I wonder if you get this too, but since it is nearly the end of the month and folk are getting their salary paid into their bank account, I am getting a few emails with "tempting" offers to splurge on all kinds of things from The Book People to clothing companies, Lakeland and everything in between.
However, I am not being tempted - I have got bills coming in from all directions at the moment: the car is in the garage today for work to the tracking and possibly the suspension as well; the chimney is going to get sorted out this next month, and I have no idea how much that will cost, but it must be done, so I need to be careful.
Good news is that there is no council tax to pay in February and March, so that payment can be put towards other bills, and that helps a little.
I wanted to share a website that I have just come across through a Facebook page I joined. This lady, Miki, has a recipe blog, and she spends only about £30 a week to feed herself and her partner, as well as doing evening meals for older relatives each night - so I think she's doing pretty well. I've had a quick look through the blog and will be adding it to my blogroll, and her Lentil cottage pie with sweet potato mash is on the menu here tonight as I have got everything in the house to make this for the girls. I shall be doing some of the other ones from here as well, and I do hope she adds more!
Blogger Jack Monroe has become vegan and she has been sharing some more interesting recipes lately, but since many of them are curries, I am afraid that I shan't be indulging as I don't really like curry! However, the two EF girls are mad keen, so I shall possibly be trying one or two recipes out on them.
Friday, 29 January 2016
Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Better day for some
Just passed an online food hygiene course exam with 93% so quite pleased with that, and the boss at work should be pleased too. Made some lemon muffins today, and have had UJ here as well.
The violinist has succumbed to the flu bug, but she seems to be not as bad as the rest of us were - probably her ultra-healthy lifestyle which puts us to shame! Off to bed now - see you tomorrow xx
The violinist has succumbed to the flu bug, but she seems to be not as bad as the rest of us were - probably her ultra-healthy lifestyle which puts us to shame! Off to bed now - see you tomorrow xx
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
Sad thoughts today
I have been to quite the most upsetting funeral today that I have ever attended. It was a "community" or "public health" funeral, because, it seems that although the gentleman had family, no one was willing to take responsibility for the funeral arrangements. Our minister provided the service at the church, and then there was a burial in the village cemetery. It was at one of "my" churches, so I was asked to attend to support the funeral steward and the minister.
We didn't really know what to expect, whether anyone would turn up, how it would pan out. It was unexpectedly well-attended as the family are an extensive local clan, but as large families sometimes are, it was rather a disjointed group of factions, and some went to the burial but not on to the pub afterwards, some went to the church and the pub but not the burial, and we believe that some were just going to come on later to the pub.
The heartbreaking part of the funeral for me was that the minister was not able to do the usual talk about the deceased - when and where he had been born, his life, his profession, his family, his hobbies and interests, his contributions, his legacy - because no one in the family had had a good word to say about him: perhaps they felt justified, because he seems to have had a troubled life and not been very kind to many people......but to leave the minister only able to say that the deceased had been a father, grandfather, partner and uncle was a bit of a challenge for our poor chap. He did very well, sharing some thoughts about the scripture passages, and sharing a poem about God's forgiveness, but it was a struggle for him.
From an outsider's point of view, the funeral varied from the more usual ones in that there was no order of service, only one hymn, no eulogy [as I have said], no limo behind the hearse. I understand that the grave will be very simple too. The family had organised flowers, and the coffin was just as most of the others I had seen recently.
This has opened my eyes to a different side of ministry and to how some families can react to death. All the funerals I have been to before have been for someone who has been much loved and will be missed, but this was very different, and I feel the need to reflect upon it for some time before I come to terms with it. Life really makes you think sometimes, eh?
(image from goodfuneralguide.co.uk)
We didn't really know what to expect, whether anyone would turn up, how it would pan out. It was unexpectedly well-attended as the family are an extensive local clan, but as large families sometimes are, it was rather a disjointed group of factions, and some went to the burial but not on to the pub afterwards, some went to the church and the pub but not the burial, and we believe that some were just going to come on later to the pub.
The heartbreaking part of the funeral for me was that the minister was not able to do the usual talk about the deceased - when and where he had been born, his life, his profession, his family, his hobbies and interests, his contributions, his legacy - because no one in the family had had a good word to say about him: perhaps they felt justified, because he seems to have had a troubled life and not been very kind to many people......but to leave the minister only able to say that the deceased had been a father, grandfather, partner and uncle was a bit of a challenge for our poor chap. He did very well, sharing some thoughts about the scripture passages, and sharing a poem about God's forgiveness, but it was a struggle for him.
From an outsider's point of view, the funeral varied from the more usual ones in that there was no order of service, only one hymn, no eulogy [as I have said], no limo behind the hearse. I understand that the grave will be very simple too. The family had organised flowers, and the coffin was just as most of the others I had seen recently.
This has opened my eyes to a different side of ministry and to how some families can react to death. All the funerals I have been to before have been for someone who has been much loved and will be missed, but this was very different, and I feel the need to reflect upon it for some time before I come to terms with it. Life really makes you think sometimes, eh?
