Live on £4,000 for a year - 2009, Part 3

Skint_Lynne

bails wrote: »

Really? Is this just for out of hours stuff or generally? I've never heard of this.

Sorry to hear about your yorkie CW, hope it was a one off. My parents dog is also having fits at the mo; apparently ticks can cause them too.

I'm not sure about general stuff bails, but definately for out of hours. I'll check the link that cheryl has posted later. I just know about my mum's friend because her wee dog badly cut his paw because some knuckleheads decided to smash some bottles outside her house and she didn't notice until it was too late. It was a Sunday morning so the vet was closed. Someone told her about the place, so she took her dog up there and they done the treatment free. She had to show a letter from the benefits place though.

cw18

jtb2412 wrote: »

So, I'm afraid I've fallen off the wagon completey with figures and the challenge but I did start again last week so am back with it. I simply didn't have the time to keep up with spending and logging everything on the spreadsheet but the bank balance is looking great so even if I haven't been doing it 'properly', I think my subconscious mind has kept me more on the straight and narrow than I probably realised.

Well done :T I'll be more than happy when it's a total second instinct not to spent

This kind of poses a problem as I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to kitchen gadgets and items - I can't bear to get rid of anything just in case I'll need it in future. I'm in two minds as to bung it in the loft or freecycle it and be done with it. Any advice on that would be welcomed .

Guess I'm not the best person to give advice on this, as I have a deep fat fryer in my cupboard I've not used in over 2 years (but can't get one like it any more, so loathe to give it away for the one in a blue moon I fancy onion rings!) and a pasta machine in a box in either the garage or loft, which has been packed away since we moved out of our last house in September 2001 :rolleyes2

bails

I'd be interested to know more about the vets bills as I've been on IB and HB/CTB but never had any idea I might be eligible for discounts Probably too late now as I don't intend to be on either when I get back :j but I do need to take the cats to the vets again before we go...

Glad your little dog seems a bit better CW, it's not nice at all.

Pets are indeed a luxury and can be an expensive one at times; these are the choices we make. Most of ours are insured, will need to renew all of them before we go so more expense.

Nice to see more peeps popping back in :hello: and to hear you're still using your frugal ways! :T Lovely to see SFT too, hope you're having a fab time!

The cottage progresses further...my dad started talking about it today (he knows nothing about our thoughts of trying to buy it, he worries a lot) so he thinks it has potential too :T OH and I had another look last night and spent time working out how to make the garden a manageable space - it would involve a mini digger so he was happy :rotfl: The estate agent is coming tomorrow to value this place, just to give us an idea of where the market's at/what we have to play with etc. I've also number crunched a lot and think we could manage the mortgage and our lifestyle, even during maternity leave if relevant :T We wouldn't be loaded but we're used to that and I'm fairly confident I could give us a good quality of life. OH even said we could have chickens if we move there :j:j He he, we shall see!

Right, really must get on. Packing going well and just bought some cheap glasses thanks to Martin's email, still lots to be getting on with!

Have a great afternoon all x

jtb2412

Thanks CW, I do find myself double checking whether I really want something or not before I buy it. Only yesterday I was umming and aahing over some new placemats but I decided that my old ones aren't quite past it yet and will do for a little while longer. I did however buy myself a 'food for free' collins pocket guide - am looking on that as an investment .

It's good to know it's not only me that has problems getting rid of things I no longer use . I've managed to free up one cupboard so far by getting rid of some mugs and plates (I had over 25 dinner plates lol :rotfl::o). We do have guests stay quite often but I think I can afford to get rid of the ones that don't match now :rolleyes:. Same with the mugs - it will encourage the various members of our household to not get a different cup everytime they want a drink :mad: and to rinse up the one they've used instead - will save me money too (water and electric). I hope DH's not reading this, otherwise he'll get worried there are only 5 cups, 5 plates, 5 sauces etc in the cupboard now :rotfl::p.

