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

Floss

danjackson2021 said:

My partner and both have had to do DRO and or bankruptcy over 6 years again and again recently. Now once again we have council tax bailiffs calling round saying we owe a couple of thousands and that’s since the last balance got wiped 

You're probably best posting this on the Debt Free Wannabee board https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/debt-free-wannabe

DuranGirl

I know I'm feeling the pinch when my body doesn't follow my brain's instructions. This morning I started to pour orange juice on my cereal instead of milk. Managed to rescue it (and made myself chuckle instead of cry which was really what I wanted to do) but clearly I have so much whirling around in my head that I'm not paying attention to the here and now. Need to slow down and focus.

Does anyone else feel like this? 

timehastoldme

DuranGirl said:

I know I'm feeling the pinch when my body doesn't follow my brain's instructions. This morning I started to pour orange juice on my cereal instead of milk. Managed to rescue it (and made myself chuckle instead of cry which was really what I wanted to do) but clearly I have so much whirling around in my head that I'm not paying attention to the here and now. Need to slow down and focus.

Does anyone else feel like this? 

Yes. For me my fight or flight gets triggered, emphasis on the flight. I want to pick up, run away (husband, dog and books in tow) and basically live in the forest with toads and owls for friends.

Adulting in normal times is hard enough, pandemic, economic crisis and semi-distant war makes it a lot harder on the brain. There's too much clamouring for attention.

DuranGirl

timehastoldme said:

DuranGirl said:

I know I'm feeling the pinch when my body doesn't follow my brain's instructions. This morning I started to pour orange juice on my cereal instead of milk. Managed to rescue it (and made myself chuckle instead of cry which was really what I wanted to do) but clearly I have so much whirling around in my head that I'm not paying attention to the here and now. Need to slow down and focus.

Does anyone else feel like this? 

Yes. For me my fight or flight gets triggered, emphasis on the flight. I want to pick up, run away (husband, dog and books in tow) and basically live in the forest with toads and owls for friends.

Adulting in normal times is hard enough, pandemic, economic crisis and semi-distant war makes it a lot harder on the brain. There's too much clamouring for attention.

Completely with you, although my version of flight is the desire to shut the door on everything other than a select few activities and people. I would be perfectly happy with my books, films, music, crafting, gardening, cat, kids, m'chap, family and friends. Not much then... 

Spendless

danjackson2021 said:

My partner and both have had to do DRO and or bankruptcy over 6 years again and again recently. Now once again we have council tax bailiffs calling round saying we owe a couple of thousands and that’s since the last balance got wiped 

we also have the utilities company calling trying to fit prepay meters but we won’t let them in without a warrant with a wet signature from a judge which they will never be able to get. They claim it’s thousands our in unpaid bills again since the last time the balance was wiled


the thing is our benefits don’t even cover food and necessities, I explain that to the bailiffs everytime they call but they just keep calling back I never open the door


these days the bailiffs can’t do anything anyway we live in rented house which the LL is trying to get a possession order and we have no assets 

we both have large credit card balances which we are just paying the bare minimum every month

i suppose we are the same as the government just going further into debt with no hope of ever being able to pay it back

I would very much take the advice of Floss and post on the Debt Free board if you have not already done so, especially with regards to the council tax. In my limited knowledge I didn't think CT did get wiped, unless you weren't eligible to pay it in the first place. You def need some help and advice.

Spendless

To whoever it was who said about carrots in the ice cream box. I also keep mine in the salad drawer with a layer of kitchen roll. I bought some yesterday, took out of the package and had to wipe some down straight away as they had moisture on them. I'm struggling to think of anything where I think leaving in packaging makes them last longer (I keep it on cucumber but that's more of a don't get round to removing it). A few years back just before Sunday closing a bought a few packs of leeks for 3p a bag! Took them home, removed the packaging, wiped down and left them in the kitchen roll layered salad drawer. They were there weeks until used up perfectly ok, I'm convinced they'd have been a black soggy mess before long  if left in their wrapper.  

I managed to get to some fruit and veg before Mr S, because he will throw away anything at the slightest sign of a wither, whereas chopped up and thrown into something he's none the wiser. Yesterday with some chicken I'd bought, I used 1 breast (he'd have used 2!) and threw in a tin of cherry tomatoes, plus bell pepper and aubergine that needed using and some chilli pepper I'd bought reduced and added some chilli flakes. we had that with the last 'nest' layer of noodles between us. I did think it lacked some 'ooommpphh' I think I should have added something to the noodles but the addition of some table sweet chilli sauce sorted it. Afterwards we had fruit salad and greek yogurt. I'd used the small satsumas DH was all for throwing away because they didn't look 'shiny' anymore, the insides were perfectly ok!  When DS was 5 and first went to school his class made fruit salad, it was oranges (or satsumas etc) halved grapes, kiwi and pineapple. This is still my go to for making fruit salad and because the fruit is hardier' I find it lasts for a few days in a lidded container 

Today we have sausage casserole in the SC, sausages, I defrosted overnight, added some tinned tomatoes needing using up, same with some red onion and added a green pepper and a white onion with a packet mix I had in. This will be served with mash, again got to the potatoes before DH did because he'd have slung them in favour of the new ones I'd just bought, peeled them and put them in a bowl of water tonight which DD will also have with her veggie sausages.

General_Grant

DuranGirl said:

I know I'm feeling the pinch when my body doesn't follow my brain's instructions. This morning I started to pour orange juice on my cereal instead of milk. Managed to rescue it (and made myself chuckle instead of cry which was really what I wanted to do) but clearly I have so much whirling around in my head that I'm not paying attention to the here and now. Need to slow down and focus.

Does anyone else feel like this? 

Why did you need to "rescue" it?  (You weren't going to cry over spilt milk.  Sorry couldn't resist.)

But really, I often have cereal with orange (or other fruit) juice - particularly good with muesli.

DuranGirl

General_Grant said:

DuranGirl said:

I know I'm feeling the pinch when my body doesn't follow my brain's instructions. This morning I started to pour orange juice on my cereal instead of milk. Managed to rescue it (and made myself chuckle instead of cry which was really what I wanted to do) but clearly I have so much whirling around in my head that I'm not paying attention to the here and now. Need to slow down and focus.

Does anyone else feel like this? 

Why did you need to "rescue" it?  (You weren't going to cry over spilt milk.  Sorry couldn't resist.)

But really, I often have cereal with orange (or other fruit) juice - particularly good with muesli.

I've done it before and I really didn't like it, this time I managed to stop myself a small amount went in the bowl, so just a hint of citrus in the milk. I nearly cried over the split juice... 

linz

I think I forgot to post this earlier in the week but I went across country last weekend for the jubilee, it's a journey I do quite often, but this time I stuck to 60mph instead of 70mph (mostly dual carriageway / motorway) and I found that I had about 60-70 miles more petrol left on my dashboard than I normally do. I didn't really notice I got back any later either, possibly due to just pootling along and not stop/start. I noticed a lot more cars doing 60 too than I used to. I knew it'd be more economical but I didn't realise i'd 'gain' 60-70 more miles just by doing 10mph less. I'll definitely be doing that again.

YoungBlueEyes

My phone won’t let me quote, but re the orange juice in the cornflakes - I’ve done that before and it’s bearable tbh. But do not boil the kettle for a brew and pour it on your cornflakes instead! My god the smell…