Monday, 25 January 2016
Not popular
Ilona's cheery face came up in my news feed on Facebook this morning as her story in the local paper has been picked up by the national press, and she has featured in the Daily Mail and the Mirror - or at least, she is on their websites.
What troubles some people is the nature of the comments that the general public has put on the websites as a response to the articles - and they are not all very pleasant, I have to say. There are some supportive comments, some from people like us who read Ilona's blog, and some who think that they could learn something if they did head over and read the blog for the first time - so I predict a surge of new readers for Ilona!
But, unfortunately, there are a lot of derisive comments, and they are quite horrible in places. It makes me think of the old adage, "If you've nothing nice to say, say nothing!" but on the other hand, some would say that folk have the right to express their opinions. Mmmm - I know what I think!
The bottom line is that thrift and frugality are misunderstood by the general population, which does not seem to grasp the difference between thrift and meanness - and there is no concept of my own underlying desire to keep out of debt and to pay my way without having to use credit. What a lot of us frugal/thrifty/super-scrimping bloggers do on a day to day basis is not what the majority of the population does - and there seems to be an attitude of superiority over us - that we eat unhealthily, eat food not fit for consumption [thank goodness Ilona doesn't use Approved Foods or they would really have had a go - out of date food? whatever next?!] and we are generally mean and miserable people! They haven't got a clue of the sense of freedom I have from not being a slave to modern fashion, the requirement of society to replace things before they are worn out, and the desire to avoid waste, for example. They forget that the Queen is famous for being thrifty and is known for walking round the palaces, turning off the lights, and is quite fond of scrambled eggs on toast for tea at home when she is not out and about.
You carry on, Ilona - we're right behind you!
What troubles some people is the nature of the comments that the general public has put on the websites as a response to the articles - and they are not all very pleasant, I have to say. There are some supportive comments, some from people like us who read Ilona's blog, and some who think that they could learn something if they did head over and read the blog for the first time - so I predict a surge of new readers for Ilona!
But, unfortunately, there are a lot of derisive comments, and they are quite horrible in places. It makes me think of the old adage, "If you've nothing nice to say, say nothing!" but on the other hand, some would say that folk have the right to express their opinions. Mmmm - I know what I think!
The bottom line is that thrift and frugality are misunderstood by the general population, which does not seem to grasp the difference between thrift and meanness - and there is no concept of my own underlying desire to keep out of debt and to pay my way without having to use credit. What a lot of us frugal/thrifty/super-scrimping bloggers do on a day to day basis is not what the majority of the population does - and there seems to be an attitude of superiority over us - that we eat unhealthily, eat food not fit for consumption [thank goodness Ilona doesn't use Approved Foods or they would really have had a go - out of date food? whatever next?!] and we are generally mean and miserable people! They haven't got a clue of the sense of freedom I have from not being a slave to modern fashion, the requirement of society to replace things before they are worn out, and the desire to avoid waste, for example. They forget that the Queen is famous for being thrifty and is known for walking round the palaces, turning off the lights, and is quite fond of scrambled eggs on toast for tea at home when she is not out and about.
You carry on, Ilona - we're right behind you!
Sunday, 24 January 2016
Hopes for better week ahead
Following Monday's expense with the tyres, the YFG coming down with the flu, the guttering getting fixed on Thursday and the discovery that the metal chimney flue has moved about 10 degrees out of upright, possibly in the high winds, one can only hope that less things go wrong in the week ahead.
The tyres cost me £110, the guttering £80 and now the chimney expert reckons that he needs a cherry picker to deal with the issue. There's a local chap who has one, which would be cheaper than the regular supplier that the chimney chap uses, but the chimney bloke hasn't got the right certificates for the local one......so that might be £180 for the use of a cherry picker from further afield, on top of the actual cost of the repair. I just need him to get himself organised and get it repaired as I am a bit worried that the wet and windy weather that is forecast for this week will only exacerbate the problem. I'm sort of hoping for the return of high pressure as that tends to be very cold weather but without wind - and I can definitely do without that at the moment.
The YFG is better and doesn't seem to have suffered to the same extent that the Danish girl and I did. I've had a bit of a laugh with the Danish girl today as she is studying King Lear for her English studies, and she was struggling with it rather - well, just imagine it: English is not her first language, and then they ask her to study Shakespeare, which most native English-speakers find a challenge, and you can see why she may have been finding it hard! We managed to find a good website which offered the original Shakespearean text alongside a "modern" translation that gave her a better handle on what the bard was on about. Since I did Lear for my English A level too, it has been fun to try to dredge up some of what I remembered to help her.
The YFG went on a gymnastics coaching course today and did well but it was quite a long day and she went to bed quite early tonight. The violinist has done over 4 hours of practice today, and I haven't seen a lot of her.
I just want to say that I love getting your comments, but I have also been blessed by one or two emails to the address that I shared up there on the right - it is wonderful to hear from you that way too, but don't be upset if I don't reply immediately as I probably only check that account a couple of times a week.
