As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

oldtractor

Thanks Pink-Winged. Sorry for posting in the wrong place and being a nuciense.

oldtractor

Thanks bluebag. I try to make everything do twice, 2 cups of tea out of one tea bag, plan car journeys,make do and mend. Most of the time there is a great sense of achievement but it does sometimes get me down.

orangesmartie

ceridwen wrote: »

Yep - I echo GreyQueen that a water meter is the way to go.

My guesstimate as to what a singleton would pay for metered water would probably range from £10 per month (a normal price Water Authority and no garden) through to £25 per month (if they are unfortunate enough to have the "double price" Water Authority aka South West Water and they need water for a garden).

Most people will have a "normal price" Water Authority - and therefore I would estimate the majority of singlies (WITH a garden) would end up paying about £15 per month if they have a water meter. No way would a singlie with a "normal price" water authority have to pay more than £20 per month for their water.

I'm a singleton in the rip-off South West Water area and I pay £13 a month water charges. I'm always in credit, but they won't let me lower the monthly charge.

I don't have a garden, just a couple of window boxes. I run a dishwasher 3-4 times a week, washing machine 5-6 loads per week, plus a bath almost every day.

westcoastscot

Hi oldtractor,
I find its different when i'm making do to allow savings, or treats, but when it becomes a real necessity it needs a different frame of mind doesn't it? it goes from being a lifestyle choice to one of necessity. Totally agree about personal inflation - it certainly seems higher doesn't it?
WCS

Butterfly_Brain

oldtractor nobody who uses this board is a nuisance :eek: a lot of us are in the same boat and are holding our breath for when the cuts really start biting.
Our biggest outlay is gas and electricity it has tripled in price in the last four years, I believe that it should all be renationalised and not left to foreign companies and shareholders who don't give a hoot if someone old or sick has to decide to heat or eat :mad: :mad: :mad:

The only advice that I can give you is to look at the threads on the OS boards - especially those on cheap meals, there are plenty of good ideas on there.It seems to a lot of us that that is the only place that we can cut back on.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/235198

Shop around for bargains - I find the co-op the best for reduced stuff because they do reduce things down to the bone but you have to be there at the right time IYSWIM usually 6.30pm-7pm and they don't have stuff every day.

Us e your local butcher he will give you advice on cheap cuts and how to cook them,

Have a vegetarian day once a week mushroom risotto or macaroni cheese etc and is lovely and filling as well

Soup and pudding night = HM soup plus HM bread and a baked or steamed pudding is a cheap and filling night too

You can make lots of cheap fruity desserts from basic tinned fruits (sainsbury have the cheapest and better range) so a tin of basic peaches 30p (s) can be made into a crumble or topped with a light sponge and served with custard 6p (s) I love to chop the slices and put in the sponge then reserve the juice and some bits to make a glace icing to spread over the top and leave to set so you can eat it as a cake as well .........lush and it works with most tinned fruit

Make your freezer work for you don't waste anything- freeze reduced fruit and veg , bread, meat, leftovers etc

Buy a joint of beef/pork/lamb and cook it then slice it into meal sized portions ready to cook in some gravy this makes a £10 joint of beef stretch to 5 meals for four of us. It is als cheaper to do this for sandwich meats as well, I usually buy a £5 joint of gammon and slice it up for a weeks sarnies much nicer and cheaper than plastic ham.

Use the local market and go just before they close up on a Saturday and you can pick up some bargains from there.

I hope this helps you x

bluebag

oldtractor wrote: »

Thanks bluebag. I try to make everything do twice, 2 cups of tea out of one tea bag, plan car journeys,make do and mend. Most of the time there is a great sense of achievement but it does sometimes get me down.

It gets me down at times too, I find it good to have a good whinge, then back to the grindstone. Coming on here makes me grateful, there is sadly always someone worse off than me.

Ah well, keep on keeping on as I say. The weather is a bit duff too...LOL.

parsniphead

Lindy_-_Loo wrote: »

Hello everyone, today I have booked my wedding, 12 weeks today (15th Aug) at the town hall. We decided yesterday to go for it - we been together 8 years and got two boys.

We were all excited, started to tell family and got the, not that day we will have to cancel something - what do you mean no evening reception - youve got to have flowers - why arent you having a 'proper' wedding dress and bridesmaids! The list goes on... so I have booked it and its staying as we said, wedding then lunch at a chinese eat all you want. They will set the tables up for us so if anyone wants to make a speech they can. Im getting a nice dress but no bridesmaids. We have a strict budget and we want simple but hardly anyone gets that.

dont talk about food prices going up, this month Im back to shopping in lots of different places.

hope everyone is well on this blustery day

Long time lurker popping up to say congratulations Lindy Loo.

I spent a max of £400 on my wedding. I made the dress, no bridesmaids, local register office and a party in my house later where folks could come and go as they pleased. I did have flowers but only because I wanted to put them on Dad's grave after the ceremony. Everyone said they had a lovely relaxed time and it was relatively stress free. I have such lovely memories of a perfect day. Do what makes you happy and if folks don't like it they don't have to come. It's you and your OH's day.

Back to lurking now.

Nicepeach

Hi, thanks for info. earlier.

Have just done first batch - no leaks through the flip top lid so fingers crossed & will let you know the outcome in 12 hours!

Just one more thing, it does say on the white tub/machine thingy not to immerse in water & clean with a damp cloth only. Done this but it still seems a bit grubby. I know it won't affect the yoghurt but doesn't look nice. Has anyone "dunked" their Easi Yo machine???!!! Seems to be a sealed unit so can't think why it shouldn't be immersed?

Regarding the water meter debate... I'm wondering if I have sprung a leak as I pay £29/month & there's just me & 17 yo son (oh & one small dog & two VERY cute rabbits). Son does enjoy a very long shower or deep bath every day though... Will be having a word...

Oldtractor have you tried the soda & vinegar for your laundry or moving to a supermarket own brand? Detergent & softener can be quite expensive. I down-shifted from premium brands to Aldi own for both & didn't notice any difference & haven't noticed any difference since changing to soda & vinegar... apart from not having to clean disgusting black gunk from dispenser drawer & I definitely don't miss that job!

oldtractor

Thanks all for the kind replies and ideas. Very useful,I'll certainly be doing the soup and pudding .

shegar

de1amo wrote: »

İ am in one of those ranting moods so forgive me before i start!!---its the wife again! Do you women treat your husband like a blank cheque when you decide you need more money!!???

İ will rewind a bit to saturday night--as you might know i ride a scooter in chaos traffic in a large turkish city. On saturday night i had too much to drink and my wife being in a mood with me let me get on my motorbike and ride home instead of insisting i go in the taxi with her---she said on sunday that i had a 50pc chance of killing myself and if i did she would be rich!!!--i kinda take things to heart like that!!
Now she expects me to pay all her expenses for our holiday when i have warned her all year to save. we earn the same amount from our business and i have bought the air tickets but she has known she had to pay the visas but now she is expecting me to!--and then she needs spending money etc etc --i feel i am being taken as a mug!!-rant over

Phew when I read some of your posts I find it very hard to believe that you are for real.............:mad:

Am I right in thinking you are a teacher?....well what the hell are you thinking of drinking and driving??:mad:...what sort of example does that set..?? words fail me....you cant blame your wife for "letting you get on your motorbike"....shes probaly sick to death of you and your drinking.......You say you are fed up with being taken for a mug, well fact is you are a MUG.......There is no excuse to drink and drive whatever country you live in........... I just hope to god that you dont kill someone while your out drunk on your bike .......Gods sake man sort yourself out.....:mad: Sorry if ive upset any of the regular posters on the thread, Its not my intention , I do not normally get out of my tree but this poster and his drinking driving makes me:mad::mad: