It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

Woolsery

weenancyinAmerica said:

littlemoney I have been worried also about my former President - Mr. T. He seemed to be working his way through Hitler's play book and he scares the daylights out of me. I've written a book on Emergency Preparedness even. 

Sometimes it's easier to see more from a distance than being close. I observe that choices made by those pulling the strings in much more recent times will inevitably lead to a world food emergency before the year's end. Unfortunately, the media over there and in the UK tends to look at controversial matters in partisan ways and it's left to smaller news outlets and individuals to provide the detail which might provide a more balanced view. People are fortunate to have the internet and individuals who take risks to expose deceptive narratives, but what's unfortunate is the laziness of most citizens in seeking them out.

Looking at the economics and farming channels I subscribe to, there's agreement  that a food crisis will really begin to bite in about 6 months. While this will hit the US and UK to some extent and there will be inconveniences, it won't be their citizens who'll starve. It's thought the most likely worst impact will occur in Northern Africa. None of the people there, or in other badly affected regions, will have a say in who enters the White House in 2024, or  who's then in charge in the Kremlin.

Rosa_Damascena

Woolsery said:

weenancyinAmerica said:

littlemoney I have been worried also about my former President - Mr. T. He seemed to be working his way through Hitler's play book and he scares the daylights out of me. I've written a book on Emergency Preparedness even. 

Sometimes it's easier to see more from a distance than being close. I observe that choices made by those pulling the strings in much more recent times will inevitably lead to a world food emergency before the year's end. Unfortunately, the media over there and in the UK tends to look at controversial matters in partisan ways and it's left to smaller news outlets and individuals to provide the detail which might provide a more balanced view. People are fortunate to have the internet and individuals who take risks to expose deceptive narratives, but what's unfortunate is the laziness of most citizens in seeking them out.

Looking at the economics and farming channels I subscribe to, there's agreement  that a food crisis will really begin to bite in about 6 months. While this will hit the US and UK to some extent and there will be inconveniences, it won't be their citizens who'll starve. It's thought the most likely worst impact will occur in Northern Africa. None of the people there, or in other badly affected regions, will have a say in who enters the White House in 2024, or  who's then in charge in the Kremlin.

              

Woolsery

OrkneyStar said:

ragz_2 said:

OrkneyStar I wish we had such an affordable gym! I joined one near work last year, but even with my NHS discount it was £46 a month and had to give it up when DH stopped working (he's on ESA at the moment). It was a lovely private one, close to work so I could go in my lunch break which saved fuel cost on making a special trip. The 'council' one locally (10 min drive away) doesn't have a pool and is £38 a month, it has a tiny gym and really isn't worth the money.
Once DH is working again, I will definitely get back to the pool as I loved my lunchtime swim. 

Even a walk out in the sunshine can do wonders for mental health, by water (river, sea, lake), through trees, or even pounding the city streets. I just think that exercise is such a good way of boosting our mental health when we are a bit overwhelmed. 

I know not everyone can get out for a good, long, stress-busting walk. My OH cannot walk far now, so I either walk alone or wait for the company of an old friend....and in present circumstances that's likely to be a very long wait. I live in the country, so this is not so bad, but when things seem to be somewhat depressing I go for a virtual walk with these two:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJV1EC8Mf87PpQYo9eUfd3Q

They're searchers for abandoned railways, canals, tunnels, bridges and other outmoded transport technology, so every walk is planned with a purpose. You'll either love or hate their jokey style.  I find it tolerable, but I think they often go too quickly and underestimate the attention span of their audiences. I used to do similar walks with my OH about 40 years ago and these two  cover two or three in Somerset we did then.

Just an idea for rainy days.

OrkneyStar

Woolsery said:

OrkneyStar said:

ragz_2 said:

OrkneyStar I wish we had such an affordable gym! I joined one near work last year, but even with my NHS discount it was £46 a month and had to give it up when DH stopped working (he's on ESA at the moment). It was a lovely private one, close to work so I could go in my lunch break which saved fuel cost on making a special trip. The 'council' one locally (10 min drive away) doesn't have a pool and is £38 a month, it has a tiny gym and really isn't worth the money.
Once DH is working again, I will definitely get back to the pool as I loved my lunchtime swim. 

