why possibly I can see the positives right now where others may not

helensbiggestfan

Interesting about what foodstuffs are likely to be in short supply.....I'm guessing fresh fruit and veg might be an issue next winter, so I shall keep a supply of frozen and a few tins just in case.  

Living on my own I'm a bit of a minor league prepper too. I always have a full freezer, and plenty of cupboard staples and a few comfort meds in at the best of times just in case I ever get sick and can't go shopping. I didn't use all my coal and wood last winter, I have enough left over for next winter.  My big one is coffee.....I always have at least a couple of months worth in. I would seize up without my caffeine fix. 

I have enough clothes to open a boutique so, other than I might need some undies, I am aiming on having a no buying clothes year, unless of course  I stumble on some amazing charity shop bargains.  😉.  

One plus for lockdown that I have noticed is that I am not spending very much at all,  my food bill is down, and of course no lunches or coffees out, no cinema trips, and no charity shop bargains.