How to Get Through The Tough Times The Old Style Way.

D&DD

*fingers in ears* no no no you two naughty girls I want to live in Worth Matravers no fair :rotfl:

I can remember doing the coastal walk to Lulworth from Swanage half killed me..I was only little and spent most of it terrified my Dad would fall off the cliff!:o

Hippeechiq

I can imagine - that's a stiff old walk for a child! What views though!
Do you live in Dorset too?

D&DD

Sadly no Hippee stuck in Surrey but its like my second home..been holidaying there since I was tiny (now 44!) and now take our kids there..usually Swanage or Warmwell just recently.
I'll get there one day probably when I'm too old and decrepit to be able to enjoy it though

I absolutely love what they've done with the Tank Museum have you seen it since the lottery rebuilt it..wow I have embarassing photos of me with purple flares and a purdy wedge haircut straddling a large turret (you used to be able to climb on them back then) lots of such happy memories had in your part of the world *sigh*

Yes do try asking at the council a lot of these things they never publicise, which is sad as the people who need the help haven't got time to dig around finding out.

Well DS3 is still bouncing around better see if I can settle him down again!

Night all going to my bed to dream of Dorset :D

GreyQueen

Morning all, I'm up at ridiculous o'clock and for once I can't blame Idiot Boy; went to bed too early because I was wiped out and woke up after 6 hours feeling alert so decided to play on the web before going back to bed.

I won't plug my insurance company (household name anyway) but loss of metered water is covered as standard on my home contents policy, wondering if some peeps might have it on theirs, if that is a concern? Because of where my meter is, water loss would be into the flat itself, which would quickly turn into a aquarium, so I would be well aware of any problem.

Must have been something in the air about metered water yesterday because I had a cuppa with SuperGran, my retired friend from the other side of the block after work yesterday, and guess what subject came up? SG's flat has one of the older WC cisterns, which is substantially bigger than the skinny 6 litre one at mine. I've helped SG reduce her water bills already by telling her about our water company's low user tariff but she's still paying more than I am. We're both single and both out for several hours a day and careful with the water. I have 3 x 1 pint plastic milk bottles, filled with water to weight them down, displacing some of the 6 litres in my WC cistern and have never noticed any reduction in flush-efficiency. Been urging SG to try the same but she confesses a certain squeamishness about venturing under the cistern lid. So I've said I'll do it, just save the milk bottles. What are friends for?!

Under my water company you can certainly have a water meter removed provided it hasn't been there more than a year. I inherited mine from a previous tenant, couldn't have had it removed, but I am quids in. Our water company has special tariffs for certain groups who need to use a lot of water due to medical issues and there is also a sort of hybrid arrangement for people who can't have a meter for technical reasons but have a much lower use than average rateable value. I think it's well worth enquiring about.

Don't know if the whole world has gone MSE but finding a lot of conversations in the darndest of place are coming down to how to save money...........

7_week_wonder

Morning All, gosh it's taken me a while to catch up with all the posts.

I've just checked about water meters and apparently we would "save" minus £300 a year!! It's to do with Scottish Water's meter pricing according to the website. Mind you I guess we do have plenty of water up here.

Just snatching a few minutes peace and quiet before the household wakes up. Parents are visiting for the weekend, and while they are lovely, they do take a bit of looking after. Had dad's favouite tea last night sausages (really nice ones I spotted whoopsied a couple of weeks ago), mash, fried onions and some slow cooker red cabbage left over from Christmas - very OS.

I've been thinking about trouble in the Middle East, what impact rising oil prices will have on us and what I could do. I'm thinking stock up on a few things now, try and avoid using the car (yeah - home delivery from my veg box and food co-op!) and make sure we have a supply of candles etc in case of power cuts. What else?

Well the bread is nearly finished cooking, time to start heating the porridge and get organized for the day. Have a good weekend everyone.

redlady_1

Hippee - thanks for weezl's link. It has given me some ideas.

I love walking around Durdle Door and Lulworth. I tend to visit Lyme Regis quite a bit too and also Mudeford. I would love to do the South Coast Path one day. Also West Bay is nice.

Bitsy_Beans

D&DD wrote: »

I can remember doing the coastal walk to Lulworth from Swanage half killed me..I was only little and spent most of it terrified my Dad would fall off the cliff!:o

I remember doing the North Devon coastal walks as a kid and feeling terrified I would fall off the cliff!

bluebag wrote: »

When my mum had a meter fitted they said she could have it removed within 12 months if it didn't save her money. (it does).

I don't know if all water authorities do this though. Worth an ask if you are able.

OK I have a slight admission to make. Checked my statement that came this morning and I pay £21.98 a month DD So apologies for over-egging the pudding I think I got confused with my gas DD

I don't think the water meter has saved me significant amounts of money and hot dry spells in the summer means one water butt for my veggie plot just isn't enough so the watering can has to be filled from the tap I don't think the water authority will remove a meter after 9 years and it was already fitted when we bought the house.

[Deleted User]

ok so I`ll may get shot down by some but I have to say what I feel

The tone of the tough range of threads has changed from being os and helpful to over-the-fence chat and that was absolutely not the purpose of the original threads. There is very little on here that is now useful to a newbie looking for help. I suggest that this is now the last thread using the `tough` theme.

Daily chat belongs to the daily chat thread and I am signing my `tough` theme out as it has run its course

lora

shegar wrote: »

This is the first property that weve ever had a water metre, it was here when we moved in, I begged them to take it out but they wouldnt, I thought it would cost a fortune but its worked out cheaper than the other method, so im glad weve got it.........


It was announced on TV news tonight that water bills are going up 9.1 per %...........thats real bad for us all.........We pay £11 per month I do lots of washing, water garden in spring and summer,car washing, 2 or 3 showers per day.......so I dont think it too bad.......surprising just how much get flushed down the loo in a week................:eek: water that is !!
On to the weather well its certaintly been real nice here the last few days, everything is budding now, birds are singing very loudly at 4 in the morning, well I do have large window open so I expect thats why it sound so loud, its lovely laying there listening to the blackbirds singing to each other, makes me glad to be alive.......:D

We had lovely sauages for tea tonight with jacket taters, peas......followed by rhubarb crumble and custard ohhh that went down well, as ive been outside a good part of the day, had to trim the buddleija back, thats got loads new shoots on my boston ivy has new green shoots too, I cant wait to get spring well and trylly here , I expect all you lot think same as me thats its been a real long winter ..................

We have a bath every day and then use water to flush. In summer bath water diverted to water butt. Then taken to allotment in bottles. Guess who has saved a lot of money with a water meter ?

Pitlanepiglet

redlady_1 wrote: »

I tend to visit Lyme Regis quite a bit

Come and say :wave: to us when you're here

Kittie, I think the thread will settle back down again, it's just a transition from all the chaos that has gone on over the last month or so....

Back on topic ish.....OH has got work and today is day 3 :T. The problem is that he doesn't know how regular this is going to be and how many hours a week he will get so we don't know how to deal with our income support position. He's hoping it may well be virtually full time but it's a new business and the owner can't really tell how much help he'll need as they don't know how busy they will be. I am concerned that IS is going to struggle to deal with the difference in hours and that we're going to struggle for income if he doesn't have any work. Hopefully it will work out.