A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

fuddle

yes please bupster

[Deleted User]

PIC - just a thought and it really would depend on being able to get planning permission to do it, I think it is possible to install a woodburner and run the stainless steel chimney out through a wall without a chimney stack.. I think it would have to be into your own garden space and not into a joint access area like a driveway. Don't know if you are in a position to consider this as an option and it would have to be installed by a professional firm but might be a cheaper option than having a chimney stack built? Hope this helps Lyn x.

bupster

Possession - fire away what do you guys need to know?

The main problem for the UK is that most of our exports go to the EU, and we're completely interdependent - no country can stand alone any more, realistically no country's been able to do so for decades. So what that means is that if all European countries are taking austerity measures, meaning people across Europe have less money in their pockets to spend, then nobody's buying our stuff either.

Added to that, our government is taking stronger austerity measures than are strictly necessary - plus austerity at a time of low growth is actually a bit of a daft idea anyway. Austerity measures should be taken when the economy is growing, so that there's still demand in the economy and we don't go into a death spiral.

Anyway, if Greece leaves the Eurozone - which is looking increasingly likely, though it isn't certain by any means - Greece will have a fairly horrible time in the short term but will probably recover a bit more quickly than if it stays in. The danger is if the people that lend money to governments then think that it's too risky to keep lending to other Eurozone countries like Spain. Greece only has a tiny, tiny economy by European standards and though its exit would be a bit of a shock to the European economic system, things would recover. If an economy as big as Spain started reeling in the same way that would be really dangerous.

From a UK point of view, again, the biggest problems (and this is only a personal and probably wildly biased opinion) is that the current government's policies are based on a fallacy. They believe that if you cut public services then private companies will appear to fill the gap. But I don't think that's true, because where's the demand if all those people are on the dole and nobody has money and everyone's afraid to spend it? Also, the areas that are getting hurt most are the ones most dependent on the public sector and manufacturing, which are the first that get hit by low demand and austerity measures.

But this is a huge subject and I'm not sure I'm making enough sense. So please ask if there are things that are confusing and I can see if I can make them make sense. If I can make sense of them myself, of course...

fuddle

What prepper's forums do you know of Mar? I wouldn't mind a shifty of others' ideas.

We are in the middle of the worst thunder storm I have seen in my life. It's gone on since 2.30 and the kids and I are soaking wet from the rain. Thing is we're now toasty in PJ's,dressing gowns and slippers and just about to have hot choc.

Thanks for the pre pay confirmation that it's more expensive. Thought it was. I have upped the direct debit to £50 month extra to try to clear it. That's the money I would have saved from not having the car. In one hand out the other... constantly! Never seem to get on our feet.

fuddle

That's brilliant bupster. thank you.

Are you able to help me understand the effect of Greece leaving the eurozone will have on us in UK?

Also, slow growth in this country, austerity measures, years of our economy in doldrums. What does that actually mean for households in the next few years - does it at all mean rising costs?

mardatha

Thanks Bupster, very clear

Evie74_2

Thank you Bupster - that has helped clear my muddled brain a little! I find the whole thing very interesting from an academic point of view - it's not much fun living through it, but I think it would help if I understood it all better.

Mardatha - I'd also be interested in details of the preppers' forums (should that be fora? My former boss (now long retired) would be having fits - he had a PhD in Classics and used to suffer physical pain if anyone said something like "stadiums" :rotfl:)

Evie xx

bupster

Austerity by itself doesn't mean rising costs everywhere. There are other factors though that are contributing to rising costs - food costs in particular. High oil prices are one of the factors that are uncontrollable and have really strong effects on food prices. If the cost of fuel is going up, supermarket prices will too.

There are some austerity measures that do mean rising prices - changes in taxes are one of them. So the pasty tax, even though it's been partly reversed, will still put 40p on the price of a sausage roll at the train station shortly.

The government thinks that some of the changes it has made will mean lower prices - it believes that putting a cap on housing benefit will mean that rents will go down. But that's not happening so far at all.

Instead, inflation has been quite high over the last few years. It's a difficult one, because quantitative easing (which basically means lowering interest rates and other things to try to get more money sloshing around in the economy) is aimed at increasing demand and that tends to make prices higher - like a giant ebay auction. And there are other things pushing prices higher, like the oil prices I mentioned, and the lifting of restrictions on how high the train companies can push up ticket prices.

The main effect of Greece leaving the Eurozone will be to make banks really nervous about lending money - so it's effectively another potential credit crunch, which will especially damage small businesses and lead to house prices potentially falling as banks won't lend to new buyers. Again, this will disproportionately affect places that are less prosperous, as they don't have as many people in secure, well paid jobs who will still have spending power. So the north of England will be affected more than the south.

Still making sense? Lord knows how

paidinchickens

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

PIC - our woodburner is a clearview inset stove, it fits into the old fireplace recess and doesn't stand forward on the hearth like most of them do. It heats the chimneystack bricks up when it's on and does a slow release of heat when it burns out. The chimney breast is still warm to touch the next morning. Be warned though, you'll never be able to pass a piece of fallen wood, or offcuts from anywhere ever again. And you should see our woodpile, its got everything in it from the old decking from our local pub to the driftwood branches our friends dog brings back every day from his walk on the beach!!!!! It takes over every aspect of life !!!!! and it's lovely Cheers Lyn xx.

I am going to start collecting in anticipation :rotfl: Using dogs to bring back wood :T

Our problem is we are in a semi detatched new build with no chimney and no outside wall which we could use but planning on getting several people out to give their views and recommendations.

bupster

I'd love a woodburner - but I live in a rented flat with a tree growing out of the chimney :rotfl: