jasper123

Yes your right Fish, a lot of Americans do worry a lot, well they do I suppose have a lot to worry about though especially if there living from pay check to pay check like so many are, and not being able to pay for there company health insurance, and only getting a week or two paid vacation every year,
But over here people are really happy go lucky, I suppose it helps if you are getting 5 or 6 weeks of lovely paid holiday every freaking year

I always thought that of the Americans when I first got there and for the first say 10 years, they always seemed to me you know laid back, but gradually over the years and now it seems that it has done a compleat turn around,
OK now where can me and Mum go for our next Holiday? better save our pensions --- if theres anything left over
Take care Fish,
Rodney.

cheers

I might ad you live on a scale different to us.
We are on medicare (we can't stay away from that subject huh) and we still have to pay out $450 for supplemental insurance and RX's per month.
While you were at Tesco I was paying $45 for one of my RX's. All in all we pay about $150 copay per month.

Back to your payouts. Our lifestyle is a lot different than yours. We wouldn't consider most of what you bought but you are making the money. I might ad that my wife quit working outside of the home about 41 years ago. My point. Only one paycheck.

islandwoman120

No that won't go too far for two people. It is tough starting over, and I have had to tell myself - repeatedly - that when I first moved to the States in 1987, I had nothing either and started with one item at a time - it was horrid. One mattress for me, one for my little boy. Two plastic garden chairs (the moulded ones from Home Depot) , one plastic garden table (single) and one bookcase made from cheap pine from Home Depot. That was it. And a black and white telly from a sale. The next year I had moved to Illinois,and when I bought a larger colour TV, I used the box it came in to make the pedestal of a dining table: paid $2 for two pieces of pine shelving, glued them together lengthways, and painted the entire lot French Blue, the same colour as the plastic chairs. Of course - you could not put any weight on the ends as the boards were not connected to the pedestal, but my visitors thought I had a fabulous modern designer table, and I never told them otherwise!! So here I am again: I own one double bed, one plastic airing rack for clothes, one electric kettle, one set of three (cheap and awful) stainless steel pots from Argos, one small 15" TV, and everything else I brought with me. One thing at a time, and now I don't need to have extras for another person, I can afford to take my time and be selective. Today I went to the Market in Frome, and bought a can opener for £1.25, 6 Free Range eggs for £1.25, and some tacky stuff to put lightweight things on the wall - £1. Seek and ye shall find - cheap.

DDL

Don't understand, Cheers ... please clarify. Thanks.

DDL

You're a tough cookie, Rosie. You've "been there, done that", haven't you? And now you're doing it again! Well, what doesn't kill us just makes us stronger, doesn't it?

But at the end of the day: we're in England, and that's good enough for me.

Signed,

Denise ~ the American who (apparently) holds her cutlery caveman style

cheers

Do they have a dollar (pound) store in Frome?


Good price considering on the eggs. We pay the same price for a dozen but they are from the caged hens. Nuff said.

I think you have to wait another 4 weeks for your pension and I think you are getting Social Security so hopefully you are 'good'

We all need to live in a big 'ouse and share expenses.
How about ten of us together and getting on each others nerves.

Beedubya

They talk about this a lot on the Aussie forum. The programmes seem to "lure" people in with a promise of endless sunshine, beautiful beaches and free BBQ's on said beaches...........

Of course as we all know there is more to life than the bloomin' weather.......

cheers

and don't you forget it

cheers

I think what I was trying to say is you spend money on things we don't because we have a tight budget (but live quite well I might ad)

It reminds me of someone who said "Why is there vanilla ice cream and why is there chocolate ice scream"? Answer..some like vanilla some like chocolate.

Same with purchasing, some like somethings and other like other things.

OK I'm burying myself.

You went out for a meal. We haven't been out for a long long time, 6 months maybe?. We do have a gift certificate for Olive Garden we haven't used though. We have sent out to Carl Juniors for hamburgers only because we have a 2 for one coupon.

I think I explained about the theater popcorn/drinks and we haven't bought that for ten years because it is too expensive for us.

Maybe I can explain myself this way. You think your income leaves something to be desired but I think you are living fairly well.

Beedubya

islandwoman120

Yes there is a 'Pound' store - has a mix of decent and tatty rubbish - pick and choose, you may find something that works. That is where I got the folding clothes airer. I enjoy my seek and find shopping expeditions - I live a simple life: free/clearance/sale/discount! Retail makes my Jewish and Scottish genes go into alarm mode! (sorry ED).

DDL: I have been well educated, but the money has never followed. So I learned to adapt, and it has made life much easier. And I know, from the 'been there done that' of my prior experiences, that I can manage almost anything - as long as I have a place to live. I can figure out the rest in time.

Cheers: UK Pension in a few weeks - received a phone call from them to tell me that. US pension - may not take until 4 years hence - it does not amount to a hill of beans at 62. So part time work at least. Had to take a 1.5 hour test for the Census Bureau (or whatever they are called here - I am not sure about the name) which was on line. Now I wait for 3 weeks to see if I am accepted to work in the Frome area in May and June. Nice money, even includes a paid vacation time! That just blows my mind - I am so accustomed to work + no benefits! Though that is naughty of me to write that - when I worked at the university in MN as a Graduate Instructor, I got paid breaks, so I deserve a slap on the wrist tonight. You can do that DDL, to make up for being called (by default) a caveman...don't use your club though, please.

cheers

Got to make a run to Target. I will check when I come back.

Cheers.

Beedubya

I am going to Italy with my sister in late summer.

trottytrue

Rodney... enjoyed your post. I think the UK has the best public bus service anywhere in the World. My family make the most of it. There is a reason for the expensive beef when I get my brain working again I will remember what it is. Do you do much shopping in Marks and Spencers? I think once you have been home for a few more months people will not even notice your accent. It will blend in.

DDL...I think your right about the tea. Once we got the water purifier the taste of my tea changed for the better. I dont know if I asked this before but what do you miss the most about the US. I know when we were home my husband missed peanut butter and mayonaisse and corn on the cob. But I see they have most of those things now.

When we were down South a couple of years ago my husband did not like the narrow winding roads. I think we should have hired a smaller car that would have got around the corners better. We got the bigger car for all our luggage but it did have its drawbacks parking was hard and driving along those roads, but up North it was much easier the roads are not as narrow. Nor do they have the high hedgerows on each side of the road.

Charleygirl...How is work I know you are busy. Give me a call. We have had a really difficult week my OH was taken ill and spent most of the week feeling under the weather. He had to go into hospital yesterday and had an operation this morning for gall stones. He had 70. He is feeling a little better today. Spend most of yesterday and today at the hospital and probably for the next few days. Glad he got it out of the way. My grandson also had an operation on his foot so its been a really tough week. But we are doing well unfortunately those people who looked at the house chose another one. The forsale sign is now covered in snow.

Its time for updates from overseas forum friends......Will be putting an updated list up once Beedubya and ldyinlv leave for home. Havnt heard from Anna in Malta or HighSpeedGrandma. I know your busy but just drop in and let us know how things are going.

Beedubya

Wow I found the toiletries i.e. mouthwash and toothpaste to be really high in price.

And as for the £11 for 2 regular soft drinks and popcorn That is steep!! I wouldn't pay it on principle!!

My friend in the UK went to see that movie too last week Denise and has raved to me about it, you are the second person, yet I can't see the attraction of a movie about a future kings speech impediment.......