The tyres cost me £110, the guttering £80 and now the chimney expert reckons that he needs a cherry picker to deal with the issue. There's a local chap who has one, which would be cheaper than the regular supplier that the chimney chap uses, but the chimney bloke hasn't got the right certificates for the local one......so that might be £180 for the use of a cherry picker from further afield, on top of the actual cost of the repair. I just need him to get himself organised and get it repaired as I am a bit worried that the wet and windy weather that is forecast for this week will only exacerbate the problem. I'm sort of hoping for the return of high pressure as that tends to be very cold weather but without wind - and I can definitely do without that at the moment.
The YFG is better and doesn't seem to have suffered to the same extent that the Danish girl and I did. I've had a bit of a laugh with the Danish girl today as she is studying King Lear for her English studies, and she was struggling with it rather - well, just imagine it: English is not her first language, and then they ask her to study Shakespeare, which most native English-speakers find a challenge, and you can see why she may have been finding it hard! We managed to find a good website which offered the original Shakespearean text alongside a "modern" translation that gave her a better handle on what the bard was on about. Since I did Lear for my English A level too, it has been fun to try to dredge up some of what I remembered to help her.
The YFG went on a gymnastics coaching course today and did well but it was quite a long day and she went to bed quite early tonight. The violinist has done over 4 hours of practice today, and I haven't seen a lot of her.
I just want to say that I love getting your comments, but I have also been blessed by one or two emails to the address that I shared up there on the right - it is wonderful to hear from you that way too, but don't be upset if I don't reply immediately as I probably only check that account a couple of times a week.
Saturday, 23 January 2016
Blogging friend makes headlines!
Over at Life After Money, blog friend Ilona has been interviewed by her local paper, and it is interesting reading - although as regular readers of her blog, there isn't a lot we don't already know! It is great to see the frugal lifestyle in the press, although they had already interviewed her back in 2009. There's a bit of repetition from the first article and it would have been lovely to have seen some of MeanQueen's amazing creativity shared in the papers - her artwork is amazing. Her brilliant summerhouse did get into a snapshot though. Well done, Ilona!
Back in about 2000, a friend and I thought we would have a bash at a thrifty newsletter but that never really got off the ground as it was a bit challenging to co-ordinate back then when we lived at opposite ends of this island of ours. Now that we have blogs, it is much easier to just put the information out there and it is up to folk to read if they are interested - it seems that some of you are indeed interested in reading and I continue to be grateful for all your comments and the sharing of your news in the comments.
Thrift seems to come and go in popularity and it has risen in past years because of all the austerity measures and the dire need to make ends meet for some people. For some, it is the need to manage of very little income, and for others, it is a desire to wring every pennyworth of value and not to waste money. Whatever your reasons for reading here, and I know that some of you pop in just to keep up with our news, you are very welcome!
Thrift is a major contributing factor in the way that we live here, and it hasn't always been easy - some people look down on those who don't worry too much about interior design, drive old bangers, make boots last for a decade, and have their hair cut in the village salon for £7.50......but it makes me secure in so many ways that I won't give it up easily and I won't part with cash for no good reason. I'll give it away to causes that I support, yes, but I won't be scammed out of it - I've had some very dodgy emails in the past two days from people offering me huge sums of money for helping them to secure funds from abroad - and the "delete" button dealt with them very swiftly!
Back in about 2000, a friend and I thought we would have a bash at a thrifty newsletter but that never really got off the ground as it was a bit challenging to co-ordinate back then when we lived at opposite ends of this island of ours. Now that we have blogs, it is much easier to just put the information out there and it is up to folk to read if they are interested - it seems that some of you are indeed interested in reading and I continue to be grateful for all your comments and the sharing of your news in the comments.
Thrift seems to come and go in popularity and it has risen in past years because of all the austerity measures and the dire need to make ends meet for some people. For some, it is the need to manage of very little income, and for others, it is a desire to wring every pennyworth of value and not to waste money. Whatever your reasons for reading here, and I know that some of you pop in just to keep up with our news, you are very welcome!
Thrift is a major contributing factor in the way that we live here, and it hasn't always been easy - some people look down on those who don't worry too much about interior design, drive old bangers, make boots last for a decade, and have their hair cut in the village salon for £7.50......but it makes me secure in so many ways that I won't give it up easily and I won't part with cash for no good reason. I'll give it away to causes that I support, yes, but I won't be scammed out of it - I've had some very dodgy emails in the past two days from people offering me huge sums of money for helping them to secure funds from abroad - and the "delete" button dealt with them very swiftly!
Friday, 22 January 2016
Loving a bargain today
You'll remember that I said I was saving those Shop&Scan points to spend at Amazon? Good job I didn't rush into it, as I have had an email today to say that they are offering £10 off purchases over £50 for today only. Consequently, I have just ordered £54odd of books and only spent the £4 and pence on the lot - so pleased I waited and have got £10 worth more than I would have had with only the shopping points!
If anyone else has an extensive wish list, or has a voucher to spend, the code you need is "BIGTHANKS" and the purchase has to be made today. This is probably just for UK readers, too.
If anyone else has an extensive wish list, or has a voucher to spend, the code you need is "BIGTHANKS" and the purchase has to be made today. This is probably just for UK readers, too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
