Credit Crunch

[Flummery]

I'm lucky not to have any money problems, probably because we don't have hols abroad or buy posh clothes or eat out much. I've always grown a lot of our own food and as I'm retired I'm now 'time rich' so I trawl the hedgerows for crab apples, ropeships, brambles, sloes etc. and use them in jams and chutneys. I don't do it to save cash, but it must do in the long run.

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

I am very grateful not to be worried about the credit crunch - hubby is a retired firefighter (medical), I work part-time (mostly self-employed but do temp jobs as well - I will do anything to make money (well nearly anything)) no debts (we are scaredy cats). We keep a very close eye on finances. I use the moneysavingexpert website for extra info on making money stretch - I do TV surveys (get "paid" in Amazon vouchers use these for DVD's and gardening supplies), do Mystery Shopping (get paid money but is not regular), there is info on meal planning etc. Oh and of course grow my own veg and (fingers crossed) more fruit next year. I found out today a close friend is losing her home - she rents privately and guess what - scumbag landlord has not been paying the mortgage. Hubby and I are very glad we have our teeny, weeny tooty, tiny bungalow - it's not posh but has three big gardens

[bloom]

oh my god, I thought it was just me. I have two jobs and have been working 60-70 hours every week, and getting to the point where I am shattered generally I have just reduced my hours to just under 60hrs (not much difference) but thankfully I only work 3hrs on the weekends so I get chance to rest. I do allow myself 1 treat a month whether it be a new T'shirt or a meal out or something but i always have to budget that stuff in at the beginning of the month. I do manage to save a little a month so the scrimping is all worth it and its not all going to waste so in a few years time i might be able to afford to only have a day job.......

[quark1]

Like FF I also do surveys etc for payment in Amazon vchrs - also another for Argos vchrs - both help for the little extra treats as described.

One thing I've been doing lately is to visit charity shops. In the last couple of weeks I've picked 2 leather jackets for £5 (self) and £10 (son). We've worked out the £10 jacket probably sold originally for as much as £200 - Ciro Citterio brand - both good as new with very little wear. Also for myself I grabbed 3 fleeces - 2 for a quid each and another today for the 'huge' sum of £2!

No doubt this helps my meagre budget and it also helps the charity in these difficult times.

I did ask my son if it concerned him that the clothing might be from a deceased persons wardrobe - I'm pleased to say that like me he is not the least worried by such a thing - but I do appreciate some people can be a little concerned by this.

[jackie j]

How do you get to do these surveys extra might be worth a go thanks.

[quark1]

If you care to PM me I'll let you know the ones I do and maybe FF will have others - some are so dead easy you can pass to your kids to do - not exactly surveys - but you'll see! There's nowt in it for me - so no danger of any pyramid/spamming rubbish etc!

[Comfreyfan]

I'm really hoping not to go through it again! Roof over our heads is safe and we both have jobs (for now!) and only one child left at university. Grow as much as I can, this could be a very good reason for taking over more of the garden for veg next year
Late OH and I struggled in our early days together - nearly all of our income (2 jobs each!) was taken up with mortgage and utilities. A chicken would last for 3 days, dinners and lunches. Use 4oz mince and pad it out with soya granules, holidayed with relatives, never used the heating, ice on the inside of the windows in the morning is no joke, but there was real satisfaction that we got through it.
Around 1990 it was tough again, our mortgage repayments more than doubled and it's hard to cope with that, especially when you've got a young family. For a while I had 3 jobs, but we got through again. . . just.
So I don't want to do it again but my heart really goes out to those that it will affect.

[Dipzy]

We've tried to be as clever as we can, have paid off our mortgage by cashing in our endowments which surely will never payout what they should, by not paying the mortgage now we should hopefully win in the long run and it gives us greater flexibility.

Having said that we are still trying to save money, buying cheaper brands at the supermarket as that is where most of our money seems to go. Buying xmas and birthday presents in the sales etc. I think the main thing we do when shopping is "do we really need it" and putting stuff back on the shelf.

There is a good website you can use to help with money off vouchers for food and restaurants and other good deals where buying, selling and investing is concerned, have a look: Fool.com: Stock Investing Advice | Stock Research

Also my AA was due for renewal and a friend said she had a Barclays Additions account, for the same price I get the RAC plus many other extras on the account making it cost effective and I am also using it as a savings account for our holiday next Oct.

[Dipzy]

Sorry the website is Fool.co.uk - The UK financial news and comparison website not .com

[Flummery]

I started knitting gloves for friends last night - they'll get them for Christmas. Very relaxing to do (if you like knitting that is!) and you can get a couple of pairs from a 100g ball of wool. My pattern does standard gloves, fingerless, mittens and the sort of fingerless glove that has a turn-back mitten top. It's nice to give (and receive) a home-made gift.

[womble]

We've paid off most of our mortgage last month, yesterday I find out that all of my work for the rest of the year has just been cancelled

Next year is going to be interesting, I definitely do not want to lose being self employed, so I shall be growing an awful lot more than usual this year. The plot is really going to have to work hard!

[Marthaclematis]

In our early years together dh and I bought some nice small boxes and then made biscuits for everybody for Christmas, putting about six in each box. Everyone was happy, though my bitch of a sister did say 'I bet the packaging cost more than the present', and she was right actually - but that was just her being her mealy mouthed self. We don't swap presents with her nowadays.

[jackie j]

OH poor you womble what work do you do. Prehaps we should all start trading in exchange like they used to.

[womble]

OH poor you womble what work do you do. Prehaps we should all start trading in exchange like they used to.

What does trading in exchange mean?

We'll be fine, we're used to not having new shiny things all the time and we don't have expensive holidays, so that's how we have been able to pay off most of the mortgage. The new greenhouse is paid for, the car is paid for, we have no debts. In some ways we are very well off, although some people I'm sure wouldn't look at it that way

[Flummery]

My granddad use to say "A man is rich according to the fewness of his wants." Don't know where the quotation came from and I'd take issue with the word 'fewness' (!) but it's a good 'un. We really don't 'need' half the things we think we want.