nowcemsi
member
Reged: 24/06/2008
Posts: 273
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with the credit crunch imploding on my life?
or do I have company
as in, having to sell a property to pay off debt and not for greed
two daughters single and not one taker
pets that need feeding
and old age beckoning around the door...
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Chickadee
member
Reged: 28/03/2008
Posts: 3761
Loc: South Wales
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I've just got back from my weekly shop nowcemsi, and the food that cost me £40 5 years ago now costs nearer £80,while £20 of petrol barely half filled the tank - and I have a VERY small car. I don't think you're on your own - a lot of us are going to be feeling the pinch. I just try to take things one day at a time and not to worry about the longer term.
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Edited by valaber (30/08/2008 11:49)
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redpoppy
member
Reged: 21/01/2008
Posts: 402
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Hi nowcemsi
I'm feeling it too...has just cost a small fortune to fill the oil tank... petrol prices horrendous...quite a concern for pensioners/low-paid/unemployed this winter.
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Arty
member
Reged: 12/03/2008
Posts: 117
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Me too.
I dont have any spare property to sell. Only the house we live in.Damp problems that must be sorted out.
Two daughters, no takers, one income, five people.
How I regret giving up my fledgling career all those years ago.
Paid £90 to fill the car with diesel:(
J.
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BumbleBee
member
Reged: 24/08/2008
Posts: 333
Loc: Leicestershire
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nowcemsi - financial pressures biting, but for differetn reason. Left H earlier this year, now renting with our 2 teenagers. I don't earn stacks, and only about a third of what he does. No maintenance. I can just about cope, until they need new clothes or shoes, and I just pray that nothing goes wrong. So I am ignoring the odd behaviour the car is doing!
I used to lie awake at night worrying about it, but I have reached the stage where I don;t anymore. The main thing is that we are together, we are free from him, and we are happy. Ok so it might be smart price beans on smart price toast for tea again, but we laugh together and get through it.
I do understand the way it feels - and the resentment that goes with it. I hope things brighten up for you soon. Big hugs from me x
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Snowy1066
member
Reged: 08/07/2008
Posts: 4061
Loc: Southeast
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I'm sorry to hear how hard it is nowcemsi, I can't imagine what you are going thru,it must be very tough.
You are in my thoughts today. Snowy x
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dizeeblonde
member
Reged: 19/01/2008
Posts: 3173
Loc: Manchester
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Nowcemsi I have struggled with finances for years , all due to raising my 3 alone. But yes i do feel it is getting worse, especially gas/elec bills and filling up the car.
Having read some of the post on here about Aldi Lidl etc,I have changed my shopping habits, and am keeping a record of what I save. I am spending a lot less, so it seems to be worth it, and we are not eating inferior food etc.
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sunflower39
member
Reged: 13/01/2008
Posts: 324
Loc: warwickshire
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No..its me as well!! As you probably read on my other post, we have a huge tax bill to pay. On top of that our gas and electric bills seem like we're paying for the whole street and not just us!
Unfortunately we have always taken buying things for granted...nice food and wine...clothes when we want them etc, even though we were never rich. Its hard to get used to things like beans on toast for dinner!!
We're trying though...like many other people in the country. I'm being much more careful with what I buy...going to local markets etc for fruit and veg, and not putting things in the trolley at the supermarket just because they take my fancy!
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Spanishlady
member
Reged: 21/01/2008
Posts: 1809
Loc: Torrevieja Spain
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chemski and bumble bee and others , I think a lot of us have had it hard at times ,I remember going to bed early because I could not afford the heating ,buying day old bread from the bakery and generally scraping to make ends meet ,we did it ,we were happy and I think it made the children the people they are today .Abject poverty is a crime in this day and age but tightening the belt at times makes us appreciate what we now have.
PS BB I really admire you for getting out with your children
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MangeTout
member
Reged: 08/07/2007
Posts: 4042
Loc: Oxfordshire
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Just did my accounts today and I need to spend less if I want to stay in the black. I realise I'm very lucky as I have no children to support and OH is in work, but I well remember the last recession when I was on my own and I was made redundant.
I had to move out of my house because I couldn't afford the mortgage, stayed with friends and had a cleaning job to make ends meet. I felt as though I was at rock bottom.
Eventually I crawled my way back up again and will never, ever again, take money for granted.
I will adjust our spending, grow more veg, think of ways to save money and if all else fails, go out and try to get a proper job.
I should think there are very few 'normal' women who will not have to think about money and how to spend it over the coming months.
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Please sponsor me for the Ribbon Walk 2009 at http://www.justgiving.com/mangetout
Thank you
 
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Jules45
member
Reged: 17/04/2007
Posts: 238
Loc: Warks
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I'm thinking twice about all sorts of things, the cats have been downgraded to tesco's own cat biscuits, they're eating them but under protest.
I find though I spend far less on food shopping via the internet. I can look at the costs and empty or change the "trolley" contents to reduce the total, also stops me impulse buying. Would try Aldi or lidl but they're in th enext town and petrol/car parking etc not to mention time would cancel out the saving.
As an aside I was thinking about this in regard to the articles on fashion in W&H and other magazines, they're all still showing a lot of more expensive brands. Given we're all belt tightening, wouldn't it be good if they did a where to get new trends more reasonably in the hight st, sort of feature (obviously companies who don't exploit workers overseas though).
While we're on the subject of W&H, I'm very disgruntled with them this is the second month mine has not arrived, I shall be making a grumpy old woman phone call to them on Monday.
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Jules
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helje
member
Reged: 24/01/2008
Posts: 28
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Hi my hubby and I are now programmed to living this so called credit crunch. Just who made up this new way of saying that your normal class person is now finding it tough to live in Great Britain.
