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

Bluegreen143

I was born in 1988 @Floss so am the same age as your youngest 🙂 my kids are 6.5 and 3.5 so I’m all done with nappies now. Unless I persuade DH on a third 😄

Siebrie

I actually did the math when period cups came out, and for me it was a lot cheaper to continue with tampons and pads. I never had/have heavy periods, and they are always the same so I knew exactly how many of everything I needed. It's changing a bit now that I've reached 50, but still not enough to buy a period cup.

timehastoldme

I've got heavy periods and tampons needed  regular (4hr at most) changing, whereas the cup can go 12 easy. Pair it with period pants and there's never any concern about overflow. I started using them at least seven years ago now, and I'm on my third cup (only due to accidentally flushing one and the dog eating another). For me they're also incredibly comfortable compared to tampons (never having to remove a too dry one again makes everything worth it).

I've only bought them half price on international womens day. 

In fact, post covid vaccine menstrual cycle has changed, less painful but heavier. The cup definitely made feeling secure around that much better. 

EssexHebridean

timehastoldme said:

Can't get on with frugal queen after she snark-posted about menstrual cups and then really rounded on someone in her comments who expressed the benefits of using them. There's more, but that was the main ick.

She always did tend to have an unfortunate habit of being downright rude to people who dared to disagree with her, regardless of how reasonable and polite they were about it. There was a lot going on in the background of her blogging tales which never got mentioned either, a lot of "do as I say, not as I do" unfortunately - and of course that's all well and good if you're honest about it but it made me quite sad that people believed life was truly as it was depicted. (Her husband's Twitter account made for enlightening reading!) My main "ick" as you beautifully phrased it was the complete re-write of the original reason for the debts leaping from "we tried to keep up with the Jones's and overspent" - by the end there was no mention of that at all, and again, the false impression was given that it was due to circumstances outwith their control - that to me feels unfair on those who genuinely ARE struggling due to external factors that they are unable to help. I used to dip in and read the blog from time to time - there was some good info there sometimes, but a lot of it it was definitely best viewed as fiction! ;-)  

I do feel for parents struggling with getting small people to eat. When I was little it was perfectly simple - my Mum served me up a small portion of what they were having, and I either ate it, or went hungry. She worked on the basis that it was fairly unlikely I would physically starve myself to death! (spoiler alert - I didn't!) The one thing I would do differently if we had small folk to deal with now is that I wouldn't encourage the "you must clear your plate from main course before you can have pudding" as without question that definitely can contribute to over-eating in some cases I think - or at least to the dulling of satiety receptors. Again though it's a tricky one to manage. I will eat pretty much everything these days - although there are things I'm less keen on - there is very little I won't touch at all though. There was never any real fuss made about foods then though - that  much I do recall - it was put on the table in front of me and nothing was made a "big deal" about - if I tried something several times and clearly didn't like it then it was accepted that was a genuine dislike - but even those foods (sprouts, mostly! and cabbage!) I eat cheerfully enough as an adult. The thing that bewilders me is small children in supermarkets with a parent being asked "what they want for dinner" - not "we can have X, or Y, which would you prefer?" but an open question encompassing everything in the store - not a decision a 4 year old really has the capacity to make, IMO! 

As for reuseable period products, I'd LOVE to be able to use them but they're not suitable for me (fibroids - fellow sufferers will likely understand). Such a great idea for those that are able to - I do wish they didn't come along with (ironically enough allowing for what sparked the conversation!) the slight shaming these days of those who choose not to, or are unable to use them, though! 

Bluegreen143

@EssexHebridean good thoughts on both FQ and picky eating.

I have always served up what we’re having and nothing else, and had a heavy limit on snacks, so in theory they should eat well (and my eldest DID eat a wide variety until about 3.5) - I think wider society doesn’t help as even very young children are perfectly aware if they hold off they will get food that’s more to their liking very soon. Eg at nursery they provide all meals and snacks (which I’m not knocking as this is free of charge here) and these are all huge and filling, if they don’t eat they give them a cheese sandwich! So my daughter has little incentive to eat well at dinner as she knows she can stuff her face at nursery the next day. Likewise, play dates, parties etc all revolve around constant snacking and it’s very difficult to say no when all the other kids are eating. The “French kids” book talks about this a lot and how we need much more support from society and government. In France allegedly this is in place as schools offer healthy food, no choice, no snacking etc and it’s not expected that kids’ social events would serve food unless it’s over the traditional after school snack time. 

However we must do our best with the hand we’re dealt and DH and I have agreed that while we eat the same as the kids, we’ve stopped offering the variety so much and just make meals we know are accepted - so we will be working on this. And getting stricter on snacking again insofar as we have control.

euronorris

There are children, neurodivergent, who would starve rather than eat certain foods. And there are also allergies to contend with. So it's not so straightforward for some parents (or indeed adults).

Menstrual cups are fab. I no longer use them, but that is only cause the medication the GP prescribed to help me control pain and flow, made them disappear completely. No complaints about that, as even my moon cup wouldn't last 2 hours before, and the pain got so bad that I vomited and then passed out at work one day! 

But, in general, I think it's fab that the younger generation now has so many reusable options available to them, and that the stigma around it all is disappearing. Better for them, and better for the environment  

Bluegreen143

Yes @euronorris this is true, thank you. It’s not the case for my kids, who are neurotypical, but worth saying. 

sammy_kaye18

Spendless said:

@sammy_kaye18 - What's your eldest's situation, now and going forward. Is he at sixth form/college or working, intending going to Uni and moving away soon etc?