I don't think I will get my patty pan soup made this afternoon, this decluttering is taking longer than expected ! :eek:

Edit: Bails the cottage sounds wonderful ! (I forgot to mention I'd been all ears on this one recently!) It must be so exciting for you and I really hope whatever you decide, it all works out for you. I can only dream of such a place for the moment - maybe one day eh? Hope the trip goes well for you too xx Keep us updated !!

shaz_mum_of__2

For those of you thinking about winter already

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=531601&highlight=

This is a really useful thread

Shaz

shaz_mum_of__2

nykmedia wrote: »

Ooh, Whitewing, don't forget to update your licence to your married name if you changed it, as the DVLA are sticklers for everything being bang up to date.

You only need to do this if you choose to use your married name though...............I chose not to use mine straight away because of the bankruptcy that was going on at the time.I only used my married name once i was discharged as it meant less letters to write.


Shaz

cw18

bails wrote: »

I'd be interested to know more about the vets bills as I've been on IB and HB/CTB but never had any idea I might be eligible for discounts Probably too late now as I don't intend to be on either when I get back :j but I do need to take the cats to the vets again before we go...

IF you live within the catchement area of a PDSA hospital AND you receive HB or CTB (not discounts like single person/student) AND your pet needs emergency treatment, then you would be able to get them seen for free -- though the PDSA do encourage contributions of whatever you can afford, and my SIL said hers had a list up of 'suggested' donations for various treatments (that was a few years back though).

They don't cover the costs of routine things like booters, worming and neutering though - too many demands on their limited funds and these should be costs you consider before taking on a pet, though it appears they've been trialling a discounted scheme for these at some centres - and will only register 3 pets from one household.

The PDSA website claims 1 household in 5 is entitled (ie. recived HB/CTB), but as they only have a limited number of hospitals I'd be interested to know just how many of those people actually have access to the scheme, as they only have 47 centres !!

My DD would have been entitled before she went back to work - but the centre is 24 miles (and I think we worked it out as 3 buses each way) from here, which would have taken her close on 90 mins there and another 90 mins back due to gaps in changes...... hardly an option with 2 young children and a poorly animal in some kind of carrying box (assuming the bus drivers all let you on with the animal) :eek: So she paid to have the rabbit they had then seen by my vet instead


I don't know if anyone else runs similar schemes - but according to my vet this is the only other option available round here.

bails

Aah, thanks jtb, it's lovely to have others along to share the ride! I hope your dreams can come true too - I had no idea this could even be a remote possibility 2 weeks ago, and if you'd asked me a few months back I'd have said it was impossible for many years to come yet! I think this thread helps us find ways to make things happen, like Kittikins and her travel plans :T

I forgot to ask, with the wood being a perfect place to collect winter fuel for the wood burner, am I right in thinking I have to get permission from whoever owns the land?

Thanks so much for all that info CW. I appreciate entirely that animal costs should be considered before getting them, I just didn't want to have missed out on some frugal measures

cw18

bails wrote: »

I forgot to ask, with the wood being a perfect place to collect winter fuel for the wood burner, am I right in thinking I have to get permission from whoever owns the land?

The official answer to that would be "yes". If I were only taking an odd stick or three (such as people might to throw for dogs) then I probably wouldn't worry about doing so, but if collecting enough to use in an open fire then I don't think you could not do so.....

cw18

After last night's fiasco with the dog, I've had 2 good bits of "news" today :T

Postman brought me a new CT bill late this morning - they've changed it back to include my single person discount, and reduced the monthly payments back to what they were effective immediately. I'd been told it takes 10 days to process these changes, but it's only 5 days since I was in the office

And I've just been to collect the car from it's service and MOT, to be told it didn't need anything doing in order to pass - and hasn't even been issued any warnings :j I've been told brakes and/or tyres within x number of months/miles several times on my last car, and actually expected at least one of those to need doing as I've had this car 3 years on Saturday without doing either so far (apart from a single tyre replacement 2 years ago after a puncture)