Its tough, it will get better and guess what its freezing brrrrr!

MrsBartolozzi

Frugal wrote: »

No idea what to get nephews tho - early and mid teens Any ideas under or close to £5

Morrisons have 3 for a tenner on packs of Lynx and The Stig bubblebath (for the boys) and lots of other smellies for the girls too.
I just had a glance as I walked past but there were quite a few items to choose from, and £3.33 each so not too bad.

parsonswife8

Good evening all:)

Well, it is quite nippy here and windy. DH has managed to insulate about 1/3 of the loft and has done 2 trips to the tip and 2 trips to the charity shops. We'll get there in the end.:T

Thanks for the new thread Kezlou!

maryb

Phew, found you!

I tend to bookmark favourite threads so don't go via the index. Just happened to see a link on the Really Old Style thread.

It's been lovely and sunny here but I've got the builder in and the back door has been open all day so it's getting a tad chilly. But I'm holding off on putting heating on. Woodburner is a different story - that has been on several evenings now. I do love that stove! Not sure if it is money saving when you set off the cost of logs against the gas saving but there's not that much in it and I love it anyway. Plus if there is any sort of disruption this winter, I love the thought that we will be warm regardless

DD2 is whinging gently about not having heating on but she is away next week on geography trip so I should be able to hold out until then. Would really like to hold out until November but we have a two week half term and she would be miserable if I'm too strict so I suspect it will go on when she gets back from her trip.

Not looking forward to when my capped dual fuel tarriff ends in March next year. I capped for 2 years and I was looking at how much the latest tariffs are just in case it was worth switching now (no penalty). I think I'll stay put for as long as possible thank you very much!!. Heating could be going off in March if I can't get a good deal when this one ends.

One thing I need to do is set up a spreadsheet to work out if it is really worth having Economy 7. At the moment, I heat the water by electricity overnight and don't have the (gas) boiler come on in the morning, I just give it a boost for an hour in the evening for baths and clearing up after supper. Washing machine and dishwasher are on timers to go on overnight as well. But I've never managed to get above about 25% cheap rate usage and I suspect there's not a lot in it if I reverted back to a standard tarfiff. It would also be a lot more convenient being able to do the washing when I want. But I suppose it does make more efficeient use of base load electricity generation so it's a bit greener from that point of view. Does anyone know if I would have to have the meter physically changed if I do decide to go back to single tariff?

katholicos

Frugalista wrote: »

:A

My 3 sisters and I all buy each other gifts sourced from CS or boot sales - it's a little competition we have every year. We all have different interests so it makes it easier to find things. We also all give each other a homemade gift - mine is usually chutney.

Last year, I was given a lovely antique book on the Genetics and Art of Dog Breeding (LOL! I know, I know - but it's what lights my candle :rotfl::rotfl:) and a Wartime Recipe Book.

One of my sisters keeps bees and collects honeypots - and I bought her a lovely 1950's honeypot from a car boot. It had belonged to the vendors mother - so I typed out a little label with it's history and popped it inside. Another sister got original Aga accessories that I found in a box in the corner of a charity shop - all for 50p each :eek::T.

We all get so much pleasure from our annual "treasure hunt" and it doesn't cost much. I do know that some people are a bit sniffy about our charity shop gifts - truth is, my sisters and I all agree that it's the one gift we really look forward to opening at Christmas :kisses3:.

It's such a shame that today's society seems to judge folk on what they own or spend.

ETA: Thanks for the kind words guys :A

I'd already bought this years Christmas pressies, last year ....only mum, dad and DD to buy for now oh and DS, but he will have what money i can afford to give him as a gift, as he prefers money.......but, this year i've spotted quite a few things in charity shops and while usually i would give them straight away to who i bought them for, i've now started putting these things up for next years Christmas, Birthdays or other special gift giving days. If i was still giving gifts to other family members and friends i would feel 'obliged' to buy new, but i know that those who are especially close to me will really appreciate what they are given no matter where it is from.

meg72

mardatha wrote: »

It's easy to disrupt a thread online, so if we stick together and ignore that stuff then we will be fine. Kittie, I'd like to ask your opinion on starting all this new life stuff once you're older ... You've done it so it must be possible, yes ? I'm 60, mentally 9, but physically 90. Is it too hard to start gardening/veg growing seriously at this age ? Are there shortcuts/cheats ?

Bless ,its never to late to start growing your own, I have a 90 year old neighbour who was struggling a bit when he lost his dear wife. I potted up some runner beans,and a trough of letuce leaves raddish etc, also a couple of cherry tomato for him. He has now dug up half of his back lawn, made raised beds and bought a small greenhouse,
more power to him although I drool over the greenhouse. I havent managed to afford one (well a little plastic one) in the last 45 years.

mardatha

:eek: Made raised beds ??? HOW??

hellsbells45

Hi, found you all again, was upset that the previous thread got locked and was thinking about starting one, but I don't need to:j:j:j:j.

Had some good news today, my lovely new suite will be here on thursday:j thank god I'm in so much pain it will be great to have somewhere comfi to sit. (quick winge, was in tears walking today, it hurt so much, so in bed most of the time)

Taint cold down 'ere mi'dears, very windy but warm and humid (prob why I hurt so much)

Newspapers, only ever buy them when i have run out of free ones to line the cat litter tray;) always read on line, that way you can have a varied level of opinion. I like the DM - usually so tht I can have a quick rant with the words fascist thrown in there every so often. The Indie-find it reasonably balanced and then whatever takes my fancy. really resent ever having to buy one as there is very little journalism in them now, only reporting.

Lots of other money saving bit from internet as well, lots of documentaries, many of whhich you would never see on main stream tv. E-books, brilliant as have a little net book which i tale to bed with me, balance on top of the old chest IYSWIM and read to my hearts content. When I don't have internet feel totally lost. And sooo much more.

other bit of good news, SW contacted me today is visiting next week to complete the forms so that i can hopefully get some funding to get the help in the house I need. And I'm going to try again to get my DLA so expect lots of depressed muttering from this corner.

Anyway nice to know were all back and running again.

TTFN

JenniO

mardatha wrote: »

:eek: Made raised beds ??? HOW??

I have made raised beds by creating a wooden rectangle planter and screwing 4 2" x 2" 'legs' of wood under each corner like a table. It stands about 3 feet tall now. Mine is 2 feet by 4 feet so I can plant 8 kinds of veg in them a la square foot gardening. HTH

mardatha

Yes pet, but its the work involved in making them. I can't lift wood, the OH can't/won't lift wood - or screw it together. We just can't physically do it, which is why I wondered at the old man doing it.

JenniO

mardatha wrote: »

Yes pet, but its the work involved in making them. I can't lift wood, the OH can't/won't lift wood - or screw it together. We just can't physically do it, which is why I wondered at the old man doing it.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:I was always one to take things literally!