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

Katiehound

Stayfresh bags aren't sold as reusable- they just make the food last much longer.
You can use them more than once but they won't be as effective.  I tend to use mine for other items once I have wiped them over & made sure they are dry- for example I use them for shampoo etc in swimming bag as they are strong.

Floss

Katiehound said:

Stayfresh bags aren't sold as reusable- they just make the food last much longer.
You can use them more than once but they won't be as effective.  I tend to use mine for other items once I have wiped them over & made sure they are dry- for example I use them for shampoo etc in swimming bag as they are strong.

Actually they can be rinsed, dried inside out & reused, over & over again, and they are certainly not single-use.

ariarnia

Bluegreen143 said:

When I left uni it was 2010 so the economy was rocky then too. I worked part time (late afternoons) in a call centre for the first year after graduating, and the other half of the time (the mornings) did an (unpaid) charity internship/office volunteer role. It paid off in that they later offered me my first “proper” job when they had a vacancy. I was living with my now-husband, who is five years older and had a full time job, but at the time we weren’t serious enough for him to fully support me.

At that time, many of my friends worked in bars, shops or call centres for around 1-3 years before they secured a job in the field they’d studied in (in fact, several ended up retraining to do other things - childcare, personal training etc - rather than work in their university field). 

I don’t know how the job market now compares though, I’m signed up to a few HR industry newsletters (I don’t work in HR but in a closely related field) and apparently there’s a huge shortage of workers in almost all fields 🤷‍♀️ 

i was thinking this. i graduated 2008/9 and had a few periods of unemployment with temp jobs before i managed to get a foot in the door with an entry level admin job in the NHS and worked up from there. had a couple of very poor and honestly miserable years before i met my OH and we had the sprogletts. his mum thought we were rushing into things and was worried i'd drag him down but only because she loved him and wanted the best, which is something we have in common at least  

looking at the people who graduated the same time as me and those who graduated a year or so before i'd guess the recession put us back a good two or three years but everything averaged out in the end and now i think we're all caught up (lots of other life choices have a bigger impact like attitude to debt and pure luck).

but i do think though that life is a bumpy road and if you put off living until everything is smooth and easy then you might find you regret not taking on the 'challenge' when you look back later. 

Bluegreen143

That’s such a good point @ariarnia about regrets. 

My sister is unsure on having children and said the economy/inflation is putting her off and she doesn’t think it’s a good time. She’s nearly 32 so has time, but I did say, if you’re not sure you want them then do wait and see how you feel, but if you’re sure you want them I’m not sure there’s ever a “right” time financially so I’m not sure if I’d let the economy put me off… what if it’s crap for years and then you leave it too late?

For context her and her husband own their house, both earn good money in secure jobs, have savings and she has a very good pension already building up etc, so while there’s an element of risk to every choice, she has set herself up well financially so far.

timehastoldme

I ummed and aahed about having children before concluding that it wasn't for me (looks hard and expensive). Tentatively discussed with husband and he also emphatically agreed it looked hard and he wasn't all that keen so we decided to stick with dogs and books.

Did take till my mid 30's to be confident in that certainty. There's a bit of a societal expectation for babies. Kept being asked when I was going to start, or that I'd regret it if I didn't etc etc. No regrets so far. Lots of books. 

greent

I don't think I'd have known when was the right time. DD wasn't planned - but we always wanted children and had been married 2 years (and were 28/ 27) and had moved feom a tiny 2 bed terrace to a large 3 bed semi the year before. She was a surprise - but not in a bad way   and as we went on to have 3 more after her we clearly didn't mind 😁😁

Agree that it is expensive- and not just in terms of purchases- but also in terms of lost career progression and impact on pensions. Still wouldn't change any of them, though 💜

Floss

I agree with the "never a right time to have kids", my eldest wasn't planned at that time but we had been married 2 years when he was born in 1986, his brother was born 2 years later when I was 24 and I was quite happy to have them while still quite young.

A former friend had chosen to be child-free when she had an unexpected miscarriage at 38 followed 2 years later by a hysterectomy. They both later regretted not having kids after having the chance to be parents taken away from them.

Floss

But for those younger folk for whom conception might be difficult for medical reasons, it can be upsetting to be asked on their wedding day "when are you starting a family?". There is an assumption that everyone can have children which isn't always the case.

Spendless

otb666 said:

@Spendless my oldest son did what your son is doing 6 years ago and it all worked out fine.  He also moved to a place which i thought he would struggle to find work and he got work and is still there bought a house had a child.  They have tried to get married several times but have been very unlucky with the lockdowns.  He is 150 miles away and lived with partners parents for 4 years.  I think thats why i am happy to let youngest stay because you do feel bereft But honestly its better for them and he has really grown up now and also saved a shed load with him not being here Hope this helps
The job he has had for 6 years was not a graduate job but he has progressed (because of degree) and is on way more than me and hubby ever been on.

On storing fruit and veg after lots of trials and errors found company that delivers fresh, non plastic wrapped veg and keep well in cardboard box under sink cupboard

Thank you. That does give me some hope than things can and do work out. 

Bluegreen143

@Floss totally agree! I was only having the conversation with my sister because she had brought it up. I have friends struggling with infertility so I would never ask someone “when you are starting a family.” I find if people want to share, they’ll bring it up. 

@t@timehastoldme absolutely agree and I did say to her, of course don’t have them if you’re not sure you want them. They have a nice lifestyle with plenty of money, nice things, meals out, travelling etc so she is weighing up what children means for her. My point was just, if you are sure you DO want them but the economy is offputting - don’t leave it too late waiting and waiting for a good economy.

@greent, sure kids are expensive. But I think the point of money is to allow you to live the life you want - whether that’s spending it on having kids, travel, a nice house, spending less so you can do FIRE and retire in your 40s to a small holding, whatever floats your boat. So I don’t begrudge the huge loss of earnings. I was a SAHM for 3.5y (which I loved), and whenever I’ve worked since having kids I’ve been part time - though I was lucky enough to get back into my old career at a grade above my old job when I went back to work which I know isn’t the case for all. The only thing I do slightly regret is not putting anything in my pension when I was a SAHM. We couldn’t afford it, but I wish I’d found a way to even put a small amount in.