Wednesday 31 October 2012

Food Banks - BBC Programme last night

Hmm Don't know if you caught the very late food bank programme on BBC. It should be on I player.

Raised some questions for me.

Food banks while delivering food as an emergency is all well and good. You need to be referred to a food bank from various sources/agenices and deemed to be in need. I have sympathy for genuine peeps who are in this predicament. Changes in circumstanes - a delayed payment of benefits etc etc

One family with five children where parent had gone to university and the wife worked part time had their housing benefit mucked up and had got into debt. She had also had difficulties actually getting the food and was judged. They were clearly genuine.

However my main issue was that no one was actually advising these people how to make their food last longer, work to a budget etc.

One family of four claimed they needed £90 a week to feed themselves properly!!! They were on benefits and regularly used the food bank.

Now life on benefits is tough and you need to be super frugal. But !!!!£90 Get real! Thats proper luxury in my book!

There were a few people who had got into debt with those legal loan sharks such as Wonga and Money Exchange that had ridiculous interest rates and will take everything from your bank account as means of re payment leaving you with nothing. A few people had fallen into this trap but borrowing is another story.  I have sympathy as they are clearly not the most money/credit savy of folk if they felt the need to use a loan source such as this.  What they needed the loan for I don't know.  But we can all make mistakes with these evil sources who are nothing but legal loop hole loan sharks.

Point. Most months I am skint and know I have to tighten the belt and not spend on stuff I don't need.
Food is a priority. £30 feeds me and Weeny and Biggles at weekends very adequately.  I could reduce this easily to £20. All household stuff in included in this. Utilities I budget for as well. Drastically. £25 per month on gas and £25 per month on Electric. This builds up over time as so far I haven't spent all this but you never know with winter and what it may bring.

Can I use a food bank please? It would really help. But because I budget and live in my meagre means I am deemed ok. And its tight. Very tight.

Maybe as a welfare move the government/ food banks needs to teach people how to budget for food ,electricity etc (Mr C's Big new society should be able to rustle up some volunteers) - on benefits then just like the employability coursesfor  job seekers that they must attend after a while, what about budgeting courses that are also mandatory. Especially if they have children. Learn how rto eek out mince with grated carrot, learn how to cook veg! Jees!

Do I feel crap at times that my daughter does not have a nice house like her little pals? Has to wear second hand clothes, has second hand toys??? Yes but it changes nowt and we get on with it. Suck it up and move on.

And loads of these people had pets. Poor pets.. Did they get fed??? I would love to have a dog but know I couldn't afford the care and up keep.

Priorities me thinks.  grump and grump.


Eeek

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Nearly there but not quite- grump and grump and swear.

Double drat and blast.  Got the positive line a wee literally a wee! while ago but it wasn't meant to be. Again so close to the fairy tale but not everyone gets the super happy ending. The bugger is we had got it into our head that kids were not to be and this was just a bit of a shitty thing to happen considering we had done the long talk and the making decisions and what. Seriously looking at postings abroad and considering all the palarva that goes with it. Having a sprogglet would have been the icing on the cake. For an instant we had a peek at the happy fairytale ending. Fate and G-d, the  destiny fairies, whoever it is - is a real git and needs a good kicking. Kind of thought it likely given the statistics for peeps my age  nearly 40 but you can always hope... Sigh.

We were both doing well and working out the future. Poor Biggles.

Sod it sod it sod it. What a bollox! It was early and we only really knew for a few days but it makes me grumpy as  pissed off as a pissed off thing in a pissed off thing competition.

Onwards as ever. A grumpy sour puss Eeek who is more angry than upset funnily enough. What was the sodding point!!!!!

yes am sitting on a huge feck off pity pott with a a huge club in my hand swinging it angrily at annoying type flies who dare piss me off.  Patience - not alot of it about at the moment but a darkly sick sense of humour which I  will excercise while watching Don't tell the Bride and pitying the sad sad ( mostly) folk who think their world can be made perfect by the perfect look at me look at me day that costs loads of money and is all about stuff not meaning. Silly silly people.

Tuesday 16 October 2012

Bugger. Need TV AERIEL PROBLEM FIXING. CALL OUT FEES.AHHH!

Monday 15 October 2012

Menu plan from my phone

Monday. Semi home made pizza. Yellow stickered bases with left over toppings
Tuesday. Stir fry with left over veg
Wednesday. Veggie sausages veg and mash
Thursday. Ham and Cheese sandwiches. We are on a train.
Friday -Sunday depends on what is in Biggles London fridge.

Shopping wont happen this week as we will be away. We will take food on the train with juice and a flask.

Hmm I need crisps and yoghurt.

Sunday 14 October 2012

British Gas/Gas prices and Car insurance!!!

Well after a hectic day yesterday living a life with Weeny and Biggles I forgot to renew the car insurance. My insurer has increased my payments by £5. With no claims since June 2011. And before that I have 6 sodding years!  Anyway nothing open on Sundays. You can do new business and get insurance but no one will speak to you about renewals. My bad. I have cheaper quotes but want to find out if they can offer me something similar. I have increased my excess. I can reduce by £30 though the initial payment makes a mockery of stoptober.  Bet those arses at Kwik fit charge me for leaving as well. They have me by the short and curlies. Note to self must remember to shave these bits.

Lordy its hard to stop spending even for a month!!