Even a walk out in the sunshine can do wonders for mental health, by water (river, sea, lake), through trees, or even pounding the city streets. I just think that exercise is such a good way of boosting our mental health when we are a bit overwhelmed. 

I know not everyone can get out for a good, long, stress-busting walk. My OH cannot walk far now, so I either walk alone or wait for the company of an old friend....and in present circumstances that's likely to be a very long wait. I live in the country, so this is not so bad, but when things seem to be somewhat depressing I go for a virtual walk with these two:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJV1EC8Mf87PpQYo9eUfd3Q

They're searchers for abandoned railways, canals, tunnels, bridges and other outmoded transport technology, so every walk is planned with a purpose. You'll either love or hate their jokey style.  I find it tolerable, but I think they often go too quickly and underestimate the attention span of their audiences. I used to do similar walks with my OH about 40 years ago and these two  cover two or three in Somerset we did then.

Just an idea for rainy days.

OK, can I just start by saying that I know everyone doesn't have access to the same things, so I accept not everyone will do as I do when it comes to stress busting - these were things that work for me just now. Other things have worked in the past, such as kneading dough to an inch of it's life, knitting, dancing, singing, cleaning and so on. I guess my point was that if we all try to do something that gives us some peace, then it can help - we focus on what we can do, not what we want to do and wish we could (but simply cannot right now). Hope that makes sense. I like the idea of a virtual walk, and have been kind of doing this - I am currently studying German (which is one of my other destressing tools), and I love taking virtual walks through Berlin and other German cities, spotting signs and seeing what I can read and understand on the streets, shop fronts etc. I am quite a 'loner' so a lone walk works just fine for me, OH walks too but we don't really go walks together, DS loves walking and sometimes comes with me too. There are walking groups in many areas, I have a friend who joined one of those and she loves it. 

Spendless

Been having a catch up. I've been missing because at long last I was able to accompany Mr S on a works trip to the States and we also took teenage daughter with us. The chance to do this has been there for years but there's always been a clash with something else for me. We paid the airfares for me and daughter, but could stay in his (paid for) accommodation, were included in most of the (also paid for) meals and event nights, so have had a holiday whilst not free was minimal cost to what we received. . DD was also ab le to extend her stay by flying to another state to see a friend for not much more money, since we already were paying for a return leg home, just changed her start off airport and due to her age found reduced tickets. She's had a fantastic experience travelling.

If the above hadn't been possible then I just wouldn't have done a holiday this year. We last went abroad on a family hol in 2018. Since then we've been in the UK or not gone anywhere (2020). We paid around £90 for the 3 of us to take covid tests to fly, that was at the airport, if we'd gone locally it would have been that price each. We had to have the tests no more than a day before flying and then wait for the results. That meant setting off the night before and having a hotel stop (plus related expenses like an evening meal). At no point were this results checked or asked to be shown nor was out NHS app showing we're vaccinated! Not that I would have risked not bothering, but it was stressful. Mr S WFH all week, I kept myself away from others, I even only saw my parents in their garden from a distance. I worried about DD who works at a tourist attraction and commutes. No way would I book a hol at the min and risk that I wouldn't be able to go on it. I suspect this plus increased living costs and problems with renewal of passports is all adding to the downturn in booking hols.

I've now forgotten who it was who said it, but the poster that works in the food bank. I'm guessing that when you're talking about OOD items you're talking about those past their best Before date? I do wish there was more education about this, that it's a quality issue not a safety one. My own kids are just as bad about it, despite me telling them many times and I think it's lack of info that backs my stance up that has them unconvinced.

Something that does concern me as we batten down the hatches and refuse to spend, is the knock on effect of people's jobs. We buy less in the supermarkets, the stores cut their employees hours/reduce staff. My DD fresh out of a short course at a drama school but has been unable to secure a related 3 year degree, has instead been fortunate enough to secure a performing job at a tourist attraction. It's seasonal (as is much in that industry) but when people stop spending money in this area, then she will find herself out of work. I do remember the credit crunch and recession of 2008. Said DD had only just started f-time school the September before and I'd decided to put off looking for work for a year due to a project that DH was working on being put back by 12 months. I lived to regret that decision and feel it still contributes to a knock on effect now as it then took me until Summer 2010 before I found work and I've been in and out of it ever since including now.

