Can you do OS and work full time too?

thriftwizard

Glad I've found this thread again, there was something I wanted to say.

Time is the most precious resource we have. None of us knows how much of it we have, and we can't buy any more of it. But I suspect we can shorten the length of time we do have, by trying to live up to other people's expectations and/or satisfying the incessant demands of The Economy - i.e., work, spend, work some more, spend lots more, borrow in order to spend, work more to borrow more, etc. etc. It's a trap, like a horrible sticky net that it's really hard to fight free of, and we're all kept in it to one extent or another by Society's expectations, whether that's your family insisting you can't "waste" your education, or having a mortgage (which literally translates as death-grip) or rent that you need two wages to pay for, or the constantly-changing must-have gadgets & aspirational fashion & interiors that we feel failures if we don't have, even if we don't actually want or like them!

OP, is there any way you can get a job nearer home? That would be two hours a day and quite possibly a fair bit of money in fares or fuel & parking that you'd free up, too. I know it's hard to keep your toes in the water career-wise when you have constant moves to deal with, but if you do want to be more OS, you need more time. Looking for bargains, cooking from scratch & preserving, making stuff, growing stuff - it all takes time, and you are currently time-poor. But if that's the only choice you have, just do what you can; in my case, long ago, I made bread & went foraging along the banks of the Metropolitan Line at weekends, instead of "networking" with my colleagues.

Back then, I eventually took the choice to give up a well-paid & very promising career to concentrate on home & family, which I "paid" for by learning to be OS (and in other ways too; some of my family have never forgiven me and still make constant jibes!) but I don't regret it at all, though sometimes it was very scary; for example when the interest rate shot up to 15%, or when big bills came in. But we scraped by somehow, and I've had lots of time with my kids, time to learn & help preserve & pass on skills, time just to stand & stare, and I'm happy & grateful to have had that, even if I lost out on the gold-plated pension, the up-to-the-minute car, private medicine & the exotic holidays I was brought up to consider my birthright.

Off now for a few hours blackberrying - I wouldn't swap the scratches, the sun on my back, the taste of ripe berries & the sound of merry blackbirds for two weeks lying on a beach in Phuket, where my step-sister is now, even if my family still think I'm mad! But it's horses for courses, and what works for one doesn't work for another; she'd be downright miserable & feel very unfulfilled in my lifestyle.

Fingers crossed you find some way to satisfy your inner OSer!

Liz3yy

I don't want to read and run, but just wanted to say it can be done, you just have to find a balance of the two that works for you and your family. I live with my fianc! and we have no children or pets. He was laid off in May and since then we have relied on just my wage, it was a struggle but we managed to keep a clean and tidy home, get the bills paid and also eat well.

He now has a job thank god and we will again both be working full time as of tomorrow, despite that by sharing the chores and cooking we maintain a decent lifestyle and make sure we eat a good honest home cooked meal every evening. It's not extravagant or too frugal but it suits us and we're happy

I should also add that we are fortunate enough to live close to work, I can home within 15 minutes and OH's commute is only 20 minutes

shoei

Can anyone give me any tips.

I currently work 7 days a week over 50 hours and I need some extra minutes in my life. There is only me, OH the dog and cat at home and we have quite a traditional relationship in I cook, clean etc and he does the mowing, cars, DIY etc, which I don't mind, I just need to find more time. And as we are renovating there is LOTS of DIY

The house is not as clean and tidy as I like and dinner sometimes goes out the window. I have a slow cooker but to be honest veg prep seems to take ages so it doesn't get used that much.


Not very OS I know but I have started getting shopping delivered as it is 30 min each way to the nearest shop.


So really what I would like is some tips on getting all those boring household jobs done quicker so I can enjoy some free time!


Virtual cookies for anyone that can help

krlyr

Try doubling up recipes if you have freezer space to store extra in. 4 portions of chili and double the quantity of rice don't really take any longer than 2 portions, and you now have a 5 minute meal for next week. Rice can be cooked and frozen safely as long as you follow the appropriate rules for cooling and reheating.

