Village living on a budget what NO ALDI!

GlynD

mardatha wrote: »

Well its kind of hard to let a coal fire go out then re-light it all the time, so is best left alone and turned to zero. Plus I live in a very cold place. And we're old. LOL !

If you're depending on it 24/7 then I can fully understand your position. We're not and just use a coal fire for comfort and atmosphere - although we do get the benefit of the heat into our radiators thanks to the dual system and on most nights that's enough to heat the house throughout.

One thing I will say: the Memsahib and I have been discussing our heating requirements this week because it is getting much colder but we don't seem to be using our heating half as much as last year. We're putting this down to the new double insulation in the loft which was carried out in July. If ever there was an advert for checking your loft insulation I think we're it, we're actually sat here sweating at times and have to turn the heating off at nights when it's only been on for a couple of hours, and it's turned down low.

mardatha

Yep, our elect works out under a fiver a week and Calor gas is about £1.50. Ok so I'm an anorak and have counted it all out and analysed it

GlynD

mardatha wrote: »

Yep, our elect works out under a fiver a week and Calor gas is about £1.50. Ok so I'm an anorak and have counted it all out and analysed it

You're doing much better than us on the electricity front. As much as we have energy saving light bulbs all over the house and switch things off which aren't being used etc (without being anal about it) we're still paying £65 a month. We don't use Calor or any equivalent although my neighbour does. I would reason that's because we have a cat. We can't keep internal doors closed so there's no point in trying to heat a room individually with a Super Ser or equivalent. I'm sure some people would be quick to jump in and say they would make no allowances for the cat but it's our choice and we choose to do so.

GlynD

On another note; our friendly farmer's wife was round last night with a handy wee list of things they're selling, mostly fruit and veg, all of which they grow themselves. They're inviting everyone in the village to put their order in next Monday for delivery on the 19th. You don't get service like that in the city

mardatha

Cats matter! they are people too My cooker is LPG Glyn, we get a lot or powercuts .

GlynD

mardatha wrote: »

Cats matter! they are people too My cooker is LPG Glyn, we get a lot or powercuts .

Glad your opinion matches ours on cats. we are one of these couples who treat our cat as a child and spoil her. I see your logic on the LPG cooker. If I was more remote then I'd probably think the same and that's a bridge I may have to cross because the older we are the less we want to be close to people. There are 3,500 people in the village and surrounding area here and it's a little too crowded for us.

brunettegirl

So exciting! Moving in on Saturday - should of said it is only a rented house, so alas no chickens allowed! alther my OH would love a few and a duck!
Mingling will happen without me doing anything as my LO is very sociable and seems to have the ability to make most people talk to him, which Im hoping will come in handy.
I think there is a farm shop and possibly a PO but not sure as google has limited info and I can't remember what we drove past on the day we viewed as I wasn't paying attention - too busy raving about how lovley i thought the garden/house was i think
I have put together a fire box for moving in day - matches, newspaper (lots from the packing boxes), firelighters scrap paper, hopefully some logs and coal will be added to this before we go,
I have lots of old curtains so can use as draught excluders if necessary, i know there is no double glazing - so thick curtains.

jackyann

Hoping you will pop on to let us know how it's going!
I was talking to a friend last night and was reminded about a dreadful time when we had a long power cut, but because it was so cold, all the stuff in the freezer was fine!
Glad you have plenty of curtains. I type this in my parents' old house, looking at my mother's "double" curtains!

GlynD

This weekend may be a bit of a baptism of fire (or snow). Welcome to country living

mardatha

Ask LL if the chimney been swept