I also paid for sustenance and a beer each for two RAF officers dressed as women on a 22 mile charity walk which includes 9 pubs where by you are obliged to purchase and consume a pint. its in exchange for the pubs letting you in dressed as a loon and for opening up early in the morning.  This was not cheap but very much needed. In the end they won the Engineers Balls - don't ask! made a fair few bob for charity and have a laugh. ( £26 all in me and weeny included) Eeek!!!and Double Eeek!! Later I found out that for hair of the dog purposes while they were waiting for the Sue Ryder Charity shop to open so they could purchase their attire as ladies they just had to drink two more can s of cider each. British Military at its best. Rat arsed and dressed as women in daylight cavorting around the countryside!!!

I am also growling at British Gas making 15 billion profit and putting prices up!!!  This is disgusting .. no I need stronger words than that! Any one care to oblige!!!  Its criminal and exploitative.

This brings me to my next goal. Acquire another oil filled radiator and mini oven with electric hob.  Smaller than the gas oven, Heating one or two rooms at a time must be cheaper than full on heating!!!

I will only have to use gas to  heat water on a daily basis for our bath/shower. Its a joint bath with Weeny. Biggles only ever showers at weekends and he is a master in the Ship Shower. Douse in water. Turn off water. Soap up. Turn on water to rinse. Simples!!!  Bit of a bugger in the cold hence the additional radiator for upstairs. I figure one will do nicely as its a small house and they can be wheeled to where needed.


So what do you think of the plan for fuel??? I am not with BG but where BG goes the rest will follow.

Do you have any recommendations for the mini oven and hob?? best prices??? is this a frugal plan??? I currently play approx 50 pcm for fuel though they want to increase to 58. Can't afford that have increased the tv phone Internet package by 10 to keep costs down as I went  over. I figure the nights are drawing in and this is when these type of things get abused!!! Also weeny is using her PC and Biggles listening to the adventures of the beloved Sheffield Wednesday!!!!


Other than that we went swimming, to a party and spent ages doing beach art while waiting for the drunken charging/marching cross dressing types. This is the third year they have one the BALLS!

We had a lovely day together me and weeny and the fortress sandcastle with rocks and abridge was splendid. Cheap activity and beautiful coast line.


So plan??? Good or bad??
Recommends for mini oven and hob

Oh and going to collect a 12ft freecycled trampoline later. Need to buy a net but hey ho saving of at least 80 quid. Will have to buy a need and and factor in petrol but alls good. ( Biggles petrol and estate car)


Eeeeeekkkkkkk!!!!!!xxxxx
 

Monday 8 October 2012

Procrastinating....

  1. tax return for my mother
  2. car insurance
  3. ebay

Must do soon. I am such a procrastinator when it comes to stuff that is dull as shit!

Motivation is poo for poo things.

Any tips on how to combat boredom procrastination!

Halloween Crafts and bargains

Spiders webs from fruit netting! With added spiders! A painted witch!

Yes we have started doing arty type things with the Weenster. We gravitate this way in the darker nights and winter months. Still plenty of fresh air to be had. We even decorated the house for halloween and she dressed up as a witch.

Yes its early but its a job done . Its only the living room and we will advertise the fact we do Halloween nearer the time. I have a cache of sweets for the local kids.

 More Christmas bargains. This is not included in Stoptober as I have funds set aside for this.

Cancer research charity shop had a haul of brand new FF Tesco scarves for sale at a £1 each . Guess what folks are getting for Christmas. Yes am a cheap skate. DO NOT CARE!!!

Its up to them if they want to spend silly money on pressies that people will never use.

I also have the cache of advent calendar gifts in stock now so that's done as well.  Tradition someone else started and now I continue as the Weenster loves it.

Made soup, bread over the weekend. Bread made for Saturday Am. Nothing nicer than the smell of fresh bread in the morning and eating it when its still warm with melted butter.

Soup - for the freezer - its the season. Left over celery, broccoli stalks ( why waste them) and carrot and onion with a spud all stewed and liquidised.

We eat well at weekends. Carbonara, Chicken fajitas and roast on Sunday.

I nabbed a tray of chicken pieces for £1 yellow stickered and froze them Nice to have with a small or halved piece of chook breast then every one gets the same to gnaw on!

Sunday 7 October 2012

Autumn and Winter events.


Well events time it is! The Autumn/Winter season is so busy! I include Jan and Feb in this as its invariably cold. At least I get to turn the heating off in Feb- thats my goal anyhow.

Halloween and Samhain - trick or treating and the Halloween festival in town. We decorate the house and do crafty things as well

Bonfire Night - Firework etc We do the display thing or if Weeny is away we go for a curry!!! Biggles treat bless him. He is gorgeous. We buy some fireworks too just for Weeny.

November - Armistice Day  We go to church being of a military pursuasion what wiv having Biggles in our lives and thankful that he has returned from a warzone twice. Nice way to remember my father as well given he was navy 1940-46 as well as the other sacrifices made by so many in two world wars and other conflicts since.

Biggles Birthday Early December,. Special meal and dessert. His choice. Mayne cheapo pressie


Winter Solstice -I aim to do all the xmas baking this day. Try to have a fire.
.
Xmas - Will explain in more depth in later post

New Year and my Birthday - Quiet

January - Weeny's Birthday. She wants her party at the Animal Sanctuary this year. Costly. My house is too small to host anymore than two or three kids at one time. No big space for parties.

All hush till Valentines and the giving of tacky horrendous bad taste gifts for under a fiver preferably less and bad cheap cards or make one.