Re. cleaning, try to get into the habit of cleaning up as you go rather than letting it build up. Washing up 1 mug or 1 plate takes 30 seconds, whereas washing up a big pile in the sink is a bigger job.

Also make the most of every minute. Even those 5 minutes while your chili is in the microwave - instead of sitting there watching the timer, go and wipe the kitchen sides down, or put away some of the dry washing up (don't avoid tasks that you cannot complete, if it's not necessary to finish it all in one go - so even if you only put half the dry washing up away, it means it'll take less time to put the other half away after dinner!). I tend to hoover the kitchen as I'm cooking because I know if I go and sit down I'll only waste time watching TV or surfing the internet, when doing the hoovering gets that job over and done with for the day.

snowleopard61

Also make the most of every minute. Even those 5 minutes while your chili is in the microwave - instead of sitting there watching the timer, go and wipe the kitchen sides down, or put away some of the dry washing up (don't avoid tasks that you cannot complete, if it's not necessary to finish it all in one go - so even if you only put half the dry washing up away, it means it'll take less time to put the other half away after dinner!). I tend to hoover the kitchen as I'm cooking because I know if I go and sit down I'll only waste time watching TV or surfing the internet, when doing the hoovering gets that job over and done with for the day.

This. It's so true!

snowleopard61

Not very OS I know but I have started getting shopping delivered as it is 30 min each way to the nearest shop.

I think this is actually very sensible and can't see anything not OS about it, especially if it's 30 mins' drive. And if it's 30 mins' walking, carrying it home can be a real back-breaker, as I know from experience.

Making lunchtime sandwiches all in one go for a few days or a week and freezing them saves a lot of time. Some things freeze much better than others though - definitely don't try putting salad in! Sardines or tuna are fine; so is peanut butter or grated cheese. Cream cheese does seem to go slightly granular but I don't mind that too much.

Helen2k8

How about "once a month cooking"? There are a fair few websites about it, essentially you buy in bulk and have a hell of a day in the kitchen, then you end up with a freezer full of "ready meals". I have just done a day, and so far it has made it far easier to put together a decent balanced meal, as opposed to random combinations of whatever comes to hand.

Nothing non-OS about delivery - I bet the delivery charge is less than the petrol cost to drive there, not to mention the saved time

Pink.

This thread is full of tips that may help:

Can you do OS and work full time too?

I'll add this thread to that one later to keep the suggestions and advice together.

Pink

Pooky

Most supermarkets do a frozen pack of casserole/stew veg which can just be tipped into your SC with meat/ dumplings etc. A great time saver and saves unused veg going off. I normally cook a big SC full of stew so use fresh veg in bulk and then freeze down the rest in portions for a quick dinner/lunch.

I always sort a load of washing whilst I'm cooking the evening meal, get it in the machine and set the timer so that it's ready to hang out after my morning shower. I pull it out of the machine, shake and fold whilst the kettles on first thing and it's ready in the basket to go out.

Don't go up or downstairs empty handed and always take the item directly to where it lives, if you just dump it on the bed or the side it will tend to get moved around, just put things strait in their place.

maman

Before I discovered mse, I'd always done meal planning. I found it saved me a huge amount of time dithering about what we'd have for dinner of an evening. I planned a range of meals to fit in with days when I had more or less time for cooking.

Busy days were a ready meal and frozen veg. Agree with krlyr that if you can do your own HM ready meals then so much the better (money and health). I have chilli, curry and bolognese in the freezer for CBA days. I try to do meals in the oven as much as possible as they don't need watching as much as stuff on the hob (baked fish & oven chips, casserole with roast potatoes) then I can rush around the house doing other jobs rather than stay in the kitchen.

Keep ironing to an absolute minimum of items.

Have a blitz on a room a week and then just try to keep everything tidy after that with a basic vacuum and dusting only when essesntial. Shouldn't get too messy with just you and DH at home.

Will try to think of more.