I had my eldest one learn to drive when still at college, he passed first time at 18. He's not been able to afford a car during the 4 years he spent at Uni, but now he's finished that he already has a license is going to be helpful with his job hunting.

Youngest however turned 17 the week after lockdown1. Plus had too much anxiety from school trauma in her latter years there to consider feeling confident enough to start lessons. She's only mentioned liking to start them very recently but she's moving away in October and there's such a backlog here there's no chance of getting her in with someone and her passing before moving away, so that is going to have to be on hold for now.

My boy has just turned 18 on the 26th. Hes currently in college 3 days a week studying an electricians and plumbing course and then 3 days a week he works in a well known sports shop in our local town. So he is working on his education and working to save some money. Plus his child trust fund is obviously now open but hes doing his best to leave the little bit he had (about £850) in there and add to it as his car fund. 
He is looking for a better paid job at the minute as he is on a low wage despite his age but other than that hes working hard in fairness to him, he has anxiety too so he has only really now shown interest so we have applied for his provisional online to give him options and at least an official form of ID if nothing else

sammy_kaye18

London_1 said:

Yes sammy_kaye18, I'm off for two weeks to the Isle of Wight, our annual summer holiday, although a bit earlier than we normally go, but that was down to availability of the holiday house .

 I also have a five day coaching holiday to Porthcawl in October with my eldest DDs ma-in-law as she's missed out on a holiday away for a couple of years, and we get on quite well together. I did try to get our previous place in Devon but everywhere was booked solid, and the very pleasant lady on the phone was very helpful and searched a nice hotel for us both and came up with this one.
Its 70 odd years since I last visited Wales as a little girl, all I can remember of it was it seemed to rain a lot and shops seemed to be always shut ,but possibly because of where we stayed.I do remember it being very green though perhaps the result of the rain but I'm looking forward to going somewhere different .

JackieO xx

Oh you will be just down the road from me! Porthcawl is about 15 minutes from my house. Its lovely down there though. I hope you enjoy it. 
And the Isle Of Wight is beautiful too. I hope you enjoy! 

sammy_kaye18

Today is not my day BUT it can only get better.........

Ever get the feeling that you should of stayed in bed. I feel like that today but trying to find some silver linings! 

I wasnt 100% yesterday - Im not sure what was up with me but I pretty much slept on and off all day so Im not sure if its broken sleep catching up with me or if I was under the weather or not but Im feeling better today. 

My electric decided to switch off this morning ( we are on a meter) and no one had informed me that we had used the £5 bumper electric so I had to top it up by £25 to give us electric. There was £10 owing for debt and then the £5 bumper so we now have about £10 on there. Not too bad as its generally just me in the house in the week anyway until about 3.30 when my daughter and son get home. 

Anyway that was sorted within about 2-3 minutes. So whilst I was up I decided to do 25 minutes on my exercise bike to get the blood pumping and feel a bit better. Then son came home and I went to make some lunch only to open the door of the freezer and find out that it had defrosted itself! 
Come to find out my son put a packet of garlic bread in last night which knocked the fan cover off and stopped the fan. So I managed to save a bag of chicken breasts, a pack of cooking bacon and a pork joint as they were somehow still frozen and after a quick game of chest freezer jenga managed to fit them in there. 

Only thing is I didnt want to waste anything if I could help it so I had the following to salvage

1/2 bag of casserole veg
1/4 bag of broccoli
1/2 bag of peas
1/2 bag of carrot batons
5 cheese and bean pasties
2 sausage rolls 
2 garlic bread
1 pizza sub
full bag of chicken goujons
40......yes FORTY sausages. 

So I now have the small freezer empty and freezing nicely again.
So I have basically thrown all the veg into the slow cooker with a few random stock cubes. I will have this later with some sausages and rice as a sort of casserole. Anything not eaten I will portion up as either casserole with sausages or I will blend to make a vegetable soup and again freeze some portions if I can.

I put a tray of 20 sausages in to cook on the bottom shelf and on the top shelf managed to fit the sausage rolls, pizza sub and the garlic breads. So i have had the sausage rolls for lunch, Ben has had the sub and a garlic bread and the other one is cooling on the side. 

I then put a tray of goujons and pasties in on the top shelf, so they are now all cooling on top of the cooker and I have just put the second tray of sausages in. 

No idea what I'm going to do with all those sausages but I think toad in the hole might be another option. I also might send Ben to the little shop down the road to get some rolls and then Ill slice up some sausages and wrap in foil and pop in the freezer as breakfast rolls so husband can just grab one out as needed and heat in microwave at work when he wants. 

These things are sent to try us. 

Have been trying to catch up on other posts too. 
Menstrual items I don't really use anymore - Im approaching 40 and going into peri menopause so my periods are few and far between but daughter has started so looking at period pants for her rather than cups etc. but I always keep a stock of them as I have a daughter of my own, a younger sister and she in turn has 4 daughters so I always have things on stand by. 

Veg growing - I harvested a few more radishes yesterday and things are growing nicely in the garden. Im hoping the rain and sunshine will help things pick up again. Currently having a battle with lurcher dog who runs things over if they are left out so everything needs to be out the way from him which is proving interesting as my veg beds are low so I regularly find him in them. Need to sort that for next year I think! Or build a fenced area.

Bills wise - electric is stressing me and starting to wonder how we will manage if their is power cuts etc as our whole house is practically electricity dependent. even the cooker and shower. So wil be off reading the preparing for winter threads again I think but I have been having a declutter lately and have managed to find an old hot water bottle that I forgot I had so thats a win in my book.