Lose Weight 25

dmv_2

katiepoppycat wrote: »

We had a Big Talk last night and i think we may be a step closer to getting a dog. I really wanted a poodle, but OH can't get past the pompoms so we're thinking about a cocker spaniel. Probably october-ish, and I'm going to save my leave for it. Been reading all over the t'internet and getting some seriously conflicting advice. Anyone on here who works full time and has a dog? I keep just getting all this holier than thou stuff about how cruel it is to leave a dog by itself for more than 3 hours, but then i think about how many people work full time and think that it must be normal to leave the mduring a working day?

With regard to the dog. Yes people do have them even when they work, but personally I dont know anyone that has a dog on its own for more than 5 hours. My lab is very social, and thankfully with OH working from home and myself being a student, one of us is around most of the time. If you are going to get a dog that you leave on its own, age and breed is very important. Ideally you dont want a puppy, and in my opinion not a cocker spaniel! Sorry, just my personal opinion. Cockers need a lot of attention and walking. There is also a phrase that labradors are born half trained, whilst spaniels die half trained. They are known for being a bit manic. Also you need to commit to being able to do two good walks if they are gonna be on their own, and that would be at LEAST two 45 minute walks before and after work regardless of weather.

I sound like Im trying to put you off - I'm not. Getting a dog has been one of the best things I've ever done and I cant imagine ever not having one. If you both work full time and similar hours eg. both out 9-5 rescue homes will be reluctant to place a dog with you, so they clearly see it as not ideal. In conflict to this, a slightly older dog (as in not a puppy) would be much better being left alone so a rescue could be better. Some people say smaller dogs need less walking, can be true but I know a jack russel who walks for 3 hours a day so not always true! Certain breeds like whippets get tired easily with short bursts of exercise, whilst labs and spaniels need long walks to tire them out.

Another thing to think of is if you know someone that could let it out to go to the loo and ideally give it a quick walk during the day while you were at work? Dog owners are a friendly bunch, and I have a couple of people that I do that for/do that for me if I'm going to be out all day. Hope that helps in some way.

dmv_2

victory wrote: »

we owed £498 over on elec and gas but they mananged to transfer some of the debt to the gas and paid off £200 on the elec, very shocked so I know how you feel, I was really annoyed because they never told me for 6 months:rolleyes:
People seem to be struggling and I know it can be hard but in the end it is all worth it, every day towards your goal weight is one day less:D just think you will never have to repeat it because when you are slim and can fit into any thing your heart desires you will be so pleased with yourself you will never let the weight come back on again, remember nothing tastes as good as being slim feels;)

Our bills come every six months and are from actual meter readings - shockingly our gas was actually £2.50 in credit! We are currently paying £22 gas and £43 electricity a month which will obviously have to go up, what does everyone else pay? Thinking of putting the electric up to £75 a month and paying £200 off in april when I get my next student loan payment. RE the chocolate I didnt eat a lot and I enjoyed what I had, also bough OH goodies for his day out today and didnt buy myself any which was good. Also jumped on the scales today and they say I weigh less than I did on wednesdays weigh in so dont think I did too much damage.

petcorner

Anyone on here who works full time and has a dog? I keep just getting all this holier than thou stuff about how cruel it is to leave a dog by itself for more than 3 hours, but then i think about how many people work full time and think that it must be normal to leave the mduring a working day?
Hi there, I know this isn't what you want to hear but it really isn't fair to leave a dog all day if you are both working full time and it can also lead to behaviour problems. Is there anyway you can perhaps afford to pay someone to perhaps take it for a walk in the middle of the day? or perhaps, if you really want a pet, a pair of kittens/cats can be a good compromise as they are company for each other and cats are far more independant and self contained, dogs do tend to rely on their humans for love and company!
I have worked in a vets for many years and have always had cats and dogs so I do have a good reason for my answer and hope I haven't upset you:)


pet x

Brighton_belle

dmv wrote: »

Our bills come every six months and are from actual meter readings - shockingly our gas was actually £2.50 in credit! We are currently paying £22 gas and £43 electricity a month which will obviously have to go up, what does everyone else pay? .

we pay £50 a month for gas and are well in credit at the mo - gch and cooker hob and 4 adults in the house. Elec we were paying £55 a month but we are so in credit they have just dropped it to £42 a month. Are you saying that as well as paying your month £43, you owe on top of that £700:eek: Can you change your billing to quaterly to help you keep on top of it better?
You could join http://www.i-measure.org.uk/ and put in your meter readings every week to help you see how you are spending it.
We have started switching off everything we can at night and it has made a difference. You could also buy one of those devices that measures the elec use for each plugged in gizmo - gives you an idea of what each costs to run including the cost of leaving things on standby.

Buttonmoons

I have a 2 bed flat, and when the leccy prices went up I was paying £80 a month:eek:

I have a pre payment key meter, as thats what was in the flat when we moved in, we have managed to get it down to £40 per month, just by turning things like the PC, PS3, Washing machine and tumble etc off at the wall.

Turns out the PS3 uses as much power as 2 fridge freezers :eek:

Is it worth getting my leccy on a Direct debit scheme, would it be cheaper?


My gas is £7.50 a week - Council gas, thing is, I never ever use the heaters as we are in a multi storey, and we are bang in the middle, so the house is roasting from the heat travvelling up all day.

I have to sleep with my bedroom window open!!

dmv_2

Brighton_belle wrote: »

we pay £50 a month for gas and are well in credit at the mo - gch and cooker hob and 4 adults in the house. Elec we were paying £55 a month but we are so in credit they have just dropped it to £42 a month. Are you saying that as well as paying your month £43, you owe on top of that £700:eek: Can you change your billing to quaterly to help you keep on top of it better?
You could join http://www.i-measure.org.uk/ and put in your meter readings every week to help you see how you are spending it.
We have started switching off everything we can at night and it has made a difference. You could also buy one of those devices that measures the elec use for each plugged in gizmo - gives you an idea of what each costs to run including the cost of leaving things on standby.

Yes £700 on top of the £43 a month! We owed some before so it works out the last six months have been £90 a month! The only things I dont/cant turn off are the tropical fish tank (they need heat/light) the digital alarm clock, laptops are always on standby and plugged in but get used sooo much during the day and surely would cost as much to recharge batterys during the day as plugged in constantly and never "running out"? TV well...we have all sorts of sound systems, sky, dvd, wii etc and everytime I touch it something needs sorting so that stays on standby and is OH's domain which I'm not allowed to fiddle with! I dont even know where the plugs are for the dishwasher/washing machine? Dont use tumble dryer ever, am obsessed with turning lights off and actyually thought I was pretty careful with it all?! My dads elec is £100 a month and even though theres also only two of them, they are out all day whilst we are in and working here all day.

Oh and billing was quarterly but they have changed it to six monthly on "customers" request that they only bill when they have read the meter and I dont have any other option.

Brighton_belle

gosh, that's horrendous dmv, to be doing all the right things and still to cost that much - your dad's too. Definitely safer not to touch the tv etc if OH's domain - totally get that one:rotfl:.And our lap top is on all day too as it is used a lot.
We are lucky - with edf we can enter our meter readings on line every quarter. They come and check it every so often.

Dragging myself back on topic before I'm chucked off:D ...doing shepherds pie tonight with celeriac/carrot & swedemash on top. Lunch was HM sweet pot soup from freezer. From a financial point of view I need to add lentils & /or oats to the mince, but that doesn't work from the sw point of view so always a dilemma.

katiepoppycat

thanks for the advice folks! something to be thinking about definitely. BBelle, have you thought about adding soya mince? I can't remmeber if thats free on sw, but it's cheap stuff.

dmv_2

On topic! I tried asdas good for you thai chicken soup for lunch and it was absolutely divine! Loads of chicken in, tasted quite creamy and was only 130 calories and cost just 48p!Am sooooo stocking up next time I go shopping! Im funny about soup, I have to really enjoy it or else I wont eat it.

funkyfunkymonkey

dmv wrote: »

There is also a phrase that labradors are born half trained, whilst spaniels die half trained. They are known for being a bit manic.

I guess my lab thinks she's a spaniel then :rotfl: Manic little beasty

FFM