It was getting tough in 2006 and the workhouse still threatens us in 2011

SDG31000

I've just arranged to go and visit some friends over the monsters half term. I haven't seen them in ages, so it should be fun. Resisting the lure of baking and sugar isn't going to be easy, but then I've never made life straightforward for myself. I owe my friend a large quantity of cookies as a belated birthday present.
I've already checked out the cinnamon roll recipe Softstuff. I'm thinking of making them and delivering them unbaked with a tub of icing as Christmas presents. I know I would love breakfast made and ready to bake on Christmas morning. I'll need to check out if they can be frozen, as running around on Christmas Eve delivering presents might work for Santa, but it doesn't work for me.

greent

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Have just had our latest bill from Eon.... we were on a fix which ended in July. I did shop around, but still found the best deal to be with them if I swapped to another online tariff. Our DD went up from £80/ mth to £95 (combined energy figure) This bill has seen it go from £95/ mth to £145!!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: Blimey!!! I know they'll review it again next quarter and the quarter after that, so it will go down come Spring, but £50/ mth rise....!!!! Looks like we'll be looking for even more ways to cut our usage..., especially if it's another hard Winter like last year..:(

Softstuff

shelley_crow wrote: »

It makes me very sad to think that by the time my boys are my age, they probably won't have a hope in hell's chance of being able to afford to own a home or going to university in this country. Our long term goal is to emigrate, I can't see things getting any better.

I think things over here in Australia are better in some ways, but if I was still in England it wouldn't be my first choice to emigrate to. If you check out house prices over here they'd make your eyes water. And also what I've found, and what I read from expats over here, they give jobs to their own first so it can be pretty hard to find employment. Oh, and bananas are still $9.99 a kilo (over 6 quid)!

shelley_crow

Softstuff wrote: »

I think things over here in Australia are better in some ways, but if I was still in England it wouldn't be my first choice to emigrate to. If you check out house prices over here they'd make your eyes water. And also what I've found, and what I read from expats over here, they give jobs to their own first so it can be pretty hard to find employment. Oh, and bananas are still $9.99 a kilo (over 6 quid)!

Wow, that is steep!

We've been looking at Canada, I feel a holiday coming on in the next few years. I hadn't thought of the job factor like that, food for thought. Thanks hun x

shelley_crow

greent wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Have just had our latest bill from Eon.... we were on a fix which ended in July. I did shop around, but still found the best deal to be with them if I swapped to another online tariff. Our DD went up from £80/ mth to £95 (combined energy figure) This bill has seen it go from £95/ mth to £145!!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: Blimey!!! I know they'll review it again next quarter and the quarter after that, so it will go down come Spring, but £50/ mth rise....!!!! Looks like we'll be looking for even more ways to cut our usage..., especially if it's another hard Winter like last year..:(

Eeek! Have you spoken to any of the other companies? I'm with British Gas at the moment for gas and electric. Our direct debit is around £55 a month at the moment. Npower were twice the price when we were with them 4 years ago.

Softstuff

shelley_crow wrote: »

Wow, that is steep!

We've been looking at Canada, I feel a holiday coming on in the next few years. I hadn't thought of the job factor like that, food for thought. Thanks hun x

A friend of ours is in Toronto at the moment. He's been living there over a year now and enjoys it, he's a vet though, so will be earning a reasonable amount which influences a lot! He says that it's the first place he's lived where he isn't thinking of the next place to go, and he's lived in a few different places.

I live in what I'd consider one of the loveliest places in the world to look at, but it's perhaps not one of the most sensible places to live :rotfl:

rachbc

greent wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Have just had our latest bill from Eon.... we were on a fix which ended in July. I did shop around, but still found the best deal to be with them if I swapped to another online tariff. Our DD went up from £80/ mth to £95 (combined energy figure) This bill has seen it go from £95/ mth to £145!!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: Blimey!!! I know they'll review it again next quarter and the quarter after that, so it will go down come Spring, but £50/ mth rise....!!!! Looks like we'll be looking for even more ways to cut our usage..., especially if it's another hard Winter like last year..:(

We pay £145 pm for out electricty only!!!:eek:

mainly due to arrears when the insisted on only collect £35 pm dd when I told them we would need to pay more. OH's insistence on running an elec heater in the cellar to keep it dry drives me nuts (I sneak down and turn it off when I think i can get away with it)

smileyt_2

Hello Onionbreath, welcome to the toughies thread. I have to say that I hope your username is tongue in cheek :rotfl:

smileyt_2

skint_taffy wrote: »

hi, dont post very often but avid lurker lol am i right in believing the change to under occupancy in homes does not come into force until april 2013 and does not affect pensioners? thanks

HUGE APOLOLGIES AS SKINT TAFFY IS RIGHT. I have just looked at my notes again and the under occupancy proposals aren't due to come in until April 2013. Thank you, Skint Taffy.

It gives us a bit more time to save up.

I am going to find out if there are any lobbying bodies I can sign up to, and will let people know if I find out. I guess Shelter must be doing something for a start.

Now I feel stupid for having alarmed people unnecessarily. I apologise. Unfortunately though, things are still tough :eek: but maybe something will happen to stop these proposals becoming law. Maybe David Ca-moron will have a celestial visitation and be made to see the errors of his ways. *Wanders off in a moon-struck daze of hopefulness.*

katieowl_2

rachbc wrote: »

We pay £145 pm for out electricty only!!!:eek:

mainly due to arrears when the insisted on only collect £35 pm dd when I told them we would need to pay more. OH's insistence on running an elec heater in the cellar to keep it dry drives me nuts (I sneak down and turn it off when I think i can get away with it)

Mine's £115 as of this month - just electric - with British Gas. They always come up cheapest when I search anyway. Just DESPERATELY trying to cut the useage. We don't have loads of gadgets and I'm alway turning stuff off standby - even the oven, as the flashing annoys me...I really can't save anymore money I don't think? We've got an electricity monitor, and one of those plug in gadgets that tells you how much each appliance costs to run, so I really AM watching it carefully.

DD's BF who is a plumber is coming tomorrow to alter the radiator used as a heat sink by the Rayburn from one in the sitting room, to the bathroom one. The rest of the heating, such as it was, no longer works, as we took out the dead boiler (and didn't feel the need to replace it) but all last winter we had the electric oil rad running on low in the upstairs bathroom, so hopefully, as we put the Rayburn on in winter to warm the whole house, as well as cook, it will save a few extra pennies.

I like to see how many no spend days I can string together anyway, but seriously if DS wasn't here I'd be attempting 'off grid days' too to see if we could a) do it and b) save even £20 a month!

Kate