Expenses and cuts

This morning I got up, went downstairs, and showered using my reduced aisle shower gel (cinnamon and fig!) and washed my hair using special offer shampoo.

I made a cup of tea using the special offer teabags and the double discount sugar and the full price milk.  (Still working on that one!)

I made the AC breakfast using special offer cereal and sandwiches for J using homemade bread (special offer flour and free yeast) and 2 for 1 ham.

I emptied the clothes from the washing machine (washed using special offer double discount washing powder) and put them on the radiator to dry.

I put more clothes in the washing machine (with the special offer double discount washing powder) and put it on.

I am about to prepare tea - a cassarole of half price vegetables and reduced aisle beef - no Ox Cheek this week which is a shame, as that was delicious last week.  It will be served with cut price cheese and homemade bread.

Tonight we are going to flying (free) and on Friday we'll go to Steves for chinese (his turn to pay - our turn was last week lol!)

I don't have to live like this.

This is a lifestyle choice because I resent paying full price to the supermarkets and because with a little thought I can save a fair piece of money that we can use on other things.  Currently, we're saving up for a National Trust membership for the family.  We'll get that this week, and most of it will have been paid for by saving.

We have money in the savings.  I could have used that.  I'm not going to, because one day we'll need something in a hurry and that money won't be there.

Rich and I *had* to live like this.  We *had* to pay off the debts accrued during his marriage to the BG's mother.  We *had* to send money across the Pond to support BG (utterly unresented, btw!).  We were saving for a trip over there because her mother had refused her to come here.  As a consequence, BG never saw her father again.  I don't want that for any reason - we will always have enough money to cover something like that that needs to be done. 

When Rich died, the AC and I had to live worse than this.  It wasn't a game then.  We *had* to.  We had support from the RAF which was lovely and very, very necessary, but that couldn't go on forever, and I have my pride.  I'm not one to run to my parents for anything except electrical help (my dad is an electrician - he knows what he's doing lol!) and whilst they did help, I have now paid back every penny of overt help.  (Well.  Of overt help that I remember.  There are still big gaps in my memory, and they are welcome to stay there.)  But AC had uniform, and presents at Christmas, and Friday treat time, and the mortgage was paid and we just cut back and cut back and cut back until it was all sortedish.

Now there are 2 wages in the house again.  A part time one from J - and why not after 23 years serving - and a full time one from me.  I'm used to living in a less profligate way, and in a way, it's a game.  I know it's not for others - there are thousands in the position that I was in with the AC after Rich's accident - I know it's not a game, and I help when I can. 

So I when I have made tea I will put on my sale trainers, pull on my half price coat, and head out the door with my worth-every-penny child, and go to school to earn the money.

Laters peoples.