A frugal life is an easy life!

An absolute classic on BBC news this snowy morning.

Interviewing a lady at Gatwick airport, the lady informs the watching world, "On the whole, the airlines are handling the situation of delays and cancellations very well. The one airline that appears to be struggling is easyjet, as they have closed their help desk due to too many people asking for help!"

Another high quality company treating British customers with respect!

I work part time as a "dinner man" - dinner lady with yard duties - anyways, I was asked a couple of weeks ago, why I do my job, as it is unusual for a bloke to do this line of work.

To be honest, there isn't a single reason why, I just do this job because it is not a job (work that one out!)

I spent years working in a great environment in shops and superstores, with a great team of people, only to have a new boss (often younger than me) that suddenly came along and I found I had to justify and prove myself all over again from scratch.
I spent years working full time, for companies that quoted "the needs of the business" at me everytime I wanted things from them such as time off that I was allowed.

I have had to take my summer holidays in November - been told I have to work until 6pm on Christmas Eve - work staff around me laid off or not replaced and had to carry their workload, etc.
It's not nice and it is not compatable with a healthy home life.
Long travelling hours and expense, low pay, poor working conditions and extra workloads for the same money. Missing out on home life and bosses that treat you as if you just don't matter, as they get delusions of grandure and believe that they have "made it" - very sad!

It took an age to get an opportunity to get a job at my previous school (which is sadly no more) one lady in particular gave me a chance when no other school would even allow me an interview (yes you Helen) and a group of teaching staff put up with me, helped and advised me and showed me skills that I never knew I had.
My aim was to become a teacher or teaching assistant, a complete change of direction for me work wise, but an ambition.
Sadly for me, being middle aged without an academic background, the chances of getting there are remote. Starting from scratch would take (I am told) upto 7 years and then if I do qualify, most schools would not take me on because I will be closing in on 50 years old and deemed by many to be too old.

I love doing what I do, for the simple reason that children are honest.
I have fun, everyday is different, the children do not care who I am or what I do, I am just part of their overall day.
After my last school closed, I have now been given a chance at another school, as "dinnerman" which suits me just fine. The staff are putting up with me I think, the kids are great fun, full of opinions and tricks, all in a nice way.

Today, after I was invited to help out at the school panto trip, I spotted another reason why I love doing what I do... as the panto came to its end, I looked across from where I was sat to check on the small group I was in charge of and I saw more than 200 kids all having the time of their lives hehe
Jumping up and down, singing and booing the villain, cheering, waving, totally absorbed in the show, having a blast, cracking stuff, I consider myself to be very lucky in what I do :O)

With the end of Y factor (I will not promote its real title) last night, the stark contrast with selling records is clear.

Back in the 1970s, music was marketed in more or less the same way as today, kids shows would have "pop stars" appearing, promoted by record companies and promoted on radio stations.
Where the main difference was, was in the protection for those purchasing.

The process of marketing hype aimed at the under 16's today, is a scandal in my opinion.
In the 70s, we would save up or have bought for us a single, this involved a child or an adult physically having 99p in their hands, comparing it to buying other things, then making a conscious decision to physically travel into a shop or store and make a purchase.
With todays "cast your vote" approach, there is no physical pound in hand, comparisons to other products, travel to a shop criteria and don't those running reality TV shows know it - it can be compared to buy now pay later shopping.

Add on the promotion marketing to children, from the "the vote is very close so keep voting" TV presenters constantly bang out and the instant internet/mobile phone access to purchasing that children of today have, shows the sinister marketing ploys and child targeting tactics that need the laws applying to them to protect children.
This highlights for me, perfectly, as to why young people under 18 are not given the vote in general elections.

Those fans of the Y factor will say I am talking rubbish, they will point to the entertainment and fun reasons the program brings. There will also be those that say I am against young people having their say and giving their opinions, because it doesn't tally with my own. All these reasons are complete rubbish!

Does anyone really believe that a single phone vote can affect the outcome?
If so, why do children that I know who phone vote, often vote more than once in each vote? If the Y factor are serious about getting a true reflection of voting, why don't they ban more than one vote coming from the same phone number?
Each vote is calculated not on the number of votes cast, but on percentages of votes.
The difference is, that I could hold a vote on if I am correct in my thinking on this, then reveal two days later that 66% of people coming here agreed with me - but with only 3 votes cast, if I said 2 voters agreed with me, it doesn't sound that impressive does it?

The Y factor could only accept landline phone votes, etc, there are a host of ways they could make the voting more accurately reflect the actual voting intentions.
Is it fair that an elderly lady in Scotland voting once for contestant number one, in effect gets her vote blanked out by a teenager in London voting 5 times for contestant number two?
Voting figures not released because it might influence the voters in future shows? Utter tosh!
Voting figures are not released so that people cannot make an informed judgement more like!

It is time to enforce the laws already in place, that prevent people, especially under 16s, being misled and manipulated into spending their mobile phone money on reality TV scams.

Christmas presents always present a dilemma for me.
On the one hand, I love giving gifts, it always has to be something that the person wouldn't get all year round, something a bit different (I refuse to buy clothing!) but at the same time I do not want to get some useless tat, that will not be used or just pushed to the back of a drawer or cupboard.
On the other hand, how do I find a frugal gift amongst all those so called "Sales" and "Offers" the shops say they have on, but upon checking, have gone up in price 3 weeks before being "reduced" in an imaginary sale?

This year I am going for the "save hassle" approach for my gifts.

Using my local farmer/butcher, I have negotiated a discount on some joints of meat (you can't do that shopping in a supermarket!) so instead of buying the useless bubble bath that is packed into "gift" packs, I can be both thrifty/frugal, saving time and money for me and the people I am buying gifts for!

A selection of locally cut joints, lamb shanks, fillet steaks, topside, etc. A meat hamper!

Works well for me, because I can combine 3 small presents for a household into one (They are all adults - I wouldn't do this if there were kids) I have negotiated a discount with my butcher and I have saved time and money for the family!
This, so my frugal logic goes, allows the family to not have to worry about rushing around Iceland for frozen meat, they do not have the expense to shell out and they can now spend their money on other things, which has helped them out as well as provided a surprise for them!

Everyone's a winner I think...

Want a faster, safer and more convenient way to shop online? You got it.

This is the marketing bumph that google checkout tells the internet world.

I am taking part in a "secret santa" - where I can by a friend over at Chatgames (chatgames.com) a surprise gift for Christmas.
Luckily for me, the limit is just $20, anymore than this and the farce I have had to put up with, would have cost me more money!

I visited an American website to purchase a gift, as my secret santa friend lives there.
This allows me to pay for a gift online, but more importantly, have it delivered in time for Christmas, as they only deliver within the USA.
Ever heard the term "global economy?"
It doesn't exist!

When I tried to use my visa debit card to pay for the goods via google checkout, not only did the company state they could not deliver the product as it was to be delivered to an address outside the USA (Wrong - it was an USA address) they would issue a refund via google checkout.
Google checkout took 2 days to issue the refund, but more importantly, took more than they refunded.

Nice work if you can get it google, refund/payment is with held so it can be taken when the exchange rate favours google.
I have just paid out 40p MORE than I should have (not counting the £1.50 oversees fee!) for products that are for a USA address and been stung 40p for the privilege, my friend doesn't have their gift and google is up on the deal.