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Preparing for winter II
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lizzyb1812 wrote: »Fuddle - could you buy/make a screen or use a garment rail raised to its fullest height as a pole?
Oh brilliant idea.Thank you, I'll give it some thought. Actually a pressure pole? I could get a shower pole that is held up by the pressure of the walls. Thank you for getting me to think out of the box0 -
Well done Red Doe. If you don't give up, eventually things seem to have a habit of coming right.
So glad for you and yours as it sounds hellish cold where you are.:eek:Felines are my favourite
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Rainy-Days wrote: »In 2009 it was two weeks and in 2010 it was three weeks snowed in for us. We managed, but as I said previously Red Doe, minus 14 and I just cannot comprehend minus 24, which is what you had and the length of your snow confinement was just horrifying. The only things that were moving in our village (well technically it is a hamlet if you want to be exact) is the tractor and 4X4's. That was it, single track lanes. I dread to think for you. Oh but just think you will be more sustainable this time! :T
I do feel sorry for anyone in the same situation re fuel companies. Worrying thing though is the woman saying that even though they are making 'allowances' for my situation, they won't normally, and that it's really only low useage of oil users that will be considered.
Me, I'm just grateful we'll have heating this winter for a changebut do still feel fuel companies penalise the poor who are the ones who rely most on schemes which will allow them to pay for their fuel in reasonable installments.
I wrote to our MSP about the matter too, but there seems to be little he could suggest beyond the Energy Efficiency websites which don't really apply to us as tenants and since I don't claim benefits, so that wasn't much use. Also the websites seem to concentrate (which is good, but....) solely on ensuring the house insulation etc is up to spec, with nothing to address the rising cost of heating oil or electricity or gas heating.
The MSP said he was lobbying the government about fuel poverty but it does seem the government is very reluctant to tackle the oil companies over it. I've got no answers to that. But I would urge anyone who is having trouble paying for their heating oil to ask the supplier for a payment scheme. As I said to them, I wasn't wanting heating oil for free, just to be able to pay it at a reasonable rate. Being told I could pay it up only if I had the full amount already in the bank was just ridiculous.
Here's hoping nobody has to be cold this winter. It's almost soul destroying, people often underestimate the effects of the cold. Really hoping everyone stays warm and safe this winter.
Don't let anyone bring you down for having the common sense to prep for hard times or the coming winter. When others are running round like headless chickens trying to buy food and winter supplies as the shops grind to a halt under snow or ice, folks who've stocked up will at least be safe, warm and fed. That makes a big difference. It's something to be proud of."Ignore the eejits...it saves your blood pressure and drives `em nuts!"0 -
Oh what a relief Red Doe - if I could work out how to copy the email response I got from Scottish Fuels I would - but I think those 'new rules' are bloomin' well very new -its disgusting wat they were doing - forcing people into even more fuel poverty - anyway RESULT. I was on the verge of doing a trex up there with hot soup and a duvet!!debt free 2021 at current DMP rate[/COLOR] (probably be in an old peoples home by then)0
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It's a glorious, warm September day today, really enjoying it
We found Wilkinson to be very good for blinds.
Excuse me whilst I have a bit of a rant: I'm after a nice woolly jumper or two but for the life of me can't find anything I like. I really just want a basic knitted jumper maybe plain or with a little decoration on it, but everything I can find (just been in Peacocks who have their autumn stock in) are all mega fashionable and most don't function as a jumper to keep you warm, just something to look good. Just want something that I can pop out to sort the chickens. Irritatingly, I noticed in the men's section lots of lovely jumpers which would be just what I'm after, but even a small would swamp me (I'm a size 8). I did have a look in Edinburgh Woolen Mill, but run the risk of going a bit old ladyish - I'm 26 so don't want to be doing that just yet LOL! Any suggestions? The men's ones are really tempting, but don't want to look weird if I go to try it on :rotfl:I have decided to knit myself something and that way it will be warm and have a decent wool content. The only drawback is that at my usual rate of knitting it is unlikely to be ready before winter 2013!
Huge thanks to those keeping their fingers crossed for me....it worked! *does happy wee dance*
Got a phone call from Scottish Fuels, apparently under 'new rules' (I didn't ask...) it will be harder for folks to pay by installments but I think the fact there is a disabled person in the household helped, so I'm to be allowed to pay monthly which means, yay, we will have heating this winter!
