Hi everybody.
How are you all coping with 2009? The term "the credit crunch" has been bandied about and some people say that the media have exaggerated matters. What do you think? How has the "credit crunch" affected you? Are there any good things as well as bad?
(Please note that on the One Space homepage there is a section devoted to money advice and also a video made by Karl from the Citizen's Advice Bureau)
Look forward to your views
Louise :)
I've been made redundant. I worked for Woolworths for 5 years, started in November 2003 as Christmas staff and stayed. I worked 3 evenings a week and it got me out of the house, gave me a bit of independence, gave me my confidence back and gave me friends. It was a colleague that helped me leave by renting me a flat for 6 months. In a way I owe that job my life.
Financially I'm Okay. I was effectively only working for twenty pounds per week cos I'm on IS. I'm hopefully starting a college course next month and I'll get paid fifteen pounds a week for doing it, so I'll only be a fiver down.
Still very sad to see Woolies go though. :(
Hey Rosedragon, how very nice to hear from you :D
Although sorry to hear about the redundancy, I am sure many single parents on this site will miss Woolies, I know i will, you could always rely on them to have what you needed!
Anyway, great that you are starting college though, new beginnings eh?! I hope you meet some good people on the course and your social life keeps going. Thats great that they are going to pay you to go, I didn't know about that!
Hi tigerlily,how is the bread making going?? I forked out £35 for one of those, but found that the bread was really heavy and it was all too much keeping on top of what ingredients we needed to have in the house and what the local supermarket actually stocked, so I have now stopped eating bread altogether!
Rosedragon said
"I've been made redundant. I worked for Woolworths for 5 years, started in November 2003 as Christmas staff and stayed. I worked 3 evenings a week and it got me out of the house, gave me a bit of independence, gave me my confidence back and gave me friends. It was a colleague that helped me leave by renting me a flat for 6 months. In a way I owe that job my life.
Financially I'm Okay. I was effectively only working for twenty pounds per week cos I'm on IS. I'm hopefully starting a college course next month and I'll get paid fifteen pounds a week for doing it, so I'll only be a fiver down.
Still very sad to see Woolies go though. Rosedragon "
I'm sorry that you've been made redundant. As you say, sad to see Woolies go.
Best wishes with College.
I'm just bumping this to the top as it is very topical just now. Unemployment seems to be an increasing problem....so it is ironic that there are moves afoot to get more lone parents into work when there are so few jobs for them to apply for. Also, the credit crunch seems to be giving employers more power as the people in work can't leave if there is nowhere else to go.
I have to say I am surprised that "market forces" haven't kicked in more- I thought there would be loads of almost giveaway holidays and knockdown prices in the shops, not so up here, has anyone else noticed differences?
Louise :)
Hello Blusey
Yes I agree about the supermarket prices. During a period of ill-health last year I did my shopping online and had it delivered. So I was not prey to seeing new things, offers etc, I got more or less the same stuff every week and I suddenly noticed that I was spending almost £20 a week more! Now I prefer going in person and scrutinising everything :roll:
Take care
Louise
Hi all, just reading your posts, and want to share my bug bear......
Tinned tomatoes used to be 15p in my local supermarket, they are now 35p, aaargh, they were always part of nearly every meal I ever cooked for about 10 years. I am so furious about it. I know loads of other things have gone up to, but those tinned toms have really got my goat! :x
I think the cost of bread was the biggest shock for me.
Thankyou for the tip tigerlily!
I also use passata, but i find that tinned toms have more substance when needed!! meaning they are bulkier if you get my drift? ;)
Hi every1
Hmm trying to think of any positives to do with the credit crunch might be to look for a needle in a haystack Louise, I suppose one good thing is that perspectives have changed, I dont expect so much (not that I expected much before, lol!) and the kids are more likely to accept my reasons why I cant afford the designer trainers.
I keep seeing on telly about all the great bargains that are supposedly in the shops but I havent seen many, the stock sale at Woolies seeemd to be just little kids clothes. I do know that my fares to get to work have gone up by just over a quid a day, far above what they say the inflation rate is. I have started cooking from scratch a lot more seeing as it is cheaper and my Mum gave me her old breadmaker so I am doing that most days, I suppose that is a cheat and I would be doing the kneading and proving as well if I wasnt so busy.
At least turning the heating off earlier in the evening gives me an excuse to go up to bed at 9pm ;)
TL