I was pleased to realise this morning that yesterday had been a NSD. Though I hadn't been near the shops till DD came home, she asked me if she could have a couple of bath products and a face pack. She spends the day in theatrical make up plus commutes and yesterday due to training (which in turn should give her more work hours) had spent from 7.45-6.30 out of the house. So I went to our local Boots and was able to buy the best value/on offer items and had enough points to pay that way. This morning I tried our nearest Lidl to see if I could get one of those £1.50 fruit/veg boxes, but there wasn't any there. Tbh don't think I've ever seen one anywhere. I will manage with what I have in.

Glad to see the posts about going through cleaning items. It's always the area I start in with a de-clutter. To me it makes most sense. I have little to no emotional attachment to cleaning stuff (admittedly I'm a bit precious about my lemon oil for use on wood but I think that's because I found it both hard to find and expensive). If you do that followed by your 'tupperware' selection, you know where the cleaning and storage stuff is as you go round the rest of the house to use accordingly. Never understood why de-cluttering 'experts'  have you start with far more personal stuff first (which clothes and books are!)   

Spendless

LadyHarriet said:

annieb64 said:

I had several older cousins-all girls fortunately-so nearly all my clothes were hand me downs.  My aunt in Canada used to send a box of clothes,  adults as well as children's . It was an exciting day when that arrived as she usually included some Canadian sweets.
Mum did make a few summer dresses as a cousin worked in a cotton mill and could get remnants cheaply. My grandma knitted and crocheted for us .

My granny was great friends with her neighbour who lived with her daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. The granddaughter (Ginty) was a couple of years older than me, and so when her granny helped her sort out clothes that were too small, I used to be the happy recipient of some really lovely things - Ginty had fabulous taste! It never bothered me that I was wearing second-hand clothes.

@LadyHarriet - I've just got to go a bit OT to ask you about this. My fav childhood set of books has a character in it called Ginty (she was also my fav character) and I've never some across the name anywhere else ever, not in RL, in literature or on-line till now. In the books the name is short for Virginia. I've also got to ask how it was pronounced since I've only ever since the name in print. In my head it is with a soft G (like Giraffe) rather than a hard G (like Gate). In the books Ginty wore her clothes well, I'm glad to hear the RL version did the same.

Elisheba

Woolsery said:

I know not everyone can get out for a good, long, stress-busting walk. My OH cannot walk far now, so I either walk alone or wait for the company of an old friend....and in present circumstances that's likely to be a very long wait. I live in the country, so this is not so bad, but when things seem to be somewhat depressing I go for a virtual walk with these two:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJV1EC8Mf87PpQYo9eUfd3Q

They're searchers for abandoned railways, canals, tunnels, bridges and other outmoded transport technology, so every walk is planned with a purpose. You'll either love or hate their jokey style.  I find it tolerable, but I think they often go too quickly and underestimate the attention span of their audiences. I used to do similar walks with my OH about 40 years ago and these two  cover two or three in Somerset we did then.

Just an idea for rainy days.

Thanks, @Woolsery, I'm a big walking and map fan so this looks good.  Its brilliant all the programmes people make themselves that you can get fro free on YouTube!

newlywed

Woolsery said:

OrkneyStar said:

ragz_2 said:

OrkneyStar I wish we had such an affordable gym! I joined one near work last year, but even with my NHS discount it was £46 a month and had to give it up when DH stopped working (he's on ESA at the moment). It was a lovely private one, close to work so I could go in my lunch break which saved fuel cost on making a special trip. The 'council' one locally (10 min drive away) doesn't have a pool and is £38 a month, it has a tiny gym and really isn't worth the money.
Once DH is working again, I will definitely get back to the pool as I loved my lunchtime swim. 

Even a walk out in the sunshine can do wonders for mental health, by water (river, sea, lake), through trees, or even pounding the city streets. I just think that exercise is such a good way of boosting our mental health when we are a bit overwhelmed. 