Can't begin to tell ye what a difference that'll make...last winter we were sodamn cold....
I had some good news too. My heating (a particular type of skirting board radiator) hasn't done the job since it was installed 3 years ago. My heart has been broken trying to get it sorted. Countless visits, even paid extra - it still looked awful but worse, didn't heat up and I was trying to use the open fire and an electric heater to manage - expensive and not really warm enough as they were only in one room. Anyway, by some miracle I rang today and for once they actually returned my call for once and since they were in the area came to sort it. I won't know till it's cold if it's actually going to give out the right amount of heat but at least this time it was hot to the touch so that is progress! I am just so happy! :j:jTrying to spend less time on MSE so I can get more done ... it's not going great so far!
Sorry if I don't reply to posts - I'm having MAJOR trouble keeping up these days!
Frugal Living Challenge 2011
Sealed Pot #671 :A DFW Nerd #11850 -
Copying out some of the letter I received from our local MP, John Thurso. (leaving out the personal info obviously
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"I was very sorry to hear of the awful situation you and your partner find yourselves in of not being able to afford to heat your home adequately.
You are certainly not the only person experiencing fuel poverty here in the Highlands. A survey by my office showed that more than 30percent of households who responded were suffering from fuel poverty and those hit the hardest were households without mains gas which had no option but to rely on heating oil. Last winter was a particularly harsh one and, with unrest in the Middle East affecting oil prices, people in the Far North were hit especially hard.
In April of this year I was so worried by the high price of heating oil in our area and by the significant variations between the companies which my office discovered (a number of which were ultimately under the same ownership) that I wrote to the Chief Executive of the Office For Fair Trading urging him to conduct an investigation into the regional markets of heating oil and to take action. The results of this investigation and its recommendations will be published next month and I am hoping this will provide some relief for people in the Far North before the winter. I will let you know what they are.
Although it will not be of much comfort this winter, I hope that progress on the Green Deal will make a real difference for our area in the future. part of the Green Deal will mean a significant change in the obligation on energy suppliers to improve energy efficiency in homes across the UK. Instead of having general targets, as I understand it energy companies will be obliged to focus their efforts on hard to treat homes in more remote and rural areas which could have a real impact on fuel poverty in our area."
The rest is personal info
This arrived half an hour ago (we get our post late here, being last on the route!) and I have to say although in real terms I'm not sure how helpful this actually is, at least he is doing something. John Thurso is generally highly regarded in this area, with good reason.
Imo, it really is past time that fuel poverty in the UK was addressed and dealt with. I'm no politician and obviously have no influence but it's something close to my heart. It's one thing when you're young and fit enough to deal with extremes of cold and harsh weather, but if you have ill health or are elderly, then surely in the twentyfirst century, that shouldn't be allowed, in a so called enlightened society, to be the norm in too many areas?
Off my soap box now."Ignore the eejits...it saves your blood pressure and drives `em nuts!"0 -
Great News Red Doe.0
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Huge thanks to those keeping their fingers crossed for me....it worked! *does happy wee dance*
Got a phone call from Scottish Fuels, apparently under 'new rules' (I didn't ask...) it will be harder for folks to pay by installments but I think the fact there is a disabled person in the household helped, so I'm to be allowed to pay monthly which means, yay, we will have heating this winter!
Can't begin to tell ye what a difference that'll make...last winter we were sodamn cold....
Really please for you all.
Now, does that loft space have any insulation? How much? And are the tiles underdrawn (do you have roofing felt)?
Otherwise you will be heating the night sky.If you've have not made a mistake, you've made nothing0 -
I am not a troll just because I think you are all potty for stocking up on 6 months worth of food and bog roll in case we get 2 days of snow..
Also your version of preparing for winters seems to entail spending loads of money, hardly MSE
mse isn't just about not spending , its about getting the best deal for what you want/need.
lets hope you aren't back on here in the bad weather moaning about being cut off from the shops and down to your last loo roll. i for one enjoy planning ahead .This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com0 -
Red Doe, I'm so pleased! good to know you'll be warm this winter :beer:... don't throw the string away. You always need string!
C.R.A.P.R.O.L.L.Z Head Sharpener0
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