What gives?

otb666

I was able to extract £40 from elderly relatives today.  I had spent £20 (shopping) and 20 for petrol.  First payment I have taken since lockdown mar 2020. The £20 petrol will cover half a months worth. My hubbys on board I said its madness to spend £400 a year on them (thats just petrol) when i really worry about my son and grandchild managing after October with fuel bills. They did say "you will come back next week to collect your money again i suppose".  The reason we visit weekly is that they are both extremely old 90years and are doing really well (although we have had a few times when they were not managing or well)  They would rather stay as they are and are just about able to manage between them most things.  They have good private and state pensions and Attendance Allowance and I fixed their fuel so no worries til October 23.  However They just bank the money and dont spend it on any of their needs and thats how it will stay But determined not to spend anymore of our money in case my children need it.  As its going to be harder for them to make the shifts in their budgets for sure. 

dreamyd

I am currently wearing a Snoopy T Shirt that I bought in New York in 1991. The transfer is disappearing but it's still in one piece.  I've also got a  1997 Monsoon  jersey top (once long sleeved, now down to elbow length (due to alteration caused by disintegration). DH has posh shoes bought in 1997 ( for interviews, weddings and other suit-requiring occasions) as well as a Debenhams bathrobe which he  wears in rotation  when its not being used as a cat blanket by  the Feline Commander

maisie_cat

Slinky said:

maisie_cat said:

We don't buy clothes often and tend to wear them to death, I actually have a lowe alpine T shirt I bought in 1997! footwear is the only other pricy thing we have needed to buy in recent years.

Can beat you on that. I've got a T shirt I bought on a trip to Australia in 1995.

Wow that is impressive, I've worn this one so much (it's plain white) that it is incredibly thin. I wouldn't dare wear it in public, just in the garden or workshop.

LameWolf

I still have a pair of Hush Puppies shoes that I bought in the sale in the early 1990s I'm not  sure of the exact year, but I moved away from Aylesbury in 1994, and I'd had them for at least a couple of years then.

I suppose it's one advantage of being a wheelchair-user; you don't wear out footwear!

I haven't actually bought anything to wear whatsoever for almost two years - the last time was bras and knickers, bought (online) in May 2020, because the ones I had were rather more holey than righteous!

It won't surprise you to learn that I loathe and detest shopping for clothes or footwear.

Brie

OK well this is my competitive streak coming out in the "I've got the oldest one" contest.

I have used my grandmother's party handbag on really grand occasions.  I don't know how old it actually is but I do know she had it before she married my grandfather so I'd peg it 1920 to 1925.  It's made of metal mesh (very delicate chain mail) mostly silver with a slate & crimson pattern painted on it.  I loved it so much when I was a child (1960s) that my mom gave it to me to use (with trepidation).  It doesn't get out much but I love it so much I like to see it daily and so it's now in a box frame on the wall of the dining room.

Brie

And on the frugal front....

Don't wash.  Well, maybe not, but don't wash as much.  You won't waste water, and the energy it takes to heat it or all the products that you use when washing.  

This was the big lesson for me from lock down.  I had been for years a "shower every morning person" with clean everything if I was going to work.  Weekends I would shower as well if I'd been doing something really strenuous sweaty.  And then lockdown and I wasn't going to the office.  So why shower in the morning - it's not like I was all that dirty particularly as being a relatively lazy individual I wasn't going off for power walks around the local park.  So instead of going through a bottle of shampoo in a few weeks it lasted months.  ££ saved and the environment as I wasn't polluting with the soapy rinses and much fewer plastic bottles into the recycle bin.  

And if you don't shower every day why have clean clothes on?  Part of this too was a programme on the radio about how much damage our clothes do to the environment.  Not just in production and transport but all the little polyester fibres that get flushed into the oceans.  No problem with cotton or wool as they are natural of course but all those fleeces we wear must be doing something dreadful. 

So now I am hybrid working I go to the office 2 days a week and shower and have clean stuff for those days.  Clothing gets well aired and cycled through and is worn 3,4,5 times before being washed.  Sniff test done before putting on.  So less laundry being done (yea!) and less washing powder to buy too!!  

Oh and I don't iron either unless in extreme circumstances.  A very slightly damp top on a hanger will normally lose any wrinkles before I want to wear it.

Flip side of the radio programme was another where someone was saying that one must always replace all one's socks and knickers at least once every 6 months as they are soooooo unhygienic.  Think they were sponsored by M7S.

jennystarpepper

Floss said:

jennystarpepper said:  

...Phone charged at work, naughty maybe but they are not paying extra for business cover for car insurance and pence per mile will not be and has not been increased in years so to quote princess Anne, they can naff 0ff. 

If your employer pays less than 45p/m check if you can claim the difference from HMRC:
https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/vehicles-you-use-for-work

Will do, many thanks.

catz4m8z

LameWolf said:

It won't surprise you to learn that I loathe and detest shopping for clothes or footwear.

Me too! In fact I hate shopping for anything and Im def a 'comfort over fashion' person. In fact I just constantly wear the same 2 pairs of black trousers I bought decades ago coz they are comfy and go with everything.
When it comes to ancient clothing though my favourite is a Regatta fleece jacket I got as a birthday present 32 yrs ago. I wear it to work every single winter and its abit frayed but still going strong!

I generally dont have too much trouble being frugal though. I have no central heating, just a fanheater in one room (and thats off now coz its April and I refuse to put it back on!LOL). Also I have no gas bill because my boiler broke years ago meaning I have no hot water. Not an issue as I either have a proper wash in the sink by boiling a kettle or use a jug and bucket in the bath for a 'shower'....also means my water bill is half the normal as I think about my water usage more!
Ive never driven so have no car and walk everywhere, never did holidays, hate replacing things until they fall apart and I have no kids to feed and clothe. Really my only expenses are internet/entertainment and my pets.
Honestly I think Im pretty lucky having low expectations in life!

General_Grant

jennystarpepper said:

Floss said:

jennystarpepper said:  

...Phone charged at work, naughty maybe but they are not paying extra for business cover for car insurance and pence per mile will not be and has not been increased in years so to quote princess Anne, they can naff 0ff. 

If your employer pays less than 45p/m check if you can claim the difference from HMRC:
https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/vehicles-you-use-for-work

Will do, many thanks.

You have probably already found out that you can't claim "the difference" from HMRC, only tax relief.  (Otherwise all employers would not pay mileage and HMRC would be paying for everyone's work travel (not commuting) costs).)
Also the 45p/mile is for the first 10,000 miles then it's 25p/mile.