I know not everyone can get out for a good, long, stress-busting walk. My OH cannot walk far now, so I either walk alone or wait for the company of an old friend....and in present circumstances that's likely to be a very long wait. I live in the country, so this is not so bad, but when things seem to be somewhat depressing I go for a virtual walk with these two:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJV1EC8Mf87PpQYo9eUfd3Q

They're searchers for abandoned railways, canals, tunnels, bridges and other outmoded transport technology, so every walk is planned with a purpose. You'll either love or hate their jokey style.  I find it tolerable, but I think they often go too quickly and underestimate the attention span of their audiences. I used to do similar walks with my OH about 40 years ago and these two  cover two or three in Somerset we did then.

Just an idea for rainy days.

Thanks for that, I will take a look. I like the Bald Explorer and gives history on his 4 mile walks. I have no sense of direction (but can follow a map) so sometimes watch videos of others doing walks near me so I can check how open and safe they feel, and what to look out for.

I did a 19 mile walk on bank holiday. I go by myself. And love it, and appreciate that I am able to do that and likely none of my family could manage half that. I never walked much until last year. It has completely saved my mental health.

It’s been many years since I’ve had a holiday so gone back to when we were kids and go for “days out” instead…. And fuel is expensive so my days out are long walks to nearby villages, to imagine life 200 years ago, and to imagine not living in a flat in a city!

Woolsery

newlywed said:

Woolsery said:

OrkneyStar said:

ragz_2 said:

OrkneyStar I wish we had such an affordable gym! I joined one near work last year, but even with my NHS discount it was £46 a month and had to give it up when DH stopped working (he's on ESA at the moment). It was a lovely private one, close to work so I could go in my lunch break which saved fuel cost on making a special trip. The 'council' one locally (10 min drive away) doesn't have a pool and is £38 a month, it has a tiny gym and really isn't worth the money.
Once DH is working again, I will definitely get back to the pool as I loved my lunchtime swim. 

Even a walk out in the sunshine can do wonders for mental health, by water (river, sea, lake), through trees, or even pounding the city streets. I just think that exercise is such a good way of boosting our mental health when we are a bit overwhelmed. 

I know not everyone can get out for a good, long, stress-busting walk. My OH cannot walk far now, so I either walk alone or wait for the company of an old friend....and in present circumstances that's likely to be a very long wait. I live in the country, so this is not so bad, but when things seem to be somewhat depressing I go for a virtual walk with these two:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJV1EC8Mf87PpQYo9eUfd3Q

They're searchers for abandoned railways, canals, tunnels, bridges and other outmoded transport technology, so every walk is planned with a purpose. You'll either love or hate their jokey style.  I find it tolerable, but I think they often go too quickly and underestimate the attention span of their audiences. I used to do similar walks with my OH about 40 years ago and these two  cover two or three in Somerset we did then.

Just an idea for rainy days.

I did a 19 mile walk on bank holiday. I go by myself. And love it, and appreciate that I am able to do that and likely none of my family could manage half that. I never walked much until last year. It has completely saved my mental health.

You sound like my neighbour who's only in her early 60s. When I told her proudly I'd done 8 miles of tough footpaths the day before, she replied she'd done 16 at the weekend. "But I had a break lunchtime."

Long ago, JFK boasted of the fitness of his Marines who could tramp 50miles in so many hours. The local youth in my town took this as a challenge and two tramps were organised; one of 25miles for the youngsters and a 50miler for the over 16s. I was proably about 12 or 13, so only did the 25 miles, but we all managed it well inside the time limit. We also used to take a day each year 'beating the bounds' in the countryside around the town, but that was more of a leisurely thing with a picnic.

jennystarpepper

flipflopflo said:

@jennystarpepper, what’s QM please?

We live in a tourist town and our local supermarket is Tesco. We’ve found from around June to September-ish that the range of cheaper ranges and cheaper meats disappear. Though Ald!are building a new shop opposite them so hopefully that will help us. 

Just catching up, QMEE is a survey app, they pay you a few pennies just to answer a daily quiz question.   I understand it's hard to find reduced meat, I tend to buy extra if it is on a good offer.  T3sco have pork shoulder on offer for £2.50 a kilo at the mo. so I sometimes buy an extra joint or 2 for the freezer.

Don't forget to snap those receipts for the cash back app's, if I find a 'straggler'  in the bottom of a trolley I grab that.