We are both born and bred in Scotland, both worked very hard, I left my job to have our children then went back to work when youngest went to school.
Have paid tax etc since I was 14, but due to my mum having cancer she was not able to look after my dad who had early Parkinsons, add that to the fact my sister has learning difficulties I, thanks to my hubby and my children, had to give up work.
My mum died, and after 9 years of hospitals and a nursing home so did my dad. In all that time after paying into the system did I get a penny. Nope I was according to them due nothing.
My sister gets £200 per week, pays no rent etc, goes on trips abroad, yes she has learning difficulties but thanks to social work etc, lives the life of Riley.
After caring for so long I just couldn't go back to my type of work.
After all that ranting, why should hard working individuals have to feel any type of crunch. We live near a homeless b&b and do they feel the crunch! Warm home {must be windows opened wide rain or snow} drunk or doped every night breakfast in the dining room every morning, always on their mobile.We have an old house which costs a lot to heat, have told hubby due to heating charges going through the roof we either put the telly in the bedroom and shut off the rest of the house, or we move into the homeless unit and all is free thanks to the great british taxpayer.Think I feel better after that! [image]http://[/image] http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/9671/fairy1fp2.jpg
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Foxie
member
Reged: 09/08/2007
Posts: 4425
Loc: South London
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The problem is that lots of the so called suggested economies I am doing already.
I already use up leftovers to make other meals and only buy what we eat etc. The central heating was turned several degrees last winter and if I'm on my own I put another woolly on.
I walk to work and Mr. F and I take pack lunches.
I grow lots of different herbs, runner beans, tomatoes and French beans.
We both work full time and Mr. F teaches about 6 days a year at a local college too.
I have just stopped the window cleaner. He charged £10 and I couldn't really see the difference. Mr F. does the outside and I do the inside windows now.
I expect a lot of forumers are doing all these things too.
I need to cut down on impulse buys, it is so easy to pop a magazine in the shopping trolley. I have started buying cards from M&S (£1.00 against £2.00+ in some shops) and a Card Factory has just opened locally and I've been told they are cheap and good.
I do buy own brands, but I have noticed my food bills going up and up. Any other suggestions from the forum?
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In your journey through life, take what works for you and let the rest go. Susan Jeffers
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MangeTout
member
Reged: 08/07/2007
Posts: 4042
Loc: Oxfordshire
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Cards are very expensive aren't they. I have a friend who sells Phoenix cards and they are good quality and, best of all, inexpensive.
There's bound to be someone selling these near you. Maybe even a fellow forumer.
http://www.phoenix-trading.co.uk/web/corp/
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Please sponsor me for the Ribbon Walk 2009 at http://www.justgiving.com/mangetout
Thank you
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redpoppy
member
Reged: 21/01/2008
Posts: 402
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I agree we can make daily small savings that help; instead of taking a bottle of wine to a friend's meal yesterday I took a bag of homegrown veg. I make necklaces for friend's birthdays etc..
When I was last feeling the pinch badly I took in a lodger for 6 months- not easy when you love your own space, but there's usually an answer.
I'm lucky to have a job.I think if I was on my own long-term I'd look into communal living,growing our own veg, sharing chores etc; a very challenging way to live but with lots of benefits.
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ChrissiFi
member
Reged: 28/06/2006
Posts: 1450
Loc: Somerset
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The shop costs more each week! We are going to need to get our roof looked at soon (it's not leaking but some of the battens aren't in good condition) and have been putting off getting estimates. Just had a letter from the gas offering to freeze the price for three years and are wondering if that's the right thing to do. It's difficult to economise more and more each year as wage increases are no where near what the financial experts say the rate of inflation actually is. Oh well, I guess we'll all survive - we always do!
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jessie_1
member
Reged: 07/03/2006
Posts: 1177
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Cemsi
I have a son who is single and no takers Yet!!!
Would your daughters be interested LOL  
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Diamonds may be a Girls best friend, but I prefer real friends.
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nowcemsi
member
Reged: 24/06/2008
Posts: 273
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Quote:
Cemsi
I have a son who is single and no takers Yet!!!
Would your daughters be interested LOL
Yes proviso must be age range 21 thru to 33
and must be old fashioned nice lads
deal!
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nowcemsi
member
Reged: 24/06/2008
Posts: 273
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we have to sell up wont go into the reasons here
and I find the outlook scary as in, where will we be living in a years time?
it seems to me some get help others dont, historically we never have we have always worked
I am too ill to work now and yes I know worse things happen at sea and in New Orleans
shall just think in the moment
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Mollymandy
member
Reged: 01/08/2008
Posts: 1026
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It really is quite scary these days and I feel that the news is always designed to send panic through us.
I really really made a big effort this quarter to reduce my electric and gas usage - turned off gas water heating if I could manage and used the electric shower. Turned off all standby lights each night and during the day if possible. Amazingly have just had my lowest gas and electric bills for years, inspite of the price rise : I know the winter quarter will be higher, but at least I have shown myself I can do without stuff. Watch the small portable tv rather than the plasma which I think uses mega electricity or even listen to the radio - much more fun!
As Spanishlady says, I think we have all experienced hardship through our lives and its a case of ducking and diving to keep head above water. Not so bad if you are only a couple, but doubly hard if you have kids with their wants and needs.
Think I will set a limit on Christmas this year as to be honest grandkids really do have far too much.
Hang in there nowcemsi, the government cannot even make ends meet, so why should you!
Sometimes a rented property on a secure tenancy takes away the angst of essential repairs and insurance... for every negative, there is often a positive. Hugs.
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